I traveled to Spain twice in 2022. Both trips rather short, more city break than extended vacation. Unlike say my trip to Islay, I never thought of writing a travel post and as such, I did not really take the appropriate pictures, which are at the heart of these kinds of posts. However, I can still write a few disjointed thoughts on the experience and sprinkle in a pic here and there, in case anyone fancies a visit. Unfortunately most of my pictures seem to be of food not places.
I traveled to Madrid, Seville, Granada and Mallorca. Overall, all these places seem worth a visit, some longer, some shorter.
My travels were pleasant enough and there were no incidents to spoil things. Spain is a good country to visit, though I would not necessarily live there. It is generally safe, generally clean and the infrastructure is mostly good – as well it should be, given that they got into generational debt to build it. The food tends to be good, the wine as well. Keep in mind the Spanish are not afraid of medium rare pork, unlike most other Europeans, so make sure of how you ask it cooked. The specialty coffee scene is OK, which is important as we Glibs are not the kind of barbarians to drink mass produced coffee.
To put a finer grain on the victuals, food and wine were good anywhere I went. Coffee was great in Madrid, good in Palma, meh in Seville and bad in Granada. Craft beer is available here and there, but fairly rare. Off course, a large city like Madrid has a lot of everything. Palma comes in second, being very touristy. Seville is also touristy but was a bit more disappointing on the drinks side of things, though there were two decent cocktail bars.
There was a beer bar in Madrid that was proud of the Founders 2019 CBS which they said was produced in low quantity, but I did not try it as it had too high ABV for beer and they only sold it 330 ml in size, not smaller.
There was a Viking bar in Palma which sold mead by the drinking horn. Too sweet.
I had good weather, but then again I went in late February and October. In summer, the heat would be unbearable, for me at least. For example, my friend tells me in Mallorca the poor young women have to walk around practically naked in July and August.
I did not drive in either of my trips, but the trains and buses work well. The high speed rail from Madrid to Seville in particular, although none of my cards worked, for some reason, at the train bar and I did not have cash, so I had to endure the 3 hours without cheap watery beer. California could definitely use two or three of these high-speed lines.
While the infrastructure is generally good, it is not the best organized. One thing that really annoyed me is there were no left luggage lockers in the damn train station in Madrid, the biggest one they had. Another was there are few signs in English even at the airport and it took me a while to figure out which of the machines I need to use to get a train ticket to the center. When I went back to the airport, the subway station was very confusing and with few signs, even in Spanish. There was an interruption in the subway line to the airport, and you had to get off the subway, get on a bus then back on the subway. This was only communicated in fast spoken Spanish and I needed the help of a Good Samaritan to figure out what was going on. All I am saying that at least the subway to the airport in a city like Madrid should have some English messages.
The hotels were OK, and you can get a good one for around 100$ per night. Good meals can be had for 20$ to 30$. Even less, depending on what you want. A glass of good wine can take you from $4 to 10$. A cocktail from 8$ to 15$.
One thing, for me, is that I am on a different timeline than the Spanish. I am a morning person; they tend to be night people. Many restaurants did not open for dinner before eight in the evening; I usually have dinner earlier than that. Strangely, huevos rotos were present on most dinner menus, but not on breakfast menus, and that seems a breakfast item to me. I usually had poached eggs on toast with some local cold cut.
I was Madrid for only two days, so I did not visit much, mostly walked around and consumed various items of food and drink. I think that there are many things to do there and I could see myself going again for a longer period.
I found one interestingly decorated restaurant there. Great wine list as well.
Seville is a decent city to walk about and the Royal Alcazar is worth a visit, but 3 4 days should be sufficient to see what is worth seeing, I am not that eager to return. I can recommend Ovejas Negras Tapas.
For Palma, 3 days for the city and a few more days for the rest of Mallorca. I probably might want to go back to Mallorca at some point, though it is not as if I want to go there again next year.
As a Romanian, I understand some bits of Spanish, but communicate mostly in English. Overall, this worked well in the larger cities. Although there may be struggles here and there. I got along fine with cards, mostly, but a bit of cash helps. Outside the ridiculous masks in the bus in Palma, masks were not really a thing. Overall the people were friendly enough, and there seemed to be a decent number of attractive persons of the female persuasion, but that is not relevant for me as I have zero game. I guess this is about it. For now.
Great pictures and write up. Very interesting but I am failing to find fault in this: “in Mallorca the poor young women have to walk around practically naked in July and August.”
I don’t think even our gay Glibs would be distraught over that.
Won’t someone please think of the poor ginger Irish tourist lasses who aren’t used to the heat and are so susceptible to sunburn? Who will help them apply sufficient sunscreen??
Me?
Even they become leathery if they stay long enough, if the English retirees are any guide.
That’s Gin-pickled and Tobacco-tar-tanned.
“All I am saying that at least the subway to the airport in a city like Madrid should have some English messages.”
We’ll make an American out of you yet.
LOL
It IS the lingua franca (heh) most places catering to international travel have this.
They spell it lengua in Spain.
I liked Spain when I went to Rota as a Marine Corps Security Force instructor.
I was in charge and the first time I submitted the paperwork, my boss, who had been in charge the year before told me it was a 2 week trip.
I was confused, our training was a week long.
he told me to break it up and only work half days.
I said “OK” and we had a great time.
Your tax dollars at work, folks.
Unfortunately, it was in early April, so we didn’t see the the poor young women that have to walk around practically naked.
Did see some real pretty ones in Puerto.
I remember the Madrid Airport being a circus.
Thanks for the write up, I remember the food being amazing.
Dont know what Rota is but good to have good memories 🙂
Rota is a town on the Mediterranean coast.
It’s not real big, but we found plenty to do.
There was one place La Parrillo de Juan, where the guy cooked everything over charcoal.
I think we went there 80% of the time for dinner.
On the weekend we went to Puerto, a larger town maybe 15 or 20 minutes away.
One thing that really annoyed me is there were no left luggage lockers in the damn train station in Madrid, the biggest one they had
Isn’t that some sort of anti-terror thing?
Please Do Not Leave Unattended Bombs in the Station.
England and germany have them. And they are useful
I’m guessing it’s an anti-terror thing. The train station in Madrid did get bombed after all during the Iraq war, and Spain has it’s homegrown terrorists from the Basque Country, though they’ve been quiet in recent years.
There was some weird police action when we were driving into Barcelona. All but one lane on the highway was blocked and cops with some pretty serious guns were looking at the cars very carefully. In fact, now that I’m thinking about it, cops around Madrid were carrying some pretty serious weapons too.
I’ve never been to Spain.
But I kind of like the music.
They say the half-naked ladies are insane there.
Seriously, though: Madrid has long been on my bucket list, for no reason other than I think it would be a cool place to see. Ditto Barcelona.
Great writeup. Thanks!
This reminds me after I went to Rota, I told myself I would bring my wife there because I liked it so much.
Might want to start checking that out, if I can afford it.
It is a beautiful country.
Wife and I want to do some traveling but she abhors the cliche tourist spots. To her, a city is a city. The people are where it is at and want to find some small town where we can really get to know their culture and food. Spain though does look like a place I would visit.
binissalem is very small. Also you can get a two course meal with half a littre of wine for 12
I get that, but some cities have too much history to pass up. Like Rome.
I think my favorite place in Italy was Siena, though. Amazing.
Rome was the one place in europe.where it felt old really old, unlike any other.
I.liked siena went there with 3 romanians and a mormon chick from orange county we met in a Firenze hostel
Go on about this mormon chick…
Not much to say. Nothing lewed. Got a talking in the hostel told her we were going to siena she tagged along. Very weord for me that she was wearing flip flops stramge footware when you plan to walk all day
It was during.my year in university at the politecnico di torino, i travelled a bunch in italy then
Did you do an Italy article?
I’m planning a trip this year and could use any tips.
I did not it was a long time ago
Well, most the good stuff hadn’t changed in 500 years or so. 😉
I agree. She would just be dragged along while I marvel in structures built thousands of years ago.
“although none of my cards worked, for some reason, at the train bar and I did not have cash, so I had to endure the 3 hours without cheap watery beer.”
So they deprived you of a human right, just because you couldn’t pay? That’s not very sporting.
I was going to ask about communication, but you about covered it.
“there seemed to be a decent number of attractive persons of the female persuasion, but that is not relevant for me as I have zero game. ”
Never too late to start trying. A foreign country is the perfect place to practice, if it goes really poorly you just never go back to that country. Any awkwardness can be excused, your only Romanian after all, not sophisticated like the locals.
Just a thought.
^^^ Shoot for the moon and if you miss, you land home.
Yea romanian is a big downside really
You’re still above the Albanians, right?
Of most def
Could you lie and say you’re from Prague? Would people believe it?
Okay. A bit of serious advice is to approach attractive ladies and pretend you barely speak the language and ask for directions. If they are open to it, engage in conversation. I think that would be a great tip-in to a conversation.
Bah, I don’t believe no one has a thing for it.
Probably Bulgarians.
Dude, chicks dig vampires!
Leave the the cape on and you’ll get more attention.
My contribution here is done.
No hablo inglais. Yo soy Canukistani.
Why yes, I did want your dog to put it’s dirty paws on my work clothes, thanks.
Idiots.
You should wear a sign with dog paw preferences
I wouldn’t think it necessary to tell others I don’t want to be molested during my lunch.
Unwanted touching! Aaaaah!
I was literally shaking.
Wonderful pics, Pie!
And thanks for sharing the trip. It’s on our list to visit.
Wonderful pics – pixel 5a 😀
I spent a few weeks in Tarragona (south of Barcelona) in the 80s. Gorgeous area and interesting old Roman city. Sometime later they built Europe’s IIRC largest theme park right there. Missed it by this much.
Bonus for language nerds like me: All the public signage was in both Spanish and Catalan.
Spain is one place that I would like to go to — wine country in particular.
Wine country there varies by quite a bit and is in many places.
https://daily.sevenfifty.com/regions/ribera-del-duero/
I’d rather tour wineries than hang out at the beaches and look at barely dressed women.
Yes, I am old.
Yes, I am married.
Drinking wine is the only reason we know you aren’t dead.
Plus mead, plus cider, plus sour ales.
I’m not dead yet.
What is going on in the first food picture? That looks exquisite — what is the spirograph-like thing on top?
It was part of the tasting menu at Aromata in Palma… I do not remember every ingredient
If I’m not there, go ahead and start without me
This year’s Lava Hot Springs Fire and Ice Winterfest is set for the weekend of Feb. 3 and 4.
The event features chili tasting, a penguin race and a children’s water carnival. The most attended event at the fest, though, is the Polar Bear Float, Chamber of Commerce board member Sherril Tillotson said.
“It’s a zany, crazy float down that cold river, but (attendees) love it,” Tillotson told EastIdahoNews.com
——-
The Polar Bear Float starts at 2 p.m. Entry costs $10 per person, and IDs will be required to rent a tube.
For a complete list of events or to purchase tickets, go to the event website — here.
Local shops and vendors will be staged throughout the event.
If you are interested in attending from afar, Tillotson recommends searching for lodging either on Airbnb or in surrounding cities — like Pocatello.
“Some people book a year in advance for the following year, but usually 30 days in advance, it’s pretty close to sold out,” she said.
It actually sounds interesting, aside from the Hypothermia Derby. Too far for a lazy bastard like me.
I, for one, stand with the people of Catalonia.
I, for one, lay down with the people of Catatonia.
Go on…
They don’t have much to say. They kind of just stare.
Is that Zardoz cosplay?
Necrophilia always leaves me cold…
One of my favorite recent albums is from a Catalian girl: Rosalia
Healthy. How’s the bid for independence coming along?
Oh just fuck no on those fingernails.
I tapped out because of those.
I don’t care whether or not my coffee is mass produced, I only care that it is as black as my lungs and as bitter as my heart.
Nice travelogue, pie.
Great travelogue. Thanks for sharing. That restaurant that looks like a pencil drawing is intriguing. Do you remember the name of it?
Yo, lápiz
No need to call me names.
No nouns, no pronouns, got it.
Estando Contigo
Great wine list, especially lesser known spanish grapes and regions. You can get tempranillo anywhere
The Dutch are committing suicide.
The Dutch government plans to close the Groningen gas field this year despite Europe’s precarious supply position. Groningen is the largest gas field in Europe.
The field is dangerous, a government official from the Hague told the Financial Times, and the government has no plans to boost production from it.
“We won’t open up more because of the safety issues,” Hans Vijbrief told the FT. “It is politically totally unviable. But apart from that, I’m not going to do it because it means that you increase the chances of earthquakes, which I don’t want to be responsible for.”
This argument is built on a weak foundation.
It’s a shaky argument.
It’s a seismic development.
*narrows gaze*
“It is politically totally unviable.”
That’s all you need to know. The rest is BS, I’m almost positive. Especially given the way he tacks it on, after telling us the real reason why.
Those pictures are great. I enjoyed visiting Spain (Barcelona). It was touristy at and near Las Ramblas, but you could take a train one stop or more away and be in the regular city. I did a few typical tourist things, but mostly we went for a concert and to explore the city. The architecture and Roman walls and structures were amazing to see. We are also early risers and eaters, but we found a great little wine shop that opened around 5pm that served Tapas, so we frequented the joint.
We try to plan a vacation round seeing a concert in a foreign land. the concert sets the city then the rest of the visit is meeting and exploring the city or location visit.
To date Mark Knoffler in Barcelona and Gaslight Anthem in Dublin.
The pencil drawing restaurant looked like it was pulled from 2001 a Space Odyssey.
That restaurant is cool. What happens when some food stains pop up? Or dirt all over the ground? Illusion ruined?
Thanks Pie! Spent a day in Seville while our C130 was being fixed. No guidebook, group of idiot joes, so we ended up in some random bar drinking beers, eating crappy bar food, not really seeing a damn thing, and it was still great. Even better the newly fixed plane didn’t crash into the Atlantic on the flight to Gander.
I remember the Spanish gate guards at Moron AB had smgs.
Thank you, Pie!
Spain is one of two about the only thing on my bucket list, and there are lots of subheadings under SPAIN and yes, one is a bullfight. I’m sure you’re all shocked.
Fun story. Sevilla is one of Kansas City’s sister city. They have “Avenida de Kansas City” there. (I know it’s still there because I looked it up on Google maps.) So here, we have a miniature “old Sevilla” outdoor shopping center, which is to say that their “La Giralda” is 4 times bigger than the one we built in honor of it. I look at that picture and I see home. Ours was built in the 1920s, and they actually cast their streetlamps to recreate here. So, the World’s Fair was held in Sevilla in 1992, but they were preparing for it long before that. It seems as though they had misplaced/destroyed their lampposts. In the 1980s, they ended up HERE to RE-cast their own lampposts. And so, Sevilla has a major thoroughfare named after us.
given I arrived in seville at santa justa train station it seems I walked on Avenida de Kansas City
The city I lived in in Germany has a tiny street named after my hometown for the same reason. Which is why I was there. The next street over is named after Salamanca which IIRC is their Spanish sister city.
One of my favorite things I brought home from my mission in Portugal is a sticker that was on an ATM that said (in English), Bullfights are Bullshit. Still mad I didn’t get to see one.
Bullfights are all over YouTube, although that isn’t ever going to be the same as the experience. IF you go looking, try to find one with Jose Tomas.
OT:
I like when they stop pretending.
https://twitter.com/mtracey/status/1617786634606628865
Boca? Are you fucking kidding me?
OFFS.
…for a…uh, sufficiently large fee. Of course.
Adds that sending Ukraine heavier weapons, like Abrams tanks, represents a “big business” opportunity for US corporations
For the military-industrial complex of course.
And speaking of tanks:
https://twitter.com/scotthortonshow/status/1617946760193708049
I wonder what the German people will think seeing their tanks decked out in Nazi insignias, going to battle against the Russians.
Poland was going to send them one way or another.
Germany may as well “get credit”.
Reminds me of once-famous musicians playing at the county fair.
Boca – visiting some high-end real estate on Florida’s west coast for when the whole scam ends?
Are you joking? He’s probably got that and a couple yachts besides.
He supposedly already owns an Italian villa, but may need to diversify.
JHTFC
Next he’ll be a Vegas opener act.
But what about the rain in Spain?
It falls mainly on the planes. Which is why your flight will be delayed.
Iranians’ pain comes mainly from Khomeini. Khomeini’s reign is mainly filled with pain.
The Blame on Maine rests plainly on Spain
The reign in Spain falls mainly on the Bourbons?
HABSBURGS!
Awesome. An Italian restaurant with a random country “guest” chef. I love it.
This restaurant is run by grandmothers. Customers clap for them each night.
Nice
OT: Classified documents at Pence’s home, too, his lawyer says
https://news.yahoo.com/lawyer-classified-documents-found-mike-172503729.html
there might be some at my place tbh
On Twitter, someone suggested you go to Office Depot and get a TOP SECRET stamp, then stamp all your personal folders and documents. Just in case.
Possibly if we are following Milley’s standards.
The Deep State is trimming its roster of approved candidates for 2024.
Huh, surprisingly there were no classified docs found at the Clinton residence. There was however a large bin of used cleaning cloths.
What, no Pledge?
Everyone that used the bin made a pledge to keep their mouths shut. Or else….
Sounds suspiciously like an oath.
The “if everyone’s doing it it’s no big deal” strategy.
And not to insulate themselves but to make it normal to the portion of the electorate that actually votes.
BlackRock plans to turn Ukraine into a “beacon of capitalism,”
I’m gonna need you to define “capitalism” for me.
BlackRock gets a big ass injection of capital.
big-ass injection or big ass-injection?
They get the former, we get the latter.
It all evens out in the end. The rich man gets his ice in the summer and the poor man gets his ice in the winter.
STEVE SMITH START NEW VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM… VERY FIRM!!! HAVE SEED MONEY!
Have you gotten your SEC filing or do you still need to ram that through?
Ukrainian Capitalism: An economy centrally planned and funded by a foreign government & weapons manufacturing corporations, run by a democratic party planted by said foreign entities that has outlawed all opposition. Primary exports: ex-comedians serving as puppet regime leaders, laundered cash. Primary imports: weapons paid for by subjects of foreign superpowers, unmarked non-sequential dollar bills.
Is that a 4-finger death punch?
Martyr Made on the 1984 rework.
Why are chicks so bloodthirsty, anyway? All of a sudden the world is rotten with female pols who want to go to war.
Because they’re quite often childless or devalue motherhood in general. The State is their family.
In the past most warmongers were men so they need to make up for lost time
Tall Thin Spaniard what Lurks in This Site recommended Barcelona as having the best infrastructure to get around and see sights. He also mentioned anything goes in Seville and Granada. Then he went back to work. I enjoyed your article and I hope someday to widen my bumpkin existence to include Spain.
Keep in mind the Spanish are not afraid of medium rare pork, unlike most other Europeans, so make sure of how you ask it cooked.
I’ve eaten Mett for breakfast with some beer in a Düsseldorf bar.
There was a beer bar in Madrid that was proud of the Founders 2019 CBS which they said was produced in low quantity, but I did not try it as it had too high ABV for beer and they only sold it 330 ml in size, not smaller.
CBS is a good beer. I’m not sure Founders is producing it anymore.
For example, my friend tells me in Mallorca the poor young women have to walk around practically naked in July and August.
I see no problem here.
I found one interestingly decorated restaurant there. Great wine list as well.
Looks like that A-ha video.
I like the pictures and the write-up. Thanks Pie!
Fun fact, most French test positive for Trichinosis antibodies, meaning they had the paracite at one time or another.
But modern pork is fine undercooked I hear.
Freezing also kills the parasites from what I’ve read. The few modern cases are generally from wild game.
It can, but isn’t reliable. Some are very resistant to freezing.
For being so badass looking, the Germans sure lost a lot.
https://twitter.com/LaocoonofTroy/status/1617960557423824898
Toledo was my favorite city in Spain. We were there for the Corpus Christi Festival which was awesome. The processions, the decorations, the bull fight (even if you are rooting for the bull, it’s an interesting cultural experience). Seville was great too, but damn it’s hot there. I’m probably one of the only people who doesn’t like Barcelona. Too damn many tourists.
Now you’ve reminded me that we should mourn the Visigothic Kingdom.
Dammit, where’s the prompt, I forgot which key to press.
The any key.
Is there a key prompt for Visigothic Kingdom? I don’t think my phone has that.
“Press X to Sack Rome”
Or, you know, use the search function.
Ah, I recall.
Most excellent.