I've been fortunate enough to travel to Spain a few times a year, lately, and I think many of my reports are a bit repetitive. I'll try to discuss some highlights (hope the food falls Into this category as that's the main focus, as usual)

We flew direct from JFK on IBERIA which, for me, tops American every time, although the food fell a bit short on this leg. I like taking the latest flight to Madrid (I think Iberia runs three a day to Spain) so I can arrive and check into my hotel, or at least have a better chance of checking in before the stated check in time. I had written to my hotel, which I love and where I've on my way to becoming a regular, and they told me they would do their best to get us to our room upon arrival. And that's exactly what would have happened--except I ordered a wheelchair for my partner. (He has developed a vascular problem which causes pain when walking and which was supposed to be taken care of before departure but this didn't happen as the hospital "was so sorry but they forgot to slot you in...."

So, except for the awful beef cheeks for dinner, the flight was great but, oddly, neither of us got any sleep.

Arrive Barajas and, as usual, he waits (about 20 minutes this time) for the wheelchair person. All good so far. Wheelchair person---it's kind of like a convoy--one brings you to a certain indeterminate point in the route and then disappears. You then wait for the next "pusher" to arrive, and the next... All ok so far, we whisk through immigration in a jif.

Except we then get led into a glassed-in room and wait for the "sin barreras" AENA bus which is to take us to the baggage claim and from there to the taxi rank. We are the first into what I should call the aquarium due to the expanses of glass. Minutes pass and more pushers arrive with their charges. We wait and wait and wait. One lady from Philadelphia gets panic for she needs to take her chemo pill and there is no water available. (Long discussion about her lymphoma......and how she is relying on her visit to Fatima to put her right). Every few minutes, one of the pushers makes a phone call asking "where is the bus," and after 40 minutes have passed, each one conducts the conversation in a voice that reminded me of a screaming telenovela actress. Lots of "Madre Mias," "Los pasajeros estan en un panico," etc etc.

Passengers begin to scream at the pushers, and then at each other. One elderly woman realizes she's left her jacket on the plane and demands to be pushed back because her husband will "not accept this." Now 90 minutes have gone by and one pretty young woman bursts out crying that she has to go to the bathroom. Incredibly, there is no bathroom access for a room full of mostly elderly invalids. That realization starts another round of screaming, with the Spaniards pulling out rosaries and an American man threatening to sue.

Finally, after an hour and 45 minutes, with me being very anxious about the location of our suitcases the entire time, we get the word that the bus will be here in seven minutes. Well it wasn't seven, but it was less than 25, Finally, everyone calms down except the passenger who still needed the toilet; she has now joined the would be suer in coming up with legal strategies...


OK, we all get lifted into the special bus and travel, no kidding, through various tunnels and along side roads for about 20 minutes until we reach the baggage claim where we.....are listed down to the ground and wait for the next group of pushers to take us inside the terminal to see if by some miracle our bags are anywhere to be found.

A miracle worthy of Fatima!! I walk over to the conveyor belt and see. Both of my suitcases, all by themselves, gliding slowly by!!

Our very lovely and very last helper hoists us up into a spiffy electric cart, and whizzes us past customs straight out to the taxi rank where NO one is in line!!!!!

Get into the taxi (33 euro flat fare to Madrid plus one euro for each bag) and it dawns on me that I am back in Spain. And I start crying!!!!

We pull up in front of the little hotel and there are three staff members waiting outside to greet me and wish me Happy Birthday!!!! If I was very before, now I was full out crying! Lots of hugs, lots of chatter about happy they are to meet the partner, how their past months were, and how of course our room has been ready for hours.."We thought something happened and you missed the flight!!"

After all the drama, things calm down, and without taking off our plane attire, we both fall flat on our face asleep.



Do not wake up until it's time to get ready for dinner. So tired we do not even change our plane clothes!!! One of the best things for me in Madrid is to walk around to various neighborhoods and look at the architecture, the shop windows, the people........while I was thrilled that my partner was able to come with me, I did realize that it would be very different this time, as we would have to take a lot of taxis and I would have to give up all my before and after dinner strolling (with lots of getting lost thrown in).

But anyway, he's here with me, in Madrid, on my birthday!!!
AND we find a restaurant (rather, Maribel found it, and I take her lead, as usual). And it turns out to be a perfect place to spend my birthday! Perfect!

LA CASTELA sits near the NE corner of Retiro Park and as soon as J spots the giant gates of the park he points out that this is the place we got locked into one January night after dinner, now knowing that all but the Atocha gates shut at 10pm sharp. With that, the taxi driver, who has been very chatty for the entire ride, gets really fascinated at the idea of two Americans being locked inside for what looked to be the entire night......(which did not happen, as you may remember from a very early trip report, for a pair of police came to our rescue), so fascinated that he keeps talking about the strange escapade even after we reach our destination!


La Castela îș bustling at the bar when we walk in at 8:30 and the back dining room, where I had booked, had every able then by 9:15 or so. The usual mix of families, couples, mixed groups of various ages. surprisingly because this is not unknown to tourists, we did not hear any English spoken although most of the staff knew at least some English and some were just about fluent. This place just has everything you want in a restaurant. Wide range of food including oft-changing specials, solicitous waiters, comfortable seating (at least in the rear dining room).......no need to dress up....just come and enjoy.

Suffice to say that this address on Doctor Castelo will see me next time I am in the city.

I want to keep this brief, so I will just mention the details of our meal, beginning with a plate of the tiniest and sweetest shrimp I have EVER eaten. I devoured them whole, from head to tail!!! Maribel will tell mw, I hope, the exact name, so Ii can look for them again, but maybe these specimens were so exceptional and not all would be as scrumptious. You could easily eat these raw. A second courtesy dish was a bowl of guiindillas (Basque) long, thin, green peppers, mixed with large black olives. Excellent bread as well!!!








LA CASTELA..carta

LA CASTELA carta; even where not noted, many dishes can be ordered in half portions. I wish I had done this the night!!

Those exquisite shrimp

Pepper and olive mix, with shrimp at right

Mangled loaf of excellent bread, and the quintessentially Spanish picos, akin to Italian grissini

Rear dining room of LA CASTELA about 9pm on a Saturday night

Leaving the restaurant about 10pm or so. Taxi ride from hotel to restaurant and back cost us 13 and 15 euro respectively.
our bill, with water and one glass of wine (little did I know that birthday cake and cava would be waiting in my room!!!) cost bout 70 euro........incredible value!!

Other than that long wait, sounds as though you're off to a great start!

Hahaha, what a crazy beginning.

Last week I got back from an Italy trip with my mom (early 80s), whose health/stamina/walking ability have really sharply declined over the past few years after she and my sister were hit by a reckless driver in another car. Taking my mom on this trip was an eye-opener, and I can totally relate to not being able to "bop around." I was more focused on keeping her vertical and pain-free-ish.

On the bright side, when booking, I asked my preferred hotel in Rome for a nice room for my mother because "she will likely spend a lot of time in there." When we checked in, they said, "Oh, you have a private balcony, Signora..." My coffee in the below picture is from outside my mom's room doors to her "balcony." The entire space was hers and hers alone.


"balcony" -- more like a gigantic private terrace.

What a star, but being in Madrid ( and beyond) will surly compensate!
Thx for letting us tpfollow your Spanish adventures. 🍷

Happy your significant other was able to join you on this trip. Have a wonderful holiday!

Oh my Leely I hope you both got to enjoy that space!

Leely that is a charing story. How kind people can be. I guess "hospitality industry" is the right name in many cases.

I feel silly that I began with that story up front; it was like being in a play with various characters in a confined space, with new actors coming onstage as time went by.....I kept saying to my partner, "I feel as if we are actors in a play.."

Anyway, we had only the Sunday in Madrid. Went for lunch at SALA DE DESPIECE; I thought my partner would enjoy seeing a "hip" Madrid restaurant. I liked it a lot in 2023 but think there have been some changes, with the owner expanding and its not being a novelty for me the second go around. I wrote about both my ears on HungryOnion and I'm just going to link those threads so as not to have to type it all again. If you have not been, it's a fun place along Calle Ponzano, known for its strip of small eateries and bars....worth a look. An issue for us was the usual "Sunday in Madrid" problem, as most places are shut all day, some only open for comida and this ws among those. We had a 3:30 booking. It's bar seating on stools with only one large high top table for six. I am going to finish my write-up of the restaurant on the other site so you can read its all there if interested.


I was happy that my partner was able to walk a mile back towards the hotel, with my "encouragement." Had I been alone I would have walked there and back, of course. He still refuses to take even a prescribed high-dose Tylenol for his ailments and I am peeved at that, as I make known in my inimitable way. We shall see.

So I dropped him back at the pad and went out walking around. Beautiful weather. Every time I pass the lobby I get engaged in a conversation with one of the staff, so It's like being among friends. Did not walk too long..just around Colon, Salamanca shopping area. It's just great being here! I keep looking up at the windows and imagining myself in a nice studio in this area. But what do you do with yourself alone, every day, after the novelty wears off and you have no friends? Go back and talk to my hotel friends? I don't go to museums in NYC as much as I could...(understatement of the year here!). But then what do Ii do in NYC besides walk around, shop for food and cook, and chat a lot with people I meet outside??
Hmmmm.


Monday morning we were up early (for us). Collected at 9:35 for a taxi to Chamartin station, where I'd not been before. Lots of construction but it did not impede us. I was amazed at the service provided by Iryo, the Italo-Spanish train company that now competes with Renfe.
We were ushered into a waiting area/office, J got his wheelchair, went through security. UH oh...something "bad" in ekscrunchy's bag! Not again!!!!!!!!

No beagle this time, but the x-ray spied a pair of scissors I always take with me, along with masking tape to pack purchases. They explained that it's ok to check this in on a plane because the baggage is far from the passengers, but not so on a train. Makes sense! Adios to the cheap Chinese scissors and lesson learned! Then we were taken to the tracks and J was helped onto the train and we took our very comfy seats in a near empty Car #1 for the hour or so ride to Cuenca, with the train traveling as fast as 298 Kim per hour!!!!!
Train was super comfortable (88 euro for two "Bistro" class tickets to Cuenca; there are less $$ seats but with less luggage allotment and no meal.). We certainly did not need the breakfast but it was good---beef cheeks much better than Iberia's and I ate the entire plate, with potatoes and string beans, and even a small glass of wine. There is a choice of four meals too!!! Impressive!

Reaching Cuenca, same story..."pusher" comes onto the train as we enter station and gets J into a chair, takes all of our luggage, even mine, and whisks us the ticket office to see about a tix to Valencia in two days. You cannot buy IRYO here, only Renfe and their times were not great, so we decide to buy the Iryo tix online the hotel later (Little did I know that that choice would cost us to lose what would have probably been a great lunch in Cuenca....more on that later.

Taxi to Parador with taxista offering much information about the town. Parador has a spectacular location facing the old city, across the river. Fall foliage is beginning and the gorge is turning colors..just beautiful, with crisp cool air. The building, a former convent, is glorious. Our room is a suite #109. A few things are scruffy; widow dress not close and screens are torn but it's not anything to worry about....maintanance guy comes immediately when I see that frig is not on....he fixes that asap.


IRYO assistance at Charmartin

Poster showing size of scissors permitted onto train; mine went down the slot

One of four possible meals in Bistro class tasted better than it looks


Waiting to whisk us to Cuenca; attendant pushing our bags on trolley....."Frecciarossa" is written on the side of the scarlet cars. The sign indicates the final destination, no mention of the stop at Cuenca

Sorry, forgot to post the link for two meals at SALA DE DESPIECE--one last year and one a few days ago. To read that, scroll down to the 9th post on the thread, from Hungryonion.org:



https://www.hungryonion.org/t/four-d...h-2023/34149/9

After checking into the Parador in Cuenca, I set about trying to book my IRYO tix to Valencia. It's very easy to book online, and since they have no ticket office in Cuenca, that's the only option. Well, I managed to book two seats in the Bistro Infinita class for Wednesday. All good, but since I have no printer, Ii have to use the one at the Parador. No problem, front desk guy tells me to just e-mail them my confirmation and he will print out the tix. Great! All this is taking place around 3pm or so.

I go downstairs a while later and he tells me that I
I've sent him only one ticket, not the two I booked and paid for. We check my e-mailon my phone, and indeed, they have sent only one ticket, and not MINE!!!! He tries and tries and tells me the only option is to phone customer service but to prepare to wait while for them to answer. He asks me to bring down my laptop which I do. Looks like there is only one ticket sent. He asks if he can use my laptop, presses many, many keys..to applications...to other things..I have no idea what he is doing. After about 10 minutes, he sends himself an e-mail and lo and behold..there are TWO tickets showing up, which he duly prints out.

What is the world happened..who knows, but I have my tickets. But oh, it's 4:15 and all along I have forgotten that we have a table booked for 3:30 at Nazareno y Oro, a well-regarded asador (roast restaurant, meaning mostly meat). I was REALLY looking forward to my chance for some roast baby lamb, or suckling pig, and maybe a garlic soup. (The food here is VERY DIFFERENT than that of Madrid. Incredible how everything changes in a relatively few miles!

I ask him to phone the restaurant--maybe we can sneak in late. He raises his eyebrows at me but he does call and it sounds like they laugh him off the phone! Well, not very bright of me to even ask but this is Sunday and I am now worried. I then proceed to give him names of what seems like 20 restaurants but was probably only ten. Nothing open. NOTHING!!!!

I'm sad, and I ask about the food here at the Parador. He makes a slight face but it was easy to interpret the he was not a tremendous fan. What is he going to say--he works here! But hey, we don't have much choice.....I did bring some cheese and ham from breakfast in Madrid but we cannot both have that for dinner........not when we are in Spain, anyway....too .much to sample and too little time.

So, we have dinner at the parador in their absolutely glorious high-ceilinged beamed dining room, hung with gorgeous heavy, multi-armed chandeliers that cast a beautiful golden light on the long dining room. We are one of about eight tables taken when we walk in and a couple of other tables get filled while we eat.

There are items on this menu that befuddle me. It's Conquense food. Food from Cuenca!!! This is getting very interesting. I have to use my phone quite a bit to understand what is on the menu and there are several dishes that I refuse to translate to my dining partner. If he does not like shellfish and a number of other dishes, what will he think of ingredients like pig's liver combined with "products of the. hunt??" (Morteuruelo). Well, here is how the Cuenca tourist board describes this quintessential local dish:

"hot pate made from pig liver and game meat, formerly made by shepherds where today it is a sophisticated tapa perfect for regaining strength after a long day"

Will he cringe if I tell him that zarajos are marinated lamb intestines roasted on a stick????

I really want to try these, but I want other things as well, so I soften the description a bit and we end up ordering both!
Thumbs down on the morteruelo but an enthusiastic "si" to the zarajos which, surprisingly, he loves. (I am so happy to share part of my portion)


I love the soup of pureed leeks and pears, and he does, too.

The croquetas de jamon are excellent.
I was disappointed that the roast young lamb was not going to be crispy outside but ordered it anyway. Quite a bit of fat but super tasty meat on two large portions of shoulder of which I could finish only a quarter, if that.

Service was very solicitous and very, very friendly and, despite my fears, we had an interesting dinner for 77 euro, and it was nice to just be able to go upstairs to our room afterwards. (Photos to come)

If he does not like shellfish and a number of other dishes, what will he think of ingredients like pig's liver combined with "products of the. hunt??"

Your report is cracking me up. Thank you!

Ha..I also "forgot" to mention the partridge and its liver, the hare, and other tasty tidbits!!

https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/morteruelo

Loving your report.

It really lifts me to learn that people are reading.

I want to post more photos but, as usual, they are taking days to migrate to my laptop, so please forgive.

We had a pleasant dinner last night in Cuenca, at EL FIGON DE HUECAR, where we were the only diners. They let a new (Mallorquin) employee take care of us, and we had so much fun. Just watching him try to open a bottle of wine had me stifling a laugh. I later asked him what wine it was, as I liked it, and he admitted that he knew less about wine than he knew about poodles! Adorable! I will wait for the photos so I can comment on the dinner.

I must say that Cuenca is MUCH larger than I imagined. The casco antiguo is just a tiny part of the city. We learned from one of our taxi drivers (7 euro flat rate within the city; 12 euro to the train station; learned so much for chatting with them on our drives) that the old town is all but deserted as far as residents. Only a few older people remain, so he told us, and the population is diminishing every year. But I did see a few young people (about ten) out and about at night. With all that beautiful architecture, one would imagine that foreigners would snap it up and renovate. But again, how much does the city offer as far as full time living; most expats would rather be on the coast or in a city, I imagine, but let's wait until Maribel weighs in. There are so many gorgeous inland towns that are all but deserted. (I think Cuenca is more of a city than a town..there is a bustling "new" part, with traffic, and lots of stores, etc. I did not know this until we drove through after dinner last night and, again, this morning, en route to the train station. I do think that we should have stayed one night, instead of two.

BTW..the train station is a glorious piece of architecture named for the Philipine-born-artist, Fernando Zobel. I saw a bit of his work in the contemporary art museum (tiny; free) installed in one of the three casa colgadas (hanging houses) that are a big feature on tourist posters. Who knew that there are only three of these houses, and the wooden balconies were added in the 1920s!!!? But the train station really is a glorious work of contemporary art. Sparkling clean, and with abundant assistance to travelers.

We departed today on the IRYO for Valencia, where we are now ensconced in the ONLY YOU. Gracias, Maribel!!!!!

But I hesitate to write more without the photos, so...

Happy Birthday Eks! I'm enjoying reading and traveling vicariously with you. Your summaries are as entertaining as they are informative. Thank you!

I’ve been following along, too, always enjoy your reports and it’s great you created a holiday with someone who has limited mobility.

I'm happy that you did enjoy el Figón del Huécar.
Yes, Cuenca, particularly the old quarter, is a victim of the España despoblada", as are many villages in Aragón.

I´m happy that you ventured to the Museo de Arte Abstracto and enjoyed the paintings of native Fernando Zòbel, Tapiès, Chillida, Oteiza (Basque) and contemporaries.

Feliz cumpleaños!

I'm reading! And enjoying!

Eks,
We followed you by 2 days (as usual!!!) at La Castela.

Don't have photos right now, but I have to say that for the price to quality ratio (in Spanish the RCP), this is the best place in town!!

We arrived at 8:30 and were the first to be seated and by 9:30 all the tables in the surprisingly large dining room, covering the inside of both bars, were taken, this being in Tuesday night in November. Not a word of English spoken but the table next to ours, a table of 8, were Portuguese speaking, and the rest all Spanish, as far as we could hear.

We were seated in front of the beautiful mural of the tapas bar area covering the entire wall. Lovely, burgundy tableclothed, well-spaced tables in this hugely popular dining space. Very, very lively and loud on a Tuesday night!
Because our amuse bouche wasn't shrimp, I couldn't ask ascertain for certain that question that you asked me on HO (gambas versus quisquillas, but the servers did insist that they're gambas), since our tapas on the house was a large portion of black olives with piparras (those Navarran picked peppers), followed by a warm amuse bouche of crema de verduras, a silkily vegetable purée topped with a fried crouton that we had today at la Raquetista en La Habana.

We ordered the medley of habitas (baby limas), trigueros (baby asparagus) and two poached eggs as a first course, and the chipirones encebollados (huge!!!-tender squid with braised onions, a dish that could have fed 4) as a second, and for dessert, the sorbete de limón al cava, the limon sorbet, which could easily have fed two, although it was a half portion. And the "on the house", complimentary digestif (chupito)-- husband had his usual pacharán from Navarra, and I had my usual creme de orujo from Asturias, along with chocolates (like the complimentary digestive and chocolates served at La Catapa).

Also, here one can order a carafe of agua del grifo, Madrid water, no need to order bottled water. All of our neighboring tables had it.
What I love about La Castela, including its incredible price to quality ratio, is the wonderful, super professional, very kind and attentive Southeast Asian staff, the warm welcome, the liveliness and especially the price!

All of the four Morán family restaurants in the Retiro district, La Castela, Casteldos, La Montería and La Monte these are an extraordinary dining value!

About "morteruelo conquense", not my favorite at all, my first (late) husband's family being from Cuenca, and I got served a lot of it, it's very much an acquired taste dish! As is "atascaburras".

Here's a recipe,
https://www.directoalpaladar.com/recetas-de-carnes-y-aves/receta-morteruelo-cuenca-clasico-manchego-para-untar-disfrutar-a-base-carne

Just a note about the taxi fare from Barajas, as I just read in depth your arrival notes. There should have been NO CHARGE for the luggage carried in the trunk, not one euro per bag. No luggage charge is allowed, as far as I know, in the 33 euro fare from Barajas to center city (unless that's recently changed).

Maribel, I enjoyed pacharan when I was in Madrid, but unfortunately have been unable to find it in the US.

Maribel, I agree 100% about LA CASTELA! I never would have found it without you.

SusanP: I have a drink that might supplant limoncello: Vermouth with orange flavor!!!!! II would bring some home with me but not sure it is worth the trouble because I would finish it in no time!

https://carmeleta.com/en/tienda-vermouths/

Speaking of purchases, my FIRST shopping stop in Valencia was FRiNSA, conservas from Galicia. Lovely shop in Valencia.....I bought a dozen cans of ventresca and the bonus is that they are packed in the just-pressed olive oil of the season. I willl probably return for more before we leave here.

Maribel, I took your advice and clipped a night from Denia, so we will come back to this hotel in Valencia for our last night before our flight home...I may have already written this, please forgive if so......

I am so behind in this report; still waiting for my photos to migrate to laptop, sometimes it takes days.
Excellent dinner at Raussell..what a comfortable, lovely no frills spot with great staff and food! Will describe if I ever get the photos.
The funny thing is that we met an American (!!) couple at the parador in Cuenca who were driving to Valencia yesterday while we were taking the train. We arranged to have dinner with them at Raussell..... HA, gives my partner a break from my endless chatter. Turns out that I could not get a word in--good for partner, maybe but oh, my, did that man talk a LOT about himself and his business and his travels.....it was like An interview,

"Have you both been to Argentina?"
"Yes, I said".
"But I bet you have not been to Chile!!!"
"Right; we planned two trips but had to cancel...."
"OH...well, here are my (about 100) photos of this fabulous hotel we stayed at......."
Me: "Great!!!"
He: "We've also been to Asia!!!"
Me: "Great!!!"
He: "Here are my photos from Tokyo...it's such an amazing place, you need to go there!!"
Me: "yes we loved it also."
He: "Here are the photos:
Me, "I'd love to see them but. you know these glasses are so bad, it's so hard for me to squint to see photos on your phone....."

Meanwhile, his lovely wife (she and I had both been in Valencia during the moon landings of 1969!!).
What are the chances of that?? Unfortunately she was not allowed to get word in!!!!!



On and on it went.....we sure had a good laugh about this after dinner!!!!!