Amazon!!

One of these days (sooner than later the way things are unreeling on the NYC front) we need to set plans for a flamenco meet-up with the two of us and our fiel lider!!

My plans have changed and as of today I looks as if I am on my own for the Madrid/Ceunca/Valencia/Denia jaunt.

Without going into the reasons right now (medical, naturally), I will keep my plans which would begin with two nights in Madrid; for Saturday night at La Castela, night of arrival from NYC.

For second night in Madrid: I thought again of how much fun I had at Sala des Despiece, and also wondered about nearby Ponzano on the street of the same name, both open for Sunday dinners......I do not read much about the latter, here, but wonder if its would e fun for me was a single diner.....less elegant than Rafa and might be good for a single diner on my last night (of this trip) in Madrid.....No to callos but the menus looms large and they offer alcachofas, chulteititas de Cordero (ha, if my teeth agree!!) ....might be fun for me.... (???). That area is a nice easy walk from my hotel in Almagro....

I am very sad that I will not be able to show my usual partner the city that I love to much (especially as it is my birthday) but since his ambulatory capability is really poor I am happy that this surgery in the leg might help him for the near future.......(some type of vascular stent). Now all I need find is a companion willing to share the rices of the Valencian comunitat!!!
What's the etiquette..is there any kind way to give away part of my meal to anyone else......
Discuss for later perhaps, I've only learned of this change a few hours ago and am still in a bit of shock but it will work out well, I am confident!! Truly in a state of shock and a little depression....not to mention that our spring trip (southern Italy) may be scratched as well due to his double cataract surgery.... And here I was trying to pack in as much travel while we were both willing and able!!! At least I did not yet buy the air tix for that trip yet.

Buenos noches to todas mis amiguitas!!

Did you see the terrible flooding near Valencia? Hope that doesn't affect your trip!

Hi eks,
I know you're keeping abreast of the Valencia region, Castilla La Mancha human tragedy because of the DANA. As I wrote on another thread, Renfe and Iryo hope to resume train service Madrid-Valencia this coming Monday.

I do know Ponzano 12 but only for its 18 euro weekday lunch menú del día. No, it´s not an elegant place but a solid place for stews, like cocido, fabada, etc. A true "casa de comidas".
Another classic "casa de comidas",
The chefs, wine makers, wine enthusiasts, food bloggers go to Asturianos on Sunday nights (not within walking distance of your hotel). The stews, especially the fabada of Doña Julia Bombín are legendary as is her flan de queso. Pedro wrote a report of his Sunday night meal there on HO. From the outside it would not even attract your attention, you would never think of going in, but it has a huge reputation here for comfort food and for Doña Julia's. son's exceptional wine cellar. Doña Julia is a local treasure, who in her eighties, doesn't plan to retire.

Trying to find the original post where EKScrunchy
discussed the possibility of needing private driver.
Scrunchita, hubby just had a short chat in english with a gentleman named Juan Carlos of Transfers Generalife ( Maribel prev recommended)
It's too expensive for us from Granada to Jerez
So we will probably rent a car. However I wanted you to know that the gentleman called us back very quickly after an online inquiry. This gentleman quoted us
the least expensive Mercedes. What started at 800 E
Ended up a little over 500E . I don't call what leg it is you are considering a private driver but let me give you the phone number. 34 613 259518. That's the number he ( Juan Carlos) called us back on after the online inquiry for Transfers Generalife I thought I'd pass it on because it's still a Mercedes you might get a better price from him. Hope all is going well with your partner's surgery.

Amsdon ( Ana Maria)

Amsdon: I actually was in touch with them about a driver from Cordoba to Jerez airport and I agree, they responded very quickly and with extreme courtesy.
I did not end up hiring them because the hotel offered the same exact (expensive) rate...I think it was 300 euro for that drive.

Now I am looking again and wondering what to do if the Madrid-Cuenca train, and the Cuenca-Valencia trains are cancelled. thannk you for reminding me about them...not sure if they venture out of Andalucia but I will certainly inquire!!!! It will cost a fortune, though......unfortunately, if I cancel the entire trip I will lose the air tickets, so.......

Thanks so much for your help, as always, eks!!!


EDIT: Just checked them and they drive only in Andalucia and nearby.

I hope Maribel has another idea for Madrid for those two routes.

Just to be clear as far as the rate drop in our conversation, we were not trying to haggle and did not intentionally try to get the price drop. But with generalife As you know they are higher end cars.
It was our first call and we just wanted to get a general idea if it was even with an hour budget. When he quoted 800 And we said oh thank you very much that's out of our league, He offered to downgrade to a different kind of Mercedes and that was the $500 for the lowest grade of Mercedes they had available. Still it was an effort and quite a difference in price.

Hang In there I'm hoping it will work out for you With some alternatives perhaps from Maribel. I do think she responded to you but it was not on this particular post.

Ekscrunchy,
I believe that the trains may be running by the time you arrive. I certainly hope so, or that IRYO can offer you an alternative bus transfer, although the journey will be longer.

These private transfers, from Madrid to Cuenca and then from Cuenca to Valencia will indeed be expensive, as you will pay for the driver's meals and if said driver accompanies you all the way from Madrid to Valencia with the 2-night (?) stopover in Cuenca, you will also pay for his lodging. And these "luxury" transfer services will provide English speaking drivers because there is a demand for them.

You might be better off emailing your Madrid hotel, the Relais & Châteaux Orfila, asking them to arrange this for you or at least to give you a quote, as they are quite used to that sort of thing, given their clientele.

It might even be less expensive to have them book a regular taxi to Cuenca (with a non-English speaking driver, as I know there won't be a language barrier in your case), then have the Parador book you a taxi (non-English speaking driver) to take you on to Valencia.

If you google "luxury transfer services", you'll find that most work in many European cities or even worldwide and are simply a clearing house, a broker, contracting with a local company.

A Madrid-based transfer service that operates nation wide is www.delicias-lecar.com , but we have never used them.

Some folks on the other travel forum have used a middleman/broker/consolidator, "Day Trip", working Europe wide, but again, they will simply contract with a local transfer company and pass along to you their fee for this service. www.daytrip.com

Maribel you know exactly what I am looking for and trying to avoid......I just thought, I worst-case scenario because I found some buses (the ones hooked up with Rome to Rio) were not selling tix to Mad-Cuenca and Cuenca-VAL, but that was just early investigating.... What I do not want, of course you know, if for someone to stay with us in Cuenca and then drive us on to Valencia..who knows, someday that might be necessary but not for many years, I hope. I am sure you are correct, that the hotels are the way to go and I will look into that just before departure..... Forget those trans-European third party "drivers,: for certain! I know I willl not have to walk,, so worst comes to worst, I will figure it out once I arrive in Madrid...... I am sure bus will be fine....a lot of the hardship I place on myself by insisting to lug all that STUFF with me. Will this be the trip that I put into effect my trim-down policy, in the wings for so many years????

Anyway, most important for now is that J can go along and he has his appt with md on Tuessday, before planned Friday departure. Hmmmm...tryiing to be positive.
All that paella to waste if I go alone! Well, with what's going on now, in Spain and here, that should be the worst thing I have to think about!

ps. Very glad I switched to the R/C with all this tumult about transport.

Saludos cariñosas!

Hi eks,
I think this is THE trip when you put into effect your "trim down" policy!

Yes, do email the Orfila about the possibility of arranging private transportation, a taxi with Spanish speaking driver for you will be fine, I know, as I remember you used that "entertaining" taxi driver from Cádiz to Vejer who indulged you to all his favorite Michael Jackson songs !! I wish I had been with you on that wild ride!

But I´m still hoping that IRYO will be running or if not, that they will have devised a bus service to get you and J to Cuenca and then on to Valencia. The IRYO notice today says that trains are suspended until Nov. 14. But unfortunately it has no mention of alternative transportation, alas.

"TRIM DOWN EKSCRUNCHY"..if this works I will change my screen name!!

Good news from here (politics not in this discussion) is that J got the ok for the surgery tomorrow and doctor says he should be ok to travel next Friday!!


This weekend will be devoted to packing...you would not think this would loom as such a large, anxiety-producing issue from someone who has done her share of traveling but there it is, once again! IF I had less clothing in the closet there would be a much easier task but, of course, the actual eks is almost unable to give anything away......"just in case I might fit into this one day," or "just in case this will come back in style one day soon." Huge shoulder pads, anyone????

Thanks for all the good wishes..let's hope the underpinnings will be in place very soon to reorder the lives of all of the people affected by this unfortunate sign of global warming....

This is great news Scrunchita! Don't focus on trimming down at this point focus on the marvelous development. 🥰 I am truly so happy for you both!
( And anyway everything will come back into style.
I loved my shoulder pads And they are making a come back. )

Onward!!!!! Y ole!

oh Amsdon. Looks like a no go. The office had forgotten to add his name for the outpatient surgery. Much more of a mess but now looks like I go solo unless someone can fit him in next week. I am trying to reset for a solo trip. Lucky still even if that happens. Ek

¡ Ave Maria ! 😒
I hope they can make it workout for you either way it sounds like you're being prudent.

Onward and ole, Ams!!! You stole my motto except I cannot manage to put the accent mark so I lose big time!!



Next question: Whether or not I go alone or with partner is still up in the air. Might find out on Monday when he sees his doctor, if they can put the stent in his leg before Friday...seems, no pun, cutting it close, but his doctor says he is fine to travel either way.

But: I have tix on the IRYO train to Cuenca on Monday the 18th. (and tix to Valencia on IRYO for the 20th)
Wondering if I ought to buy bus tickets as a back up, in case train is still not running. If the trains runs, I would be out 15 euro per person but in the long run..maybe that is worth it for peace of mind. It does not matter than bus takes twice as long as train...it is still SPAIN!!!!!

Wonder if II can wait until I arrive in Madrid on Saturday of, if bus tix are likely to sell out, buy the bus tickets now and HOPE I do not have to use them...(???)
That is the real question..how long in advance to travelers book bus tickets from Madrid onward????

Amsdon: personal for you: SO FAR, and might change: I have taken out:


Three pair of pants; Black velvet jeans, blue jeans, and Eileen Fisher black stretchy pants.
Wear blue jeans (nice ones) on the plane and elsewhere.

1-2 dresses, can be layered (have to try this out)

3(?) t-shirts short sleeved and 2 long sleeved

3 button down blouses (Zara?). that can be layered with t-shirts

I nice sweatshirt

1 Uniqlo denim blue linen jacket (highly recommend)

Maybe: One Costco white rain jacket.
OR One medium Zara zip-up black jacket/vest......good if temps dip into low 60s.Already this seems like overpacking......I just know it is.....

I thought I could keep this all to blacks/greys/a few whites (risk of of looking like a believer coming south from Lourdes), but hey, it will almost all match, right. And in the past few years, I have splurged a few times on hotel laundry, taking the clue from my older neighbor.

When we (he is in his late 80s now) have traveled together, even for as much as five weeks, he bring this, total (besides the individual cans of prune juice which take up a lot of room; You might remember the trip report I wrote about South Africa, when all the prune juice cans rolled all over the floor in ORTambo airport, JNB----I must say, the worker was NOT amused!!!). (see pic b below, in an airport in Burma)

This is his list, no matter the destination:

2 pair LL Bean Khaki trousers
2 Oxford button down shirts in white or pale blue
1 v-neck cashmere sweater, usually light blue

He takes:

Trying to find prune juice near Inle Lake.....

1 pair bring lace up shoes
1pair sneakers to walk, or jog
Two hats...
Oh, I adore these people..they can teach me a lot about packing!!!!

But the scene at Tambo was wild, trust me!!

He avails himself of hotel laundry every few days....


So who is the dummy in this competition.....ME, ME, ME!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, how far off track can I go, from whether or not to buy bus tickets in Madrid to price juice in Burma........who is the eccentric on this forum?

elks

Eccentric? Not to me but perhaps in a good way.
Wonderful yes! Full of life? Yes it's you Ekscrunchy.
The prune juice story is hilarious!

Regarding your wardrobe; It sounds good to me.
You travel so often so you must have it down. I like all of the things you have noted. Are you sure you are comfortable in jeans for the flight? Again you fly often and I do not. If you have a second pair of those Eileen Fisher pants I will take them maybe even wear the second pair If they are stretchy. Why not?
Have you figured out the temps? I think you mentioned that trusty Costco raincoat doesn't take any space.

Hopefully those that know will be able to answer a question about buying the beststickets and when to do that. But if your partner has an appointment on Monday You should have a better feel for it then?

Hi Ekscrunchy,
Are you packed & en route? Waiting with interest!
Amsdon

Amorcita, look:

BIRTHDAY IN MADRID, followed by CUENCA, VALENCIA AND DENIA... FOCUS ON FOOD

In Valencia now...just returned from dinner at LA SASTRERIA.....some of the best things about traveling in taxi, which we have to due to partner's ailments, is talking to the drivers; such an interesting conversation tonight from a taxista originally from Uruguay he filled me in on the barrio El Cabanyal and also Nazaret; also good discussion of caracoles that he says are very common here and I can find them in the central market but I did not see them there today.. So we get back to hotel and he parks and we continue the conversation, off the meter for about 15 minutes....oh how I love Spain! Would I feel like that if I were born here? Is it just "grass is always greener??"


I am so far behind on this report but will catch up.

One not great thing is that for the first time I do feel that I get tired more easily and cannot go and wander around like I used to; I mean I didi about 8000 steps today but my back hurts and I have taken the medicine I was prescribed. But I keep pushing on because I do not want to waste a second.

Miracle from on high: Partner agreed to take ONE TYLENOL this morning!!!!! Obviously did not help much, but so be it......more on today when I catch up.....but I am just in heaven being here! I know you understand, mi hijita!

Scrunchita, Cariño, Is it possible you are my sister from another mother? This is fantastic. And you are absolutely right I do understand completely, especially the crying. I will see you on your other thread which I am just starting and really enjoying.