#8 Spain

Spain would have to be one of my favourite countries to visit. The culture and history is piled high for everyone to see, the food is amazing, the people charming and there's a frenetic pace about life.

My first visit was on my bus trip around Europe. It was the express visit. 2 days in Madrid, then 2 days in Barcelona. Both these cities are amazing, for totally different reasons. Madrid is the centre of the Spanish speaking world. It's the start and end of the Spanish empire. When you walk around the city, the acrceted layers of history. The palaces, the fine public buildings, the museuems. It goes on and on. In this way, it's similar to the other great capitals of empires - London, Paris, Lisbon and Vienna. Take a trip 1 hour out of town to Toledo and you see the earlier capital, this time perched atop a hill. It's a must see destination as well.

Barcelona is completely different. It has its layers of history, its Gaudi architecture, but it's by the sea, which gives it a completely different vibe. More fun, more relaxed and more sangria!

Another trip I made to Spain was, perhaps, the best holiday I've ever had. I flew into Seville, hired a car and spent a week driving around Andalucia - the southern province of Spain. What an amazing place. It has the feel of a great empire that built amazing buildings, then slowly let it all fade to dust. First the Moore's with their grand palaces of Alhambra in Granda, the Mezquita in Cordoba and the Alcazar in Seville. On top of that, you have all the christian palaces and finally the modern people who live there. Amazing.