Tag: Spain

Madrid to Parador de Gredos

This morning our first stop was Chocolatería San Ginés for chocolate and churros. Yum!

Churros and chocolate
Chocolatería San Ginés
Inside Chocolatería San Ginés

Then we walked through the Madrid Plaza Mayor.

Plaza Mayor

We went back to our hotel packed up and checked out. We walked to the rental car agency and picked up the car we will have for the next month. Then we left Madrid and headed southwest.

Walking to the rental car office.
Ready to hit the road

Tonight we are at the Parador de Gredos in Spain’s Gredos Mountains. It about a two and a half hour drive from Madrid. We stopped to stretch a couple of times along the way. It is nice to be out in the country.

Our rental car. You can see the snowy Gredos mountains in the distance.

We saw these birds in a field and had to stop to take pictures so I could use Merlin to identify them. It turns out they are Eurasian Griffons.

Eurasian Griffons

We are planning to stay at several Paradors on this trip. The Parador of Gredos was the very first Parador established. It used to be the Spanish King’s hunting lodge. It is at an altitude of 5,200 feet.

Parador of Gredos
Our welcome drinks

For dinner we had a very good meal in the bar. They are very busy here tonight. I assume it’s because it is a Friday night.

We visited Gredos for the first time back in February of 2017. It is as nice as we remember it.

Madrid

I slept for twelve hours last night. And I was only awake for a bit in the middle of the night. That should help with the jet lag!

It was about 11am when we finally went out to breakfast. We went to a great place we’ve been before, La Austriaca, I’ve told myself I will take fewer food pictures this trip but we shall see. It hard when there is so much that is so good. This morning we had more of the great food that makes me think of Spain.

In La Austriaca for breakfast
Coffee, fresh squeezed orange juice, Tortilla Español, and a pastry all for less than €10

Then we went to the museum of Romanticism.

Inside the Museo del Romanticismo

After a coffee break we walked around a bit enjoying the beautiful streets. We both remarked on how clean the buildings are. Then we saw a sign about the exhibits and viewing platform in the Madrid city hall. The Palácio de Cibeles is emblematic of Madrid.

The Palácio de Cibeles used to be the Post Office. Now it’s Madrid City Hall.

Inside the ere were several art exhibits and we really enjoyed the view from the observation platform at the top.

Our hotel is just a couple of blocks behind us.
This is one of several art installations. This is all by the artist Mar Solis.
The tile in the stairway of the building

For dinner we went out for Tapas. Every time we are in Madrid we go to Cervecería Alemana. It was recommended to us by a good friend who was here around 1970. The bar is about 120 years old. It’s always good too.

Cervecería Alemana
Our table.

San Francisco to Madrid

Our plane out of San Francisco wasn’t until late Tuesday afternoon so Duke took me and the bags to the BART station and then he drove back to Allison’s and walked back to BART. it took about a hour.

This was the first time we’ve used Air France to fly to Europe and it was great.

Our premium economy seats
Champagne right after take off

We changes planes in Paris.

I think these chef mice with their baguettes in Charles DeGaule Airport look very French!

The flight to Madrid was almost 2 hours. Then we took the Metro into the center.

Waiting for our Metro train.

For dinner we had a jamon and cheese sampler at the wonderful chain, Museo de Jamon.

Jamon, cheese and beer

Then we walked back to the hotel where I plan to sleep for a very long time!

Barcelona, Spain to Reno, Nevada

We made it home! Sunday morning in Barcelona we went out for our last European breakfast.

Breakfast in Barcelona

Then we packed, checked out of our hotel and took the Metro to Barcelona airport.

On the Metro
In line to check in

A bit over two weeks ago Level Airlines cancelled our original flight and we had to get a flight two days earlier and cut our trip short. When we got to the airport in Barcelona we found out they had overbooked our new flight and bumped us from Premium Economy to seats in Tourist class next to the bathrooms. Although it was a pretty miserable 12 hour flight, the good news is that we are supposed to get a 75% refund.

On the flight

And the best news is that we made it home. We took BART to Lafayette and Allison picked us up. We spent the night, played a bit with the grandkids then drove home to Reno this morning.

Sweet Pea Restaurant in Auburn where we stopped for lunch.
The view from our room at Casa Vermazen where we are tonight

Bucharest, Romania to Barcelona, Spain

I set my alarm for 4:20 this morning because we had a 7:40 flight to Barcelona. All went smoothly and the next thing you know we were on the Metro to central Barcelona.

Bucharest Arc de Triumph from our taxi on the way to the airport
The metro station at Barcelona airport
Barceloba Arc de Triumph near our hotel.

We checked in to our hotel but it was too early to get our room so we had fun wandering around and enjoying the incredible street life of Barcelona.

A brand of women’s clothes, Sorellas, that does a pop up store tour. There was a very long line to get in.
Inside Estació de França
Archealogic site

For dinner we had tapas at a place we ate ate and loved another time we were in Barcelona

Restaurant Llamber
Tuna and tomato salad
Patatas Bravas
For desert we had a omething like a donut with a liguid liquor center

It was so great to enjoy the energy and street vibe of Barcelona as we walked back to the hotel

Walking back to the hotel.