Trujillo Castle, Spain

Is there a hilltop in Spain without a castle? Very few. Trujillo’s Castle dominates the town with its battlements looking out over every quarter. You are permitted to walk the walls, which is well worth it. Don’t forget to stop into the chapel, too. You’ll see them both in the following video.

I most enjoyed those expansive views out over the countryside. No army was going to sneak up on this town. Judging by the size of the outer wards, the place was well-prepared to wait out a siege, too. Bring your catapults!

Published in: on July 1, 2010 at 1:44 am  Leave a Comment  
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Posada Dos Orillas, Trujillo

Welcome to Trujillo, Spain, that town of conquistadors, a fine castle, and the Posada Dos Orillas. Located in the oldest part of town, only a short walk from the castle, this posada is quiet and comfortable with a wide selection of rooms.

We arrived in the middle of the morning and there was construction in the Plaza Mayor which meant we couldn’t access the hotel by the route I planned. No problem, I parked in a garage, took only the essentials for an overnight stay, and walked back. It was good exercise and an opportunity to explore another set of streets.
The reception area above gets you off to a good start. From here you can get oriented, ask questions to obtain local info, and get the password for the network. The building itself is a reformed palacio with a fair number of nooks and crannies. You’ll go through a passage or two like this on the way to your room.

You can see style and good taste on display in that photo as you will find it throughout the facility. In our room we had plenty of space in terms of sleeping, sitting, and closets.

The bathroom featured the necessities you require plus a hair dryer for those who want to remain well coiffed.

At ground level there is a restaurant. Sadly we did not have a chance to try it. However, here’s a look at the seating there.

I like the fabric stretched overhead. Although it was late April when I visited Trujillo, already the temperatures were plenty warm. Keeping the sun at bay makes things a bit more comfortable. The next morning we enjoyed the breakfast of the house and departed this lovely establishment. If I have the chance to return to Trujillo, I would definitely stay here again.

Published in: on June 29, 2010 at 1:22 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Segovia Cathedral, Spain

Spain, England, France, it doesn’t matter where, I have yet to find a cathedral I didn’t like. The cathedral in Segovia, Spain, is one of the largest in Europe. It towers over the town and anyone who enters its environs. This was my second visit to Segovia, and I didn’t pass up the opportunity to make a video. Take a look.

To think that video only showed a small portion of what was inside. The people walking about give a sense of scale to the building. They barely rise to the top of the bases of those massive columns. There are many more relics, chapels, and paintings to be seen, too. Bring a jacket because all that stone holds the cold air, which also makes it a nice place to step in when it’s hot outside. The cat at the end was one of several living on the back steps. I’ll have some photos and video of them in the future.

Published in: on June 27, 2010 at 12:16 am  Leave a Comment  
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Country Quality, Spain

In the previous post, I discussed my stay at Hospedería Convento de la Parra. This post continues at the same location, taking a look at the fine supper served in the restaurant there. Entering from the lobby, you’ll first encounter the bar where you might want to have a cocktail or three.

Properly fortified, enter the dining room and take a seat.

Hopefully you brought a hearty appetite and sophisticated palette. The meal began with a cup of consommé, a nice touch that I had not experienced before in Spain.

I apologize for the poor photo quality of the one above and the next one. Bear with me, they get better. The next course consisted of a bowl of tomato soup topped with a slice of toast, which is seen in the lower portion of the next photo.

At the top of the photo you see the highly creative goat cheese salad that contains toasted apples and onions. The concoction is a myriad of funky tastes that simply makes you stop and wonder who thought it up. The Convento de la Parra may be out in the country, but this is big city style food. Our main courses were more typical. On one side of the table a filet.

On the other side, a plate of fried eggs with the blessed jamón ibérico.

It should be noted here that the town of La Parra is located in the heart of the region where those black footed pigs are raised. Thus, the ibérico shown above is locally originated. The flavor was all there. Sadly, after all this food, there was no room for dessert. Let me take a moment to mention the service. The two women serving the dining room did a wonderful job, putting up with my lousy Spanish and keeping up with the tables like the professionals they were. Most important (to me) was that as high class as the food was, the mood was friendly (almost but not quite casual). A great meal with friends is hard to beat.

Published in: on June 26, 2010 at 10:55 am  Leave a Comment  
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