It's been a few days but I finally have some down time when I can write. We have been on the move constantly!
Friday nite we went to a place for dinner called El Calderon. It's a place that came highly recommended for it's rice dishes - namely paella. So we dove right in an ordered chicken and (mystery) seafood paella. Absolutely incredible. Our server spoke zero English but again, pointing comes in handy. The meal ended with this golden butterscotch tasting syrupy after dinner drink - no idea what it was and no one was able to tell us. It was in an unmarked bottle and probably a homemade concoction created in someone's bathtub.
We continued wandering the streets of Santa Ana Plaza. It was filled with the Friday dance clubbers. Techno blasting through the club doors into the streets. Big hair, ciggies and lots of heels. Right out of the 80's. At 2am the streets were more mobbed then ever. People still having dinner in the Plaza with lights and heat lamps. Does anyone sleep in this country?
Saturday we secured our car for when we return from Seville and begin the driving portion of this adventure. It was sunny and 70 so we were able to have a bite and a beer outside on the streets. A place called El Brilliente - Amanda and I ate there a few times. Same cranky waiter doing a drive by order and slamming your cerveza and food down on a table the size of a postage stamp. Part of the charm... Jud claimed he was not hungry but when they brought the grilled pork with melting manchego on a fresh baguette slathered with olive oil...he could not resist. Then we toured the Royal Palace. 2200 rooms of which only 24 are permitted to be seen. A gaudy monstrosity. One of the rooms was completely made out of porcelain. The King and Queens bedrooms were in separate wings. Hows that work?
Then the afternoon fun began. Wandering aimlessly back towards our hotel. Really had no idea where we were but kept following the narrow zig zagging streets stopping for a tapas and drinks along the way. Jud finally got to witness the 'let's order a glass of wine and the waiter brings the whole bottle and puts it on your table'. So, what you do? You drink the bottle!
We were up and out early this morning (I think it's Sunday) and now on the Ave train to Seville. Ave is a high speed mag lev train that will go about 200mph. I wish this iPad had a camera so I could take his picture. Face pressed up against the window like a little kid.....he likes the castles.
Seville was one of my favorite places. Very Don Juan like - flamenco dancing, Spanish guitar players in the streets, beautiful cathedrals and the bull ring.
Spain is full of little details which immediately catch your attention. It's incredibly clean. No trash and virtually no street people. Policia everywhere - cars, bikes and motorcycles - driving on the sidewalk if they want to. Every bill comes on a plate. Coffee spoons are tiny and used specifically for coffee. Every table has a cloth and water is often served in a wine glass Everyone drinks cerveza at all times of day - even for breakfast. The ladies are dressed to the 9's all day at every age and they are up late eating and drinking. The pharmacy is still open at midnight with their doors wide open. The bathroom lights come on automatically -but if you are in there long enough, they turn off. Good thing there are pictures of girls and boys on the bathroom doors cause you would never know which one to pick. And frankly, no one seems to care who uses what anyway. You order a drink, you get a free tapas. One could make it through the day virtually paying for no food but you would be sh$t faced.
Most doors open opposite of what we think they would do. I'm pushing when I should be pulling.
I've learned a few more words and phrases by accident. No bueno salida. No good exit. I manage to find myself trying to exit where you can only enter. Seems to be a big no no here!
Gotta go. We are almost there and I'm getting a little woozy writing and going backwards at 200 mph!
Sent from my iPad
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