Maria Tanner spends 5 minutes with ..,. June Baudinet
Cabbies’ crowding the streets, fire engine red double deck buses totting crowds of sightseeing tourist, five days of London was enough for June Baudinet before she decided to jet set away to the Moors of Spain to rendezvous with a friend in Madrid for the next two weeks of eating, living and dancing like a true “Spanish Queen.”
Stepping off the plane into the dry and gentle Madrid warmth Baudinet was met by her friend Conchita who over the following two weeks would act as her in depth travel guide of the Spanish terrain. Mapping out their stay the pair had allocated only three days for Madrid and set out on a hot foot trail throughout the city, shopping for “gorgeous” shoes in the galleries, drooling at the seductive Flamenco dresses, snapping photos of the amazing sites and drinking in the opulence of the Madrileños, “so elegant,” June describes of Madrid and its people, “everything is so immaculate and beautiful.”  
Enjoying the many road side stops sampling the local beer and wine of the Spanish region Baudinet and Conchita decided to take a leisurely 5 hour drive south of Spain to Granada to visit the “highlight” of her stay and seventh wonder to the world the Alhambra palace loosely translated as “red fortress”. Joining a tour group Baudinet visted the palace which was built in the 14th century by the Berber rulers set atop the hill of Assabica and was amazed at the sheer size and architectural ingenuity of the Moorish people. The arabesque detailed walls from ceiling to floor plaster the entire palace, and the royal jardines planted by the palace grounds men during the mid 1400’s boast rows of roses and sweet Valencia orange trees, while an intricate water system moves throughout the palace using the natural force of gravity to circulate through the many rooms, pools and magnificent Fountain of Lions. “I was so amazed at how these people had designed this magnificent palace during that era, it was absolutely exquisite.”
Driving on to the famous Spanish city known worldwide for its annual running of the bulls spectacular Baudinet and Conchita visited the city of Pamplona to partake of the Spanish tapas tradition. The many tiny tapas bars line the coble stone streets so much so that Baudinet and friend are spoilt for choice and decided the appropriate manner would be to try “a little bit of everything.” “As we stepped into the tapas bar it was filled with an array of people all eating off these tiny plates, sipping glasses of red wine, and as I looked up and everywhere around me, legs of ham were strung to the ceiling, 80 in a row. We ate the most delicious small plates of grilled eggplant, slices of ham and cheese, and beautiful tomatoes covered of course all in olive oil.”
By the end of her visit Baudinet had indeed filled the dream of “squeezing” herself into the many tight fitting flounces of the flamenco dress and pranced throughout the city of Seville with her friends in tow to participate in the festivities of the La feria de Abril (Seville April Fair). “There were loads of marquees set up and inside each one were beautiful women and men dressed in their traditional flamenco gear, all dancing and moving about , I thought to myself right June now’s the time to give it a go.”

Herald Issue 608 21 March
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