Madrid Day 10

Day 10

Madrid

Took our time starting out this morning. Even so we were among the first to reach the breakfast bar. How impressive. Twice as large and varied as what our previous hotel offered. Coffee was an involved affair involving a complicated Keurig machine offering a variety of sizes. Then there were fried eggs, meats, cheeses, fruits, grains, pastries and lo and behold, a morning desert bar including brownies and chocolate inserted crescents. I could get used to this.

Used our Madrid multi-pass to hop on the underground no more than a block away. Traveled five stops to the old city in the vicinity of the Royal palace, approximately one and a half miles. There we visited a number of community squares: Plaza Isabel , Plaza Major, Plaza San Miguel, Plaza de Oriente and Plaza Puerto del Sol. Statues everywhere, inevitably they were mounted figures so we played the game, “Who’s the man on the horse?”

As in Barcelona, the old city streets were narrow and seemingly unplanned in their organization. We strolled though a couple of tourist stores to purchase presents then made our way to the Royal Palace. A grand structure that we will tour later in the week. The palace was built by King Felipe V on the site of an earlier palace which in turn had been built on the site of a Saracen fortress. We learned that Felipe, who was raised in Versailles, sought to create a palace in the style of but larger than Versailles. He did. The Palace is said to be the largest in Europe.

Returned to the Isabel Plaza to meet our Tapas Tour guide, Pedro, a big, broad, fast-talking Spaniard who was a font of knowledge and quite personable. There were three couples in our group. One each from Michigan, Texas and Pennsylvania. Pedro said he received 13 applicants for that morning’s tour  but that would be unmanageable. He brought in another guide who handled the rest of the people.

Pedro took us back to the palace plaza where he prefaced his tour with an abbreviated history of Spain. In rapid succession, he took us from the Romans to the Christians to the Visigoths, to the Saracens to the Hapsburgs to the Bourbons to Napoleon to Franco to modern times. He explained that it was only when Columbus set off on his adventures in 1492 that Spain considered itself a modern state. Although he did not spend much time on it, he did speak of the Reconquista (Reconquest of Spain and Portugal from the Saracens). It has sparked the urge to research and game the period (Seems I glean at least one game idea on every foreign trip).

Pedro also explained that we would be making four stops. The first would feature red wine and eclectic tapas offerings. The second would include Vermouth, Fino (Sherry), or Sangria and Cod offerings. The third would introduce Spanish Champagne or Cerveza (beer) and a variety of ham and other coldcuts. We would then end with the ever popular churros and chocolate.

Our first stop was a culinary institute begun by a priest who wished to teach the disadvantaged to cook and provide employment opportunities. We were served two very fine Galician red wines. With them we were served. Gazpacho (Cold garlic soup) a hammon (ham) croquette, a red pepper and cheese creation and a Spanish potato omelet. Such a wild variety of tastes and textures. I was dismayed to see how much of that delicious red wine was left behind in our friend’s glasses. Before our departure Pedro gave us a brief overview of our upcoming hamon (Ham) connoisseur stop. His eyes lit up when he told us it was his favorite.

Moving on to our second stop we were given background on the importance of cod to Spain. Pedro explained that the cod we would consume that day no longer came from the New World, but from Norway. Salted and frozen, properly prepared it was most excellent and easily confused for fresh caught fish. Once everyone had chosen their drink of choice (Jen and I chose the Sherry). We were served two Tapas. The first was a pureed Cod croquette which I had tried once before - unimpressed on both occasions. Also on the menu was fried cod which was scrumptious.

Pedro announced at our third stop that the Spanish absolutely adore ham. Animals are carefully graded on both their breed and how long the meat is aged. We saw swine haunches hanging, curing, or being displayed and sliced almost everywhere. When I say sliced I don’t mean thick slicing as we are used to, rather it is shaved ever so thinly. Ham is graded by colored tags. Black being the finest and goes for as much as 169 Euros a kilo. Red comes next going for as much as 126 Euros per kilo. Green comes after with common white on the bottom rung. Offered samples we tasted a marked difference between the white and the black grades, primarily in the consistency of the fat. Low grade ham fat is rubbery/chewy, whereas upper end ham is delicate and quite literally melts in the mouth. With our ham we drank beer, fresh local beer drawn from vats hung from the ceiling.

We were taken on a side trip before our final stop, visiting a nougat shop where savory samples were freely given and happily gobbled. Pedro and a shop employee carefully explained the wide variety available then asked what we to try. Almost all of us went for the chocolate first. Can candy be sublime? We Left with an armful of sugary goodies. Headed for our fourth and final stop.

Arriving at the chocolateria, we were discouraged to see a waiting line of about 30 people. Pedro said not to worry as we would be in the skip-th- line, line. He disappeared into the crowd and returned soon after beckoning us to follow. We passed through the disgruntled people in line to sit at a table for four (One of our couples bound for Portugal left us early). In short order we were served a plate stacked high with churros, hot, crispy-brown, sugared and twisted and a large cup of thick chocolate syrup per couple. With enthusiasm we polished the lot off in less than ten minutes. I drank the last bit thick  and creamy chocolate, thinking that is was everything our daughter told us it would be (She had visited here once before).

We said goodbye to our wonderful tour guide who had stayed with us a half hour longer than he had to. Thereafter we trundled back to the Palace area where we took a quick tour of the Cathedral de St. Maria la Real de la Almudena – Yes it’s a mouthful. It is also astoundingly beautiful. Entrance is a suggested 1 Euro donation . Stepping inside is like feeling like a single pea inside a huge gilt confessional. The ceiling had to be well over 100’ high with numerous side altars similar to the churches and cathedrals we saw all over the Azores.

Arrived back at our hotel whipped. Barely enough energy to get cleaned up and head out for dinner. Made it no further than a Thai noodle shop ½ block away. We ate, dragged ourselves back to our room and nodded off dreaming of. Tomorrow, for tomorrow is a big day – The Prado and the King’s Palace.

Buenas Noches!

I am posting a selection of the thousands of pictures we took on Facebook. Look me up there and see what we saw!