Andalucia represents "typical" Spain (al-Andalus) with bullfights, flamenco dancing, myths like Don Juan and Carmen and the charm of its white villages (pueblos blancos), and extraordinary richness in its museums, monuments and architecture, a result of a long and creative cohabiting of the Arab, Jewish and Christian cultures. More than anywhere else in Spain, the Arab influence of the Moors - who ruled for nearly eight centuries - gave rise to a brilliant civilization, until the Reconquista by the Catholic Monarchs Fernando and Isabel in 1492.

Autumn is a great time to experience the olive harvests which dominate Southern Europe's Mediterranean countryside. I am here to bike through the Andalusian countryside and to witness the olive bounty as workers harvest the small fruit from the more than 200 million olive trees growing throughout the region.

Sept. 29 (Seville)

Boarded the AVE high-speed train (first class), which made my travel time from Madrid to Seville in two hours. It was built in preparation of the Seville Expo '92, and it is the most convenient and elegant way to travel from Madrid to Seville. more . . .

Sept. 30 (Sevilla - Carmona)

Our group met this morning in Sevilla for a van transfer to the old Roman city of Carmona - reputedly the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in Europe. A former stronghold of the Moors, Carmona is perhaps best known for the Roman necropolis that lies on the town's outskirts. More than 1,000 tombs dating from the 1st to the 4th century A.D. are located at the necropolis, including a set of pre-Roman burial mounds. Our hotel Casa de Carmona, is a converted 16th-century palace. Very elegant and by far to be the best accommodation of the trip. After fitting my bike, I strolled through town visiting historical sites such the Alcazar of the Gate of Sevilla, Iglesia de Sta. Maria, Town Museum and the Alcazar del Rey Don Pedro - a fortress of Moorish origin, it was once Pedro the Cruel's castle. This parador is perched on a hill and offers views of the Guadalquivir Valley below.

Oct. 1 (Carmona - Palma del Rio)

The Andalusian countryside unfolds this morning as we cycled over country roads following the fertile valley of the Guadalquivir River known to the Moors as Wadi al-Kabir, the Great River. Our final destination is the town of Palma del Rio and the Hospederia de San Francisco, a lovely hotel built in a former monastery founded in 1492. The Hospederia was the monastic home, for several years, of Fray Juniper Serra who went on to establish many of the missions in California. This was a halfway house for Spanish priests who went to California as missionaries. The rooms have the names of the different Californian missions. This was an easy ride. Van and I arrived around 1:30 pm, well ahead of the other 17 riders.

One of the unexpected experience that evening is the culinary talents of Jose Ignacio "Inaki" Martinez, the affable chef/manager of the hotel. Inaki is a transplanted Basque with a genius for adding a new twist to local specialties. His fish baked in salt is heavenly and is only one of the many superb dishes in a menu created just for us. The food is accompanied by a selection of fine vintages chosen to provide a comprehensive introduction to the wines of Spain. If the food had been as good in the 15th century, Fray Juniper would never have gone to California.

Mileage: 55 km.

Oct. 2 (Palma del Rio - Cordoba)

We began our bike ride following the valley of the Guadalquivir River this morning as it winds through vineyards, olive groves, and wheat fields on our way to the former Moorish capital of Cordoba. This river divides the province of Cordoba between the sierras to the north and the campina (plains) to the south. It also served as the boundary between Christian and Moorish Spain for centuries. Tabitha, Van, Teri, Eric, Dennis and I were sturdy enough to bike up the hill to visit the castle at Almodovar del Río (now owned by the mysterious Opus Dei).

Our group of 6 bikers reached Córdoba at around 5 pm, exhausted and my butt hurting. However the approach to the old Jewish and Muslim quarters gave us a great vantage view of the Mezquita and the Alcazar.

Once a vibrant city of over a million, Cordoba is now the repository of the greatest collection of Arabic art and architecture in the Western world. The "mezquita" is only one of the stunning examples to be found in the city. For our accommodation we have selected the lovely Hotel Conquistador located near the mezquita.

There is a unique flavor about Cordoba, it is almost as if the city knows that it was once the center of the known universe. This uniqueness is reflected in the richness of the food and for dinner we have selected one of Cordoba's finest restaurants (El Churrasco) to introduce you to such specialties as "salmorejo" a thicker version of the more familiar gazpacho, baked artichokes, and scrambled eggs with wild asparagus.

Mileage: 75 km.

Oct. 3 (Cordoba)

This was a day off the bike for me who wanted to rest their butt, take a walking tour in Córdoba and explore the architecture, history, and shops of this Moorish masterpiece. more . . .

Oct. 4 (Cordoba - Baena)

After breakfast we'll shuttle to Espejo where we began the day's ride. The gently rolling Andalusian countryside took us to Baena, a whitewashed town and the olive oil center of Spain. This ride has a sort of fuedal air about it with castles in the distance and the vast surrounding vineyards of the Montilla-Moriles wine country (a sherry-like wine famous throughout Spain and hardly known outside) and a never-ending sea of olive groves.

Comida was at a roadside eatery (called ventas), Restaurant Huerta San Rafael. Tasted the best Sangria and tapas ever.

We visited Nunez de Prado, an 18th-century almazara (oil mill), where some of the finest olive oil in the country is made in the old way. They say the olive oil from here has been rated the best in the world by several of Europe's top food journals. Two bottles to go please! Our hotel, Iponuba, tonight is just outside of Zuheros.

A memorable evening experience with the local Guardia Civil....

Mileage: 43 km.

Oct. 5 (Baena - Priego de Cordoba)

This morning, we headed off for a day of cycling in the beautiful and unspoiled Sierra de Subbética Nature Park. Our destination was Priego de Córdoba, a charming town with whitewashed houses and historic ramparts, that lies on the boundary of the park.

Calle del Rio is a curving street line with old mansion with imposing front doors and ironwork. It ends at the Fuente del Rey. Built between the 16th century, it has more than 130 spouts gushing into three pools. Then onto Barrio de la Villa. This is a quarter of immaculately white-washed, amazingly narrow streets. Geraniums and petunia run on balconies and on patio walls. At the end of these winding streets is the Balcon de Adarve, a wonderful lookout with views all over the countryside.

Mileage: 75 km. (a tough ride!)

Oct. 6 (Priego de Cordoba - Loja)

We pedaled over a few more hills covered with olive and pine groves, but with great views of the Sierra Nevadas. Cycling quiet back roads, we passed through picturesque hillside villages before arriving in Loja. Loja was known as Medina Lauxa by the Moors who were finally ousted in 1486 before the grand assault on Granada in 1492. The walls and towers of their fortress, that guarded the pass between Malaga and Granada, remain. This was the official residence of El Gran Capitan (Isabel & Ferdinand's great general).

Our hotel offers a view of the San Gabriel Church, which was designed by Diego de Siloe. Spain's great 16th architect.

Mileage: 61 km. (a very tough ride)

Oct. 7 (Loja - Granada)

A flat to rolling ride took us through fields of asparagus dotted with wildflowers and butterflies. We passed through numerous sleepy Andalusian villages and end tonight in the fabled Moorish city of Granada near the Alhambra.

Tabitha and I stopped at the sleepy little town of Fuente Vaqueros where Spain's great lyrical poet and playwrite, Frederico Garcia Lorca, was born. He portrayed the gypsy as exemplifying the most profound elements in the Andalusian psyche. He was later murdered by right-wing nationalists at the start of the Civil War.

We finally arrived at Granada and I had my picture taken at the Fuente del Triunfo, raising my bike as an encore after 375 km!

That afternoon, we visited the Cathedral, a Gothic-Renaissance masterpiece on Pasiega Square. Not finished until 1714, it is an awkward structure. Adjoining it, is the Capilla Real, where Ferdinand and Isabel, proud of their conclusive victory over the Moors, were buried. Many of their royal accessories and personal art collection are on display. Next to it is the La Alcaiceria, a silk exchange during Moorish times, now just shops selling souvenirs and local crafts.

I joined Van, Jean and Bob for dinner at the Mirador de Morayma. It is an excellent restaurant in a stunning carmenes (typical Granada house gardens) located in the Albaicin. Reputedly, this was where Boabdil's beloved wife, Morayma, was confined while he was in prison. From here, she could see the Alhambra.

Hotel Inglaterra near the Plaza Nueva and the Cathedral was the perfect centrally located hotel in the area.

Mileage: 66 km.

Oct. 8 (Granada)

Toured the legendary Alhambra Palace(palace of the last Moorish kings). The palace is an architectural treasure and one of the highlights of my trip. more . . .

That evening we toasted our adventures with a final dinner at Restaurant Sevilla, one of Granada's most traditional restaurants and a favorite of Frederico Garcia Lorca who discovered it in the 1930s.

Oct. 9 (Granada - Malaga)

After breakfast, I headed for Torremolinos. This was the closest I have been to the African continent. Malaga's beautiful beaches, like the famous Marbella, and all Costa del Sol in general, have made this region a well known destination for visitors from all the world.

Oct. 10 (Torremolinos - Benalmadena)

Torremolinos, 12 kilometers from Malaga. During the beach season (May to late October), this would be the best places to stay, barhop, sail or lounge in the Mediterranean sun. I can just imagine during the summer months life must be really pulsating here. However, it was hazy and windy during my stay. There was a storm brewing off the Northern African coast. Melia Costa del Sol is one of the finest hotel to stay fronting the coast.

Benalmadena, 29 kilometers from Malaga and comparatively small fishing villages.

Oct. 11 (Malaga - Madrid)

"Adios" or perhaps "Hasta Luego" to beautiful Andalusia!

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