Imagine
SELU
Belgium that was only a two-hour flight away from London, and yet almost
totally unknown to the British holiday-going public. Imagine a place steeped
in history and culture, a place whose sons wrote some of the most
spectacular, bloody and cruel chapters in the history of both Europe and
Latin America. Well, this place does exist and its name is Extremadura.
Lying roughly between Madrid and Seville and bordered by Portugal in the
West, Extremadura is the third largest of Spain's seventeen autonomous
regions and makes up eight per cent of Spain's land area. At 42,000 square
kilometres it is bigger than a number of places which already attract
millions of British holidaymakers every year. (For example; Mallorca, Crete,
Sardinia and the Canary Islands.)
Although the region lacks a seacoast, from the point of view of the
discerning traveller who is looking for something more than just a fortnight
under a beach umbrella, it wants for very little else.
Extremadura has many diverse landscapes, ranging from the pristine whiteness
of the one million cherry trees which bloom every spring in the valley of
the Jerte River, to the arid steppe country around Cáceres. In the south
there are low rolling hills covered in olive groves, creating a dry ochre
landscape that nevertheless attains an austere beauty all its own. The snow
which falls on the mountain ranges in the north and just outside the region
ensure that there is an abundance of water in the lakes, rivers and
reservoirs, even though the south west of Spain is often plagued by drought.
In fact, the fertility of the north of Extremadura often comes as a shock
even to the Spanish themselves, who associate the region with the far off
and harsh land of legend. Where mountain ranges cross the region, they are
dotted with tiny hamlets, some with a population of only a few hundred, yet
each one manages to retain its individual character, and nearly all boast a
special item of handicraft or a unique local fiesta which makes an
investigation of their isolation worthwhile. Perhaps the most characteristic
landscape, however, is the 'dehesa', the vast groves of both holm oak and
cork oak, which provide both a refuge and a larder for some of the most
typical mammal and bird species of the region. Some of these, such as the
short-toed eagle, are relatively common here, although they are much scarcer
in Europe as a whole.
There are numerous museums in all the decent sized towns, however, it is not
usually necessary to go to museums in order to see great works of art. There
are a great many churches in the region, and many of these boast paintings
by Spanish masters such as Zurburán or altar pieces of great beauty and
intricacy. Many of the churches occupy the sites of former Moorish mosques
and what the Moors could raise to the glory of Allah, the Spanish could
raise to the glory of God in the newly re-Christianised Spain. In fact, the
Spanish usually felt the need to outdo anything that their conquerors had
managed to construct. So many of the churches and cathedrals have Moorish
foundations under Spanish renaissance bell towers and buttresses. The city
of Cáceres can boast so many buildings and monuments of Roman, Moorish and
Spanish renaissance origin, that it is one of UNESCO's most important
heritage sites in Europe. South West Experience is the only tour operator
in Britain to offer as its sole destination the Spanish region of
Extremadura in the south west of Spain. We offer small-group holidays
featuring nine days in Extremadura. Accommodation is in the Government run
Parador chain of hotels, which, we believe, offer a level of comfort and
service second to none. This is particularly true of the newly refurbished
Parador of Plasencia, generally reckoned to be one of the best hotels in
Spain. South West Experience focuses very strongly on attention to the needs
of clients, and it is this signature personal touch, which we believe cannot
be matched by bigger, more faceless organisations. Years of research on the
ground have enabled us to offer a programme of activities designed with the
aim of enabling people to get to know the least well-known of Spain's
seventeen autonomous communities. Many people have not even heard of the
place which we propose as our sole destination and may wonder what it has to
offer. At 42,000 square kilometres, Extremadura is bigger than either
Holland or Belgium, and can boast a range of possibilities for the visitor,
which many countries could not hope to match. It is our intention to offer a
broad cross section of these activities, so that whilst each day has a
different theme, all the events combine to give a taste of Extremadura.
The region is made up of just two provinces, (although they are the two
largest in the whole of Spain) Cáceres in the north and Badajoz in the
south. There is a distinct difference in atmosphere between the two, and it
is for this reason that we will be spending five days in the north and four
days in the south. The province of Cáceres is lush and fertile, some of the
valleys in the north having an almost Alpine appearance with an abundance of
fruit trees and fast flowing streams of crystal clear water. Badajoz in the
south has a more austere beauty full of ochre landscapes of gently rolling
hills, olive groves and arid steppe country.
The magnificent Parador in Plasencia in the north of the region will be our
base for the first five nights of our stay. A former convent dating back to
the fifteenth century, and one of Spain's newest Paradores, this incredible
edifice is bathed in Renaissance ambience, whilst at the same time enjoying
all the usual modern conveniences one would expect from a four star hotel.
From Plasencia we will explore the north of the region. Our itinerary will
take us to one of Spain's most important and beautiful natural parks, which
is home to a great many species of mammal and bird, rare in other parts of
Spain, but abundant here. Deer and wild boar abound and the park is home to
the shy and secretive genet. It is also one of the last bastions of the
endangered Iberian lynx. Birds range from the gregarious and noisy
azure-winged magpie to the gaudy plumaged bee-eater through to the
magnificent black vulture. Even non-birdwatchers cannot help but be
captivated by this spectacular wilderness.
Art is an ever-present feature of every day life in Spain, and it is true to
say that the Spanish have a greater degree of access to great works of art
than the average Briton. Our programme of events should give clients ample
opportunity to see great works of art, but we will not be restricting
ourselves to the art of the middle ages. In fact one of the museums on our
itinerary is one of the most distinctive modern art galleries in the world
and its setting can only be described as breathtaking!
History buffs will know that Spain once had an empire that was the envy of
all the old colonial powers, stretching from Peru to the Philippines. Upon
abdicating his control over this territory, the emperor Carlos V decided to
spend his twilight years in a place whose beauty would be beneficial to his
meditation, as he sought to prepare himself for his reward. Those who have
spent time in the area are not at all surprised that, with all of Spain to
choose from, Carlos V chose to end his days in Extremadura. Our itinerary
includes a chance to follow in the footsteps of the emperor and to see for
ourselves the extraordinary beauty of this corner of his empire.
The city of Plasencia itself is a rich mix of the Roman, the Moorish and the
Gothic. It is Extremadura's fourth city. The word "city" is used in a local,
rather than an international context, given that no city in Extremadura has
a population of more than a hundred and fifty thousand and the population of
Plasencia is around the forty thousand mark. Nevertheless it would take
quite a few days to fully explore this most fascinating of places.
Any holiday experience is invariably enriched by the sampling and enjoying
of the local delicacies and fortunately for our clients, good food and drink
are never far away in Extremadura. The local people take an enormous amount
of pride in offering the best of local ingredients to any visitors. The
region's wine, whilst not being as prestigious as some of Spain's better
known varieties, has enjoyed massive investment in recent years, and has
been awarded denominación de origen status and is more than a match for many
wines from Rioja and the Ribera del Duero. The full-bodied reds deserve
special mention.
The region's cuisine, which is based upon the use of the freshest of
seasonal ingredients, is a source of tremendous pride within Extremadura.
Simple stews, especially the lamb stew caldereta de cordero, and top quality
cuts of meat, simply cooked, form the mainstay of the region's dishes. These
are supplemented by some of the best charcuterie and cheeses in the world.
Perhaps the most famous item on the menu is the local ham, made from the
hind legs of the semi-wild Iberian pigs. These privileged porcines spend the
last three months of their lives fattening up on acorns, and it is these,
which lend the meat a sublime sweetness. Once you have tasted real jamón
ibérico, Parma ham will seem like a pale substitute for the real thing.
Other products typical of the region include; honey, paprika in both sweet
and hot varieties, excellent olive oil and fiery spirits distilled from
cherries and plums. At this point it should be pointed out that
vegetarianism is quite rare in Extremadura, and therefore, very few
establishments (including the hotels) make any concessions to its
practitioners.
It can be very hard these days to escape the increasingly frenetic pace of
every day life. Many of us would like to be able to turn back the clock, but
this is difficult when even the most remote holiday destination can offer us
today's newspapers before twelve noon. Time, of course, does not stand
still, but there are still places where the old values hold good. There are
places where the purchase of a cup of coffee brings with it the right to sit
and watch the world go by for as long as you please. There are places where
you get the feeling that sending the customer away happy is more important
than profit. In these places, pride in the local produce and stubborn
attention to traditional ways, mean that the simplest ingredients can be
turned into sublime dishes, provided you have the patience their preparation
requires. In these places hospitality is taken to levels that we in Britain
seldom experience. Strangers, especially those who have come a long way and
have made some effort to get to their destination, are feted like royalty.
To take an interest in the local way of life, the local produce and in the
people themselves is to be welcomed like a long-lost friend. (This is even
more noticeable if you can add even the most rudimentary smattering of their
language.)
Our tours fall somewhere between special interest/cultural holidays and
eco-tourism. Our small groups with a guaranteed maximum of twenty people are
unlikely to have a negative environmental effect upon the region given its
size. They will, however, contribute in a positive manner to the region's
economy, as tourism is seen as an activity vital to the future prosperity of
Extremadura, always provided the activities concerned do no damage, either
to the natural environment, or to the man made heritage of its great
historic cities.
The word 'culture' is famous for making some people reach for their guns.
However, there are some places which it is rather pointless to visit unless
the visual input is accompanied by some small degree of informational input.
Whilst it is not our intention to belabour our clients with the cultural
cosh, neither is it our intention to take people to places of great
historical significance and to leave them without the basic facts needed to
fully appreciate that significance. We aim to strike a balance between
relaxation and culture.
South West Experience was born out of one man's passion for Extremadura. I
hope, therefore, that your visit to this site goes some way towards
stimulating your interest in this beautiful and fascinating place. At the
moment we have no online booking facilities, however, if you have any
questions or queries you can address them to us on the phone or fax numbers
as they appear on screen. It will be a pleasure to hear from anybody who is
interested in our tours and I will be only too pleased to send further
information to those who request it.
Southwest Experience Ltd
sa...@southwestexperience.co.uk
65 Springfield Drive,
Thornton,Cleveleys,
Lancashire, FY5 4LL
(+44) 01253 863024
(+44) 01253 854474
http://www.southwestexperience.co.uk
Arbub
SELU wrote in message ...
<snip 14K travelogue>
Been there, done that.
One for you, Andy, (when you get back from Rutland Water)
GT
SELU
Thanks for the comments. Perhaps you would like to share your story on our
chat forum
we would like to here from anyone who has been.
If you have any webpages on the subject you can link to us via our new
Spannish Search Engine @
http://www.southwestexperience.co.uk
Steve
"Arbub" <gta...@btconnect.com> wrote in message
news:a7WT5.7769$Bh.64422@NewsReader...