Segobriga, Madrid
PICT0029_4
PICT0029_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0030_4
PICT0030_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0031_4
PICT0031_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0032_3
PICT0032_3.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0034_4
PICT0034_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0035_4
PICT0035_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0036_4
PICT0036_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0038_4
PICT0038_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0039_3
PICT0039_3.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0040_3
PICT0040_3.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0041_3
PICT0041_3.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0042_3
PICT0042_3.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0043_3
PICT0043_3.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0044_3
PICT0044_3.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0045_3
PICT0045_3.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0046_2
PICT0046_2.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0047_2
PICT0047_2.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0048_2
PICT0048_2.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0049_2
PICT0049_2.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0050_2
PICT0050_2.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0051_2
PICT0051_2.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0052_2
PICT0052_2.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0053_2
PICT0053_2.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0054_2
PICT0054_2.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0001_5
PICT0001_5.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0002_5
PICT0002_5.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0003_4
PICT0003_4.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0004_5
PICT0004_5.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0005_5
PICT0005_5.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0006_4
PICT0006_4.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0007_5
PICT0007_5.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0008_5
PICT0008_5.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0009_5
PICT0009_5.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0010_5
PICT0010_5.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0011_5
PICT0011_5.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0012_5
PICT0012_5.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0013_5
PICT0013_5.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0015_5
PICT0015_5.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0016_5
PICT0016_5.JPG 2009-08-27
PICT0017_5
PICT0017_5.JPG 2009-08-27
Valencia
PICT0029_3
PICT0029_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0030_3
PICT0030_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0031_3
PICT0031_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0033_3
PICT0033_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0034_3
PICT0034_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0035_3
PICT0035_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0036_3
PICT0036_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0037_3
PICT0037_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0038_3
PICT0038_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0039_2
PICT0039_2.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0040_2
PICT0040_2.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0041_2
PICT0041_2.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0042_2
PICT0042_2.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0043_2
PICT0043_2.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0044_2
PICT0044_2.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0045_2
PICT0045_2.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0046
PICT0046.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0047
PICT0047.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0048
PICT0048.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0049
PICT0049.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0050
PICT0050.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0051
PICT0051.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0052
PICT0052.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0053
PICT0053.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0054
PICT0054.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0055
PICT0055.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0056
PICT0056.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0057
PICT0057.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0058
PICT0058.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0059
PICT0059.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0060
PICT0060.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0061
PICT0061.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0062
PICT0062.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0063
PICT0063.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0064
PICT0064.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0001_4
PICT0001_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0002_4
PICT0002_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0004_4
PICT0004_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0005_4
PICT0005_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0007_4
PICT0007_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0008_4
PICT0008_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0009_4
PICT0009_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0010_4
PICT0010_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0011_4
PICT0011_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0012_4
PICT0012_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0013_4
PICT0013_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0015_4
PICT0015_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0016_4
PICT0016_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0017_4
PICT0017_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0018_4
PICT0018_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0019_4
PICT0019_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0020_4
PICT0020_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0021_4
PICT0021_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0022_4
PICT0022_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0023_3
PICT0023_3.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0024_4
PICT0024_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0025_4
PICT0025_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0026_4
PICT0026_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0027_4
PICT0027_4.JPG 2009-08-26
PICT0028_4
PICT0028_4.JPG 2009-08-26
Alicante
PICT0043
PICT0043.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0044
PICT0044.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0045
PICT0045.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0001_3
PICT0001_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0002_3
PICT0002_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0003_3
PICT0003_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0004_3
PICT0004_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0005_3
PICT0005_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0006_3
PICT0006_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0007_3
PICT0007_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0008_3
PICT0008_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0009_3
PICT0009_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0010_3
PICT0010_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0011_3
PICT0011_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0012_3
PICT0012_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0013_3
PICT0013_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0014_3
PICT0014_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0015_3
PICT0015_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0016_3
PICT0016_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0017_3
PICT0017_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0018_3
PICT0018_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0019_3
PICT0019_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0020_3
PICT0020_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0022_3
PICT0022_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0024_3
PICT0024_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0025_3
PICT0025_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0026_3
PICT0026_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0027_3
PICT0027_3.JPG 2009-08-25
PICT0028_3
PICT0028_3.JPG 2009-08-25
Cartagena
PICT0011_2
PICT0011_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0012_2
PICT0012_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0013_2
PICT0013_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0014_2
PICT0014_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0015_2
PICT0015_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0016_2
PICT0016_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0017_2
PICT0017_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0018_2
PICT0018_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0019_2
PICT0019_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0020_2
PICT0020_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0021_2
PICT0021_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0022_2
PICT0022_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0023_2
PICT0023_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0024_2
PICT0024_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0025_2
PICT0025_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0026_2
PICT0026_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0027_2
PICT0027_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0028_2
PICT0028_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0029_2
PICT0029_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0030_2
PICT0030_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0031_2
PICT0031_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0032_2
PICT0032_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0033_2
PICT0033_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0034_2
PICT0034_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0035_2
PICT0035_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0036_2
PICT0036_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0037_2
PICT0037_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0038_2
PICT0038_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0039
PICT0039.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0040
PICT0040.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0041
PICT0041.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0042
PICT0042.JPG 2009-08-24
Cabo de Gata
PICT0009
PICT0009.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0010
PICT0010.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0011
PICT0011.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0012
PICT0012.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0013
PICT0013.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0014
PICT0014.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0015
PICT0015.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0016
PICT0016.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0017
PICT0017.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0018
PICT0018.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0019
PICT0019.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0020
PICT0020.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0021
PICT0021.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0022
PICT0022.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0023
PICT0023.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0024
PICT0024.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0025
PICT0025.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0026
PICT0026.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0027
PICT0027.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0028
PICT0028.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0029
PICT0029.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0030
PICT0030.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0031
PICT0031.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0032
PICT0032.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0033
PICT0033.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0034
PICT0034.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0035
PICT0035.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0036
PICT0036.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0037
PICT0037.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0038
PICT0038.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0001_2
PICT0001_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0002_2
PICT0002_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0003_2
PICT0003_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0004_2
PICT0004_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0005_2
PICT0005_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0006_2
PICT0006_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0007_2
PICT0007_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0008_2
PICT0008_2.JPG 2009-08-24
PICT0010_2
PICT0010_2.JPG 2009-08-24
Orgiva
PICT0038
PICT0038.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0039
PICT0039.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0042
PICT0042.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0043
PICT0043.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0044
PICT0044.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0045
PICT0045.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0046
PICT0046.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0047
PICT0047.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0048
PICT0048.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0049
PICT0049.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0050
PICT0050.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0051
PICT0051.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0052
PICT0052.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0053
PICT0053.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0054
PICT0054.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0055
PICT0055.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0056
PICT0056.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0057
PICT0057.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0058
PICT0058.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0059
PICT0059.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0060
PICT0060.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0061
PICT0061.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0062
PICT0062.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0063
PICT0063.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0064
PICT0064.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0065
PICT0065.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0066
PICT0066.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0067
PICT0067.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0068
PICT0068.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0069
PICT0069.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0070
PICT0070.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0071
PICT0071.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0001_3
PICT0001_3.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0002_3
PICT0002_3.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0003_3
PICT0003_3.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0003_3 copy
PICT0003_3_2.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0004_3
PICT0004_3.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0005_3
PICT0005_3.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0006_3
PICT0006_3.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0007_3
PICT0007_3.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0008_3
PICT0008_3.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0009_3 copy
PICT0009_3_2.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0009_3
PICT0009_3.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0011_3
PICT0011_3.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0001
PICT0001.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0002
PICT0002.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0003
PICT0003.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0004
PICT0004.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0005
PICT0005.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0006
PICT0006.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0007
PICT0007.JPG 2009-08-21
PICT0001_2
PICT0001_2.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0002_2
PICT0002_2.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0003_2
PICT0003_2.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0004_2
PICT0004_2.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0005_2
PICT0005_2.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0006_2
PICT0006_2.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0007_2
PICT0007_2.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0008
PICT0008.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0009
PICT0009.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0010
PICT0010.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0011
PICT0011.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0012
PICT0012.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0013
PICT0013.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0014
PICT0014.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0015
PICT0015.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0016
PICT0016.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0017
PICT0017.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0018
PICT0018.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0019
PICT0019.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0020
PICT0020.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0021
PICT0021.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0024
PICT0024.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0025
PICT0025.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0027
PICT0027.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0028
PICT0028.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0029
PICT0029.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0031
PICT0031.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0032
PICT0032.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0033
PICT0033.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0034
PICT0034.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0035
PICT0035.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0037
PICT0037.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0038
PICT0038.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0039
PICT0039.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0040
PICT0040.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0041
PICT0041.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0042
PICT0042.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0043
PICT0043.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0044
PICT0044.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0045
PICT0045.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0046
PICT0046.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0047
PICT0047.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0048
PICT0048.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0049
PICT0049.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0050
PICT0050.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0051
PICT0051.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0052
PICT0052.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0053
PICT0053.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0054
PICT0054.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0055
PICT0055.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0056
PICT0056.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0057
PICT0057.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0058
PICT0058.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0059
PICT0059.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0060
PICT0060.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0061
PICT0061.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0062
PICT0062.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0063
PICT0063.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0064
PICT0064.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0065
PICT0065.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0066
PICT0066.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0067
PICT0067.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0068
PICT0068.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0069
PICT0069.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0070
PICT0070.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0071
PICT0071.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0072
PICT0072.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0073
PICT0073.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0074
PICT0074.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0075
PICT0075.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0076
PICT0076.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0077
PICT0077.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0078
PICT0078.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0079
PICT0079.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0080
PICT0080.JPG 2009-08-22
PICT0001
PICT0001.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0002
PICT0002.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0003
PICT0003.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0004
PICT0004.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0005
PICT0005.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0006
PICT0006.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0007
PICT0007.JPG 2009-08-23
PICT0008
PICT0008.JPG 2009-08-23
Granada
PICT0065
PICT0065.JPG 2009-08-18
PICT0067
PICT0067.JPG 2009-08-18
PICT0068
PICT0068.JPG 2009-08-18
PICT0001_2
PICT0001_2.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0002_2
PICT0002_2.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0003_2
PICT0003_2.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0004_2
PICT0004_2.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0001
PICT0001.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0002
PICT0002.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0003
PICT0003.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0004
PICT0004.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0005
PICT0005.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0006
PICT0006.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0007
PICT0007.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0008
PICT0008.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0009
PICT0009.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0009
PICT0009.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0010
PICT0010.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0011
PICT0011.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0012
PICT0012.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0013
PICT0013_2.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0014
PICT0014.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0015
PICT0015.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0016
PICT0016.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0017
PICT0017.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0018
PICT0018.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0019
PICT0019.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0020
PICT0020.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0021
PICT0021.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0022
PICT0022.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0023
PICT0023_2.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0024
PICT0024.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0025
PICT0025.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0026
PICT0026.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0027
PICT0027.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0028
PICT0028.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0029
PICT0029.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0030
PICT0030.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0031
PICT0031.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0032
PICT0032.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0033
PICT0033.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0034
PICT0034.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0035
PICT0035.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0036
PICT0036.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0037
PICT0037.JPG 2009-08-19
PICT0001_2
PICT0001_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0002_2
PICT0002_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0003_2
PICT0003_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0004_2
PICT0004_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0005_2
PICT0005_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0006_2
PICT0006_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0007_2
PICT0007_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0008_2
PICT0008_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0009_2
PICT0009_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0010_2
PICT0010_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0012_2 copy
PICT0012_2_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0012_2
PICT0012_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0014_2
PICT0014_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0015_2
PICT0015_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0016_2
PICT0016_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0017_2
PICT0017_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0018_2
PICT0018_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0019_2
PICT0019_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0020_2
PICT0020_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0022_2
PICT0022_2.JPG 2009-08-20
PICT0025_2
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Time to go home
Rose early: 7:30 a.m. Buffet breakfast in the lovely dining room under the stained glass dome. Surrounded by chatter in Castilian, German, English, and more. Very international crowd.
Checked out and walked one block north to the Banco d'Espana metro stop. Not well-sign posted! Surprising, because most of the Spanish metro system has really good signage. Two line changes to get to the airport, which seems normal. I find it odd that it takes two line changes to get just about anywhere on the metro system.
Airport. Flight home.
Back to Madrid
So.... next morning, we sat in the hotel lobby where the connection was better and booked the last hotel. I admit it - I had no more patience for researching charming boutique properties. I went for the sure thing. Westin Palace Hotel - once just "the Palace" and one of Madrid's finest hotels.
We headed west out of Valencia for our four-hour drive to Madrid. Along the way we made two stops. First, because we had skipped breakfast, we stopped at the "servicios" - the services - for breakfast. Basically, it was a truck stop. But we got a damn good breakfast of fried eggs, pork, salad and chips (fries) while a few locals sipped beer at the bar and watched a strange Spanish dating show on the television. It all felt oddly familiar. Oh yeah... small towns are pretty much the same everywhere.
Second, we stopped at Segobria to see some Roman ruins. My guidebook said there were some interesting structures and it was worth a visit. Nothing more. Wow. They've got a whole visitor's center with movie. An art gallery of Roman statuary that was dug up from the site. And a hillside full of amazing ruins! An amphitheatre for games. A theatre for comedies. And many, many walls and aqueducts and gravesites. The Romans built first, then the Muslims on top of them, then the Christians. What remains are mostly Roman and a few Christian burial site. But it's very impressive.
Of course, it's also Spain in August and it's unbelievably hot. We watched the movie, because once the lady at the deck found out we were from America, she practically carried us into the screening room herself. But we only spent half an hour on the site of the ruins, itself. We hadn't planned for such a long stop; had to return the rental car to Madrid by 5:00 p.m. Plus, did I mention that it was hot? I mean hard-to-breathe, sweat immediately soaking your entire body hot. We had the grounds to ourselves, except for a few random punters and one unfortunate lady whose little red car had rolled backward out of the car park into a tree. Eek. Always use that hand brake!
We were back in Castilla la Mancha, so the fields were mainly hay or sunflowers - yellow or brown. We hit some flat stretches that reminded me of the Midwest with its patchwork farms. Jim doesn't like those flat bits; hills are what make him think of home!
One small traffic jam on the way to Madrid as several highways merged together. At first we thought it must be an accident, but I concluded it was just Madrid's version of the Hillside Strangler in Chicago. Lots of lanes of heavy traffic merging into some ridiculously small number of lanes... But no getting lost! The A-7 dumped us right downtown by the Atocha Train Station where we filled up the rental car with diesel and then drove through town to return it by 5:00 p.m. Only circled once before getting to the rental offices, but then small moment of panic getting the car down the steep ramp to the garage. The good news: no big deal about those scratches we put on the car in Cordova! Jim pointed them out to the agent and he just shrugged, as if to say, "Meh. The English cannot drive."
Took taxi to the Westin Palace Hotel where it felt incredibly weird not to give the driver a tip. But when in Spain...
And "the Palace Hotel" was all that we expected. Gorgeous dining room with chandeliers and an amazing glass domed ceiling. Elegant rose and green carpeting. Real wooden doors with brass plates. And hands-down one of the best showers ever. Double shower head plus a small detachable head.... All the right little bottles of liquids, including mouthwash, which doesn't often appear these days. I have to admit, it was nice to pamper ourselves on the last night of the trip.
We were just in time to walk across the street to the Prado for the free entry evening hours. We viewed artwork by El Greco, Rafael, Van Dyck, Rubens, Velasquez and an entire wing of Greek and Roman statuary. I was quite envious of the statuary; the Art Institute in Chicago has a small courtyard of sculpture in the basement, but nothing like this.
Walked to the Plaza Ste Anne for a last tapas dinner. The square was busy with buskers and tourists and business people and dogs and later a small jazz combo. Muy bueno!
Back at the hotel, we strolled quickly through a small lounge area where they were showing a photographic exhibition called "Disappearing America." I had to know what this was! Color photography of various archetypal American buildings or objects that are slowly vanishing: rusting gas stations in Tennessee and Main Street buildings sitting vacant. And surprise, there's a photo of Cairo, Illinois!
Also, passed a table of newspapers and saw the news about Edward Kennedy's death. I've not been reading the news much while on holiday, so this reminder of the "real" world was a bit of a shock.
Art and culture in Valencia
Today's drive was a straightforward shot up the AP-7 toll road to Valencia City, passing by Benidorm on the way. You haven't heard of Benidorm? Oh, let me enlighten you.
Many years ago, someone discovered they could make gobs of money by piling a bunch o' Brits on a plane, flying them to the Spanish coast, and re-creating Britain with more sun and heat and giant hotels. It's a bit like Vegas, but with fish and chips.
Jim and I didn't actually drive into Benidorm. Instead we ogled it from the tollway. And it was pretty amazing. Skyscraper hotel after skyscraper hotel... Apparently only Paris and London have more hotel rooms in Europe... It was just such a strange sight after all the little villages we had seen in Andalucia. But I'm told that the people of "old" Benidorm made money off all the development, so that's good.
Anyway, we drove quickly past and continued north. The landscape got rockier for a time and we passed through multiple mountain tunnels. Then things began to change. Lush farmland began to replace the rocky hills. The crop mixture began to change as well. I'm sure I spotted citrus trees. And the plastic greenhouses returned, too.
Valencia is Spain's third largest city, so the outskirts looked very much like Chicago or any large U.S. city. But once we worked our way from tollway to highway to downtown, the core and surrounding area looked more like a Spanish city. Broad boulevards with green space in between lanes of traffic... Plazas with lavish fountains... And an old city with towering cathedrals and gates...
Our hotel looked easy to find - in theory - because it was just off the boulevard ringing the old city. Right.... Like any directions were easy on this trip! We missed the turn the first time round. Took the GPS half an hour to get us back around, where we proceeded to miss it again. Third time's a charm. But parking not on site. Argh!!! Had to drive a few blocks to get to underground parking garage.
Ad Hoc Hotel was another charming boutique property. Exposed brick walls. Arched doorways. Vaulted barrel ceilings. Lovely. We had a room on the 5th floor, which was the top, so we had an outdoor terrace as well. Too bad it's waaaayyy too hot in the middle of the day to use it. Instead we opted for the Museo of Belles Artes, which the guidebook claimed was one of Spain's best. Hmmm.... Turned out to be mostly religious art. Amazing religious art, but after you've seen a couple of tryptychs, you've seen enough. But they had a nice cafe and shop.
That evening, we walked round the outside of the cathedral - truly one of the most impressive we saw on the trip - and admired the Roman ruins. Yup. There are some really cool Roman ruins in the middle of a downtown square. They are below the main street level, so the city put a glass roof over them and then a shallow pool of water. You look down through the water and can see the walls and rooms of an old Roman town. Close by is an archeology society building with Roman columns that can be viewed from the outside. Incredibly well-preserved.
This was our only "fancy" dinner in Spain. The first time we walked past there was no one inside, so we were worried that it was a bad choice. Even by Spanish standards it was time to eat. But after another stroll round the plaza, there were a few couples just sitting down, so we decided to risk it. Service was rather cool, which was jolting after the warm attention we received in Andalucia. But then Valencia is a larger place. Food wonderful, but they were out of both items I tried to order. Ah well....
Tried to book our last night in Madrid when we returned to the hotel, but the internet connection was abysmal. I was shocked. Our wifi was so much better in the small towns in the mountains!! Both Alicante and Valencia were a bust as far as checking email and any web work. (A tad frustrating for me, because I was in the midst of a condo sale!)
Costa blanca
Jim and I were not huge fans of the "beach town" scene, so we didn't linger in San Jose. Breakfast, then on the road, then immediately lost... Yes, the Google directions put us on a back road that petered out into dirt at a hacienda that looked like a gun battle may have taken place recently. Something like a bad spaghetti western... How, ironic, because several Hollywood westerns were, indeed filmed near San Jose. Just not in this bit of it!
The GPS got us back onto the main highway and then the A-7 motorway. We drove up the coast to Cartagena, an old port city, where we followed the signs for the marina. Cartagena has only recently begun to unearth its Roman heritage - lots of archeological digs - and advertise for tourism. But we were mostly concerned about - you guessed it - lunch. Parked at the underground garage by the waterfront and strolled up the main pedestrian street. Although there appeared to be a cruise ship docked in the harbor, the restaurants were not unbearably crowded. I dined on gazpacho, wine and bread.
The landscape from Cartagena to Alicante continued to be rocky and mountainous - not really what I had expected - but quite beautiful. The approach into Alicante was through some rather ugly suburbs or outer ring housing complexes that reminded me of Serbia. What is it about stepped housing that is so grim? We got lost in a maze of little one-way streets in the downtown and drove round in circles a few times. The street we wanted had construction on it, so we had to find another way. Eventually, we gave up and drove the wrong way down a one-way street to reach the hotel parking. C'est la vie. Nobody seems to care here.
Hotel was modern and included all the amenities. Rooftop pool. Sleek modern furniture. Wood floors. Rain shower. After our rather awful lodgings in San Jose, it was like returning to civilization. The hotel had been created from an old abbey, so from the outside it looked like one of the many old buildings one sees in the city center, but inside it was 2009. Perfecto.
After the obligatory stroll through some of the old city, we took a light dinner outside. Alicante is much more a working city, although they do have a rather touristy promenade by the docks, where we treated ourselves to ice cream. We didn't stay long, however, because there was some sort of outdoor pop concert in progress. Not really our scene.
Over the mountains and through the beaches
This morning we said our good-bye's to Jim's family and drove southeast over the Alpujarras to the coast. We were headed to the Cabo de Gata, a national park on the edge of Andalucia, by way of Almeria.
The drive over the mountains was quite beautiful. The landscape is stark and dry and rocky and reminded me of New Mexico or parts of Texas. We topped the ridge and saw the Mediterranean for the first time on the trip - or sort of saw it through a haze. We slowly dropped in altitude until we reached Albundon and the connection to the A-7 motorway.
And here we began to see strange tent structures that we couldn't quite identify at first. They appeared to be protecting crops of some sort, but it was impossible to see inside. Eventually, I consulted the guidebook, and we learned these were horticulture operations. There were miles upon miles of them! They lined the motorway from Albundon to Almeria and have apparently helped to revive the economy in this corner of Andalucia.
We exited the A-7 on the far side of Almeria and took the coast road to Cabo de Gata. By the time we reached the beaches, we were hungry. A roadside cafe supplied us - and the all beachgoers - with tasty seafood. All caught fresh daily... Can't get better than that! Squid, swordfish, prawns...
After lunch, we drove up the end of the steep coastal road to a lighthouse and scenic overlook. Heard some Catalan, we think, and something Eastern European. We enjoy attempting to identify the various languages we encounter along the way.
Backtracking inland, we drove another 30 minutes to San Jose, which is another coastal town of whitewashed houses and crowded beaches. Although not as crowded as others! We needed a small break from Spanish hams and olive oil - yummy as they are - so we ate at the Chinese restaurant in our hotel. Oh, rice noodles never tasted so good...
Jim had to be available for a work-related conference call, so we retired to the hotel lounge where the wifi was available and spent a quiet evening on the Interwebs. :-)
Weekend in the Alpujarras
Our weekend in Orgiva was very relaxing. Breakfast outside by the pool consisted of apple tart and bread with melon jam - all homemade. Met up with the family for lunch, then back to our B&B for a swim and siesta, then out for dinner with the family. Saturday night we celebrated Kellie's 40th birthday - which was coming up soon - with ice cream at a place on the main square - and it turned out there was a concert band performance happening at the same time. All the locals were sitting round the square to listen, and we were happy to join them.
Sunday was more of the same. Breakfast at Casa Jazmin. Down the hill to the parent's hotel. To the playground with the kids. Today Jim, Sean, Dad and I went for a drive up into the Alpujarra Mountains, while Kathy and Mum stayed behind with the kids. (Neither fancied a journey on the steep winding roads.) We motored up to Capileira for a drink at a garden bar and for the first time on our trip, we were given free tapas! Chicken kebabs, bread and olives... Perfect.
We pushed on the Travelez, the highest recognized town in Spain and home to an inordinate amount of ham factories. Well, when in Iberia... We had our lunch of ham and fruit and then drove back down the mountain.
At this point, I needed a quick swim and some time with a good book. Jim spent some time with his folks providing computer instruction. I met up with everyone later for dinner at the local Moroccan restaurant. But after my lunch of "jamones," I wasn't really all that hungry. Jim and I decided to make it an early evening - 10:00 p.m. is early for Spain, because Monday we get back on the road.
A little piece of heaven in rural Spain
Ugh. Friday morning arrived way too early. Quick breakfast in the Morisca's basement, barrel-vaulted dining area, then off to meet up with the rest of the McGrath clan in Orgiva, a little town in the foothills of the Alpujarra Mountains.
We took the scenic route through Lanjarron, a spa town with a set of those wind generating towers along the hilltop entrance road. I've never been that close to one of those wind towers before! Enormous. Over the hill and down to Orgiva.
We stopped first at the little house that Jim's brother was renting with his wife and kids. We found everyone in the pool, which was a smart idea, because the afternoon heat was beginning to rise. Jim's parents were there, so we had a light picnic of fruit and cheese and the obligatory ham by the pool. Then Kellie, Jim and I continued farther into Orgiva to find our lodgings.
Per usual, what we thought would be an easy task - how big can Orgiva be? - became a series of wrong turns and dead ends. Kellie finally hopped out to ask two local women for directions. They were older ladies and spoke no English. Kellie has some Spanish, but the local accent is strong. At that moment the whole situation became funny. The ladies were gesturing in opposite directions. Kellie looked confused. One lady took her by the arm and began to lead her around the corner. We followed slowly in the car. It was only a few blocks. But they had delivered us to the innkeeper's resident, not the actual B&B. But that was soon remedied.
And we walked out of the blazing sun into a heavenly garden of fig trees and greenery at the Casa Rural Jazmin. A swimming pool had never looked so welcome. In we went. An hour later, we were about 10 degrees cooler and able to take our siesta. Our room had "his and hers" showers and a slate terrace. The Casa is run by Joelle, who is French, and Rose, who is Spanish. I took one look and thought: I'm never leaving!
Later that evening, we strolled down the hill past a children's playground, the town square and an awning-covered promenade to the hotel where Jim's parents were lodging. Fizzy lemon Fanta on the veranda. Then back up the promenade for pizzas. I suspect they've been taking the kids to this restaurant quite a bit! The waiter was a good sport - teasing the kids and providing some free desserts.
Time to retire for the evening and sit on our terrace in the deliciously cool air with the Orgiva cathedral glowing from across town and dance music spilling from the town square. It's Friday night in Spain and even in a small rural community, the Spanish are ready to party!
Muslim and Christian worlds collide
This morning in Cordoba was all about the Mezquita - an enormous mosque into which the conquering Christians dropped a cathedral. It is such an interesting mix of Christian iconography and Muslim architecture. We spent quite a bit of time examining the beautiful archways and the use of light throughout the building. The Christian portion of the building was impressive - elaborate statuary, gilded altarpieces and a slightly creepy set of black choir stalls - but I cannot help but wonder how many peasants starved while the church was buying up gold to decorate its sanctuaries. The Muslim spaces within the building are austere in comparison, but felt much more spiritual - just the penitent and the light and his deity of choice.
We collected our bags from the hotel and the car from the garage and got on the road again. Our host at the Casa de Los Azulejos had given us a suggestion for our drive to Granada - stop in Puerta de Cordoba, one of the whitewashed hill towns of southern Spain. However, our reliance on the GPS mapping application on Jim's iPhone led to a slight detour. (The app is darn good considering it's a 1.0 version, but it can be a little buggy.)
In any case, we arrived in Puerta de Cordoba right in the middle of afternoon siesta, which means nothing - and I mean nothing - but the gas station and the supermarket were open. In Madrid, there were plenty of cafes still open between lunch and dinner, but once we got into the rural areas, the traditional siesta time was in evidence.
So, we pushed on to Granada and found our hotel in the Albayzin neighborhood with only one instance of dead-ending into a plaza. I consider that a victory. The location was fabulous! The Casa Morisca was situated up a side street only steps from the river and in the shadow of the Alhambra. We could sit in a riverside cafe and gaze upward, contemplating the emirs who had once lived within its walls with their concubines. At night, the lit up walls and towers formed an impressive backdrop to the constant flow of people along the riverfront promenade.
Around 5:30 p.m. we had tapas along the river, then retired to our room for a rest. At 8:00 p.m. the cooler air enticed us out for dinner at Arrayanes, a Moroccan restaurant in the maze-like streets of the Albayzin. Oddly, I found these streets easier to navigate than Cordoba - perhaps because Albayzin (which was the Muslim quarter) stretches up a hill, so that it is easy to orient oneself. My order consisted of freshly made lemonade with mint... lamb, rice and vegetables... and strong Arab coffee. This may have been the best meal yet.
Albayzin and the Alhambra
Slept late today and missed the hotel breakfast. Jim beat me out of bed for the first time on the trip. Unfortunately, we had to pack our bags to change rooms, because the hotel didn't have the one room available for two nights in a row. But that got us out into the sunshine for brunch in the Plaza Nueva - ham and cheese sandwiches on croissants or bread soaked in oil.
Strolled over to examine the cathedral and the Capilla Real, where former monarchs Isabel and Ferdinand are interred. Jim was in no way interested in visiting tombs, so we just created our own little walking tour of the area, returning through the tiny Albayzin streets by a different route to our hotel. It was fun just to wander and discover hidden plazas and unexpected views, but too soon the afternoon heat had soaked us. Back to Casa Morisca to do some laundry. (Part of that "one bag" travel is washing out one's clothing once you've sweated in it several times!)
Early evening tapas along the river - slices of local sausages, olives, a mojito... Back to the room for a rest... Then back out to the riverfront for lemon ices. Finally, at 9:30 p.m. we began our walk to the Alhambra. I think we were two of only a handful of visitors who climbed the "back way" up the hill on a steep cobbled street lush with trees. It was so quiet and beautiful that when we reached the top and rounded a corner to find the ticket lines, it was rather a shock. Lots of people, but less than there would be during the daytime. We picked up our pre-reserved tickets at a vending machine and queued up for the Nasrid Palaces, which is the only portion of the Alhambra that is open at night.
My verdict? Impressive. Sumptuous. Lovely. Tiny rooms opening to massive indoor courtyards with reflecting pools. Fountains everywhere - and although most were not filled with water, it was easy to imagine what the place would have been like in its heyday. Courtiers and messengers waiting for an audience with the emir... Concubines sprawled on cushions on terraces... Platters of dates and oranges from the emir's private garden... It's an amazing place. The stonework and carvings are unbelievable.
I've toured plenty of English and French castles, Versailles, Windsor, etc., but the Alhambra is magical. There is no gold or silver. But the architecture - the combination of sky and earth and water - somehow make it more interesting.
When our time inside the palace ended, we stumbled down the back path in the dark, trying not to lose our footing in the dark stretches. We were just in time to meet up with Jim's sister Kellie at the hotel. It was late, but we sat out for a while eating more desserts and catching up. Then we moved our party down to a Middle Eastern tea shop, where we sampled some pastry with our pots of tea. There seemed to be much stronger substances on the menu - herbs of suspicious origin - but we decided that was not a good idea. 2:00 a.m. We were finally living like Spaniards!!
On the road in Castilla la Mancha
Tuesday was to be a driving day, so I was up at 7:30 a.m. to shower and pack bags and get us organized. I let Jim sleep until 8:30 a.m. - he's the driver, after all. A quick breakfast, then we trekked off to Plaza de Espana and the EuropCar rental offices. Of course there was time to pause by the monument in the Plaza to Cervantes and snap a few photos of Don Quixote and his faithful servant Sancho Panza.
Jim had downloaded some software to turn his iPhone into a GPS device, so we mapped a route to Toledo and got on the road. By late morning, it was already in the upper 30s Centigrade - and promising to go higher. I'm fairly tough when it comes to heat and humidity - Chicago has some nasty summers - but the heat of a Spanish August is pretty awful. Walking up a steep hill in 40-degree weather (which translates to 90s F) leaves one pretty darn wilted.
But we persevered. Toledo's steep hills did not deter us from taking a short walk round the Plaza de Zocodovar and up near the Alcazar to get a panoramic view of the town.
By the time we reached Cordoba, however, we were exhausted. A three-hour drive in the afternoon heat had done us in. We made one pit stop for water and lime juice popsicles, but other than that, it was endless strips of olive groves, interrupted by an interlude of hills.
We got lost trying to find the hotel in Cordoba. I had directions, but we still got lost. When we did find the Casa de Los Azulejos, we had to leave our bags and drive the car to their parking garage. Sounds easy, eh? Wrong. Narrow, one way-streets and lack of good street signage left us lost again. Eventually we sorted things out and parked. By the time we settled into the room, it was 8:00 p.m. Hey! We're finally ready to dine on Spanish time!
I had chosen a restaurant from our guidebook, but when we told the hotel owner where we intended to dine, he shook his head vigorously. "I worked in that restaurant in the kitchen, washing dishes. They used to be good, but are not so much anymore." He gave us the name of a Taberna near the Mesquita instead. After several wrong turns - seriously, Cordoba reminds me of Venice without the canals - we found the Mezquita, which led us to the restaurant. And what a lovely meal. Jim's got enough Spanish to converse with waiters and I do a lot of smiling - so, we managed to consume several tapas, a very tasty paella, desserts, espresso and after dinner drinks.
The temperature was almost pleasant as we retraced our steps back to the hotel, passing locals arguing in cafes and a few groups of young men in football jerseys smoking on street corners. Ah, summer in Spain...
Modern art in Madrid
We were still feeling the effects of jet lag on Monday morning and slept until 10:00 a.m. local time. Lucky for us, continental breakfast was being served until Noon. A strong cup of coffee... a couple of slices of local ham... and a chocolate croissant... and we felt ready to fact a day of touring. Our agenda was not complicated: stroll through a few plazas and take in a museum.
We began in the Plaza Mayor, the city's main square, where bullfights were held in the times before stadiums. Then we proceeded back to the Plaza del Sol, where we jumped on the metro and rode south to Atocha station. Right around the corner from Atocha is the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, home to modern Spanish art. My main objective was viewing Picasso's "Guernica," one of his most famous works, which was inspired by the German's aerial bombing of Basque town, Guernica in 1937. It was like viewing the Mona Lisa - the room was crowded, there was little time or space to stand and contemplate, yet I was glad to have been there in person.
Hungry from our mental exertions into modern art, we took lunch outside the museum in one of the many cafes encircling the plaza. A Spanish "salad" with provolone turns out to be a hot dish of cheese and sauce and miniature toasts. It was delicious, if not as healthy as I had intended. Jim's plate of pimiento, or roasted peppers, and tuna was not really what he had intended either, but I don't believe he left anything on the plate.
After our siesta, we waited several hours until it seemed a not-too-embarrassing time to eat dinner, i.e., 7:45 going on 8:00 p.m. I had chosen A Los Velos, a mediterranean restaurant in the Chueca neighborhood, which was supposed to low key, but good. However, when we arrived at their door, the outer "security door" was only half raised, and there was no activity within. We wandered a block south to what I thought was a coffee/book shop, J&J Books and Coffee, but what turned out to be an American expat bar!! I sipped my sangria as Jim skimmed a book and other Americans chattered in the background. Not really what I had intended, but sort of amusing.
At 8:30 p.m. we decided the restaurant might be open and wandered back. They were just unlocking the doors. This late evening dining is going to take some getting used to. But it was worth the wait. Lovely exposed brick decor and muted colors... Soft music... Low key as promised... My simple chicken and grilled vegetables was delicious. Jim ordered grilled meat on top of thinly sliced potatoes - as we joked, it was basically steak and chips.
Darkness had taken the edge off the heat, bringing the madrilenos out of doors. As we returned to the hotel, we talked of going back out for dessert later. And then struggled with our drooping eyelids for another hour before capitulating and going to bed.
Arriving on the Feast of the Assumption
Arrived in Madrid at 8:00 a.m. local time. This particular Sunday is the Feast of the Assumption - a Spanish national holiday - so the airport was deserted. We breezed through customs and immigration and located the entrance to the Metro. Picked up a few maps and charted our course to the hotel, deciding upon two-day tourist passes.
Madrid's metro system is extensive and new-ish. The outer ring stations, including the airport stops, are large, clean and roomy. The closer into the city one gets, the narrower the tunnels become and the more graffiti one sees, but the trains are still very clean and modern. Great signage in all the tunnels, too! We had to make two connections, but had no problems finding our way.
Emerged at the Callao metro stop in downtown Madrid. Strolled the four blocks to Room Mate Laura Hotel and were happy to find our room was ready. The savvy traveler knows that when arriving in Europe on an overnight flight, one forces oneself to stay awake until early evening, thereby adjusting immediately to local time. Great in theory. In practice, this has never worked for Jim and I. The stress of flying completely wrings me out. And we're both slightly cranky. We like to take an early siesta, go out for a nice dinner, and start fresh the next morning, even if that means it takes a little longer to adjust.
See you after my nap...
Much refreshed, we went in search of coffee and snacks. Wandered over to the Plaza San Isabel II and the Opera House, gawked at the Palacio Real and then spent quite a while enjoying anchovy tapas at a cafe on the Plaza de Oriente. All the cafes along the Plaza had these wonderful misting machines attached to their outdoor canopies. Every few minutes a light spray would envelope us and cool us down temporarily. Yes, it really is that hot and very dry.
After a sufficient amount of time, we figured it was late enough to eat dinner. I had mapped us out a scenic route to a restaurant, winding us down narrow side streets and through pretty plazas, ending up at the Plaza de Paja and El Estragon, a highly rated vegetarian restaurant. We sat outside and ate our cold sopas while some sort of festival got underway in the plaza. I assume it was in honor of the Feast of the Assumption - there were women of all ages in costume - but all I know for sure is that there was a poetry reading involved! Jim was highly suspicious, but I assured him that I hadn't known and didn't plan it.
Once the amateur singing began, we strolled back toward our hotel, sidetracking through the Puerta del Sol to see the statue of the bear nuzzling the strawberry tree, the symbol of Madrid. The city had come to life now that the sun was down, but we were ready for bed. Tomorrow we will try to be true madrilenos and stay up late!
On the road again
And so we are on our way to Spain. I left only a handful of email messages sitting in my Inbox on Friday with most projects safely in the hands of trusted coworkers. I packed Mitzi off to the vet to board. And I got myself packed into one carry-on and a backpack. I must say, I am quite proud of my improved packing strategy. I've become a devotee of www.onebag.com. I cannot claim I've implemented all of his ideas, but I've managed to become fairly efficient. I highly recommend his "bundle wrapping" to minimize wrinkles and maximize space.
Anyway, per usual, I spent several hours carefully analyzing our itinerary and selecting the clothing I thought would do double/triple duty. Then, on Saturday at Noon, I walked over to Jim's place and watched him throw all his clothing - unfolded -in a bag in 15 minutes. Sigh.
We made one small mistake at O'Hare. Iberia Airline flights arrive at Terminal 5 (the international terminal), but they depart from Terminal 3. Who knew? But eventually we settled into seats at the American Admirals Club, where we had to PAY for food. What?! Not cool. Neither Air New Zealand nor AirOne (Italy) requires one to purchase one's food in the business class lounge. Food and drink and Wifi are free. Maybe I'm getting spoiled, but come on...
Actually, I know I'm spoiled. After my usual tense moments during take-off - including some strange dizziness - they began bringing the drinks. Yes, I know one is supposed to avoid caffeine and alcohol when flying. Drink water; keep hydrated. Yeah. Sure. Have you seen what a nervous flyer I am? After a glass of cava and a lovely glass of rioja - truly, U.S. airlines have no excuse for serving horrible wine - I felt much better.
Time to watch some television. I had loaded "Spain: On the Road Again," a series produced by PBS, onto my laptop. Chef Mario Batali, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, a Spanish actress and a NYC food and wine writer drove all over Spain, cooking and eating and imparting bits of history. It's quite entertaining, and if you cook, I'm sure you'll learn lots of interesting things. Gwyneth and Mario are both fluent in Spanish - and the Spanish actress speaks both Castilian and Catalan - so it's also good for picking up a bit of the language.
