Just back from Madrid, Seville and Granada - Part 3
Mar 28th, 2004, 01:42 PM
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Just back from Madrid, Seville and Granada - Part 3
Day 3- 1st day in Seville (Continued)
Before our arranged tour of the major sights of Madrid, we grabbed a quick lunch of jamon iberico (our first of many many plates) and cheese at a bar near our hotel called Las Lapas on Calle San Gregorio. We couldn't believe how expensive a plate of ham was, although we also couldn't believe how good it was. Unfortunately, we were hooked on the expensive stuff and there was no turning back after that! My 16 year old son developed a tremendous need for that particular ham at least twice a day and if the plate arrived in front of him, we were sure not to have enough for the rest of us!!
After lunch, we met with Antonio Doblas, an official guide of Seville who I found on the internet. He gave us a wonderful private tour of the Alcazar, the Cathedral and the Santa Cruz Quarter (with a quick rest stop at Casa Roman for some beer and some croquetas de jamon). I would highly recommend him. The tour was about 3 hours and cost 140 euros (worth it!!). I think there is a tremendous difference walking around someplace "just looking" and having someone explain all that is there, why it is there and how people lived in it. Especially good when you are travelling with teens..He was great with them- engaging them, picking topics that might interest them, etc. After our tour, we walked to the shopping district (a place where we would spend a lot more time) to look for a soccer jersey for my son, but we decided to wait until the next day when we would be in the stadium.
For dinner, I had planned to do a tapas crawl through the Santa Cruz district but everyone was pretty pooped, so I asked the concierge for a recommendation. Normally, I avoid doing that at any hotel because they usually give you a really bad tourist trap kind of place. However, as I said, these concierges were terrific. He asked if we like fish, and we said yes, and he said that he had a place that was 8 minute walk from the hotel. It was in Triana, just over the bridge from the hotel. He promised it would be "local" and casual. It was exactly that. The name of the restaurant was Pleamar, and it was located on a little side street Calle Gustavo Bacarisas no 1. We had a great meal - coquinas, (small clams), gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp) camaron (fried shrimp pancakes)fidelos with clams and shrimp, sole with clams and hake a la plancha. Very low key, family run, very nice with a nice glass or two of sherry.
Day 4- Seville
Let everyone sleep in late. Grabbed some breakfast down the street from the hotel. Had interesting kinds of pates they made for breakfast, although was not into eating what I understood as chorizo pate that early in the morning. Around 11 am, we all started a long walk along the water. We stopped at the bull ring and a tour was just starting so we jumped in. Was very interesting as we had been watching bullfights on tv while we were in Madrid (the season had just begun). We were trying to make the flea market Alameda de Hercules, but we missed it. We taxi'd over to the Basilica de la Macarena to see Seville's best known madonna (her tears are made of diamonds). A service had just let out and we hit it perfectly as we mingled with the crowd outside (beautifully dressed in their "sunday best" and us in our tourist jeans), and then went inside and just took it in. Incredible chapel. 100s of long white tapers burning in front of this gorgeous alter and behind it the macarena. It is really a jewel box and if you can get the chance to go in, you should do so. We then pushed on, exhausted and hungry, towards a restaurant recommended by our tour guide, El Rinconcillo. I called ahead (on my rented cell phone -yeah!!)and reserved a table just 30 minutes before we arrived and I am glad I did. Place was packed with people standing at giant wine barrels eating copious amounts of ham. This restaurant has been run by the same family since 1670 and was really a fabulous place to go. We tried the salmorejo, which is like thick gazpacho, almost hummus-like in consistency and it was great. We also ate fried anchovies (the waiter told us that the place was known for fish), cheese and ham. (By the way, very few people we met in Spain spoke English. They would patiently speak to us in Spanish and listen to my absolutely awful Spanish and somehow we'd communicate. I speak French so I would somehow pick a word that was close enough or understand enough to get us by).
My next installment will continue about the soccer game we went to later same day....stay tuned.
Before our arranged tour of the major sights of Madrid, we grabbed a quick lunch of jamon iberico (our first of many many plates) and cheese at a bar near our hotel called Las Lapas on Calle San Gregorio. We couldn't believe how expensive a plate of ham was, although we also couldn't believe how good it was. Unfortunately, we were hooked on the expensive stuff and there was no turning back after that! My 16 year old son developed a tremendous need for that particular ham at least twice a day and if the plate arrived in front of him, we were sure not to have enough for the rest of us!!
After lunch, we met with Antonio Doblas, an official guide of Seville who I found on the internet. He gave us a wonderful private tour of the Alcazar, the Cathedral and the Santa Cruz Quarter (with a quick rest stop at Casa Roman for some beer and some croquetas de jamon). I would highly recommend him. The tour was about 3 hours and cost 140 euros (worth it!!). I think there is a tremendous difference walking around someplace "just looking" and having someone explain all that is there, why it is there and how people lived in it. Especially good when you are travelling with teens..He was great with them- engaging them, picking topics that might interest them, etc. After our tour, we walked to the shopping district (a place where we would spend a lot more time) to look for a soccer jersey for my son, but we decided to wait until the next day when we would be in the stadium.
For dinner, I had planned to do a tapas crawl through the Santa Cruz district but everyone was pretty pooped, so I asked the concierge for a recommendation. Normally, I avoid doing that at any hotel because they usually give you a really bad tourist trap kind of place. However, as I said, these concierges were terrific. He asked if we like fish, and we said yes, and he said that he had a place that was 8 minute walk from the hotel. It was in Triana, just over the bridge from the hotel. He promised it would be "local" and casual. It was exactly that. The name of the restaurant was Pleamar, and it was located on a little side street Calle Gustavo Bacarisas no 1. We had a great meal - coquinas, (small clams), gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp) camaron (fried shrimp pancakes)fidelos with clams and shrimp, sole with clams and hake a la plancha. Very low key, family run, very nice with a nice glass or two of sherry.
Day 4- Seville
Let everyone sleep in late. Grabbed some breakfast down the street from the hotel. Had interesting kinds of pates they made for breakfast, although was not into eating what I understood as chorizo pate that early in the morning. Around 11 am, we all started a long walk along the water. We stopped at the bull ring and a tour was just starting so we jumped in. Was very interesting as we had been watching bullfights on tv while we were in Madrid (the season had just begun). We were trying to make the flea market Alameda de Hercules, but we missed it. We taxi'd over to the Basilica de la Macarena to see Seville's best known madonna (her tears are made of diamonds). A service had just let out and we hit it perfectly as we mingled with the crowd outside (beautifully dressed in their "sunday best" and us in our tourist jeans), and then went inside and just took it in. Incredible chapel. 100s of long white tapers burning in front of this gorgeous alter and behind it the macarena. It is really a jewel box and if you can get the chance to go in, you should do so. We then pushed on, exhausted and hungry, towards a restaurant recommended by our tour guide, El Rinconcillo. I called ahead (on my rented cell phone -yeah!!)and reserved a table just 30 minutes before we arrived and I am glad I did. Place was packed with people standing at giant wine barrels eating copious amounts of ham. This restaurant has been run by the same family since 1670 and was really a fabulous place to go. We tried the salmorejo, which is like thick gazpacho, almost hummus-like in consistency and it was great. We also ate fried anchovies (the waiter told us that the place was known for fish), cheese and ham. (By the way, very few people we met in Spain spoke English. They would patiently speak to us in Spanish and listen to my absolutely awful Spanish and somehow we'd communicate. I speak French so I would somehow pick a word that was close enough or understand enough to get us by).
My next installment will continue about the soccer game we went to later same day....stay tuned.
Mar 28th, 2004, 09:37 PM
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jparis:
Beyond enjoyable trip report!
THANKS!!!!!
May I suggest that you keep your report on one thread? Take it from me. My Spain report is on 8 different threads and a wonderful man named REX was kind enough to link them together.
Mary Fran: Click on my name for yet another Spain report...as stated, it is in 8 parts. Also if you put Spain in the above search you will find other trip reports of various lengths on Spain.
My Best and keep the report going!!!
Oaktown Travler
Beyond enjoyable trip report!
THANKS!!!!!
May I suggest that you keep your report on one thread? Take it from me. My Spain report is on 8 different threads and a wonderful man named REX was kind enough to link them together.
Mary Fran: Click on my name for yet another Spain report...as stated, it is in 8 parts. Also if you put Spain in the above search you will find other trip reports of various lengths on Spain.
My Best and keep the report going!!!
Oaktown Travler
Mar 29th, 2004, 03:09 PM
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JPARIS,
You report is very enjoyable to read.
Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
We will be in Seville in July.
We always take a city tour when we get to a new place.
How did you find about the tour?
Did you book it ahead of time?
Where you the only people in the tour?
was it 140euro a person or for the group?
Thank you for the reply.
Sue
You report is very enjoyable to read.
Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
We will be in Seville in July.
We always take a city tour when we get to a new place.
How did you find about the tour?
Did you book it ahead of time?
Where you the only people in the tour?
was it 140euro a person or for the group?
Thank you for the reply.
Sue
Mar 31st, 2004, 09:26 AM
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For Suenew:
Just doing a general search on the internet came up with Antonio. We were the only people on the tour. He met us in the lobby of the hotel and took great care of us. His direct email is [email protected]. He also has a website http://es.geocities.com/guiassevilla/ingles
For those of you who are following my adventures, I am sorry I have not checked in for awhile - lots of stuff going on at home so I will try to post the rest as soon as possible.
Just doing a general search on the internet came up with Antonio. We were the only people on the tour. He met us in the lobby of the hotel and took great care of us. His direct email is [email protected]. He also has a website http://es.geocities.com/guiassevilla/ingles
For those of you who are following my adventures, I am sorry I have not checked in for awhile - lots of stuff going on at home so I will try to post the rest as soon as possible.
Mar 31st, 2004, 10:41 AM
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Thank you jparis for your very helpful reply.
I am hoping all is settled at home soon. because your report is very fresh and very nice in details.
was the tour 140 euros per person or for the group?
Thank you gain for your help.
Sue
I am hoping all is settled at home soon. because your report is very fresh and very nice in details.
was the tour 140 euros per person or for the group?
Thank you gain for your help.
Sue
Apr 2nd, 2004, 12:04 PM
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Thank you for the tour idea. The cost is great for a private tour.
I am checking our option for 3 of us (including 9 yr) tour in July.
My concern is walking in the heat.
I am have to check a bus tour for the whole city to get a feel for the city without the heat.
I love your report.
Thank you for sharing it.
Sue
I am checking our option for 3 of us (including 9 yr) tour in July.
My concern is walking in the heat.
I am have to check a bus tour for the whole city to get a feel for the city without the heat.
I love your report.
Thank you for sharing it.
Sue
