Que es el dealio?
Tyler is actually quite good at Spanish, but he's also quite good at coming up with catch phrases for the family, such as the one above. So what exactly is the deal about this "gift registry"? To the left you'll see a number of links. Each link details stops (listed below) on our dream trip, our wish list. Read, Enjoy, Dream with us! And if you are so inclined you may purchase items for the trip through a secure connection using a debit card, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, E-Check, Bank Transfer or Paypal. No Paypal account is required! There will be space provided for you to write us a letter that will be delivered with the payment.. Like much communication from Jeremiah, this is totally encrypted! But, if you prefer to purchase an item with a personal check you can mail it with a note to: 11 Pennington Lawrenceville Road, Pennington, NJ 08534
Other options:
There are of course a number of expenses not listed below including flights, transportation, a digital camera, shopping in town and at museum gift shops. If you want to make a contribution towards these expenses, to the honeymoon experience in general, or even a specific item that you discovered on your own, here is a button that will allow you contribute any amount you wish:
We know we are blessed to have such a beautiful home in a beautiful town. Just 6 miles from us Better Community Housing of Trenton, Inc. ensures others have such opportunities as well. Run by a childhood friend of Steph's father, Fr. Brian McCormick, this program improves Trenton, NJ, not through gentrification, but through support of its existing residents. To find out more or make a donation please go to: The Martin House Website
Paradors
Our dream accommodations for most of the trip are Spanish Paradors. These hotels are government-run and are often restored mansions and castles. As you read about our scenic journey through Spain you may find you want to know even more about these fanatastic landmarks! You can find more information on the Parador website at http://www.parador.es/
Thanks in advance for reading about our adventures! And thank you Jeremiah for all your hard work putting this website together- I love you! Enjoy!
First Leg:
Sierra Nevada
After flying in to Madrid we'll travel to Sierra Nevada- a coastal mountain range in Southern Spain. What appealed to Jeremiah most about a January honeymoon was the opportunity to visit some European ski slopes. Although Steph views the skiing mostly as a means to "apres-ski" around the fireplace in the lodge, she is sentimental about the time her parents spent skiing in Europe during their early married years. Hopefully suitcase space will allow her to pack at least one of the now 40 year-old European ski sweaters she "borrowed" from her parents' closets when she was in college.
About Sierra Nevada: Sierra Nevada, meaning "snowy range" in Spanish, is a mountain range in the region of Andalucia. It contains the highest point of continental Spain, Mulhacén at 3,479 m. Sierra Nevada was chosen as the location for the World Alpine Ski Championships held in February 1996. It is a popular tourist destination, as its high peaks make it possible to ski in Europe's most southern ski resort, in an area along the Mediterranean Sea predominantly known for its warm temperatures and abundant sunshine. At its foothills is the city of Granada- home to the world famous Alhambra. From the highest slopes of the Sierra Nevadas you can even see the waters of the Mediterranean. The main village is actually called Pradollano, although many people refer to it as the Sierra Nevada resort or just Sierra Nevada. Pradollano is also known as Sol y Nieve which simply means sun and snow ...sounds good to us!
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Two nights including breakfast, Two days of lift tickets and ski rentals:
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One of the most brilliant jewels of universal architecture is the Alhambra, a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th century. This mighty compound of buildings – including the summer palace called Generalife, with its fountains and gardens - stands at the foot of Spain's highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, and overlooks the city below and the fertile plain of Granada. At the center of the Alhambra stands the massive Palace of Charles V, an outstanding example of Spanish Renaissance architecture. Other major Christian monuments found in the city are the Cathedral, including the Royal Chapel where Isabel and Ferdinand lie buried, the Monastery of La Cartuja and many churches built by Moorish craftsmen after the Reconquest, in Granada's unique "mudéjar" style. |
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| What we will be doing in Granada We are in Granada to relax after 2 days of skiing. Granada is home to the most highly acclaimed Parador in all of Spain. With beautiful architecture and great Moorish-influenced cuisine, Granada is the perfect place to treat ourselves to the good life before heading further south.
2 nights stay at $250/night
Alhambra and lunch Tickets for a tour of the Alhambra and lunch at the Parador de San Francisco. $75 A lively night of Tapas and Jazz First stop: Bodegas Castaneda, one of the cities oldest bars. It is renowned for its tapas and its famous Calicasas cocktail- if we are daring enough to try! From there we will head to Echevaria which is a quite lively local favorite and where we may or may not spot some famous flamenco dancing (more on this tomorrow). Total for the night $100 |
Day 2 in Granada After relaxing in the luxurious Alhambra and a night on the town we will want to really get to know Granada!A Day of Exploration We will spend most of this day exploring Granada- browsing shops, seeing the cathedral and visiting the Gitano quarter, where we will be returning in the evening. An evening of Gypsies and Flamenco In the evening we will start out with dinner at "The Rough Guide to Andalucia" recommended Carmen Verde La Luna. Dining in a beautiful Garden Terrace overlooking the Alhambra. $80 From there we will travel to the Gitano quarter for some Flamenco dancing. One of the travel guides describes the Gitano quarter as such: "Granada has an ancient and considerable Gitano Gypsy population, from whose clans many of Spain's best Flamenco guitarists, dancers and singers have emerged. Traditionally the gypsies inhabited cave homes on the Sacromont Hill, and many still do, giving lively displays of dancing and music in their Zambras(shindigs).These were once spontaneous but are now blatantly contrived for tourists... which is not to say that you shouldn't visit." And we will! $50 |
Kenia
Nevada Resort
The
city of Granada 
Parador
de San Francisco
Second Leg
of the Journey: To Central Andalucia
This leg of the Journey is largely a transitional leg of the journey, between the mountains and the beaches. And what a beautiful segue it is!
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Ronda
and Malaga The Ronda parador holds a privileged location, next to the emblematic Puente Nuevo (that is, new bridge, pictured above). The bridge, across a gorge some 120 metres deep, took 42 years to build and is rumored to be one of Spain's most photographed structures. The gastronomic side of the Parador includes excellent Andalusian style dishes such as stewed partridge, roast kid, rabbit 'a la rondeña', almond soup, 'ajo blanco' (cold garlic soup) and 'salmorejo'. The most noteworthy desserts are 'Yemas rondeñas' (sweet egg yolk flans), 'tortitas de miel' (cake with honey) and 'queso de almendras' (almond cheese). Bring it on! 2 nights stay at the Parador in Ronda $175 per night.
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Malaga This is a day trip, via train, to Malaga where we will explore the city, visit the Picasso Museum and eat lunch and dinner. The train ride from Ronda to Malaga is incredibly scenic and weaves in and out of tunnels and on narrow stretches along the face of cliffs. In Malaga we will dine mostly on seafood, which Malaga is famous for. For lunch we will eat at Antigua Casa Guardia "a great old nineteenth century spit and sawdust bar". Picasso was a devotee of their wines and a photo on the wall shows him toting one of the bars jarras (a type of wine). After a day viewing art and wandering about we will eat at La Casa del Angel "one of the most interesting of Malaga's newer restaurants, sited in an elegant 19th century town house, its walls covered with more than 100 original artworks by big names such as Picasso and Dali. The eponymous owner is Spanish comedy actor Angel Garo who personally supervises the menu." Day trip to Malaga $130 Day 2 exploring the Caves of Pelita Here we will explore the region's early history, when, before the Romans, before even the Phoenicians, people of Malaga lived in caves. Visitors can go into some of these caves today, including those known as La Cueva de la Pileta (the Cave of the Sink). In 1905, a farmer named Jose Bullon Lobato spotted bats circling above a spot on the mountain that towered over his farm a few miles from Ronda. Investigating, he found a small opening in the rocks, lowered himself by rope, realized that he was in an enormous cave, and then found bits of ceramics, human bones and eventually a series of paintings of various animals. Anticipating the importance of these paintings, Lobato persuaded French scientists to make the arduous trip across the Pyrenees to the cave. In 1912 they estimated the paintings to be 25,000 years old! This is the only time during our trip that we will rent a car, which is the only practical way to access the caves. Car rental, a picnic lunch and a tour of the caves of Pileta $115
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Third leg of
the journey: The beaches of Cadiz and the Sherry Triangle
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These are known to the Spanish as, simply, "Los Pueblos Blancos", the white villages. Every year, once the spring rains have passed, their houses are meticulously whitewashed to a state of pristine splendor and the white provides a dazzling contrast to the brightly colored flowers which fill the streets and the ochres of their rocky mountain perches. This annual white-washing is almost a pagan act, ushering in the season of growth and fertility and saying ‘hasta la vista' to the winter. Many of these villages were founded by Berber tribes who settled the area during the eight centuries of Moorish presence. They were hill farmers and the land that they settled in Andalucía was similar to that which they had left behind in North Africa. Because of the constant threat of attack - the re-conquest was bound to come sooner or later - they chose sites which were high and easy to defend. So, one thing that we are guaranteed in any of these villages is a spectacular, lofty location with wonderful views. As was the case in other parts of Andalucía, there was a great rural exodus from these remote villages. But thanks to a vastly improved economy and the advent of rural tourism there is now new life and vibrancy in the Sierras. New hotels and restaurants have opened, mountain paths have been way marked and the area is being touted as ‘the new Tuscany'. Two bus tickets and lunch $60 |
Cadiz Cadiz, population 130,000, was founded by the Phoenicians in approximately 1,100 BC, and holds the distinction of being the oldest city in Europe. Cadiz is surrounded by the sea on three sides and is only accessible by the “Puerta de Tierra”, a strip of land that was constructed in 1755 and serves as entrance to the city. Cadiz, with three thousand years of history, has experienced great changes. With the discovery of the Americas, the city flourished. During the 16th century, the colonial sea trade made Cadiz one of the richest cities in Europe. The greatest recognition in modern history came in the 18th century when Cadiz became the primary port of trade with America.
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Hospederia Las Cortes De Cadiz All the rooms of this hotel enjoy a warm and comfortable decoration. Each room is dedicated to an event or excellent personage during Cortes of Cadiz in 1812. Steph wants it known the Cortes de Cadiz was a legislative body in Spain during the War for Independence, not Hernando Cortes the "explorer" responsible for massacres of the Aztec empire in Mexico several hundred years prior. 2 nights stay at $160
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For lunch we will stop by Cerveceria-Marisqueria Aurelio and El Faro for Tapas. Aurelio is a famous seafood Tapas bar and was founded by the legendary Aurelio who sold shellfish outside the entrance to Plaza Mina for many years. El Faro is known as one of the best tapas bars in the city- after all this tapas we may never eat on big plates again! Lunch and drinks $50 After a day at Cadiz beaches and wandering the town we will eat at Resteraunte Achuri one of the oldest places in the city and very popular with the locals, so it can be hard to find a table. It is known for excellent Basque food and Andaluz inspired dishes at reasonable prices. Dinner and drinks $90 |
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El Puerto de Santa Maria The First traces of settlements in El Puerto de Santa Maria, are from the lower Palaeolithic period, as demonstrated by the remains at "El Aculadero". Other archaeological sites of great interest are "Las Arenas" and "Doña Blanca" dating back to the Phoenicians, sometime between the 8th and 9th centuries B.C. Legend has it that the City was founded by an Athenian leader, Menestheo who after the Troyan Wars, founded a city which he named after himself, Puerto de Menesteo. It was here that the Santa Maria was fitted out; this ship was the property of Juan de la Cosa, a sailor who was a pilot for Columbus in 1492 and, who in 1500, made the first world map ever known to include the newly discovered continent of America. During the 16th and 17th centuries, El Puerto was the winter headquarters and base for the Royal Galleys and the site of the General Captaincy of the 'Mar Océana'. This fact would determinate the role the city played in the preparations of important naval expeditions. |
A Day trip to Santa Maria Before taking the Ferry over to Santa Maria we will stop by one of Cadiz's most bustling markets in Mercado Central to pick up a picnic lunch. After a short ferry ride across the bay we will arrive in Santa Maria. Our first order of business will be to walk out on the beach and find a nice spot to eat our picnic lunch. From there we will head out to visit some of Santa Maria's world famous sherry bodegas. Ferry, Lunch on the beach and visits to the Sherry bodegas $75 After an afternoon of sherry bodegas we will head to El Faro de el Puerto for dinner which offers outstanding seafood and meat dishes produced under the direction of top chef Fernando Cordoba. This is one of the best seafood restaurants in all of Andalucia! Dinner with a view of the beach $120 Sherry begins just like any other wine; the fermented Palomino grape produces a dry, thin wine notoriously prone to oxidation. But its here that the process becomes unique! The fermented Palomino juice is classified by its individual characteristics with the cleanest and most aromatic wine separated to butts for Fino. The wine is then fortified with grape alcohol before beginning its journey through the Solera process. Each Bodega has stacks of American oak barrels or butts arranged in criadera’s or cradles. The newest wine is added to the top criadera along with the aging wine already present. The wines are racked off to the lower levels as they age, finally ending up in the bottom row or solera. Each criadera represents a step in the aging process that develops the wine in to a darker richer wine. It’s important to note that as the new wines are added to the various levels of the solera, the older wines train the newer wines providing consistency and character. All Sherry is non-vintage, consisting of the marriage of many different vintage years. |
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The distinctive wine in Jerez has been exported for centuries, it was even praised by Shakespeare. It is distinctive because the strong sun gives the grapes a high sugar content. British merchants have been involved in the wine trade here for centuries, producing and shipping a fortified wine known as sherry. Famous names of these dynasties can be seen here over the doors of the bodegas; Sandeman, John Harvey, Domecq, Gonzalez Byass. The Spanish word bodega means "cellar", but its generic meaning is"wine manufacturer". You can take a guided tour of the many Jerez bodegas. Some of the companies such as Gonzalez Byass, Pedro Domecq and Sandeman – British winemakers have been active here for centuries, which is why many of the names have an Anglo-Saxon ring to them – provided guided tours of the cellars on weekdays, followed by sampling of the various types of wine produced. |
1 nights stay at $160 per night
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When we arrive by train in Jerez we will tour the various Bodegas and Tapas Bars in Jerez (there are quite a few) which should occupy us for most of the day. Among the Bodegas we plan to visit are Gozalez Byass, Domecq and Harveys. As we travel between the Bodegas we will stop at Tapas Bars tasting treats, especially thin slice salt cured pork called Jamon. After the last bodegas we will stop into the Flamenco Museum before heading back to the hotel and resting before trying to catch some real flamenco. Tapas and Bodegas (includes transportation where needed)$75 |
Jerez is famous for its Flamenco and we will be trying to catch the real thing. The real thing doesn't start until at least 11 pm so first we will hit one of Jerez's best restaurants: Mesa Redonda. The food - fish and meat cooked under the direction of noted chef Jose' Antonio Romero Valdespino -promises to be a truly memorable experience. Dinner $80 Afterwards we will go out exploring for some authentic Spanish Flemenco $60
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The fourth
and Final leg of the journey: Sevilla the Capital of Andalucia
What a trip so far! We plan to follow Don Quixote and end our trip with two days in Sevilla, one of the most romantic destinations in Spain!
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Sevilla lies on the banks of the Guadalquivir and is one of the largest historical centres in Europe, it has the minaret of La Giralda, the cathedral (one of the largest in Christendom), and the Alcázar Palace. Part of its treasure include Casa de Pilatos, the Town Hall, Archive of the Indies (where the historical records of the American continent are kept), the Fine Arts Museum (the second largest picture gallery in Spain) , plus convents, parish churches and palaces. It has hosted two international exhibitions (1929 and 1992) and is the administrative capital of Andalucía. The quarter of Triana on the other side of the river, La Macarena, Santa Cruz and San Bartolomé, the street of Las Sierpes, plus La Maestranza bullring, María Luisa park and the riverside walks are all representative images of Sevilla. For all its important monuments and fascinating history, Sevilla is universally famous for being a joyous town. While the Sevillians are known for their wit and sparkle, the city itself is striking for its vitality. It is the largest town in Southern Spain, the city of Carmen, Don Juan and Figaro. |
two nights stay at $143/night Buy one night: Day 1 in Sevilla Tapas and The Alcazar In the Alcázar of Segovia, Queen Isabella of Castile married King Ferdinand II of Aragon. Built in the 12th century. During the Middle Ages, the Alcázar of Segovia was the favourite residence of kings of Castile, and almost each king added new parts to the building, transforming the original fortress into a courtier residence and prolonging the construction of the castle until the16th century, when King Philip II added the conical spires and the slate roofs. A fire in 1862 destroyed part of the roofs, but they were restored in the very same style they were built 300 years ago. It is known that Walt Disney was inspired by the Alcazar de Segovia to create his famous Cinderella Castle. Sevilla proclaims itself the origin of Tapas, a tradition that has been spread through out the world. It is said to have begun in Bars in Sevilla when they would serve a thin slice of cured ham over the top of a glass of Fino (a type of Sherry). Now Tapas has evolved into a general term used to describe small entrees much like an appetizer but meant to be combined with other Tapas to be a meal in itself. We will try and hit several of Sevilla's best tapas bars while we explore the cities narrow streets. Tapas and admission to the Alcazar $60 |
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A night of exquisite food and Jazz As the evening draws we will head over to the Hotel Alfonso XIII for dinner, This is one of the most extravagant hotels in Sevilla and although we opted for the more cozy experience at Hotel Amadeus it would be hard to pass up such a well reviewed resteraunt where we have our choice of either Gourmet Sushi or more traditional Spanish fare. Sevilla has numerous music bars and since we have a lot of Flamenco planned so far in this trip we decided to take advantage of a very popular Jazz venue "Jazz bar Naima" where we hope to catch some of the local Jazz wonders. Dinner and a night of Jazz $180 |
Day 2 in Sevilla Day 2 in Sevilla We will spend most of the day shopping for one of Sevilla's most famous exports: Hand-made ceramic tiles. We plan to bring back enough to tile a small part of our house with a piece of our honeymoon. We anticipate the total tile purchase will be about $500. This is a special gift that you can contribute to: Tiles to remember Spain by $500 Our last hurrah in Spain will be spent relaxing and enjoying the scenery and eating at Teberna Al Alabardero. Typical starters are pastel de berenjenas y gambas de Huelva con salsa mariscada (aubergine and prawn terrine with shellfish sauce) and arroz cremoso con codorniz (quail risotto). Salmonete (red mullet) is a big local favourite: here it's cooked with garlic, leek and black olive oil, while truly red-blooded carnivores can try cochinillo confitado al aceite, pina y cogollo (suckling pig confit in olive oil with pineapple and lettuce hearts). El Alabardero is a celeb hang-out; Orlando Bloom, Anastacia and Grammy award-winner Alejandro Sanz have all dined here. Dinner $120 |
Sevilla
Hotel
Amadeus