It's Not About the Tapas: A Spanish Adventure on Two Wheels

by Polly Evans

Book Overview

Single, stressed, and living amid the hustle and hurry of modern Hong Kong, Polly Evans had a vision: of mountains and orange groves, matadors and promenades-and of a glorious, hassle-free journey... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385339925
• ISBN13: 9780385339926
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.7" x 5.2"

Customer Reviews

Fairly interesting travel book. Slightly annoying writer.

I liked the history snippets and the descriptions of the countryside. I got a little bored with Polly as her attitude came across as a bit precious and entitled... misunderstandings with the locals whom she seemed to characterize as dirty, stupid or unattractive if an interaction didn't go to her satisfaction.

Arm Chair Travel at its best

I loved this book - when I finished the last page I felt as though I'd had to come back home from a lovely vacation to Spain. I highly recommend this book.

A novice cyclist peddles around Spain

I liked this book and don't understand why others were not engaged with this story. It's funny, well-written and full of historical trivia. Maybe TOO much history, as according to other reviewers she gets too engrossed in that part of her travel. I find travelogues with no historical references quite boring. It's apparent that Polly did her research and made us want to read more. She had lived in Spain for a year in central-western Spain studying the language and culture, so she knew her subject matter. Good travel books talk about the history of the villages so that the readers have reasons to want to read the book. I think she succeeds. She doesn't overdo herself but lets the readers know she's not the best cyclist nor the best travel planner. She can enjoy a trip on her own by taking time to cycle around Spain. She covered the major towns and travelled throughout the country. She could have done the boring and predictable thing and taken a car instead. But then those rainy nights on village roads wouldn't have been so inspirational. I will read her other books soon. I like her self-deprecating style.

But the tapas are delicious

I have traveled to Spain and will return for a second go round shortly. When I saw this book in the new paperbacks section, I couldn't resist myself. I loved this book. It's smart, funny, and Polly Evans seamlessly ties in history lessons so you don't even know you're getting them. Having a good Brittish friend, I understand her humor a little better than some other readers, but I laughed out loud at least once every ten pages and I am sure most others will as well. Having been to Spain, also makes her descriptions and stories more interesting and real to me, but it would make a great read even if you just have an interest in Spain. I love the little history lessons that she has sprinkled through out the book. Spain has an extremely fascinating history that she just skims the surface of. None the less, it greatens your appriciation of the places that she has traveled(and now I finally know why Spainiard love ham so much).