Peñafiel Castle, Spain

If you like your medieval castles intact, then Peñafiel has much to offer. Only guided tours are permitted, but no worries as you’ll see plenty. There’s also a wine museum built into the southern portion of the castle. It’s worth your time. The gift shop has a fine selection of hand blown glassware that is the epitome of class and style. So, let’s have a look at this fortress. Here’s the video:

Impressive, no? I’ll say. It’s hard to imagine someone taking a chance attacking castles like this. There are so may angles for the defenders to launch everything from stones to arrows to boiling oil. Nasty. Climbing those stairs was good exercise, too. There are a few more castle videos and photos essays to come. Stay tuned.

Published in: on May 30, 2010 at 12:44 am  Leave a Comment  
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Molino de Santillan, Spain

Not far from Malaga near the town of Rincon de la Victoria you’ll find Hotel Molino de Santillan. Yes, this place was a mill and the stones are there to prove it. However, it has been converted into a rural hotel with plenty of amenities. The rooms are spacious, outfitted with great bathrooms, and equipped with wardrobes and bureaus if you plan to stay for a while. There are numerous interior rooms for meetings and dining. Outdoors, you’ll find gardens, a swimming pool, and bars should your event require them. Here’s a short video showing the hotel’s common areas and the room where I stayed.

Please note, this place can be a little difficult to find. Print out a good map, use your GPS, and be careful on that last 2km of winding road. Saludos!

Published in: on May 27, 2010 at 3:57 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Curiosity Shop, Madrid

The Curiosity Shop fronts a pedestrian throughway only a few blocks south of the Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Spain. I was walking by here in search of postcards when I came upon it. The sign is an old-time painted one that is hard to miss:

And the door bears plenty of logos and stickers that also catch the eye:

There’s plenty to gaze upon right there. However, the items in the window and beyond are the real treat. You’ll find all manner of old toys and novelties on display. Peer through the glare on the window to see for yourself. When was the last time you saw things like that?

I imagine if you’re a toy collector or someone who appreciates such things, this place would be a must visit while in Madrid. Be sure to bring your Euros. Those old toys sell for tall prices. By the way, just a few doors down, you’ll find some nice postcards and ice-cold Coca-Cola, too.

Published in: on May 19, 2010 at 7:46 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Escorial Lunch, Spain

Typically, I don’t like to eat outside. However, there’s nothing like lunch with a view. We happened to be only a few blocks from El Escorial in Spain and there was a series of restaurants with outdoor seating that looked out over the palace. Therefore, I broke the rules, took a table, and settled in for a nice lunch. The menu of the day featured some interesting choices, none of which I can explain in Spanish. The first plate was a shrimp in cream sauce over a puff pastry as you can see here:

Tasty and light, despite the cream sauce. The other first plate was a mushroom concoction with the same cream base as you can see below:

You can see one of the Escorial towers in the background there and get a sense of the view from this table. Quite nice, eh? Well, there was a main course, it was a sort of lamb rolitini type of thing as shown in the next photo.

The meal was tasty as was the wine. Sadly, El Escorial was closed for a holiday. My sightseeing was limited to the outside areas, which are nothing more than stone plazas. Always good to call ahead or check the internet to see what attractions will or will not be open. Lesson learned.)

Published in: on May 18, 2010 at 8:19 pm  Leave a Comment  
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