Travel and Recreation
Avila and Fun with Peggy and Mike! February 10, 2020
Continuing the Michigander visits, Ann Arbor native Mike Sperling and his wife Peggy Kirkgeeg arrived on February 5 to spend a week enjoying Madrid. From mountain biking in Casa de Campo to joining the Wanderers in exploring Las Letras (a barrio of Madrid), they sampled our robust Madrileno life. We even through in a dinner party with our good friends Ricardo and Patricia Fraguas and were treated to the Spanish version of "Time in a Bottle."
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Located about an hour's drive from Madrid is the city of Avila which is renowned for its 12th century wall and fortress. The wall has a perimeter of 2516 meters with 87 towers and 9 doors. We walked the perimeter and enjoyed strolling through the old city which is within the wall. Journey with us through the following photos.
Peggy and Mike
Dinner with Ricardo and Patricia Fraguas, from Madrid, and Mike and Peggy. Ricardo singing for us all:-)
Biking with John in Casa de Campo
Mike and Peggy joined our Wednesday Wanderers group and fit right in! Here we were walking through the cool Las Letras neighborhood. The stone streets have gold inlaid sayings from famous Spanish authors and poets.
Avila - city with an ancient wall around it.
Toledo and Adventures in Madrid with the Detroit Hat Trick January 28
The weekend of January 25 featured the arrival of the Detroit hat trick, law school classmates Al Dib, Ron Tays, and honorary WSU Law Alum, Mike Heilmann. In scheduling this adventure Dib made it clear, "he expected the complete Cabaniss Madrid experience." I will defer to the hat trick as to whether their expectations were met; however, a jam-packed week it was. After a detour to Amsterdam as a result of a missed connection at JFK our tour began. From the barrios of Madrid to the Royal Palace, Valley of the Fallen, Segovia, and Toledo we enjoyed exploring the richness of Spanish culture and history. The financial highlight was spending 60 euros to have coffee in the Palace hotel(commissioned in 1912 by King Alfonzo) under its marvelous cupula.
Toledo
Palace hotel
Valley of the Fallen
On Monday night we enjoyed learning how to properly evaluate wine, lay the glass on its side to view the margins of the wine for richness, swirl the wine in the glass to observe viscosity, then smell and taste. Followed by sucking air through the wine in your mouth to determine acidity. The tasting took place at Madrid & Darracott, a delightful wine store in the central city. www.madriddarracott.com Additionally our host and co-owner Roque explained the dual Spanish rating systems, one by wine region; the other determined by the national parliament.
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On Thursday night we explored the history and unique fascination of the Spanish with their Iberian ham. Our host Alberto Araque explained that a true Iberian ham is a cross between a wild boar and a white pig. Spain has a rating system for its hams that consists of the highest rating for Iberian pigs that are free-range acorn eating to the lowest white pigs maintained in confined conditions fattened with artificial foods. The lesser quality hams are definitely more chewy. www.lopezpascual.com
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On Thursday, January 28 the hat trick accompanied me on my first trip to the former capital of Royal Spain, Toledo. Located on the Tagus River Toledo became the capital and headquarters of the church during the Visigothic kingdom. In 711 the city was captured by the Muslims and their reign extended until 1085 when it was captured by Alfonso VI. It is known as the city of three cultures, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim. In 1561 the royal court was relocated to Madrid thus leaving the city solely with the church as its economic base. Our visit featured a bus tour of the city and its surrounding hills and included a guided tour of the Catedral.
After a fun-filled week and memories of the detour to Amsterdam a week earlier faded, I dropped Dib and Ron at terminal 4 of Madrid's airport the recommended three hours in advance of their flight. In the terminal, they were greeted by a mass of Asian travelers all masked for protection against the coronavirus. Possibly a harbinger of what was to come. It was a beautiful spring-like day here so after dropping them off I hopped on my mountain bike and headed out for a long ride. Halfway through I took a break and while sitting on a park bench enjoying the chirping of birds, basking in the sunshine, I checked my phone. First, a message from Al, "wtf is going on, we are stuck on the tarmac." Then Julie's response, "the Madrid airport has been shut down because of drones in the airspace." Next thing we hear Dib and Ron have missed their connection in Paris and are forced to spend the night only to be rerouted the next day through you guessed it, "Amsterdam." Welcome to international travel the Detroit way. Next trip I suggest flying out of Chicago.
Ham Tasting :)
Granada and the Sierra Nevadas 1/3-8/20
The Alhambra - 889 AD to 1333 AD - Islamic and Christian construction.
Taking advantage of Sara's extended holiday break after our christmas guests departed, we flew to Granada to spend two days exploring the city and to visit the Alhambra. It is such a popular destination that buying your tour tickets in advance is a must. The complex includes an amazing mix of Islamic and Christian architecture.
Originally constructed as a small fortress in AD 889 on Roman ruins, it was extensively expanded in the 13th century by the Emirate of Grenada who built the current palace and walls. In 1333 it was converted into a Royal Palace by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada.
After the Christian reconquest in 1492 it became the royal palace of Ferdinand and Isabella and it is where Columbus received his endorsement for his journey to the Americas. Located on the mountains overlooking the city of Granada, the complex is a wonderful array of structures and gardens. The Emirate hired islamic poets to wrote poetry intended to reflect the beauty of the Alhambra. The islamic script is itself an impressive work of art. Perhaps the photos below will help you appreciate the special beauty of this relic of the ages.
Where we entered the Alhambra
Beautiful courtyards inside the Alhambra. The lower half of the building, the intricate design is Islamic, the upper, austere design in Catholic! See the interior up close below.
The room where the Sultan would receive guests. As you can see from the picture with Sara looking out of one of the other windows, the perch of the Sultan over his kingdom was a display of power to his visitors.
The intricate detail on the walls was done with mold castings. I wonder how they created plaster that would last 1200+ years!!??!!
Breathtaking design on the walls - made with molds and tiles.
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Even Sara was wowed.
Another courtyard deep within the Alhambra. Sultans and their family couldn't really leave the Alhambra much - too dangerous. Everyone wanted to kill them - replace them. The average tenure of a sultan was about 10 years before they were killed (oftentimes by a family member).
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A cutie pie tourist:)
Two more features below to help protect the sultan - THREE exterior walls and a giant wall in front of the entry way so invading armies or people can't use some big device to knock down the door and many people can't fit into the entry way or door at once.
Then on to the Mountains to ski!
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The Sierra Nevada is the mountain range within which the Alhambra is located. Its highest peak is about 11,414 feet and it includes a ski resort so for us the trip was a two-for, a visit to the Alhambra and a European ski experience. Unfortunately, the resort had received little if any snow since November and it was very icy. For that reason I decided not to ski. Sara and Julie spent a couple of hours skiing with our friend, ski instructor Pablo Chamosa. That night Sara suffered an uncontrollable nose bleed which required us to take her into the urgent care center. So skiing was out for Sara day 2. Julie always the adventurer journeyed to a high ski run with Pablo on day 2 and promptly lost her edge, went hurtling face first down the mountain and fortunately was able to grab a pole to arrest her descent. At that point Sara and I received a frantic call advising that her new cell phone was missing on the mountain. We met Julie and Pablo at the base and after arming Pablo with Sara's phone with its Life 360 tracking app, he headed up the mountain and retrieved her phone. Sometimes its better to be lucky.
Sevilla 12/28/19-12/30/19
What an amazing holiday season! Our friends from Ecuador, Pablo and Belen Lombeida and their twin five-year-old daughters stayed with us through Christmas day so we were able to share a kids Christmas morning. Julie's brother Tom arrived on the 23rd. And after the Lombeida's took off by car on Christmas afternoon to further explore Spain, our friends the Strattes arrived on the morning of the 26th, Jim, Laura, and children Ned and Freya. Sara was thrilled to have her oldest and dearest friend visit.
After several days of enjoying Madrid the whole group, Cabanisses, Strattes, and Drakes, flew to Sevilla on the early morning of the 28th. We stored our bags in a nifty storage site located near our 500-year-old Airbnb in the central city. Sevilla is the capital of Andalucia. Its old town is the largest in Spain. Among its significant monuments are its Alcazar, Cathedral and Torre de Oro. Tickets to the Alcazar were sold out so we missed out on that site. We were able to tour the Cathedral which includes the crypt of Christopher Columbus. Sevilla is located 70 km from the Atlantic Ocean on the Guadalquivir River. We enjoyed a river cruise as well as a three-hour bicycle tour of the city. And of course, we took in one of the city's legendary flamenco shows.
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Most interesting was Plaza de Espana. It was built as part of the 1929 exposition of the Americas which included pavilions from all of the countries of the Americas. King Alfonso anticipated that it would be well attended however the stock market crash and resulting depression financially crippled the project and King Alfonso was widely criticized for the financial disaster and I do not believe its a coincidence that he was forced to abdicate shortly after the fair closed in 1931. And the Republic was founded. The Lombeidas met us in Sevilla and we enjoyed Plaza de Espana together.
In Order of Arrival:-)
The Lombeida Familia!!
Julies' brother Tom!!
The Cathedral
The Strattes!!
The street in the old Jewish Quarter where our house rental was located - at the end of this passage way.
These pictures give you a feel for the house we rented - it dates back 500 years! Super cool rehab.
Plaza de Espana
Bike Tour - we recommend
Manzanares el Real December 11, 2019
We journeyed by car with our new friends Greg and Denise Schipper to this wonderful small village of about 7000 residents located some 30 miles west of Madrid adjacent to the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama. It is home to the most well preserved castle in Spain, the Castle of Mendoza.
The castle first constructed in the 15th century is a sterling example of Castilian military architecture. It currently houses furniture and tapestry of the Mendozas dating from the 17th century. On the day we visited we virtually had the castle to ourselves and were free to stroll and enjoy it at our own pace. From the balconies and roof there are spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, the Santillana lake and the Manzanares river.
After our castle tour we took a hike along the river and enjoyed lunch at La Charca Verde Restaurante. If we had more time we would have opted for a mountain trail.
Walk along the lookout with me - video below!
Absolutely a fantastic local place for lunch, right in the little square in Manzanares Real.
The Charlie and Judy Madrid Tour
My brother Charlie and his wife Judy arrived on the morning of October 2 and after a jet lag nap, Charlie let me know they were here for nine days (not including a two-day side trip to Barcelona) and he expected to see castles, museums and as many local attractions as possible. Having been issued a brotherly challenge, this addition will chronicle my efforts.
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Chueca October 4, 2019
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After a slow start to accommodate jet lag, a short trip to the Prado Art Museum on Thursday night, and the need for some brotherly bonding time playing at Centro Nacional Golf Club, we hopped on a bus to the Aravaca train station where we met our Wednesday Wanderers group (yes although many of our outings are on Wednesday thus the moniker, some are not, as you may guess by virtue of this Friday event).
Our mission was to explore the area of central Madrid known as Chueca. Locally it is known as Madrid's gay neighborhood and is named after Spanish composer and writer Federico Chueca. We divided into three groups of about fifteen to explore its interesting streets, shops and hotels. The included photos and videos will provide you with sense of the neighborhood's vibrancy. You will notice a sculpture of a lady with a rather ample back side. These are placed throughout Madrid in homage to the artist generally considered to have been the best from Spain's Golden age, Diego Velazquez. The sculptures were derived from his masterpiece "Las Meninas" which is featured in the Prado Art museum here. Velazquez was employed by King Phillip IV.
After a couple hours of walking the streets of Chueca it was time for food, drink and conversation. Our lunch destiny, Mercado San Ildefonso, was a three level market with twenty stalls selling diverse international fare plus three cocktail bars.
After lunch the group slowly migrated in different directions. Charlie, Judy and I took a short walk to the Royal Palace of Madrid.
Chueca
Royal Palace of Madrid
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This palace is still the official residence of the Spanish royal family but today it is only used on ceremonial occasions. The palace has 1,450,000 sq ft, and 3,418 rooms. It is the largest functioning royal palace and largest by floor area in Europe. We bought our tickets online for a guided tour of the palace and despite my error in signing us up for a tour in Spanish we were able to slip into an English tour. We learned that the palace was built between 1738 and 1755 by King Felipe V after the old Alcazar, which was on the site, burned to the ground.
"Alcazar" refers to a Muslim era fortress. The last monarch to live full-time in the palace was King Alfonso XIII. During the second republic, which immediately preceded the Civil War (1936-39), the president of the republic lived there and it was known as the National Palace. As you can see from the photos, the palace contains a delightful mix of paintings, murals, and tapestries.
Futbol: Real Madrid v. Grenada
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Of course catching Madrid's premiere soccer team in action was a must do with Charlie and Judy so a month before their visit I went online and purchased six tickets for the Sunday October 6 game with Grenada at 6 pm with the extra ticket so Sara could invite a friend. Also I purchased five tickets to Madrid's bullfight at Las Ventas for October 5 at 6 p.m., so I knew we would have a busy fun-filled weekend.
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Unfortunately one can not be assured of the scheduled date and time for a soccer game until you are within a week of the game (!). So shortly before Charlie and Judy arrived, Real Madrid's match with Grenada was rescheduled for Saturday October 5 at 4 pm, two hours before the bullfight to which Sara had invited her friend Alex. Coincidentally Alex's father Marco Besas is a regular member and leader of our Wednesday Wanderers whom I had invited to go to the bullfight with us. Marco is a student of the bullfight and volunteered to accompany us and explain it to us.
After a lunch of Spanish tapas in Pozuelo, Charlie, Judy, Julie, Sara. Alex and I took two cabs to Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Real Madrid principally competes in La Liga, a twenty-team Spanish soccer league. Its main rivals are cross-town team Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. We were advised not to take the girls to one of those games as the crowds can get rowdy. Because of the bullfight we were only able to attend the first half of the soccer match, after which Real was up 2-0. In the stadium the action was fast paced and the crowd was enthusiastic.
The stadium built in 1947 seats about 81,000 and was ideal for watching the game, however the small jumbotron and lack of luxury boxes were evident to us as Packer fans. Perhaps the owners should visit Lambeau Field for ideas on how to update the stadium and increase revenue. Real ultimately prevailed 4-2.
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Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas
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I report on the bullfight without endorsing it or condemning it.
Bullfighting is a rich part of Spain's history and culture. Here I solely attempt to explain it from the perspective of Spaniards that support and attend. (We are lucky to have a friend, Marco, who has studied the history of bullfighting and writes about it as well).
Bullfighting is a contentious issue here and there are many whom object to it. In fact the Catalan Parliament banned it in July 2010. That ban was overturned by Spain's Supreme Court in 2016, however it does not take place there.
The Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas ("Las Ventas") in the Salamanca section of Madrid was opened in 1931 and has seating for 23,700 "seats". Attendees sit on hard concrete benches with their knees in the backs of those sitting in front of them and surrounded by smokers - aaaahhhh. Possibly people were smaller when the stadium was built? For those seeking greater comfort, cushions are available to rent during the fight, for a couple of euros.
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During the event, there are customarily six bullfights with three different matadors. Each bull is at least four years old and weighs up to 1300 lbs with a minimum weight of 1010 lbs!
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Details of the Bullfight
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The bullfight consists of three distinct phases, each of which is announced by the sound of a trumpet. Initially the participants enter the ring accompanied by band music, and pass in salute to the presiding president of the fight.
When the bull enters the ring, he is tested for his ferocity by the matador and his assistants, called banderilleros, who use their magenta and gold dress capes to induce the bull to begin charging through the cape.
Part of the goal is to showcase the bull's physicality. Bulls are raised on the open range by Ganaderias - breeding specialists. Those that support bullfighting rely on the quality of life that the bull enjoys until his day in the ring, compared to animals that are solely raised for slaughter, under oppressive conditions. They also assert that death in the ring is a death with greater dignity than a slaughterhouse death. I would have to run that one by the horse in Animal Farm for an animal's perspective.
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"Those that support bullfighting rely on the quality of life that the bull enjoys until his day in the ring, compared to animals that are solely raised for slaughter under oppressive conditions."
John and brother Charlie, aawwww
Stage One
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Stage one is the Tercio de Varas. The matador observes how the bull charges as capes are thrust by the banderilleros. There are a number of different types of passes used to assess the bull.
Next, two picadores on horseback enter the arena, each armed with a lance. The horses are blindfolded and heavily padded. The bull is encouraged to attack the horse, which they do. In fact one of our bulls knocked a horse down and vigorously gored at the horse's underside with his horns. I did not think there was any way the horse would arise unharmed but to my amazement it did. I guess that padding is well designed. As the bull is attacking the horse the picador stabs the bull on the neck with his lance to draw the first loss of blood.
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Padding for the horse was mandated in the 1930s. Until then the horses were gored and killed by the bulls! This phase also is meant to give the bull the satisfaction of striking with his horns. It is the job of the fight president to determine when the next stage should begin, which he signals by waving a white handkerchief and that is followed by the trumpet signal.
Stage One
"The bull is encouraged to attack the horse, which they do."
Stage Two
Stage two is the Tercio de Banderillas. In this phase the matador and/or banderilleros attempt to plant six barbed sticks (banderillas--little flags) into the bull's shoulders. They are placed two at a time. This is done to weaken the bull and also to cause the bull to lower its head because he is weakening. After placement of the banderillas, the matador enters with his cape and sword, and tires the bull with additional runs by the bull at the cape.
Stage Two
"If the matador is not successful, the crowd will protest..."
Stage Three
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Stage three is the Tercio de Muerte. At this point the matador re-enters the ring alone with his small red cape in one hand and sword in the other.
The matador uses his cape to attract the bull in a series of phases with the matador showing his control of the bull by attempting to get as close to the bull as possible.
Finally the matador faces the bull directly with his sword raised above his head pointing downward at the bull and he attempts to thrust the sword fully and directly into the bulls lungs so that he will be killed instantly. If the matador is not successful the crowd will protest and then the matador will have to use a short, second sword called a verdugo, to cut the bull's spinal cord to spare it pain and ensure an instant death.
After death the bull is dragged out of the arena by a team of mules. If the matador performs exceptionally the president may award one or two ears to the matador. Two ears are very rare. At our bullfight the president awarded an ear to two matadors out of the six fights. The matador receives the ear and walks with it around the perimeter of the ring to the crowd's applause.
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Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo de el Escorial October 6
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Located about 28 miles northwest of Madrid this is one of Spain's royal sites and it has functioned as a monastery, basilica, royal palace, library, museum, university, school and hospital.Construction of the complex was undertaken between 1563 and 1584 at the direction of King Felipe II to commemorate his victory in the battle of San Quintin. Charlie, Judy and I luckily walked in and found out that an english guided tour was about to depart and within several minutes of walking in we were off on a two hour tour for which we wore ear pieces. In contrast to our ear pieces at the Royal Palace in Madrid, these worked wonderfully and we were able to understand and enjoy our trip through this historical site. The library was constructed with bookshelves along the walls rather than perpendicular and the books were placed on the shelves with their page side facing outward.
The complex also houses the Pantheon of Kings, the crypts of all of the kings and queens of Spain that have died since its construction. There is also a Pantheon of the Princes which houses crypts for important relatives of the Kings and Queens. By tradition a King or Queen is not buried until forty years following death to permit significant decomposition so less room was needed within the pantheon. So King Carlos who abdicated last year in his 90s will not be interned in the pantheon until forty years after his death.
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The central building in the complex is the basilica of san Lorenzo el Real. Like the typical Gothic cathedral it was designed in the form of a Latin cross. Interestingly, the residence of the King was situated immediately next to the mail altar in the basilica and included a window through which the King observe mass from his bed while incapacitated by gout. [
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We left Aravaca at about 9 am for the half hour drive to this Francoist monument, a Catholic basilica and monument to the fallen both Nationalists (fascists) and Republicans in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). The monument area covers 3,360 acres and sits at an altitude of about 3,000 feet in the Sierra de Guadarrama hills.
Buried within the valley are 40,000 killed during the war. And Franco...until this week.
As you drive in you are guided by a 500 foot tall Christian cross erected on top of a granite outcrop directly under which, 164 feet below, is the dome of the basilica within the granite. The cross is visible from more than 20 miles away. Work on the complex was started by Franco as a monument of atonement and reconciliation in 1940. It was inaugurated in 1959 and is operated today by the Spanish heritage agency.
There is an entrance fee that you pay when you drive into the valley but after that you are free to roam. We drove directly to the monument, the Basilica of the Holy Cross of the Valley of the Fallen. Fortunately our timing was right on. Mass was scheduled to begin at 11 am and visitors are not permitted to wander the structure.
This basilica, which is completely underground, is larger than St Peter's in Rome. And in my judgment is more impressive. As you enter you travel forward through a very large tunnel-like corridor which includes very modern sculptures and alcoves with more traditional religious paintings. The feel is very contemporary.
Franco's body was buried shortly after his death behind the main altar. After several years of controversy here in Spain, Franco's body was exhumed on October 21 to be reburied beside his wife at a cemetery in El Pardo. It was all over the news. Franco was the only person buried in the Valley who did not perish in the Civil War.
Also buried in the basilica is Jose Antonio, the founder of the fascist movement which Franco rode with to power. He was executed by the Republican government in 1936. I am unsure whether his remains are also being exhumed.
After an hour or so wondering the grounds we drove onto Segovia which I have written about before. See below. There were a couple of new discoveries. At Judy's suggestion we took a new route from the aqueduct to the Alcazar Palace. In doing so we discovered the Cathedral of Segovia and Plaza Mayor adjacent to the church. We had a delightful lunch and then trooped on to the Alcazar. On this visit I learned that alcazars were fortresses built by the Muslims during the caliphate. After the collapse of Muslim rule a palace was built on the site of this particular alcazar. Offering another palace tour, Charlie and Judy declined, assuring me that I had met my task of showing them palaces and castles.
Valley of the Fallen and Segovia October 7
Valley of the Fallen - "Spain's most chilling and controversial monument" - The Telegraph
"Asethically, it's a spectacular monument, divorced from its connection to Franco and the fascists. Given it's significance, "chilling" is a good word for it as well." - John Cabaniss
And pictures from Segovia
Madrid Bus Tour October 10
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The double deck red tour buses run two circular routes in Madrid. You do not need to purchase tickets in advance. Instead find a stop, hop on and buy your ticket. With it you can hop on and off at every stop and you can ride both routes.
Sounds like fun eh? Not so much!
Because of traffic congestion we spent a lot of time just sitting in traffic taking in the fumes. A walking tour is a much better and faster way to go. In this post I will include descriptions of several must see Madrid landmarks.
Fountains of Neptuno, Cibeles and Door of Alcala
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Built between 1782 and 1786 these two fountains and the monument arc were integral components of the urban renewal plan of King Charles III to place Madrid on an architectural and cultural level with Paris and St Petersburg. Neptuno and Cibeles were both Greek God rivals on the sports fields. Neptune was god of the sea and the fountain features him with his trident on a chariot pulled by two sea horses. This fountain has been claimed by football team Atletico as the location where it and its fans celebrate important victories.
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The nearby fountain of Cibeles represents the Mother Godess, mother of Olympic Gods and symbol of earth and fertility It is located in the Plaza de Castelar. It has been claimed by football team Real Madrid as the location for its victory celebrations. It and the Neptune fountain are both located close to Retiro Park and were constructed at the same time as the Natural History Museum which now houses the Prado Art Museum.
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The Door of Alcala, Puerta de Alcala, was one of five royal gates to the city. It is located in the Plaza de Independence. It was where travelers from France gained access to the city. The current triumphal arch monument is considered the first post- Roman triumphal arch built in Europe, even older than the Arc de Triumph in Paris and the Brandenburg gate in Berlin.
A Walking Tour is a much better way to see the city of Madrid than a Bus Tour!!!
Fountain of Neptuno
Arch de Alcala (Puerta de Alacala)
Fountain of Cibeles
Palace of Cibeles and Monument of Christopher Columbus
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Adjacent to the Plaza of Cibeles is the Palace of Cibeles. Opened in 1907 since 2007 this magnificent building houses Madrid's City Council Previously it was the headquarters for Spain's Post Office.
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Plaza de Colon was built in 1885 to commemorate the explorer Christopher Columbus whose name in Spanish was Cristobal Colon.
Palace of Cibeles
Plaza de Colon
Centro Nacional Golf Club 10/3/19
Luckily located three miles away as the crow flies is this 18 hole public course where the Open de Espana was held in 2018. Its fairways feature spectacular views of downtown Madrid and the facilities include a golf school, driving range and training facilities. Having taken six weeks off because of a forearm injury it was a delight to return with my brother Charlie and new friend Steve Sell for a round. The holes are etched into the sides of large hills and almost all of the holes are sloped severely either right to left or left to right. Almost every lie involves a careful examination of whether the ball is lying uphill, downhill and /or side slope. We played from the white tees which are 5632 meters(there are 1.09 yards per meter). It took some adjusting to recognize that the 150 markers were 163.5 yards from the fronts of the greens. In Spain distances are given to the front of the green not center. I am glad I thought to bring my lazer shooter. Although my score suffered from my layoff I played pain free and hit the ball well off the tee. Steve and I are going to try to play weekly so I have ordered some used Taylor Made M2s from globalgolf here in europe and look forward to conquering Centro Nacional's slopes.
El Rasto - Madrid Flea Market Sunday, 9/22/19
Learning to navigate Madrid's mass transit system is a must, whether you are a visitor or in residency. The system actually consists of two distinct operations, one being Madrid's metro and the other a train network, known as the canceria. One card can be used for both the metro and the bus. A separate card needs to be purchased for the train (also known as the canceria card, which is for the Renfe train pictured).
This last weekend, we decided to visit Madrid's Sunday flea market in the La Latina section of the city. Using public transit, we picked up a bus two blocks from our townhouse which took us to the Aravaca train station, a 10 minute bus ride away. From there we took a train (the Renfe) through Casa de Campo to the first stop called Principle Pio. Once there, we jumped onto the metro which took us to the La Latina stop, to the market.
El Rastro, Madrid's Sunday flea market, dates to the 17th Century! In the beginning it was a market for the slaughterhouses to sell sheep, cows, goats and even bulls killed in bullfights. Leather products were also available. At the end of the 18th century the market was expanded to include produce and household products. A century later sellers of furniture, jewelry, clothing and books joined the market.
It was a spontaneous and disorderly market which proved to be a popular attraction. The market was such an attraction that by the 1980s its size was a problem for local residents and shop owners. So Madrid imposed limits on the number of vendors that could operate. Subsequently, today the market spans about a four-square-block area just south of the La Latina metro stop. Enjoy shopping for whatever you need, clothes, jewelry, art, books, electronics or luggage. Great deals!!
El Rastro - Madrid
Every Sunday in La Latina district
The Renfe - high speed train - different pass than for the Metro and Bus
Parque del Oeste - Madrid - Another Sunday Trip
The jewels of Madrid are its parks. From Retiro in the City Center to Casa de Campo near our townhouse in Aravaca, the parks are clean, multipurpose and a daily escape enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. Parque del Oeste is a 40 acre park that was created by the city in 1906. It is linked to Casa de Campo which is to the west by a cable car.
We journeyed into the city on September 8 to stroll the park and visit Templo Debod, an Egyptian temple from the 2nd Century BC which was relocated to the park near Plaza de Espana in the 1960s when the Aswan Dam was built. The park also hosts an annual International rose competition. It has been described as having the character of an English garden.
We enjoyed strolling the park, visiting the temple and we also found a statue of Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary International, in the park! Finally, we ended our trip by finding a cafe for our midafternoon comida (lunch).
Paul Harris, founder of Rotary International!
Templo Debod
Octoberfest Madrid 9/28
Through our Wednesday Wanderers group Julie and I were invited by Petra and Frank Herbertz to an Octoberfest celebration in their home. It was an open invitation to the group for the first 100 willing to pony up $25 per person. And what a fest it was as the included photos attest. For the purest beer drinkers there was a german pilsner on tap and for others a weiss beer. For those of us that have outgrown our beer drinking days there was plenty of vino blanco or tinto. Around the wine table the first in depth political discussion developed after I was cautiously asked what I thought of Trump. After I unloaded the gathered crowd which included folks from Sweden, Holland, England, Spain and Italy roared with assent. Not surprisingly the consensus is that America on which they have relied to be a beacon of hope for democracy and the rule of law has become an enabler of antidemocratic dictators. Nothing like a great meal after wine and politics. There were German sausages aplenty, sauerkraut, streusel, German ham and salad.
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Madrid Rio 9/26
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Julie and I have been mountain biking 4 or 5 days a week through the hills of Casa de Campo. On this particular ride we discovered that on the far edge of Casa de Campo it connects to a bike trail which completely encircles the city. We took the path north along the Rio Manzanares which flows through a Park, Madrid Rio. I don't know if we will ever complete the 360 but it will be fun as we lengthen our trips.
A Bike Ride Through Casa de Campo 9/17/19
We live about eight to 10 kilometers from Madrid's centro city. To our east about two kms away is Casa de Campo, a ten square mile park. Orginally it was a royal hunting estate, which the royal family owned and enjoyed from 1519 until they, by royal proclamation, donated the park to the people of Madrid in 1931. Unfortunately, five short years later it became the setting for the front lines during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Many battles were fought in the park and the siege of Madrid took place there after the Republicans halted a nationalist advance. Remnants of the war remain, and I understand from locals, that it is common to find bullets and other artifacts from the siege.
The park now features an amusement park, zoo, restaurants, lakes and miles and miles of trails for walking, jogging, and mountain biking. Although there are some trails that are street bicycle friendly, you will face mountain bike conditions exploring the park. Before leaving for Spain I was biking 15 to 30 miles daily about 5 days every week on Milwaukee County's inter urban trail. And in July I completed a 20 mile ride in the mountains near Frisco, Colorado. After scoring our trek mountain bikes at a local dealer in Las Rozas we have completed two rides in the park of between six and eight miles and both were tough rides that provided a great workout. Riding in Casa de Campo is continuously up and down very steep slopes so there is a lot of 1-1 gear use. The interurban, as nice as it is, will never be the same:-)
Segovia 9/1/19
Our goal is to dedicate Sundays to exploring, and for our first Sunday we chose Segovia. It is about an hour drive from our townhouse in Aravaca, an outer barrio of Madrid and is well known for its Roman aqueduct which dates to the 1st century, its Gothic cathedral, Catedral de Segovia and its castle, Alcazar de Segovia.
After our hour- long drive we, courtesy of google maps direction, headed straight into the old city and parked within a short walk of the aqueduct. We had a quick lunch at Acueducto 25 and then we walked to the the first century structure and climbed to a vantage point overlooking the system.
The Roman-built structure consists of about 25,000 granite blocks held together by gravity, no mortar. It spans 818 meters with 170 arches, the highest being 29 meters (we are living here now so we are metric; the conversion is easy just ask google if you are interested).
From there we walked through the old jewish quarter of the city to Alcazar. This royal castle was built around 1122 AD and was the inspiration for Crazy Ludwig in Germany for his Neuschwanstein.
If you are in Madrid a day trip to Segovia is a must do and you can always finish the day by heading over to Palacio de Granja which is located nearby and if your timing is right, you can journey fountain to fountain around the palace grounds to witness each one being activated, to the joy of all in attendance (bring your umbrella, just kidding part of the fun is getting wet).
Sara and John
Sara
Cool streets of Segovia...
Roman aqueducts - 1st century AD!
Catedral de Segovia
Alcazar