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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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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Church of the Vera Cruz (again)

This is the second time I’ve visited the Church of the Vera Cruz in Segovia, Spain, and I was frustrated to find it closed… again!

In fact, I missed the opening hours by mere minutes. This is a Templar church and therefore mandatory on the itinerary. Nonetheless, I checked out some of the exterior detail such as theses capitals:

My understanding is that the interior is quite basic. Still, it’s worth a visit considering it’s place in history. Seeing sights like this goes a long way to contextualizing historical references and it is well worth the time seeking out the smaller, out of the way places as they were on the route followed by people in days gone by. It is a method of seeing what they saw, doing what they did. Enjoy the journey.

Published in: on September 21, 2010 at 5:28 pm  Leave a Comment  
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