madrid
woke up with alarm. had also gotten wake-up call. couldn’t get cab on the roads and had to run back to the hotel to get reception to call for one. guessed he had asked if i wanted to call, rather than if i had called.
train ride was fine, MI2 showing. no breakfast served! stewardess came by with sweets though. huh.
happily left backpack in the automatic consigna at atocha station. breakfast of oj, coffee and croissant (glazed, which made it surprisingly palatable). at metro, bought two additional single tix, not realising there was a time limit to them.
train was very crowded. swung backpack to the front of my body. found compartments unzipped, but fortunately, nothing taken. handphone at bottom of front pouch and the camera was buried in the main compartment. first stop was kukuxumusu shop. got t-shirts for w, f, mug for j and keychains for m and r. good place for souvenirs.
no english books on gaudi but found a photobook at FNAC. (damnit! got one in spanish by mistake! other one for k.)
last stop was el corte ingles supermarket. bought nestle chocolates (gaudi inspired shapes) and nuts for dad.
back to atocha RENFE stop to pick up backpack and head for airport. on metro, guy blatantly unzipped front pouch of my haversack. just zipped it up and glared at him. felt totally victimized.
short line at AirFrance check-in counter. learnt madrid-paris flight delayed. had to be rerouted. eventually ended up on lufthansa madrid-frankfurt-sing, landing at 5pm.
had spaghetti bolognese at airport cafeteria. surprisingly palatable.
bought more chocolates (made in spain) from duty free. almost bought bull fight watch from museum shop for €16.
at frankfurt, couldn’t even move from one section of the terminal to another to shop. crap. back to kavalier and clay, which i finally finished on the plane.
lufthansa was quite crap. no individual entertainment system. ‘hearts in atlantis’ showing. no choice for food either. good thing i was tired and actually slept quite a bit.
Monday, March 25, 2002
cordoba
palm sunday.
walked to plaza de la corredera. cleaner, plainer version of plaza mayor. thank goodness one café was open. had coffee and toast, half a dozen bottles of different spreads (pates etc) for choice.
essentially walked to parks and read ‘kavalier and clay.’ then noticed stream of people moving in one direction. tired of having city to myself, followed cordobans in their Sunday best, with babies in prams and toddlers in hand. vendors had sprouted, selling candy floss, nuts, sweets, toys, snacks, balloons. decided to have lunch first. went to el pisto and had moriles (local wine), rabo de toro (oxtail stew, very tender) and callos (tripe). latter not quite to my taste. walked out to find procession passing. procession of the virgin mary; penitents in their pointed hoods each carrying a large candle, children would go up to them and collect the wax in cups or adding to their balls of wax; music played by a marching band, not funereal, but processional. can only imagine how hot it must be for those in the procession. went on a couple of blocks to catch the beginning of the procession. first the drummers, then christ on a donkey, hoisted by men. some carried dried fronds of palm from which they distributed individual leaves to those in the crowd. the cross itself was composed of knots of palm leaves. fewer very young children involved in this procession except for one i saw in a pram.
fled to a table in the shade and had 2 Nesteas. sufficiently cooled after a while to head back. preparations for semana santa in full swing. but this seems more intimate, with much fewer tourists around. wandered out again at 6plus. route of procession close by. different coloured costumes with different tableaux of the life of christ with different marys resplendent in different coloured capes, but always in tears. smell of incense in the smoky air. stood near middle aged couple who said hi to quite a few people who passed by, some stayed. watched till about 8 plus, then proceeded for final dinner in spain. went into meson el tablon cos it had a few people in it and offered a menu for €9. had paella and chicken. dessert was walls ice-cream. procession was now passing right outside the street.
palm sunday.
walked to plaza de la corredera. cleaner, plainer version of plaza mayor. thank goodness one café was open. had coffee and toast, half a dozen bottles of different spreads (pates etc) for choice.
essentially walked to parks and read ‘kavalier and clay.’ then noticed stream of people moving in one direction. tired of having city to myself, followed cordobans in their Sunday best, with babies in prams and toddlers in hand. vendors had sprouted, selling candy floss, nuts, sweets, toys, snacks, balloons. decided to have lunch first. went to el pisto and had moriles (local wine), rabo de toro (oxtail stew, very tender) and callos (tripe). latter not quite to my taste. walked out to find procession passing. procession of the virgin mary; penitents in their pointed hoods each carrying a large candle, children would go up to them and collect the wax in cups or adding to their balls of wax; music played by a marching band, not funereal, but processional. can only imagine how hot it must be for those in the procession. went on a couple of blocks to catch the beginning of the procession. first the drummers, then christ on a donkey, hoisted by men. some carried dried fronds of palm from which they distributed individual leaves to those in the crowd. the cross itself was composed of knots of palm leaves. fewer very young children involved in this procession except for one i saw in a pram.
fled to a table in the shade and had 2 Nesteas. sufficiently cooled after a while to head back. preparations for semana santa in full swing. but this seems more intimate, with much fewer tourists around. wandered out again at 6plus. route of procession close by. different coloured costumes with different tableaux of the life of christ with different marys resplendent in different coloured capes, but always in tears. smell of incense in the smoky air. stood near middle aged couple who said hi to quite a few people who passed by, some stayed. watched till about 8 plus, then proceeded for final dinner in spain. went into meson el tablon cos it had a few people in it and offered a menu for €9. had paella and chicken. dessert was walls ice-cream. procession was now passing right outside the street.
Sunday, March 24, 2002
cordoba
bus #3 to estacion de autobus. long lines for tix, good thing had bought earlier. monitors showing departure/arrivals not working, annoying.
spanish version of miss congeniality on the bus ride, followed by music. grimly determined to keep people ‘entertained.’
took cab to romero barros. tried hostal maestre first (2 star pensione), 1 double room for €32. possible. nothing at hostal los arcos. tried hotel mastre, pleasantly surprised to get room for €20. first time with tv and separate en suite toilet and shower. very happy.
made way to mezquita (‘grandest and most beautiful mosque ever constructed by the moors in spain) as it would be closed tomorrow. gorgeous columned, horseshoe-arched interior. surviving mihrab was richly exquisite. ironic it is now a cathedral which people flock to for its moorish roots. wish the building had survived in its entirety.
meson san basilio (RG) for lunch. menu for €9.01. the local wine montilla-moniles quite good. salmorejo was like eating (hardboiled) eggs and jamon in a creamy sauce. lomo (pork loin) was nicely done and tender.
wandered about the juderia, old jewish quarter, primarily to check out the synagogue, which, as promised, was tiny. at least they’re not charging for entry.
decided to walk down main streets. place eerily quiet and deserted. was everyone out of town? shops mostly closed but found a springfield that was open. alas, nada to buy. found el corte ingles, which was also open. got battery for camera. meagre if eclectic selection for dvds. back to hotel to rest before heading out for el pisto.
too tired to move. eventually decided to try RG recommendation cheap halal eatery nearby and turn in early. couldn’t find place. took a while as the road was closed. no longer selling had, had arabic coffee though. ended up at restaurant jaular. worst rip-off meal thus far. plato combinado of plain omelette, calamares and salad (lettuce and carrot strips) was €6.05. meal with drink was almost price of menu del dia at €7.85.
[in room 0, right next to the road.]
bus #3 to estacion de autobus. long lines for tix, good thing had bought earlier. monitors showing departure/arrivals not working, annoying.
spanish version of miss congeniality on the bus ride, followed by music. grimly determined to keep people ‘entertained.’
took cab to romero barros. tried hostal maestre first (2 star pensione), 1 double room for €32. possible. nothing at hostal los arcos. tried hotel mastre, pleasantly surprised to get room for €20. first time with tv and separate en suite toilet and shower. very happy.
made way to mezquita (‘grandest and most beautiful mosque ever constructed by the moors in spain) as it would be closed tomorrow. gorgeous columned, horseshoe-arched interior. surviving mihrab was richly exquisite. ironic it is now a cathedral which people flock to for its moorish roots. wish the building had survived in its entirety.
meson san basilio (RG) for lunch. menu for €9.01. the local wine montilla-moniles quite good. salmorejo was like eating (hardboiled) eggs and jamon in a creamy sauce. lomo (pork loin) was nicely done and tender.
wandered about the juderia, old jewish quarter, primarily to check out the synagogue, which, as promised, was tiny. at least they’re not charging for entry.
decided to walk down main streets. place eerily quiet and deserted. was everyone out of town? shops mostly closed but found a springfield that was open. alas, nada to buy. found el corte ingles, which was also open. got battery for camera. meagre if eclectic selection for dvds. back to hotel to rest before heading out for el pisto.
too tired to move. eventually decided to try RG recommendation cheap halal eatery nearby and turn in early. couldn’t find place. took a while as the road was closed. no longer selling had, had arabic coffee though. ended up at restaurant jaular. worst rip-off meal thus far. plato combinado of plain omelette, calamares and salad (lettuce and carrot strips) was €6.05. meal with drink was almost price of menu del dia at €7.85.
[in room 0, right next to the road.]
Saturday, March 23, 2002
granada
woke up at 10am, left hostal at abt 11.30. headed for breakfast across the street. g\ham and cheese croissant, oj and coffee for €6. quite expensive but croissant quite good, certainly most substantial breakfast yet. sat on terrace, quickly found it was unbearably hot. probably got burnt.
went on LP route of albaicin, old moorish quarter. the arab baths were an unexpected delight. through someone’s courtyard, they were a surprisingly large oasis of dimmed coolness. the ceiling had cut-outs in the shapes of circles and stars, perhaps an easy way of telling the time when indulging at the baths.
wound our way through to san nicolas square which offered excellent views of the alhambra with the sierra nevada in the background. making our way down, passed through calle caldereria, a little morocco with teahouses and lamps, tea, jewellery etc for sale.
lunch at via colon. menu for €7.50. fideuas (noodle paella) as first course but seems quite different from dryer valencian version. hake main course was quite horrible. ended with ok coffee cake and second café con leche of the day.
went back to hostal to settle bills. €2 for rent of safe for 1 day. receptionist is this woman studying political science and english language as well. looking forward to her 3 days of holiday during which she will eat, sleep, eat etc.
went to train station to get tix. read small print in timetable after purchase to discover 25% discount for AVE fare for transfers to international flights. had to go back to get the discount, which was, happily, granted.
walked about, got ice-cream, bought washington irving’s tales of the alhambra.
dinner at 9. sherry and tapas at bodegas castenada. gambes (prawns, free, probably why it was not on the menu), and montinados with pork and with salmon and avocado. latter quite good. place even more packed than previous night. popped over to antigua BC next. coke this time around, montado with jamon iberico (tastier, less tough than serrano) and baked potato. free tapas plate had chips, cheese and slice of chorizo. place swelled with entry of group of eu students studying spanish(?). took group photo for them.
woke up at 10am, left hostal at abt 11.30. headed for breakfast across the street. g\ham and cheese croissant, oj and coffee for €6. quite expensive but croissant quite good, certainly most substantial breakfast yet. sat on terrace, quickly found it was unbearably hot. probably got burnt.
went on LP route of albaicin, old moorish quarter. the arab baths were an unexpected delight. through someone’s courtyard, they were a surprisingly large oasis of dimmed coolness. the ceiling had cut-outs in the shapes of circles and stars, perhaps an easy way of telling the time when indulging at the baths.
wound our way through to san nicolas square which offered excellent views of the alhambra with the sierra nevada in the background. making our way down, passed through calle caldereria, a little morocco with teahouses and lamps, tea, jewellery etc for sale.
lunch at via colon. menu for €7.50. fideuas (noodle paella) as first course but seems quite different from dryer valencian version. hake main course was quite horrible. ended with ok coffee cake and second café con leche of the day.
went back to hostal to settle bills. €2 for rent of safe for 1 day. receptionist is this woman studying political science and english language as well. looking forward to her 3 days of holiday during which she will eat, sleep, eat etc.
went to train station to get tix. read small print in timetable after purchase to discover 25% discount for AVE fare for transfers to international flights. had to go back to get the discount, which was, happily, granted.
walked about, got ice-cream, bought washington irving’s tales of the alhambra.
dinner at 9. sherry and tapas at bodegas castenada. gambes (prawns, free, probably why it was not on the menu), and montinados with pork and with salmon and avocado. latter quite good. place even more packed than previous night. popped over to antigua BC next. coke this time around, montado with jamon iberico (tastier, less tough than serrano) and baked potato. free tapas plate had chips, cheese and slice of chorizo. place swelled with entry of group of eu students studying spanish(?). took group photo for them.
Friday, March 22, 2002
granada
bloody cold in the morning. had to make sure we got to alhambra in time for our 10:30 entrance to the palacios nazaries. it was exquisite. the fine detail, the delicacy and beauty of repetition. the honeycomb structure, the pursuit of tranquil and meditative perfection. hard to find with other tourists and school groups around. took forever for composed shots to be clear of people and then that didn’t always happen. in the meanwhile, making a nuisance of oneself.
the alcazaba was just plain and stolid after the nazaries. generalife would have been at its best in summer but hedges still pleasant. unfortunately, parts under restoration. couldn’t find royal baths to my chagrin. decided to make for pl. san miguel bajo for lunch. took bus but dropped at wrong stop. promptly got lost in the maze of streets. glad we made it within lunchtime. had grilled sole at RG recommended mason yunque. fish just grilled with olive oil and garlic and sprinkled with lemon juice. excellent.
weather just ridiculously hot form morning low. had ice cream after which came in a scooped out orange.
back to hostal austria to shift to room with shower and toilet. for the first time ever!
wandered about town, bought 2 more rolls of film at el corte ingles. had chocolate and strawberry gelato. sent off k’s postcard.
dinner at restaurant leon (RG). consomme rather strange, breaded pork chop not bad. fruit of the season was an orange.
back to alhambra for the night visit. another €7. it’s great as night cos so few people go. can enjoy the intricacies at a leisurely pace unless of course you’re busy snapping away.
nose acting up all night. looking forward to popping another anti-histamine for a good night’s sleep.
bloody cold in the morning. had to make sure we got to alhambra in time for our 10:30 entrance to the palacios nazaries. it was exquisite. the fine detail, the delicacy and beauty of repetition. the honeycomb structure, the pursuit of tranquil and meditative perfection. hard to find with other tourists and school groups around. took forever for composed shots to be clear of people and then that didn’t always happen. in the meanwhile, making a nuisance of oneself.
the alcazaba was just plain and stolid after the nazaries. generalife would have been at its best in summer but hedges still pleasant. unfortunately, parts under restoration. couldn’t find royal baths to my chagrin. decided to make for pl. san miguel bajo for lunch. took bus but dropped at wrong stop. promptly got lost in the maze of streets. glad we made it within lunchtime. had grilled sole at RG recommended mason yunque. fish just grilled with olive oil and garlic and sprinkled with lemon juice. excellent.
weather just ridiculously hot form morning low. had ice cream after which came in a scooped out orange.
back to hostal austria to shift to room with shower and toilet. for the first time ever!
wandered about town, bought 2 more rolls of film at el corte ingles. had chocolate and strawberry gelato. sent off k’s postcard.
dinner at restaurant leon (RG). consomme rather strange, breaded pork chop not bad. fruit of the season was an orange.
back to alhambra for the night visit. another €7. it’s great as night cos so few people go. can enjoy the intricacies at a leisurely pace unless of course you’re busy snapping away.
nose acting up all night. looking forward to popping another anti-histamine for a good night’s sleep.
Thursday, March 21, 2002
granada
went for a walk to see the castillo at sagunto. walls quite extensive but had neither time nor energy to explore further.
over 7 hours spent on bus from valencia to granada. strange to see valencia back to normal with regular traffic instead of massive crowds. cars on roads instead of people. how strange.
good first impression of granada. positively tranquil after madness of valencia. purchasing of bus ticket for cordoba was relatively painless, as was search for accomms. hostal austria had rooms, but without en suite bano for first night (€33 to 40).
dinner was across the street at antigua bodegas castaneda. mushroom stew not to my liking but pimientos stuffed with cod was good, as was rioja (local wine).
went for a walk to see the castillo at sagunto. walls quite extensive but had neither time nor energy to explore further.
over 7 hours spent on bus from valencia to granada. strange to see valencia back to normal with regular traffic instead of massive crowds. cars on roads instead of people. how strange.
good first impression of granada. positively tranquil after madness of valencia. purchasing of bus ticket for cordoba was relatively painless, as was search for accomms. hostal austria had rooms, but without en suite bano for first night (€33 to 40).
dinner was across the street at antigua bodegas castaneda. mushroom stew not to my liking but pimientos stuffed with cod was good, as was rioja (local wine).
Wednesday, March 20, 2002
valencia
felt like i hardly slept. could feel springs of bed; radio blared on at 8am; random crackers punctured the morning calm. bathroom door not lockable; hot water temperamental but at least there was. got into town and better view of las mascaletas this time round.
decided to head for beach, las arenas (LP), for lunch. metro horribly crowded; tram surprisingly new and train-like. restaurants on the sea front doing a roaring business. thankful to finally get a table at a restaurant as most had stopped seating. had the menu (no choice) at €21 a head: calamares, little fried fish, pimientos (peppers), sepia (cuttlefish) and paella. ok, would’ve been better if hot instead of lukewarm. waitress harried but quite cheerful and kept up a bit of running commentary in spanish ‘here’s a spoon for you. and one for you.’ lunched from 4.30 to 6pm. from 30 degrees C, the weather was turned a little chilly. beach not very crowded but certainly more people on it than in tossa.
stood for over 3 hours to maintain position at front of barricade to watch the burning of the fallas on the plaza ayuntamiento. quite annoying the way everything was played out for the tv cameras and not to the crowd. could hardly see the burning of the ninot (small model beside the falla) at 11pm.
interviewed by radio valencia while standing at barricade. asked question in spanish even after i said no hable espanol. mercifully switched to english and asked how i found las fallas. assuming he was referring to the burning, said that i was really looking forward to it. must have thought i was an idiot.
spectacular fireworks at 1am. best view ever, riot of colours exploding right over our heads and you could literally feel the explosions. then finally the setting off of the firecrackers and the burning of the last fallas. they had been burnt at their various locations from midnight (the nit de foc) accompanied by bursts of fireworks. ‘city on fire!’ it was quite a sight watching the towering fallas burn, feeling the heat and seeing the columns of embers flaring in the dark sky. everything was over by 1.30am. grabbed a chocolate before catching the last train (2.20am) back to sagunto. just one more night in this crappy room.
felt like i hardly slept. could feel springs of bed; radio blared on at 8am; random crackers punctured the morning calm. bathroom door not lockable; hot water temperamental but at least there was. got into town and better view of las mascaletas this time round.
decided to head for beach, las arenas (LP), for lunch. metro horribly crowded; tram surprisingly new and train-like. restaurants on the sea front doing a roaring business. thankful to finally get a table at a restaurant as most had stopped seating. had the menu (no choice) at €21 a head: calamares, little fried fish, pimientos (peppers), sepia (cuttlefish) and paella. ok, would’ve been better if hot instead of lukewarm. waitress harried but quite cheerful and kept up a bit of running commentary in spanish ‘here’s a spoon for you. and one for you.’ lunched from 4.30 to 6pm. from 30 degrees C, the weather was turned a little chilly. beach not very crowded but certainly more people on it than in tossa.
stood for over 3 hours to maintain position at front of barricade to watch the burning of the fallas on the plaza ayuntamiento. quite annoying the way everything was played out for the tv cameras and not to the crowd. could hardly see the burning of the ninot (small model beside the falla) at 11pm.
interviewed by radio valencia while standing at barricade. asked question in spanish even after i said no hable espanol. mercifully switched to english and asked how i found las fallas. assuming he was referring to the burning, said that i was really looking forward to it. must have thought i was an idiot.
spectacular fireworks at 1am. best view ever, riot of colours exploding right over our heads and you could literally feel the explosions. then finally the setting off of the firecrackers and the burning of the last fallas. they had been burnt at their various locations from midnight (the nit de foc) accompanied by bursts of fireworks. ‘city on fire!’ it was quite a sight watching the towering fallas burn, feeling the heat and seeing the columns of embers flaring in the dark sky. everything was over by 1.30am. grabbed a chocolate before catching the last train (2.20am) back to sagunto. just one more night in this crappy room.
Tuesday, March 19, 2002
valencia
incessant kissers. incessant smokers.
8am eurobus from barcelona to valencia for the fiesta de las fallas. slept cos i was feeling so tired. arrived at bus station to find lockers sole accepta pesetas, which had already been phased out. went down to train station by bus to find line in front of fully occupied lockers. getting desperate. went, tried to, for 2pm las mascaletas, heard rather than saw most of it. whole city crammed into the plaza ayuntamiento and stood still for the entire 5min of fireworks display. first time watching fireworks by day, smoke trails almost more of an impact than the coloured lights.
took train to sagunto, no consigna. last hope was for lodging. RG mention hostal carlos was first stop. place was full but they did have a room elsewhere (round the corner). turned out to be a dingy double room located above an eatery blaring some radio station. it was €25 a night. we took it gratefully.
took train back into valencia. finally had time to eat. indifferent bocadillo at cafe olympika. joined with the crowds in watching the procession of falleros offering flowers to la virgen. promptly got separated from wy. wandered about a bit, managed to see the front of la virgen, with flowers still being slotted into the frame. bought the las fallas handkerchief for €3. incredibly enough, managed to run into wy again. plan now was train station every hour on the hour if we got separated.
tried horchatas, something like soya bean drink, with an unmistakeable taste of nuts.
wandered about the old town from falla to falla. moving with the thronging crowd. questionable tapas for dinner (sepia and seafood salad.) bad food day indeed.
decided that plaza ayuntamiento wasn’t filling up so followed in direction everyone seemed to be going – towards the river. fireworks took place promptly at 1.30am for a good twenty minutes. view not too bad except when obscured by irritating kissing couples. with the show over, crowds emptied out and the trains were packed at 3 in the morning. couldn’t deal with showering in ‘the shining’ hotel and went to bed in jeans and shirt.
incessant kissers. incessant smokers.
8am eurobus from barcelona to valencia for the fiesta de las fallas. slept cos i was feeling so tired. arrived at bus station to find lockers sole accepta pesetas, which had already been phased out. went down to train station by bus to find line in front of fully occupied lockers. getting desperate. went, tried to, for 2pm las mascaletas, heard rather than saw most of it. whole city crammed into the plaza ayuntamiento and stood still for the entire 5min of fireworks display. first time watching fireworks by day, smoke trails almost more of an impact than the coloured lights.
took train to sagunto, no consigna. last hope was for lodging. RG mention hostal carlos was first stop. place was full but they did have a room elsewhere (round the corner). turned out to be a dingy double room located above an eatery blaring some radio station. it was €25 a night. we took it gratefully.
took train back into valencia. finally had time to eat. indifferent bocadillo at cafe olympika. joined with the crowds in watching the procession of falleros offering flowers to la virgen. promptly got separated from wy. wandered about a bit, managed to see the front of la virgen, with flowers still being slotted into the frame. bought the las fallas handkerchief for €3. incredibly enough, managed to run into wy again. plan now was train station every hour on the hour if we got separated.
tried horchatas, something like soya bean drink, with an unmistakeable taste of nuts.
wandered about the old town from falla to falla. moving with the thronging crowd. questionable tapas for dinner (sepia and seafood salad.) bad food day indeed.
decided that plaza ayuntamiento wasn’t filling up so followed in direction everyone seemed to be going – towards the river. fireworks took place promptly at 1.30am for a good twenty minutes. view not too bad except when obscured by irritating kissing couples. with the show over, crowds emptied out and the trains were packed at 3 in the morning. couldn’t deal with showering in ‘the shining’ hotel and went to bed in jeans and shirt.
Monday, March 18, 2002
barcelona
dogs everywhere, which means dog poo all over as well.
gwyneth paltrow’s mug is ubiquitous in print ads for el corte ingles’ spring campaign.
the kids are sooo cute, more so than adults.
set off at 11.30 \am for catalunya stop, wanted to walk down las ramblas. could see that it was filled with strollers. from north to south, first the profusion of pet shops (hamsters, rabbits, birds, fish, chickens?!), then florists with the bursts of bright colours, then a stretch of eateries mercifully free of rowdy brits, then the portrait painters and artists and finally, the weekend market for peddlers of wares from rings to bags to incense holders to stained glass. ended up having breakfast at il caffe di roma. wanted to go to café l’opera, but it turned out to be the address for a couple of shops.
went back and got wy and we left for the harbour area at abt 1 pm. promenade by the sae was pleasant enough but unspectacular. gloomy weather didn’t help. faced with high prices, decided to rush to l’hostal de rita for lunch, just making it in time (about 3.45pm). had squid rings, cod in garlic sauce and biscuit ice-cream in chocolate sauce. fish was good.
started to drizzle. went down to ramblas market, bought some coin purses for souvenirs.
wy’s shoe falling apart but stores all closed with the exception of eateries and magazine/video stores (FNAC, VIPS).
went to el gavina for dinner. interesting little pizzeria decorated with angels and a mannequin in priestly robes. pizza was good! also did 1l of sangria between us. sangria cost more than pizza. came to €10 a head. feeling pleasantly buzzed.
dogs everywhere, which means dog poo all over as well.
gwyneth paltrow’s mug is ubiquitous in print ads for el corte ingles’ spring campaign.
the kids are sooo cute, more so than adults.
set off at 11.30 \am for catalunya stop, wanted to walk down las ramblas. could see that it was filled with strollers. from north to south, first the profusion of pet shops (hamsters, rabbits, birds, fish, chickens?!), then florists with the bursts of bright colours, then a stretch of eateries mercifully free of rowdy brits, then the portrait painters and artists and finally, the weekend market for peddlers of wares from rings to bags to incense holders to stained glass. ended up having breakfast at il caffe di roma. wanted to go to café l’opera, but it turned out to be the address for a couple of shops.
went back and got wy and we left for the harbour area at abt 1 pm. promenade by the sae was pleasant enough but unspectacular. gloomy weather didn’t help. faced with high prices, decided to rush to l’hostal de rita for lunch, just making it in time (about 3.45pm). had squid rings, cod in garlic sauce and biscuit ice-cream in chocolate sauce. fish was good.
started to drizzle. went down to ramblas market, bought some coin purses for souvenirs.
wy’s shoe falling apart but stores all closed with the exception of eateries and magazine/video stores (FNAC, VIPS).
went to el gavina for dinner. interesting little pizzeria decorated with angels and a mannequin in priestly robes. pizza was good! also did 1l of sangria between us. sangria cost more than pizza. came to €10 a head. feeling pleasantly buzzed.
Sunday, March 17, 2002
barcelona
after coffee and xapates catalana (pronounced ‘ch,’) essentially pepperoni type sandwich, made our way to museo picasso. his mastery of portraiture evident from picture of his mother. no wonder he quickly got bored. nothing from the development of cubism period, probably too expensive. lunch at placa reial’s les quinze nits. had tomato soup and roast lamb from the shoulder (though i ordered duck) which was very good, if too much of it.
wanted to try taxidermista but no menu del dia today, mains more than €10.
discovered to our disappointment that palau guell was closed from 12-21 march. damnit! made way to parc guell instead. wandered about for a while before finding the gaudi stuff, which was clustered around the main entrance. wonder what he would have done had he finished the park. whimsy given free reign, lovely mosaics by jujol.
wanted to get a pastry as they looked so delectable, ended up getting the entire metre-long(?) apple pie pastry. good thing it was only €6.61. nicely packaged though, with strings tied for one to carry it. back to pensione to rest/sleep. wy went out about 11 plus to buy pizza (RG). very good. apple pastry not bad either.
headed out to eh clubs. first one, satanassa, had erotic murals, though hermaphrodites were not my thing. 40% of the music in english, fun and easy to dance to: one more time, can’t get u out of my head, it’s raining men etc. mixed crowd with strong lesbian presence. really smoky though, stung eyes as usual. at about 2, statuesque drag queen came on stage and mimed to spanish version of abba’s thank you for the music. on to vip sala dandy, again mixed crowd, including a twinky couple sucking face, heavier dance music. left about 4.30am. cab back to pensione €3.20.
after coffee and xapates catalana (pronounced ‘ch,’) essentially pepperoni type sandwich, made our way to museo picasso. his mastery of portraiture evident from picture of his mother. no wonder he quickly got bored. nothing from the development of cubism period, probably too expensive. lunch at placa reial’s les quinze nits. had tomato soup and roast lamb from the shoulder (though i ordered duck) which was very good, if too much of it.
wanted to try taxidermista but no menu del dia today, mains more than €10.
discovered to our disappointment that palau guell was closed from 12-21 march. damnit! made way to parc guell instead. wandered about for a while before finding the gaudi stuff, which was clustered around the main entrance. wonder what he would have done had he finished the park. whimsy given free reign, lovely mosaics by jujol.
wanted to get a pastry as they looked so delectable, ended up getting the entire metre-long(?) apple pie pastry. good thing it was only €6.61. nicely packaged though, with strings tied for one to carry it. back to pensione to rest/sleep. wy went out about 11 plus to buy pizza (RG). very good. apple pastry not bad either.
headed out to eh clubs. first one, satanassa, had erotic murals, though hermaphrodites were not my thing. 40% of the music in english, fun and easy to dance to: one more time, can’t get u out of my head, it’s raining men etc. mixed crowd with strong lesbian presence. really smoky though, stung eyes as usual. at about 2, statuesque drag queen came on stage and mimed to spanish version of abba’s thank you for the music. on to vip sala dandy, again mixed crowd, including a twinky couple sucking face, heavier dance music. left about 4.30am. cab back to pensione €3.20.
Saturday, March 16, 2002
montserrat
montserrat day began with breakfast at il caffe di roma. caught 11.36 R5 which meant that we made it to the basilica of the monastery just in time for the 1pm service. highlight for us was the montserrat boys choir singing ave maria. joined the procession to file past la moreneta, the back virgin. no kissing or touching of the statue for me.
interior reminiscent of opulent palace interiors. blue/gold colour scheme worked well.
steep funicular up to sant joan, over an hour’s walk to the sant jeroni hermitage and onto the summit of the mountain at 1300m. last stretch up was punishing, continuous stretch of steps upwards. felt good to be on summit with plains before us and the peaks looming about us. eroded features supposed to include pregnant woman, elephant, skullhead and phallic symbol. by the time we got back to sant joan, it was almost 5. shocked to learn last funicular had just left, though it was supposed to leave at 5.35. had to walk down another 30min or so on the road. tired out from experience.
dropped off stuff at pensione before heading to madrid-barcelona for dinner (across the street from hostal de rita). festival of shellfish was very good including mussels, cockles, and even razor back clam. potatoes with egg and anchovies too fried/oily. chocolate mousse with orange sauce good. came to €13 a head.
have showered. looking forward to bed.
(wy helped to get anti-histamines from pharmacist in the morning, €3.85, no blocked nose now.)
montserrat day began with breakfast at il caffe di roma. caught 11.36 R5 which meant that we made it to the basilica of the monastery just in time for the 1pm service. highlight for us was the montserrat boys choir singing ave maria. joined the procession to file past la moreneta, the back virgin. no kissing or touching of the statue for me.
interior reminiscent of opulent palace interiors. blue/gold colour scheme worked well.
steep funicular up to sant joan, over an hour’s walk to the sant jeroni hermitage and onto the summit of the mountain at 1300m. last stretch up was punishing, continuous stretch of steps upwards. felt good to be on summit with plains before us and the peaks looming about us. eroded features supposed to include pregnant woman, elephant, skullhead and phallic symbol. by the time we got back to sant joan, it was almost 5. shocked to learn last funicular had just left, though it was supposed to leave at 5.35. had to walk down another 30min or so on the road. tired out from experience.
dropped off stuff at pensione before heading to madrid-barcelona for dinner (across the street from hostal de rita). festival of shellfish was very good including mussels, cockles, and even razor back clam. potatoes with egg and anchovies too fried/oily. chocolate mousse with orange sauce good. came to €13 a head.
have showered. looking forward to bed.
(wy helped to get anti-histamines from pharmacist in the morning, €3.85, no blocked nose now.)
Friday, March 15, 2002
barcelona
woke up not feeling too good. beginning of bug? took a vitamin c pill. coffee and chocolate croissant at café roma chain. set off for pension norma. turns out room is €43, €40 was for double bed. annoying but nothing to be done.
today was ruta del modernisme day. first highlight was puig’s casa de les punxes (house of spikes). red-tiled turrets reminiscent of red square. a fairy-tale castle on the corner of a busy intersection.
gaudi’s casa mila (la pedrera) was excellent. his vision is simply extraordinary. orgy of photo-taking, especially on the whimsical rooftop. also enjoyed exhibits of barcelona in the early 20th century, and the recreation of a bourgeois apartment then. lunch at 4pm at hostal de rita. excellent value at €7. moussaka was very good, totally different from the greek version: zucchini and potatoes on minced meat and melted cheese. main course of fish was ok. dessert was crepe filled with raspberry sauce and drenched in chocolate sauce. delicioso!
found that amex was near passeig de gracias and open till 6. finally managed to cash rest of TC with no commission.
before lunch, saw manzana de la discordia: domenech, puig and gaudi in one block. puig’s casa amatller had colourful ceramic decorations. also peeked into interior. gaudi’s casa battlo was again breathtaking in its singularity of vision.
post lunch: sagrada familia. iconic spires arching towards the sky. views from high up incredible and dizzying. walked up to other set of spires. spiral staircase with nada on the inside dizzying as well. josep subirachs did the passion facade on the west. strong, simple lines and comic-book style figures, in contrast with gaudi’s complex, detailed nativity façade. struck up conversation with japanese girl who had studied in barcelona for 3 months. going on to granada the next day.
interviewed by school girl at exit. questions on/about barcelona. had to take picture as proof! had coffee nearby; finished postcards. unfortunately, sagrada familia not lit up.
casa batllo was lovely lit-up. also venue for EC candidates’ dinner. proceeded up rambla de catalunya: broad pedestrian lane with traffic on both sides, sorta like las ramblas without the stalls.
gaudi’s casa vicens another revelation in the middle of a quiet side street.
dinner at lebanese place equinox at placa del sol. neighbourhood/student feel to the place, with kids even at the pub! had shish-tauk baradillo (pita bread), which was good.
woke up not feeling too good. beginning of bug? took a vitamin c pill. coffee and chocolate croissant at café roma chain. set off for pension norma. turns out room is €43, €40 was for double bed. annoying but nothing to be done.
today was ruta del modernisme day. first highlight was puig’s casa de les punxes (house of spikes). red-tiled turrets reminiscent of red square. a fairy-tale castle on the corner of a busy intersection.
gaudi’s casa mila (la pedrera) was excellent. his vision is simply extraordinary. orgy of photo-taking, especially on the whimsical rooftop. also enjoyed exhibits of barcelona in the early 20th century, and the recreation of a bourgeois apartment then. lunch at 4pm at hostal de rita. excellent value at €7. moussaka was very good, totally different from the greek version: zucchini and potatoes on minced meat and melted cheese. main course of fish was ok. dessert was crepe filled with raspberry sauce and drenched in chocolate sauce. delicioso!
found that amex was near passeig de gracias and open till 6. finally managed to cash rest of TC with no commission.
before lunch, saw manzana de la discordia: domenech, puig and gaudi in one block. puig’s casa amatller had colourful ceramic decorations. also peeked into interior. gaudi’s casa battlo was again breathtaking in its singularity of vision.
post lunch: sagrada familia. iconic spires arching towards the sky. views from high up incredible and dizzying. walked up to other set of spires. spiral staircase with nada on the inside dizzying as well. josep subirachs did the passion facade on the west. strong, simple lines and comic-book style figures, in contrast with gaudi’s complex, detailed nativity façade. struck up conversation with japanese girl who had studied in barcelona for 3 months. going on to granada the next day.
interviewed by school girl at exit. questions on/about barcelona. had to take picture as proof! had coffee nearby; finished postcards. unfortunately, sagrada familia not lit up.
casa batllo was lovely lit-up. also venue for EC candidates’ dinner. proceeded up rambla de catalunya: broad pedestrian lane with traffic on both sides, sorta like las ramblas without the stalls.
gaudi’s casa vicens another revelation in the middle of a quiet side street.
dinner at lebanese place equinox at placa del sol. neighbourhood/student feel to the place, with kids even at the pub! had shish-tauk baradillo (pita bread), which was good.
Thursday, March 14, 2002
barcelona
must have tried almost all the lower-end rooms in LP and RG. finally settled on lodging for the night at hostel layetana at €21 per single room. in course of search, found out that liverpool was playing barcelona tonight and there was some EU meeting on as well. the brits took quite a bit of shine off barcelona. they were simply everywhere and they were loud. explains the large police presence. when we went to placa reial in the evening, it was filled with spilled beer and glass shards, the aftermath of a raucous mob.
after lunch at el convent (LP, abt €7 a head, avocado with tuna sauce appetiser good, but fried veal chop bland, as was lemon cake, red wine), headed out to gracia. pension norma actually had a room available for the next 4 days, with 2 beds, no shower though. €20 a head a night. (there was another option malda, at €23 a room but it was somewhat dingy.)
la seu – awesome gothic cathedral which accentuates the vertical. multiple columns instead of one large column retains lightness of feel. interior looks charred and blackened. again, too many details to take in.
stumbled onto excellent poster/postcard shop. posters for movies from star wars to reservoir dogs to clockwork orange, all about my mother, nosferatu. shop on the right was for art prints (rothko etc).
surfed for 30 min (€2) while waiting for la fonda to open for dinner at 8.30 pm. large fuss-free place with brisk efficient service. couldn’t stomach menu del dia so had veg/mushroom soup (weakish), mixed paella (quite good) and agua, for once. feeling tired and absolutely not in the mood for conversation.
coming back, went up wrong lift and wondered why no one opened the door. then realised door should be of glass, not wood. managed to get back to first floor before lights went out.
must have tried almost all the lower-end rooms in LP and RG. finally settled on lodging for the night at hostel layetana at €21 per single room. in course of search, found out that liverpool was playing barcelona tonight and there was some EU meeting on as well. the brits took quite a bit of shine off barcelona. they were simply everywhere and they were loud. explains the large police presence. when we went to placa reial in the evening, it was filled with spilled beer and glass shards, the aftermath of a raucous mob.
after lunch at el convent (LP, abt €7 a head, avocado with tuna sauce appetiser good, but fried veal chop bland, as was lemon cake, red wine), headed out to gracia. pension norma actually had a room available for the next 4 days, with 2 beds, no shower though. €20 a head a night. (there was another option malda, at €23 a room but it was somewhat dingy.)
la seu – awesome gothic cathedral which accentuates the vertical. multiple columns instead of one large column retains lightness of feel. interior looks charred and blackened. again, too many details to take in.
stumbled onto excellent poster/postcard shop. posters for movies from star wars to reservoir dogs to clockwork orange, all about my mother, nosferatu. shop on the right was for art prints (rothko etc).
surfed for 30 min (€2) while waiting for la fonda to open for dinner at 8.30 pm. large fuss-free place with brisk efficient service. couldn’t stomach menu del dia so had veg/mushroom soup (weakish), mixed paella (quite good) and agua, for once. feeling tired and absolutely not in the mood for conversation.
coming back, went up wrong lift and wondered why no one opened the door. then realised door should be of glass, not wood. managed to get back to first floor before lights went out.
Wednesday, March 13, 2002
tossa de mar
didn't feel like i slept much. frequent rest stops didn't help either. bus to tossa de mar at €7.55 (at half that from Madrid to Toledo.) stop at lloret de mar not promising. hideously developed with discoteca hollywood, hotel casino... the faded flashiness like an aging showgirl past her prime. bus station at tossa not inspiring, foggy weather no help either. 2 groups of tourists though: a school group and a senior citizens group. found room at fonda lluna. not very cheap at €16 a head, only €1 cheaper than Madrid, but includes breakfast and private toilet. most of new town not open, signs of sprucing up for high season evident - white-washing, repairs, etc.
tossa's 12th century walls surrounding the villa vella were pleasant. gorgeous views of sea cliffs with seabirds circling. vegetation a curios mix of verdant desert (cacti!) and alpine (tiny flowers). after wandering in circles, chanced upon la piccola carla, a pizzeria with a good value of €8.11 menu del dia. had blanched green beans, pizza jamon and flan. vino tinto inclusive. charming, cheery place with patient waitress.
siesta’d. after brief appearance in the morning, sun was out again. even fewer places open for dinner. restaurant minerva met the criterion. had fish soup, shared sangria. former quite strong. came to €10 a head. only place open on the waterfront; positively bustling with 6 tables by the time we left. beach practically deserted, footprints of seabirds abound. old walls lit up at night. good detour to make on the whole.
didn't feel like i slept much. frequent rest stops didn't help either. bus to tossa de mar at €7.55 (at half that from Madrid to Toledo.) stop at lloret de mar not promising. hideously developed with discoteca hollywood, hotel casino... the faded flashiness like an aging showgirl past her prime. bus station at tossa not inspiring, foggy weather no help either. 2 groups of tourists though: a school group and a senior citizens group. found room at fonda lluna. not very cheap at €16 a head, only €1 cheaper than Madrid, but includes breakfast and private toilet. most of new town not open, signs of sprucing up for high season evident - white-washing, repairs, etc.
tossa's 12th century walls surrounding the villa vella were pleasant. gorgeous views of sea cliffs with seabirds circling. vegetation a curios mix of verdant desert (cacti!) and alpine (tiny flowers). after wandering in circles, chanced upon la piccola carla, a pizzeria with a good value of €8.11 menu del dia. had blanched green beans, pizza jamon and flan. vino tinto inclusive. charming, cheery place with patient waitress.
siesta’d. after brief appearance in the morning, sun was out again. even fewer places open for dinner. restaurant minerva met the criterion. had fish soup, shared sangria. former quite strong. came to €10 a head. only place open on the waterfront; positively bustling with 6 tables by the time we left. beach practically deserted, footprints of seabirds abound. old walls lit up at night. good detour to make on the whole.
Tuesday, March 12, 2002
toledo
overslept. got up at 10.30am instead of 8. rush to pack up and get to bank. pleasant surprise - no commission for cashing in TCs (cf cambio asking for 9%!!)
grabbed coffee and tortilla (potato omelette) boccadillo. latter was a mistake: huge, hard and cold.
first stop in toledo, the cathedral. quite magnificent, especially the coro (choir). no photography allowed but too much detail anyway. jumble of gothic, baroque and other styles. real charm in the streets of toledo itself: narrow streets of cobblestones, barely wide enough for a car to pass.
lunch choice bar tropezon was closed. downside of being in toledo off-season and on a monday to boot. ended up at los cuatro tiempos. nice, proper sit-down restaurant. ham/egg soup was good, perdiz (porridge) was unusual, ice cream quite good as well. post-lunch, off to santo tome for el greco's masterpiece: burial of the count of orgaz. (other tourists from us, japan, eu, including france.) not a big fan of el greco but setting was excellent.
synagoga maria la blanca next. very different from the cathedral. (lovely smell of soap.) not so opulent in detail but interplay of columns and arches arresting; detail on walls intricate. also saw san juan de los rayes with the 'festooning' chains. crossed bridge in attempt to get better view. alcazar was good but nada for the cathedral. choice for dinner cudena closed. ended up at nondescript bar with the ubiquitous fruit machine. mushrooms as if from can, meatballs ok though some were cold in the centre. ate marzipan. not moved.
took no. 6 bus back to bus station... and missed stop. dropped and started walking back. ok, better start running if we want to make the bus. caught the 9pm bus back to madrid. shocked to find that buses for barcelona were from another station. rushed to avenidia de america only to find out that 11pm and midnight buses were full. sprung for 11.15pm eurobus. almost didn't find bus bay. €30 to travel in comfort (toilet, reclining seats, spanish videos...) vs €21 otherwise.
overslept. got up at 10.30am instead of 8. rush to pack up and get to bank. pleasant surprise - no commission for cashing in TCs (cf cambio asking for 9%!!)
grabbed coffee and tortilla (potato omelette) boccadillo. latter was a mistake: huge, hard and cold.
first stop in toledo, the cathedral. quite magnificent, especially the coro (choir). no photography allowed but too much detail anyway. jumble of gothic, baroque and other styles. real charm in the streets of toledo itself: narrow streets of cobblestones, barely wide enough for a car to pass.
lunch choice bar tropezon was closed. downside of being in toledo off-season and on a monday to boot. ended up at los cuatro tiempos. nice, proper sit-down restaurant. ham/egg soup was good, perdiz (porridge) was unusual, ice cream quite good as well. post-lunch, off to santo tome for el greco's masterpiece: burial of the count of orgaz. (other tourists from us, japan, eu, including france.) not a big fan of el greco but setting was excellent.
synagoga maria la blanca next. very different from the cathedral. (lovely smell of soap.) not so opulent in detail but interplay of columns and arches arresting; detail on walls intricate. also saw san juan de los rayes with the 'festooning' chains. crossed bridge in attempt to get better view. alcazar was good but nada for the cathedral. choice for dinner cudena closed. ended up at nondescript bar with the ubiquitous fruit machine. mushrooms as if from can, meatballs ok though some were cold in the centre. ate marzipan. not moved.
took no. 6 bus back to bus station... and missed stop. dropped and started walking back. ok, better start running if we want to make the bus. caught the 9pm bus back to madrid. shocked to find that buses for barcelona were from another station. rushed to avenidia de america only to find out that 11pm and midnight buses were full. sprung for 11.15pm eurobus. almost didn't find bus bay. €30 to travel in comfort (toilet, reclining seats, spanish videos...) vs €21 otherwise.
Monday, March 11, 2002
madrid
didn't sleep too well. woke up at about 5.30am. eventually got out of bed at 10.30am. breakfast at museo del jamon. no chocolate y churros. darn! had oj, coffee and small ham and bread for €1.80. set off for museo del prado after that. free entry once again but should have done this yesterday instead. too many things to see: velasquez (some familiar pieces), reubens, hieronymous bosch (his hell imagery predates dali, just as surreal), goya (prodigious output in range and quantity, later black paintings full of agony and despair.) explanatory booklets excellent at €1. unfortunately, dispensers for goya and velasquez spoilt. got one on titian.
LP nom maseira was packed so ended up at la plateira and museo bar for lunch. menu in english as well but food so-so and service brusque.
went to catch bull fight at las ventas. stadium was gorgeous, mudejar style? €6.75 for tix in the sun. 6 bulls, 3 not-yet matadors. interesting though outcome overdetermined with odds stacked against bull. blood and death not disturbing at all. got poster of event for €4.50, kept inside a cylindrical tube for €2. tapas for dinner, €7 a head. started with fried fish, croquette and beer at casa labra; then potatoes in hot sauce at las bravas and limon; finally gambas in olive oil with garlic and chilli at abuello II. excellent if salty.
checked out plaza mayor by night; boring and less resplendent.
didn't sleep too well. woke up at about 5.30am. eventually got out of bed at 10.30am. breakfast at museo del jamon. no chocolate y churros. darn! had oj, coffee and small ham and bread for €1.80. set off for museo del prado after that. free entry once again but should have done this yesterday instead. too many things to see: velasquez (some familiar pieces), reubens, hieronymous bosch (his hell imagery predates dali, just as surreal), goya (prodigious output in range and quantity, later black paintings full of agony and despair.) explanatory booklets excellent at €1. unfortunately, dispensers for goya and velasquez spoilt. got one on titian.
LP nom maseira was packed so ended up at la plateira and museo bar for lunch. menu in english as well but food so-so and service brusque.
went to catch bull fight at las ventas. stadium was gorgeous, mudejar style? €6.75 for tix in the sun. 6 bulls, 3 not-yet matadors. interesting though outcome overdetermined with odds stacked against bull. blood and death not disturbing at all. got poster of event for €4.50, kept inside a cylindrical tube for €2. tapas for dinner, €7 a head. started with fried fish, croquette and beer at casa labra; then potatoes in hot sauce at las bravas and limon; finally gambas in olive oil with garlic and chilli at abuello II. excellent if salty.
checked out plaza mayor by night; boring and less resplendent.
Sunday, March 10, 2002
madrid
breakfast at cafe vergara. cafe leche and ham and tomatoes on toast. not processed ham though.
on to palacio real, catedral nuestra senora de la almudena, disappointing jardines de las vistillas (if we got there.) long way round to campo del moro.
metro to puerta de toledo for el rastro. didn't see much of a flea market, but characterful uphill shopping area: antiques, furniture, bags. settled on los caracoles for lunch. snail, chorizos and beer. tasty if salty, with slight bitter aftertaste. owner friendly, quite a character, demonstrating drinking of sauce and 'bellissimo' all the way.
castro de arte reina sofia in the afternoon. free entry - gao xingjian exhibit! stark ink on paper works. uncharacteristic dali and miro enjoyable. la guernica disturbing. yves' blue intoxicating. very stuffy. warhol/basquiat/clemente bewildering beyond pop culture references and wordplay. back to rifer for rest.
went out at 10pm for food. made it back at 1.30am. streets packed with madrilenos. first tapas bar was intimidating. casa del abuelo - tried prawns and sweet red wine. excellent. ca oreja de oro - white wine in terracotta jug, octopus and grilled oreja at wy's suggestion. later figured out oreja=ear. la venencia next for amontillado with cheese and olives. entire place looks smoked and unchanged in decor since the 50s at least. last stop cate central jazz bar. no more live jazz but wound down with hot chocolate and piped in jazz. streets still packed. still prefer to sit though it's standing room only at some tapas places. difference between the whites and the latin americans quite obvious.
breakfast at cafe vergara. cafe leche and ham and tomatoes on toast. not processed ham though.
on to palacio real, catedral nuestra senora de la almudena, disappointing jardines de las vistillas (if we got there.) long way round to campo del moro.
metro to puerta de toledo for el rastro. didn't see much of a flea market, but characterful uphill shopping area: antiques, furniture, bags. settled on los caracoles for lunch. snail, chorizos and beer. tasty if salty, with slight bitter aftertaste. owner friendly, quite a character, demonstrating drinking of sauce and 'bellissimo' all the way.
castro de arte reina sofia in the afternoon. free entry - gao xingjian exhibit! stark ink on paper works. uncharacteristic dali and miro enjoyable. la guernica disturbing. yves' blue intoxicating. very stuffy. warhol/basquiat/clemente bewildering beyond pop culture references and wordplay. back to rifer for rest.
went out at 10pm for food. made it back at 1.30am. streets packed with madrilenos. first tapas bar was intimidating. casa del abuelo - tried prawns and sweet red wine. excellent. ca oreja de oro - white wine in terracotta jug, octopus and grilled oreja at wy's suggestion. later figured out oreja=ear. la venencia next for amontillado with cheese and olives. entire place looks smoked and unchanged in decor since the 50s at least. last stop cate central jazz bar. no more live jazz but wound down with hot chocolate and piped in jazz. streets still packed. still prefer to sit though it's standing room only at some tapas places. difference between the whites and the latin americans quite obvious.
Saturday, March 09, 2002
madrid
sing-paris flight not too bad. managed to sleep despite large american on the aisle side. no upsizing pls. nose not doing too well though and extremely dehydrated. water is self-service; movie channels don't work, food's decent. voila, air france. emerged from sol station into the heart of madrid. took a while to find bearings. first attempt for accomms - hostal valencia. calle espoz y mina was quiet. dogged by 2 con girls. difficult to find. anyway, full. second attempt was riesco. comfy lounge area with stuffed animal heads and fireplace, but no rooms. third time lucky - rifer on 4th floor of a building. clean functional room at €33 a night. shower, no toilet. lift ridiculously small for 5, would need to stand indian file. excellent location, quite happy with place.
had lunch at casa parrondo. menu del dia for €9. friggin cheap. had potatoes and meat stew, veal, bread and bottle of wine. oh yeah, dessert too. rice pudding. had to reject cafe.
saw plaza mayor before lunch. gorgeous square with all the balconies and frescoes. nutter singing away.
plaza de la villa: unexpectedly cheery flower bed, mudejar tower.
san andres.
san gines.
el corte ingles - huge department store. wy looking for towel. no luck. at other el corte. on 2 other corners, el corte for books and cds/movies.
place de isabel II.
hot chocolate at san gires. no churros, too full from lunch. thick molten chocolate at €2.
sing-paris flight not too bad. managed to sleep despite large american on the aisle side. no upsizing pls. nose not doing too well though and extremely dehydrated. water is self-service; movie channels don't work, food's decent. voila, air france. emerged from sol station into the heart of madrid. took a while to find bearings. first attempt for accomms - hostal valencia. calle espoz y mina was quiet. dogged by 2 con girls. difficult to find. anyway, full. second attempt was riesco. comfy lounge area with stuffed animal heads and fireplace, but no rooms. third time lucky - rifer on 4th floor of a building. clean functional room at €33 a night. shower, no toilet. lift ridiculously small for 5, would need to stand indian file. excellent location, quite happy with place.
had lunch at casa parrondo. menu del dia for €9. friggin cheap. had potatoes and meat stew, veal, bread and bottle of wine. oh yeah, dessert too. rice pudding. had to reject cafe.
saw plaza mayor before lunch. gorgeous square with all the balconies and frescoes. nutter singing away.
plaza de la villa: unexpectedly cheery flower bed, mudejar tower.
san andres.
san gines.
el corte ingles - huge department store. wy looking for towel. no luck. at other el corte. on 2 other corners, el corte for books and cds/movies.
place de isabel II.
hot chocolate at san gires. no churros, too full from lunch. thick molten chocolate at €2.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)