Ok there is Tapas on this trip as well but I liked just the three ‘P’s in the title…
In our travels sometimes we set up short visits to cities to get to know them, this trip is full of them. Our visit to Lisbon is completed, time for Madrid, another new city for us. The Hotel Avenida Palace in Lisbon treated us well, and we both agreed that it is one of our favorites in Europe. Great location, fantastic staff and a killer breakfast. Recommended.
Our travels to Madrid were easy but with an interesting incident, we had a driver meet us and when he could not fit our three bags in the trunk he said he could not take us. Apparently the authorities are cracking down on how cars and taxis are loaded for tourists and luggage is “not allowed in the cockpit.” He did not want to risk a ticket, was apologetic and took us to the taxi stand and got us on our way. Even at the taxi stand a driver was reluctant. Our bags are no larger than usual, this has never been an issue before so maybe we encountered something new in Madrid/Spain. We shall see.
After a good nights rest I headed out for a walk through the Salamanca district to El Retiro Park. The Salamanca district is noted for its high end shops and some notable architecture but after being on the road for a while I really enjoyed the green space of the park. Its name means “Good Retreat Park” and once belonged to the Spanish Royal Family until it was opened up to the public in 1868.
We closed our first full day in Madrid with a food tour with local guide Jorge Torres. Jorge filled us with the history of Madrid and the area we were in along with tapas at Mesón del Champiňón and Jabón at Museo del Jabón. I am not a big mushroom fan however at Mesón del Champiňón they simmer mushrooms on a grill filled with diced chorizo, chopped garlic and parsley, oil, lemon and salt. Fantastic. I alway tell people keep trying foods you do not like, you may bump into one version you do. This was that for mushrooms and me.
At Museo del Jabón, we were treated to several types of Jamón and cheese. Much as we want to take some home it is forbidden to bring these types of cured products into the United States. Another minor mystery of mine was answered here, many moons ago at a bar in San Francisco I was given a sip of an alcohol (by a bartender) that I liked and reminded me of a cola. I thought he said it was Vermouth but could not figure out why it was so different. Turns out it really was Vermouth which is pronounced ‘vermut’ in Spanish. Here it is a fortified white wine flavored with caramel, spices, and botanicals that is brown in color. Since the spelling is the same I can see why I was confused. Good stuff!
Our final stop of this short tour was at Chocolateria San Ginés for some hot chocolate and churros. These are not the same as what you get in the United States, the churros are are lighter and not sugarcoated and the hot chocolate is much thicker and will turn almost to pudding if it cools. A nice way to end our first full day in Madrid, thanks Jorge!
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