I’m Sleeping!

One thing that many people neglect while traveling is a fair amount of rest. Of course you’re excited to be on a journey, inspired by all the new things you see, and don’t want to miss anything. But if you’re run down, it won’t be long before your travel experience deteriorates. Make time in your schedule for the occasional nap or even half an hour with your feet up and a glass of ice-cold Coca-Cola. While in Níjar, Spain, I spotted this cat, who had the right idea.

He found a place to tuck himself in and get some much-needed rest. That’s the idea. Afterward, I’m sure he was ready to prowl the rest of the day and night, doing those essential things that cats do.

Good rest can be hard to come by, especially in age of modern air travel. But don’t ruin a good trip by neglecting it. When you’re refreshed, you’ll enjoy yourself that much more.

Published in: on June 12, 2010 at 11:18 am  Leave a Comment  
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Home Cooking, Spain

As long as we’re talking about Biar and mentioning Casa Rural Mas Fontanelles, let’s stay in this locale for the topic of home cooking. You see, we arrived at this place on a Monday, the normal day off for the staff. Similarly, we were the only ones staying at the Casa. Therefore, the owner made us supper in much the fashion he might have for his own family. Naturally, we started with a nice bottle of wine.

This particular wine was light and tasty. It went well with the entire meal. The appetizer consisted of asparagus and sun dried tomatoes sauteed in olive oil and garlic. Simple, delicious.

Those tomatoes really had tremendous flavor, not overly sweet either. The main course was roast chicken with (I think) a bit of sauté action at the end. Again, big flavor from what could have been a run of the mill entré.

Note the cherry tomatoes and artichokes on the side of the plate. Plenty of hearty vegetables for healthy eating. Dessert was simple, fresh fruit served as it comes from the source.

Note the level of wine in the bottle. That might have been the second one. Who can remember? No matter. I enjoyed this simple meal, especially the interaction with the owner as he shuttled back and forth from the nearby kitchen to our table. The only thing that could have made it better would have been his company at the table.

Published in: on June 9, 2010 at 9:49 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Biar, Spain

Several posts back, I mentioned the Casa Rural Mas Fontanelles. It is located a few kilometers from the town of Biar. While overnighting at Mas Fontanelles, I decided to take in the town of Biar itself. Here’s a view from one side.

Those terraces make good use of the land, farming wherever possible. The castle at the top, like the one in Chinchilla, was under renovation so I missed out on that. But I did get some good exercise hiking through the town. Here’s a view down one of the streets I climbed up.

Yeah, spend a couple of hours meandering up and down the likes of that and you’ll work up a nice appetite and handsome calves, too. The town itself has a nice church worth a look and a few restaurants, one of which I utilized to satisfy the rumbling of my stomach.

These are the types of places I enjoy most. There’s enough to see and do without being overwhelmed. Furthermore, the people are more approachable, which makes for more opportunities to learn culture first hand. Enjoy the journey.

Published in: on June 8, 2010 at 8:36 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Posada de la Villa, Madrid

Cava Baja Street in Madrid was mentioned earlier on this blog, and it will be be mentioned again. This time, let’s visit a restaurant that began as a mill and then a posada way back in 1642 at its present location. This would be the Posada de la Villa. During previous trips I passed by the restaurant but couldn’t work in a meal. Since it is well-known I thought it deserved a try and this trip I made it a point to get there. It was a fine meal, with very good service and wine. My wife started with the snails and they came in the shell in a bowl, which was different from what she’s used to. See…

Snails aren’t my thing, but she reports that they were tasty, and as stated, different from the usual. I stuck to a plate of grilled vegetables as an appetizer. They were well done as you see in the next photo.

Vegetables are part of any good meal, including breakfast, so I try not to miss them. Moving on to the main course, my wife ordered the sea bass, which came more or less whole.

That’s plenty of fish for any appetite. I went with a giant pork chop that was served on the hot stone to finish cooking to my liking. It worked out perfectly.

We especially enjoyed the hospitality at this place. At the end of our meal I noticed another couple speaking English just a few tables away. Turns out they were from North Carolina and I invited them to share dessert with us. They agreed and we enjoyed some laughs for the forty-five minutes or so. That’s another of the joys of travel, meeting new people and sharing the experience. On the way out, I snapped this photo of the oven, still in use after all these years.

That’s the way to do it. The only problem with a place like Cava Baja in Madrid is that there are literally a couple of dozen places to have a great meal and you’re only there for a few days. The solution: go back!

Published in: on June 7, 2010 at 10:08 pm  Leave a Comment  
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