First trip back to Europe since Covid. Vaccine cards and registration for travel all completed, and it felt so good to dust off our passports and make use of our Global Entry cards. This was the last month that Spain still required masks on public transportation and that the U.S. required a negative Covid test before flying back home. All worth it.
It’s funny what strikes us as kids. Our first trip to Europe in 1975 I was fascinated by the Neptune Fountain and became mildly obsessed with boating in El Retiro park. which despite numerous trips to Madrid has always previously eluded me for a random variety of reasons. Today my groom rowed me to happiness and I sweet talked the hotelier (whose uncle worked here 50 years, including when it was used as a war hospital in the 30s) into giving us the room with the prime view of the fountain at the Westin Palace Hotel. I think my Dad would be proud.
April 1, 2022
Upon arrival in Madrid from our red eye flight we took a long walk to this Argentine bakery in search of pastries to remind us of my dad. Unfortunately Chaja cake by the slide isn’t available weekdays.
Facturas!!Well fed we caught the next train to Toledo, a short and easy train ride from Madrid. We purchased our train tickets right from the RENFE kiosks inside Atocha Station with our credit card. Upon arrival to the station in Toledo there are touts waiting to sell you tickets for a Hop On Hop Off bus tour. Since Vito had never been to Toledo before and we’d been flying all night, we purchased a pair of tix to get ourselves over to the historic center and to get an overview of the city. In the afternoon we walked back to the station for our return trip.Sometimes the best meal is the simplest. Easy to pick up a sandwich and find a plaza to sit in to eat it.The incredible altar at Toledo’s cathedral.The Neptune Fountain. The kind hotelier at the Westin Palace helped fulfill a lifelong dream of a room with a view of this.
April 2, 2022
The last time I was in Segovia was summer 1986, when I was studying abroad at the University of Salamanca. Now I’m back in 36 years later with my college friend who lives in Madrid. It was a little colder than we’d expected for April, but all good.Segovia’s Alcazar.The plain-ish exterior of the Alcazar doesn’t foretell the beauty inside.
April 3, 2022
Annabella mentioned to her friends how much her father loved churros with chocolate and how on our last trip to Spain with her parents it’s what he wanted for his birthday dinner. Kindly our amazing friends brought us fresh and hot breakfast to start this day!After a busy morning of shopping at the disappointing Rastro flea market it’s a lunch stop at a nice restaurant in a plaza in central Madrid.Followed by a drinks stop with light snacks at a traditional vermouth and wine bar, La Venencia. Afternoon spend with friends seeing their son in his high school musical and dinner at a favorite restaurant in their suburb.
April 4, 2022
Warm welcome gift at our Bonvoy Hotel Ercilla de Bilbao. We’re upgraded to a large and comfortable suite with a walk in closet. The hotel is a bit of a walk, but safe and flat, from the bus station and very central to the city’s sites, with many restaurants nearby. A bit run down now but still wonderful architecture in the old city of Bilbao. Argentine immigrants to Spain have opened empanada shops all over, which make for a quick and tasty snack.Le Club Rooftop at the Hotel Ercilla de Bilbao. Through our Titanium Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy we were given free cocktails on the rooftop. Cold, but the space heaters kept us warm. However, though Europe has mercifully banned smoking indoors for many years now, it’s still permitted in spaces like this so it’s not long before smokers arrive to spoil our fun. Fortunately we’re their early, like good Americans, so we get to finish our drinks and snacks before the peace is spoiled.When in Spain have octopus with paprika!And a Spanish style fish & chips.
April 5, 2022
A gorgeous day for a walk in Castro Urdiales, an easy day trip by bus from Bilbao from the main bus station. We purchased bus tickets online but there are also ticket machines in the station. As always in Spain there’s a bit of confusion and poor information, but we muddled through. The trip is only 1/2 an hour. Castro is a stop on the Camino de Santiago, and we walked for a little while with a pilgrim from Nova Scotia. Deep blue water on a magnificent walk.Two vermouths, a coffee, and a little dish of olives for under 6 Euros. If only it were so inexpensive at home to relax and enjoy a couple of drinks.Pastry shop near the hotel has a “happy hour” with half off certain pastries. Too tired to wait until Spanish dinner hour we get this nice calamari in our hotel bar.
April 5, 2022
Through AirBnb Experiences we booked a private day tour with a local guide/driver around the Basque region. This monastery on the island of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is a Game of Thrones film location, and the CGI Dragonstone over the actual, humble hermitage.Stop at a typical Basque fishing village.Honoring the fishermen and immigrants and those left behind looking after their loved ones out to sea.
April 6, 2022
In college Annabella wrote a paper about Picasso’s Guernica and now teaches about it in a discussion of war crimes. She was fortunate to see this painting in NYC as a child, before it was returned to Spain, and then later in Madrid at its old home in its own building (where it should have remained since it set it apart and gave it the space and respect it deserves) and then at its current home at the Reina Sofia. It serves as a poignant reminder during the current war in Ukraine, The night before our visit Zelensky addressed the Spanish Parliament and noted the similarities between the atrocities currently happening in his country and what happened during the Spanish Civil War.The town of Guernica shows its solidarity with Ukraine.The historic and current seat of Basque government.Azkuna Zentroa Cultural Center in Bilbao, near our hotel. There is space her for exhibits, study, food, entertainment, and swimming.The pool and swimmers as seen from the ground floor.The pool as seen from the roof level.We’re having the 60 Euro tasting menu at the bottom at Asador Getaria. Photos of each course to follow:Anchovies are very typical in this region.Never before have we eaten squid stuffed with… squid!Where but in Spain is there a late night run through the streets (Korrika – in support of Basque education).
April 7, 2022
In the courtyard aside the Hotel Maria Cristina in San Sebastian, the jewel in the Basque crown.We have been upgraded to a ridiculously huge and opulent suite, but one of the best things are the Acqua di Parma amenities.A stop at San Sebastian’s great aquarium.Covid changed the Pintxos (Basque tapas) protocol a bit and now the food is behind glass and you order off a paper menu, but in many ways this simplified the chaos. The food is delicious as always.Strolling around the waterfront.The old city. There are pinxtos bars everywhere.We arranged in advance for a Friendly Host to show us around the city, which was great because we learned so much and she helped guide our pintxo choices.The Maria Cristina is one of the most beautiful hotels we have ever experienced.
April 8, 2022
The breakfast is extraordinary. Not only does the buffet have everything you could ever want, but you can also order off the menu,School children enjoying games before the break for the Easter holidays.The steep hike up to the giant Christ figure on the hill affords some spectacular views.How can you resist a bottle of wine at these prices?!
April 9, 2022
Back in Bilbao at the Museum of Reproductions. This museum was created inside an old church to be a place where art students could come and sketch reproductions of great works.Currently there’s an exhibit of how albums influenced other artists.Random city architecture.
Eloy Garcia is an artist/metalsmith in Bilbao. Upon retirement in 2016 Garcia transferred his studio to the collections of the Museum of Sacred Art, housed in an old convent.
Time to eat and drink again at the big central market.We awaited our visit to the Guggenheim Bilbao until the end of our stay so we could attend a new exhibit on cars. The museum’s architecture is as much a work of art as the art inside. If you become a member you also are a member of the museums in Venice and in NYC (and we take advantage of this membership on an upcoming visit to New York).The exhibit has been curated to show a scene from the James Bond scene behind the car used in the movie.These costumes can be quite shocking to Americans, but they are traditional religious society clothing for Lenten processions around Spain.Time for more tapas!Bilbao train station for our return trip to Madrid. If we had to do it all over again we would have opted for one of the luxury buses back, which leave you in a more central location (trains from Bilbao arrive to Chamartin Station, not Atocha, which is farther from the center and since it was midnight when we arrived it was an expensive taxi ride to the hotel).
April 11, 2022
The best part of a stay at the Westin Palace is breakfast under the stained glass dome. The buffet is excellent.The living wall in front of Caixa Forum.One of Caixa Forum’s current temp exhibits is of Film and Fashion.This trip was in large part a healing journey following the loss of Annabella’s father a few months ago. We remember him with smiles on our faces.Jardines Sabatini.Tapas and vermouth time!El Matadero – This old slaughterhouse has been converted to a entertainment complex with theaters, restaurants, exhibit spaces.These overrated immersive art exhibits cost an exorbitant $50+ dollars in the U.S., but in Euro they cost 12-18 Euros. To see one of these shows in a space like an old slaughterhouse is worth the more reasonable price of admission.Churros con chocolate = love.
April 12, 2022
Getting read to bid farewell until next time to our beloved Madrid.A la proxima!
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