Thursday 19th september 2024

Alan and Cherete have decided on a hop-on-hop-off bus today and departed early. Lady P is deep in research for the end of our trip. We now have a pet sit in Bari, Italy for a week in October and other train bookings are only now being opened for December. Dinner tonight is a wander along the adjacent street for tapas and wine. Excellent on both accounts, with the sardine tapa a standout.

Friday 20th September 2024

We all retraced the Food Tour route this morning, starting at Moega for the little Prenao Chorizo – doughy balls filled with chorizo sausage. Then, noticing Lady P’s symptoms of no morning coffee YET!!, we ducked across the road to Gonzales for a very good coffee, juice and chocolate. The real destination, open at 12.30 pm, was la Venencia Sherry Bar. This 100 year old joint just serves sherry - and four Olorosos later at least Flashy was happy.

Casa Alberto’s, another 100+ year old restaurant, was the lunch stop for Flashy and Lady P and at 2.00 pm it was pumping. More great pintxos and vino. A nice way to eat, providing the quality is there. To date, the Madrid food has been excellent. Haven’t had a bad Spanish wine either!

We booked a Flamenco experience tonight. One hour and two free drinks. Prior to the Flamenco, we discovered a cocktail bar, as you do. It was called Bestial. Some crazy Spaniard, while high on a psychedelic substance, designed a surreal, undersea-decorated, cocktail bar, with cocktails coming in pirate head and octopus ceramic jugs. A bit of fun.

While the flamenco show seems a touristy thing to do, it was well presented, with excellent costumes and music, although some interpretative information would have been good. Afterwards, we dined on some excellent share plates and a bottle of Ribera del Duero vino tinto.

Saturday 21 September 2024

Alan and Cherete have purchased a wicked looking dagger from Morocco. This is to be a wall hanging when they get home. However, the Spaniards X-ray all bags on the train platforms and will surely confiscate the knife. The local Post Office refused to take it as a parcel to post back home. 

This morning, Flashy discovered Alan trying to remove the blade with a kitchen knife. This was not working, so he tried to bend it off on the front gate! This didn’t work either. It is now getting closer to their time to catch a train to Barcelona, so in a little panic, a hardware store is sought for a hack saw. In the end, they just packed the knife in their bag and will hope the platform staff miss it. Flashy is researching how to get a tourist out of a Madrid goal. Well, it made it! So much for security.

Prenao Chorizo for breakfast
Olorosso and olives
The small spirit wall at Bestial Bar
Lovely internal decoration

Octopus jug cocktail
Flamenco dancer

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