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  
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Convento de la Parra, Spain

La Parra is a tiny town in western Spain. There I found the Hospedería Convento de La Parra to be a true gem of hospitality. This hotel was once a convent, built in the 17th Century. Many of the convent features remain, making a stay here a bit like going back in time. And yet there are plenty of modern features that keep you in the here and now. Entering from the street, you first come to the reception area where you’re met by a friendly and competent person.

The receptionist is pleased to take you on a tour of the facilities. You’ll need a guide the first time because the building is expansive and filled with both common and private areas. The central courtyard features tables under orange trees as seen in the next photo.

The photo above gives an idea of the scale of the building. It is larger than it appears from the street. Moving along, you’ll find a pleasant swimming pool tucked away in a semi-private area complete with lounge chairs to relax by the water.

Note the orange trees in that unique irrigation system. Along the terrace that spans the second level, you’ll find more individual places to relax.

If you enjoy reading, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better place than that. Taking a look at the rooms, ponder the next photo.

Here I was ensconced in one of the quietest rooms imaginable. The world might have come to an end but I wouldn’t have known it during that particular night. Service here is exceptional. Mention your desire to one of the staff and they’re on the way to make it happen. Convento de la Parra also has fine restaurant that I’ll be posting about next.

Published in: on June 25, 2010 at 11:54 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Ronda’s Bridges, Spain

Ronda, Spain, was among my top three places to visit during my recent journey to that country. The town is famous for its bridges. The Puente Nuevo was begun in 1751 and completed in 1793. There are two other bridges lower in the gorge that are much older. The following video gives an overview of these sights from several different angles.

Don’t limit yourself to a quick look at the bridges. Ronda also has a number of churches worth seeing as well as a famous bull ring, smart shopping streets, and great restaurants. I’ll have more on these in future posts.

Published in: on June 17, 2010 at 12:56 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , ,

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  
Tags: , , , ,
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »