Chocolate, Churros, and Music, Madrid, Spain

Wandering the backstreets, I was struck by the crowd of people at this Chocolateria. First of all, what is a "chocolateria?" And second, why are there so many people in line for service?



I came back later with Amy to try out their offerings. It turns out that the San Gines Chocolateria is an iconic establishment in central Madrid and has been open for the past 120 years, drawing locals and tourists alike to their churros and hot chocolate.



This is basically the only thing on the menu - churros and hot chocolate - served by white-shirted waiters/waitresses.  For about four Euro, you too can enjoy fried dough and dark hot chocolate at one of Madrid's iconic spots. There was a line at midday, late afternoon, and evening - people here love their chocolate and churros!



And always - everywhere - stores - displays - or live - music and musical instruments...........

Plaza Mayor, Centro, Madrid, Spain

Plaza Mayor is a popular plaza in use since the early 1600's. Restaurants and retail shops ring the perimeter of the grand courtyard and the area is a magnet for residents and tourists alike to hang out, eat, drink, shop, see and be seen.



There is a covered arcade around the perimeter with shops on the ground floor. The higher floors are apartments that surround the plaza and are prime real estate of great value.



A popular tourist diversion is posing in traditional attire.



Some folks look pretty good.......



....and others - not so much.



In fact, some people look better by not even participating.

Shades of Blue, Centro, Madrid, Spain

Against a background of blue sky and blue advertising in Puerta del Sol, I caught a skateboarder doing this cool aerial trick. (To be honest though, it is actually a static display of performance art, the artist hoping to entice the tourists to drop a Euro or two contribution in the hat).



Sitting at a sidewalk cafe in the warm sunshine, I enjoyed a blue bottle of water as we people-watched for an hour or so. I like the forced perspective appearance of the out-sized bottle arranged next to the human passerby.



Blue skies over the Royal Palace, the flag of Spain standing brightly in the breeze.

Random People Out and About, Centro, Madrid, Spain

It was a picture perfect day - blue skies, puffy clouds, light breeze, and a gentle chill in the air. Springtime flowers in bloom and love in the air in the Plaza de Oriente on the west side of the Teatro Real.



Just sitting in the warm sunshine outside the Royal Palace was a perfect activity for the day.



Or, leaning against a wall in the warmth was a close second.


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Babies, beers, and tapas.



Table for eight?



Portions instead of tapas were common in some tourist areas - a bigger serving and a bigger price.



Flowering pear trees line this pedestrian-only street near Teatro Real where these long shadows attracted my eye. Spring is well underway here although behind the Seville area since Madrid is father north and at a higher elevation.

Out and About, Centro, Madrid, Spain

The journey towards home continues. We drove six hours from Jerez to Madrid to turn in our leased car and spend the last three days in downtown Madrid before flying home to the United States. These two folks I found wandering about near the Royal Palace. This is not how regular Spaniards dress but, these two folks wander around posing for photographs and then expect some tip/compensation - looks like an effective way to make a living - tourists caught up in the moment are always willing to spend a Euro on impulse - even a cheapskate like me - I gave them a Euro to share but they insisted on one each.



Looking into the side courtyard of the Royal Palace



A produce stand inside the Mercado de San Miguel near Plaza Mayor. The sign says, in eight languages, "Do Not Touch." But they were so perfect and juicy...........I only touched one very gently - honest.



This fine establishment near Puerta del Sol is the Museo del Jamon which I guess translates as the Ham Museum.  That would normally surprise me but, after two months in Spain, nothing related to ham surprises me anymore.



Frankly though, I think the term "museum" is stretching the truth.  As far as I could tell, it was simply a retail store selling all things ham.



Usually, the device that holds the pig's leg for slicing the thin pieces is on the other side of the counter from the public.  For this one, however, they cut out part of the glass counter-top so the hoof was up close and personal to interested folks. If they could only figure out how to make vegan ham....... 

A Winter Escape, Andalusia, Madrid, Spain

It is time for our winter escape - this year to the Andusian region of southern Spain. Every trip begins with the internal mental battle - what can I take with me and not exceed the weight limit. My bag is the black one, I like to say it's bigger than my wife's because I'm bigger and taller.  Of course the truth is, I take too much stuff - including my pillow (I'm embarrassed to share that).



It was a cold (+10F) morning at Boston's Logan International Airport, snow was forecast for later in the day - long after we are gone.



Parts of Miami airport are not crowded.......(more about why we're in Miami later)...........



.... and other parts are filled with travelers - many of them families since this is a common vacation week in the United States. But now, skipping ahead many hours..........



.... after the all-night flight, we are over Spain. Although I thought I was leaving the cold and snow of New England winter behind, the snow covered mountains west of Madrid, Spain, provided a spectacular visual as we approached the airport. Madrid is Europe's highest elevation capital city at 2100 feet.



I had a momentary unpleasant thought as we descended to land. Earlier in the trip, after flying from Boston to Miami, we had a two-hour mechanical delay in Miami as they repaired a thrust reverser.  I don't like having mechanical delays just before we fly over the ocean for seven hours in the dark. Regardless, the repair was successful as we stopped without rolling off the end of the runway.



So, after a four-hour flight from Boston to Miami and the eight-hour flight from Miami to Madrid, we are walking to customs and passport control in the beautiful and expansive Madrid Airport.



Pretty much looks like baggage claim anywhere.



The highways from Madrid to Seville, our final destination, were spectacular as we descended via highway from the central plateau to the coastal region. I could have spent a couple days making the 530 km (320 miles), five-hour journey as the countryside was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. These mountains, the Sierra de Gredos range west of Madrid, reach up to 7500 feet.



Green fields abound and this shrub is sporting the first few blossoms of spring. I wish I could have stopped at least fifty times to record the surrounding beauty but, we only stopped twice.

Here, we stopped to change drivers as the late afternoon shadows lengthened. I'm glad we stopped on this side of the stone wall - that bull lurking in the shadows of the cork oaks looked at me with way too much interest.

So, after 26 total hours since leaving home, we finally arrived at our destination in Seville. *See note below.

We'll be here to experience a different life for a month or so. To be figuratively dropped from the sky into a new and strange place where they speak a different language, have different customs, culture, and history.  We will have to learn how to live here. Where to go to buy produce and supplies - to address the basics of food, water, and shelter. It is stimulating and frustrating and life affirming.  I hope you can follow along.........

*Note: a trip from Boston to Seville should have been less complicated and time-consuming. It should be one leg from Boston to Madrid, then Madrid to Seville.  At this time of the year though, American Airlines doesn't fly non-stop from Boston.  And, thrifty as we are, we used accumulated miles to buy the tickets. That introduces other obstacles. As is common nowadays, it is difficult to get seats with miles. We had to either go through New York, Miami, Chicago, or Dallas to get to Madrid and to get to Seville we would have had to go to other out of the way stops also.  All things considered, it made most sense for us to fly to Miami, fly to Madrid, and drive to Seville.  All's well that end's well - we made it.