La Perejila, Madrid

La Perejila is one of those old-time joints I enjoy most. It’s on Cava Baja Street in the old part of Madrid, Spain.

Here you can get a vermut, vino, or cerveza among local characters. The decor is from another time, including the caged bird at the entrance.

I’m not exactly sure what creates the atmosphere of places like this. Maybe it’s the age, or the clientele, or the little touches like the bird. Whatever it is, the process has to natural. In the United States, too many places try to force the vibe and fail miserably. Fortunately, we have jet travel to take us to places like Madrid where there are streets like Cava Baja and authentic places like La Perejila. Stop in, stay awhile, enjoy yourself.

Published in: on October 8, 2010 at 11:39 am  Leave a Comment  
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Torégano Castle, Spain

East of Segovia, you’ll find the tiny town of Torégano and one of the most unusual castles I’ve seen in Spain.

From the photo above, you may be thinking it’s just another pile of rocks left over from another age. In some ways it is. The original fortress was built around the Tenth Century. Over the years it was expanded and modified.

You can see how the outer wards were expanded and a larger keep installed, rising to several stories. However, what makes this site most curious is the construction of a large church within the center.

The church spans the entire center courtyard, and when it was built, the older columns were simply covered over and incorporated into the newer structure. From the upper keep, you can see the roof of the church and the countryside beyond.

What a view! The tiles on that roof are showing their age, and the floor that used to be located here is gone. But the window seats by the arrow ports are still in place within the span of the wall. There’s a story behind the church being built within this castle. It’s a long one, like so many about Spain, so I’ll skip it for this blog post. Nonetheless, take a final look at the keep from the outside.

Imposing is the right word. If you happen to visit this town, don’t forget La Casa Vieja, a fine restaurant and inn where you’ll have a great meal and peaceful rest. See an earlier post on that subject.

Published in: on October 5, 2010 at 10:25 am  Leave a Comment  
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Airport Chow, Madrid

Typical airport food can be awful. I don’t know, maybe it’s the security x-ray machine that ruins it. However, I must say that at the end of my recent journey through Spain, I found decent eats at the Madrid airpot. This was outside the secure area, but still in the terminal. I returned the rental car, went inside, and there was a cafeteria-style operation. They had pre-made sandwiches, salads, and even champagne. Opting for one of each, here’s how it turned out.

Despite being pre-assembled, those sandwiches were darn good. The salad was all fresh ingredients and tasty. The champagne, well, what better way to celebrate an awesome venture through a foreign land than popping the cork on a bottle of bubbly? So, it’s all good, especially when you go looking for it, even in the airport food court. Enjoy the journey.

Published in: on October 4, 2010 at 1:41 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Posada del Duratón, Spain

Posada del Duratón is located in a rural area approximately an hour’s drive from Segovia.

There are nearby hunting preserves and a natural park for the outdoor minded guest. It surely is quiet here. There is an on-site restaurant for supper and breakfast. I would go with the breakfast and skip the supper. Here’s a look at the dining room.

There are a number of pleasing outdoor spaces including these balconies and cloisters.

Once in your room, you’ll find plenty of amenities, too.

The toilet was located in a separate space with no sink, but coming out and to the other end of the room, you’ll find the sink…

and a shower/tub…

There was no curtain or glass door for the tub which made showering tricky. Someday, I’ll have to find someone to show me the proper way of using this type of installation without getting water on the floor. Anyway, my stay was comfortable and interesting as I used the posada as a base to explore nearby Segovia and some small spots along the way. You’ll also find some trinkets for sale in the lobby, ones that are actually made by local artisans. They are worth the time to check them out. As mentioned before, Spain is a wonderful country to explore, especially the places a little further afield.

Published in: on October 3, 2010 at 1:05 pm  Leave a Comment  
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