Madrid to Sevilla

We are in Sevilla! This morning we took the high speed train from Madrid to Sevilla. It took two and a half hours to go about 250 miles.

This afternoon Brian and Bonnie toured the Sevilla cathedral. Duke and I have seen it before. We booked a Flamenco show for tonight and walked around enjoying the weather which is warmer than Madrid. We also visited the beautiful Archives of the Indies Building.

For dinner we had tapas before and again after the flamenco show.

Madrid – 8 February, 2018

Today for our second day in Madrid we spent several hours exploring the National Archaeological Museum. It has wonderful displays about the cultures in The Iberian Peninsula from prehistoric to the present. There was so much amazing stuff it was hard to pick favorites. I liked the Roman mosaics.

And the Visigoth hoards.

We went to Museo de Jamon for bread, cheese, and ham for lunch and had tapas at a few different places for dinner.

Madrid Feb 7, 2018

Duke and I thought we were over our jet lag so didn’t set an alarm last night. We were awake during the night then didn’t wake up until Bonnie and Brian knocked on our door at the agreed on time of 9am! They came back a bit later and we were ready to go.

Our first stop this morning was the Royal Palace. It turns out the inside is closed to the public today and tomorrow but today is the full ceremonial changing of the guard which they only have once a month! Coincidentally we are here on the right day. The temperature was only about forty degrees but the sun was shining and it was a great show!

Afterwards we warmed up with chocolate and churros.

This afternoon Bonnie and Brian went to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Museum (We visited it last year) and we went to the Sorolla Museum. Joaquin Sorolla was a late Impressionist Spanish painter The museum is in his home. We really enjoyed both the setting and the light filled paintings.

We ate dinner at what is supposed to be the oldest restaurant in Europe, Sobrino del Botin. We had a fun meal. I had roast suckling pig, Brian had roast lamb and Duke and Bonnie had beef. Our reservation was at ten so it was a long day. But it was a really fun day!

Barcelona to Madrid

This morning we went out to find coffee and croissants before we headed to the train station. It is my favorite European breakfast and it did not disappoint. Coffee and a croissant.

After breakfast we caught the train to Valencia.

We changed there for the high speed train to Madrid.

In Madrid we met our friends Brian and Bonnie at the airport and had a great time catching up over dinner.

Life is good!

Oakland to Barcelona

We are in Barcelona! Our flight on a Norwegian Airlines Dreamliner 787 was great! Duke totally surprised me and booked us in premium class!! I’ve always said that if I won the lottery I would always fly first class. But as I walked back to coach class and couldn’t find my seat until the steward pointed up front I was totally blown away! Duke can sure keep a secret! The best secret ever!

In Barcelona we took the Metro into town. The trip cost us €4.60 each. We are staying in a small hotel called K+K Hotel Picasso on the edge of the Gothic Quarter. After a nap we went for a walk to try to stave off the urge to sleep and to defeat jet lag. We walked up Las Ramblas and through the Gothic Quarter.

As usual for my trip reports here come the food photos! We had dinner at Llamber Taverna Gastronómica. We had four small plates to share.

Patatas Brava and warm bread with tomatoes.

Cheese

Rice in squid ink with cuttlefish

And beef

The cost including two glasses of wine each was €70. Everyone was friendly our waiter was from Bangladesh. As tired as we both are it was a perfect first meal in Spain.