OCTOBER 5TH, 2012 FRIDAY LAST FULL DAY IN SPAIN and LAST BLOG #25

OCTOBER 5^TH, 2012 FRIDAY LAST FULL DAY IN SPAIN and LAST BLOG #25

Friday starts off sunny and warm as most of our trip has been, breakfast buffet at the Alcala Parador and arrangement made with the servers to ensure we can have at least coffee on Saturday AM because the officially do NOT open until 8:00 AM on the weekends. Had a phone call from Gill asking us to meet her (before lunch versus later in that evening of Friday) with the Juanmi family, and so; we’ll meet her around 1:00PM at a bar just below Juanmi’s new apartment complex. ‘Carmen’ Garmin did herself proud as we navigated directly to their new address adjacent to the RTVE facilities and beneath the huge antenna tower. Their area of SE Madrid is a very green area with plenty of trees and small parks and is a short (10 min taxi ride from the Tios apartment). We finally found Gill and got the car parked after the parking meter finally accepted Paul’s coins even though it was 1315 and the parking should have been free during the siesta hours. Anyway pleasantries exchanged,  a beer & wine ordered were ordered before Juanmi called and we explained where and with whom we were already meeting below their digs. Hence, the entire family joined us at the same bar for a round pre-lunch drinkies. We tried to persuade Gill to join us for lunch, but she wasn’t feeling up to par so we grabbed a taxi for her and off she went. It was lovely to see Gill again and we were sorry we could not spend more time with her.

Chef Maite had prepared a feast for us with all possible contents (vegetables) being from Navarra: cream of vegetable soup, white asparagus, stuffed pimentos, and finally the main fish dish: Bacalao. We finished up with a “welcome” cheesecake and champagne now that Miguelto is cancer free even though he has a 3 month check scheduled for December. He had had a skin cancer melanoma removed from his back surgery removal and lymph nodes were clean. However during a subsequent followup they found spots on both lungs. He underwent surgery on the right lung removal was complete. After a speedy recovery it was decided that surgery would be done on the left lung as well. Again he recovered quite well from the surgery. In both cases the cancer was not LUNG CANCER but was determined to be a metastasized cancer from his skin cancer. So no chemo, no radiology scheduled or needed; hence we had champagne to celebrate!! It was a wonderful visit; we truly love our Spanish family and wish we could see them more often. Besos y abrazos queridos you have always been a huge part of our lives.

 

Unfortunately, we had to head back to the hotel in order to organize our luggage for the trip home tomorrow. Hugs and kisses all around and we headed east to Alcala. No energy to walk into the center of town for tapas and so we remained at the Parador, sat outside and ordered our own tapas without the additional exercise.

It was hard to believe that it was all coming to an end. I was pretty sick of the half dozen shirts I kept on washing out but apart from that I really did not want it to end. Sometimes during the trip I was ready to go home but that only lasted an hour or two when I was tired and missed the kids and my lovely home. I did not sleep particularly well and that took its toll. On the plane going over I somehow wrenched a muscle in my back and it took about ten days before I was comfortable again so that didn’t help. Paul and I had a good time and we didn’t kill each other so that is a good sign!   I will miss hearing the Spanish chatter around us. It is still like going home for us, we love the people and the land and the food and the wine….don’t forget the wine! I might have to go in to detox!!

It was horrifying to see the floods in the south of Spain, people died and others lost their homes, it was a mess. Spain is in a financial crisis but people still come out and socialize and have a glass of wine. The Spanish spirit will triumph. They have been through a lot worse, we know, we lived there, they will survive! Godspeed España y hasta el año que viene. To paraphrase a well known movie character  “We’ll be baaack!”

OCTOBER 4th, 2012 THURSDAY BLOG #24

OCTOBER 4th, 2012 THURSDAY BLOG #24

The drive out of Guadalupe is up to the top and along the top ridge of the  Sierra de Viejas mountains, like driving across the top of the world where you can see for miles  and down thru/across the valleys below. Spectacular as a word falls well short of being descriptive.  Along we went toward the A-5 and past our favorite Parador at Oropesa. Carmen Garmin kept pace and tracked all of the recent highway renumbering without missing a beat. She led us all the way towards the apartment complex of Alexis and Guillermo; we found the town did not find our way to their area of town. And so we stopped for lunch at Tres Hermanas restaurante menu of the day turned out to total 17.40 euros and that is because we had an extra bottle of water no less!! Gps does not recognize the area they live in, but the girls at the restaurant were most helpful and sweet and finally gave us directions to their part of town.

We met up with Guillermo after he picked the girls from Kiddie care. They are so darling! Both very blonde and the baby is very happy and smiley. Alison is darling and as they only speak English to her, she understands and replies in Spanish because all day at daycare she speaks Spanish. It is very cute. Gill said  Alexis did the same thing until about age 3. I guess that is the way to raise a bilingual child!  Alexis came home from work and we had a nice visit, I wish we could have spent more time with them but they are trying hard to juggle 2 jobs with differing shifts. Guillermo works as night manager at a NH Hotel in Madrid and Alexis just started back to work at the BBVA bank after her maternity leave so things are a bit hectic for them.

We finally got to the Parador at about 8:30 and we were pooped; however at this time of day the Madrid rush was well past and Garmin skirted the big city with ease but failed miserably in finding the Parador in Alcala. Afterall it was dark so she couldn’t see well??  This Parador is built into a 17^th century convent and is very modern. They have done a terrific job with it, it is very comfortable. Our nice chap in Guadalupe had called ahead to let them know we would be late and everyone was so nice and helpful to us old folks. We did manage a walk into town and a bite to eat but that was about all she wrote! Aah…tomorrow is another day.  Tomorrow we are going to see our family at their new piso in Madrid .

  

OCTOBER 3RD, 2012 WEDNESDAY BLOG #23

OCTOBER 3^RD, 2012 WEDNESDAY BLOG #23

Middle of our last week here and we must set off for a short west to east drive towards Guadalupe. We stopped for both diesel and coffee in a little town of Logorsan even found a bread shop for several small rolls we will eat that serrano ham and cheese  on this trip, olives, too. We have carted them half way around Spain and put them into mini-fridge and back out again. Over and over.

We finished our drive into Guadalupe and arrived at 2:00PM; nice young chap at the front desk asked if we would like a superior room for a small supplement above the 350 points that we were redeeming. He said it was the best room in the Parador with balcony and special bed in the newer part of the converted monastery Of course we said yes! Off we trekked…..for miles it seemed. Up on one elevator along several passageways, between doors 11 and 12 twelve to the next elevator, up another floor, along the corridor, down 4 steps and there, at the end of the hallway our goal!! Victory! I supposed we should be happy they didn’t put us in the turret with no elevator! It was a very nice room with a four poster bed, a sofa, two armchairs and a lovely balcony. I had my pedometer on and measured 450 steps! We also had to drop breadcrumbs to find out way out.

Guadalupe is a lovely town. We have been here before so we did not visit the Monastery and the Virgin, this was more of a stopping point on our road back and it is a favorite Parador. I love the orange patio and the gardens. It is very peaceful and relaxing. Not modern and flashy, but tradition and calming and comfortable. We strolled around a bit and stopped for a glass of wine . We had dinner at an old favorite restaurant called the Guadalupe appropriately enough! Nice patio and it has been spruced up a bit. Nice.

Guadalupe Catherdral and Parador

Guadalupe Cathedral from south roadway entrance to town.

That was it basically, a long day that ended restfully. We tackle the drive to Madrid tomorrow. We are going to visit with Alexis and Guillermo and the girls.

OCTOBER 02 TUESDAY BLOG #22

OCTOBER 02 TUESDAY BLOG #22

Ok, what the hell did we do on Caceres day two, sitting here in Guadalupe this AM and trying to remember just a day and half ago and my mind is blank. Been on Vacation toooooooooooo long, I guess.

Caceres is a dark and foreboding place of stone building and quite square; after breakfast we geared up for the day and hit the Tourist Info Office around the corner from the Parador. Ruben was quite helpful and had perfect English which he wanted to display. He drew out a personal agenda for to explore in sequence all the way through a prayer service at 8:00PM if we were inclined…..not! We made to stop #3 of Ruben’s agenda and then had to stop for refreshment; we had been through the Jewish quarter, a Manor house and photo exhibition, a very interesting Arab Museum house and the cathedral which is totally under renovation and it cost us a 1 Euro to look at some old vestments and religious artifacts .  And so it was time for a bitter kas. We sat in a little tiny bar adjacent to the huge Caceres square and were served by a Punk Rocker wanna be gal. There were a group of youngsters opposite us with about 5 kids and the parents in their mid twenties. Too many kids and each looked scruffy and a little unkempt, were they Gypsies, I wonder? One of the guys had the dark curly hair, had the unshaven look and brooding eyes, very cute, a Hollywood stereotypical Gypsy.  Actually in the 70s they would have been called Hippies. Commune material, not the usual meticulous look of young Spanish families. They had a toddler of about 18 months, a cute little girl who would not sit still to drink her OJ or eat her choc donut. She wondered around the tiny balcony and out into the handicap ramp back up to the balcony again; she certainly kept the adults busy chasing her around and around.

We stopped the historic trail and ventured into the business section of town with shops and the like a plenty. Jane was excited because we found a topper for melting the sugar into caramel for Crema de Catalana and a few other trinkets to bring home to the States. Lunch in square and then back for the daily siesta hour. Back up those damn steps again! However, as the Spanish say it is good for the jamones! My legs should be legend by the end of this trip……..I should be so lucky, I’m just tired!

We really did not want to tackle the stairs/hills again so we opted to eat at the Parador. It was a good decision, we sat outside on the patio and had a wonderful meal and while Paul smoked a cigar (tsk, tsk) I had a dessert of chocolate covered figs (our favorite, Sandy!). Yum!

Rabitos (choc covered figs) displayed on a chocolate tree, Parador Carceres.

Only a few days left on this trip. Spoke to Gill and we will probably see her on Friday evening, after having lunch with JuanMi and Maite and the Tios. Who knows? Off we go again!!

OCTOBER 1, 2012 MONDAY BLOG #21

OCTOBER 1, 2012 MONDAY BLOG #21

Caceres,  Spain Plaza Mayor 8:30PM, 1 October 2012

Ok, so it is now a new month and officially within Spain things have switched over to the wintertime schedule for most tourist types of locations or buildings, etc. We packed up in Merida and fired up Carmen the GPS for the 65K trip up to Caceres our next location. Bright and sunny as we came up out of the underground garage and onto the back streets and one way system of Merida. In no time at all we were entering the big city of Caceres and our search for the elusive narrow pathway that climbs the hills to the old town center above the main plaza. The usual problem they sent the little chap out to hang the directional signs to the Parador but gave him only ONE (1) sign to post hence after you made the first turn and looked for the second sign you were on your own. But somehow are only two circuits back and around the beginning point at the bottom of the hill I lucked out and made a turn that was not sign posted but proved to be the right choice as it led us directly to the back parking lot behind the parador. We were too early for checkin at 1400 as it was just barely one PM. As we heaved the luggage from the trunk we started chatting with the other two couples pulled into the lot at the same time. A pair of Australian couples traveling around Spain and Europe. Laurie and Peggy, Dick and Sue joined us as we all put luggage into storage and we ambled off into the backstreets to find nourishment before any starved to death. Not even 1K from the Parador we stumbled into a fine place offering Menu of the Day for 10 euros. Orders placed and drinkies ordered it was time for tinto de verano and getting to know each other.  Laurie and Peggy had begun their 3 month vacation with stops in San Francisco and Boston before a month in Spain, followed by Switzerland, France, Japan and back to down under and Jane & I had thought 26 days was a long time; but well short of 3 months touring. I know that there are 4 shirts I hope to not see for a long time already in my traveling wardrobe!  Oh! Me too! Jane here. We finally checked in at about 3:30 maybe, cannot remember. All Paul knew was that it was time for a siesta. That accomplished we went downstairs and co-incidentally bumped in to our new Aussie friends. We had a drink together and each of us headed off in different directions to explore this medieval city. The Parador is very interesting having been recently renovated. It’s that juxta position of old and new that the Spanish do so well, but the jury is still out on the sinks in the bathroom! Anyway we headed ….downhill …..to the Plaza Major. I t was very lively down there and we strolled around looking at shops and people and old buildings. We finally settled on a tapas bar/restaurant for a snack even though neither of us was hungry! However one has to keep the wolf from the door, at least until breakfast.
The journey back was uphill and as I explained to you before Paul does not do “uphill” however I shamed him into it and 5 minutes later we were back at the Parador. No problem! Guess who we bumped into? Right, the Aussies. Nice people, one Lawyer, one psychologist, one professional viola playing musician and a retired teacher. Night caps and a chocolate cake to complete the day, nightie, night all!!