Tag: spain

Madrid 2025 – last post

by ginnyinshanghai

Concluding our 2025 Spain trip was sad, but looking back over these photos – we had some great times, saw interesting sites and undoubtedly had awesome food experiences. Let’s wrap this up!

One of our stops was at Point Zero in Madrid, found in one of their most famous spaces – Puerta del Sol, in front of the Government of Madrid Community. The ‘point zero’ tradition comes from the Roman Empire, dating back to the time of Augustus, the first emperor of Rome. Remember ‘All roads lead to Rome’. And I discovered it almost matches the authentic center of this country.

Let’s talk some food. One afternoon we stopped in this establishment for a ‘light snack’. Sangria went nicely with the cheese & bread they brought us.

Even something that ‘mundane’ just tasted better in Spain.

Naturally a meat platter, an egg tortilla and a salad were thrown in for good measure.

We made another visit to Mercado de San Miguel. Yes, it might be filled with tourists but it was definitely worth going back for one last visit. We wandered until we found a spot where 2 or maybe 3 can sit then one goes off to bring back food.

Most of the photos below are easily identifiable. The top left was octopus – delicious!

Eric had anxiously been awaiting his dining experience in Posada de Villa Madrid.

Back in the seventeenth century there was only one Flour Mill in Madrid, which became in 1642 the first Posada de la Corte, under the protection of the Arab walls, where food and lodging were given to all travelers who arrived in Madrid. It was in 1980 when it was rescued (from disrepair) after 2 years of meticulous restoration, by an individual from Madrid to ensure the tradition continued. We were there when it opened at 7pm for our reservation.

Bread and olives started our feast.

Then the reason Eric made these reservations………………….Quarter lamb roasted in a wood oven – shared by him and Adrienne.

I ordered chicken and truth be told, all three of us could have eaten off of the lamb that evening. Their kitchen offered a cuisine prepared with dishes belonging to Castilian and Madrid gastronomy.

There were some ‘sides’ that came with the meal, but totally not necessary. What we did need…….was dessert. ha!

After eating, these Floratine cookies were brought with the check – like we needed more food. BTW – no crumb was left.

I have one more eating experience to share – cava street crawl. Although looking back at our photos, I don’t think we drank any cava. Ha!

This was our first stop. Pitchers of sangria were already made. They added some juice and ice and they were ready to serve.

This next place was s.u.p.e.r crowded. We squeezed into a spot along the bar. Really, we ‘made’ a spot for us to stand.

This third stop had an interesting twist. The hostess led us down some stairs so I assumed we would have horrible service. Not so much. Why was that? In one of the photos below – a doorbell when you needed something or someone.

It quit raining and it started getting thick. Both with people and with cars. There were people living above all the restaurants streetside. Yikes!

Last stop – we were getting full.

One last look of Cava Street before we left to crash at our rental. The colorful umbrellas drew your attention.

You may have noticed Eric was sporting a new look. Eric felt a new wool hat was needed. Once he saw the bronze plaque indicating a 100+ years existence in front of this store – he was sold, a blue wool hat was purchased.

Our last night we were able to see one of their iconic emblems fully lit. Read one of my earlier posts for why this advertisement continues to exist. 🙂

We enjoyed Spain – central and northern Spain. Food was great and expenses were not totally outrageous and our AirBNBs were well situated. We hope to be back and explore the southern parts of Spain.

Adios!

Ginny

Oviedo 2025 – post 3

by ginnyinshanghai

Let’s eat! We had a variety of food during our short stay.

This restaurant was known for their Cachopo – what? Start with Asturian Beef fillet, spread a mixture of cream cheese and a local cheese, coat it with cornmeal and egg and finally fry it at the perfect temperature.

This was big enough to feed all three of us, especially when you start with a (local) cheese platter.

As you might have noticed in the name, cider was a part of their experience. Those green bottles were everywhere!

Another stop was………………..

This was repeated several times during our stay. Of course it was VERY convenient to our rental which probably should be mentioned. 🙂 We usually arrived before they ‘officially’ started serving and they still seated us and brought something to nosh on while we waited. Eric was sold on their cider. Me, not so much. There was not a hint of sweetness to the drink. There’s no carbonation therefore holding the bottle high and a little was poured from a distance, adds something. Someone was continually stopping by to refill the glass. And yes, they don’t look at the glass when they are pouring.

Here’s a collection of the dishes we ordered. Some savory, some hearty and some sweets.

And then this short video of sizzling steak that Adrienne and Eric shared one evening.

Oviedo really was a charming town. They had a large pedestrian area nearby, great for people watching and checking out statues. Yes, they have lots and lots of statues, 100+. In the 1990s the city council initiated this open-air museum, most of which were created by local artists. It could be a scavenger hunt! We ran into a few as we strolled. Apparently there’s one for Woody Allen and it was one of the most popular. Nope, we didn’t see it nor hunt for it.

Below was the ‘Monumento a la Concordia’ a bronze sculpture of 7 figures in Carbayon Square.

‘La Pensadora’ The Thinker.

And of course, The unavoidable ‘Culis Monumentalibus’ a pair of buttocks.

Before leaving this part of Spain, we did a short road trip to Aviles – a well-preserved medieval city with one of the best-preserved Historic Centers. The nearby port played a significant role in its transformation over the centuries. The center was full of narrow streets and charming squares.

Just off the square seen above was this (dry) fountain.

Loved their faces. I’m sure there was a story………………

When these trees leaf out, it would be a great place to sit and people-watch.

Eating was part of this adventure – of course.

Since 1890 this establishment had a goal ensuring the essence of a traditional cider house continued to exist but also the dishes of traditional Asturian cuisine were served. The name came from the first family that owned it and it was managed by the family until 1954. it was again run by the family in 2005 and one of the two owners was there during our visit. Lucky for us since he helped with the language and also describing the dishes we ordered.

We started with a tasting sampler and fried sardines. The sampler I snacked on, the fried sardines – not so much.

Adrienne couldn’t resist the octopus with potatoes.

I ended up with the scrambled eggs with mushrooms and (some of the best ever) prawns.

Eric ordered a local whole fish on the recommendation of the owner. He enjoyed it.

Eric topped off his meal with rice pudding. We were too full to partake of any dessert.

This was a nice, unexpected side trip that we all enjoyed.

Ginny

Oviedo 2025 – post 2

by ginnyinshanghai

We finally made it to Oviedo. But why this city?

It is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias. The Kingdom of Asturias began in 720 after a revolt against the Muslims that had taken control over most of this peninsula. Economically, Oviedo was a poor region and largely ignored by the Muslims. Two monks in 761 founded the city to construct a small church. In the late 780s the Kings started settling in Oviedo and thus began to shape the city architecturally. Wars, uprisings and fires occurred which continued to plague further development. In the 12th – 16th centuries, Oviedo saw true development of the medieval city of which the outlines are still preserved today. Whew! That’s enough history. Let’s talk our experience.

Eric found a nice AirBNB in the heart of the city, easy walking to see the sites and it came with a parking garage & designated parking spot.

Our problem? Understanding the host’s (very detailed) directions. She sent me a PDF file, which I read, but didn’t connect all of the details and photos. Her file was 100% accurate, we just had trouble understanding it. Full honesty……………if I had gone onto the AirBNB site and looked at her photos, our frustration would have been much lower. Let’s just say this lady has the patience of a Saint. I ended up calling her and she stayed on the phone with me all the way through the process until we could park the car. She walked me down to the garage via her apartment, walked to the designated parking spot, then walked me out of the garage entrance (virtually). It was a bear. Thrown in a garage fob that had sketchy connection, and it made the job a bit harder. Had to be 30+ minutes (which Eric and Adrienne swears it was an hour) that I was on the phone with her.

This photo I found on the AirBNB site – after we got home. We couldn’t even get to this point, which led us to the upstairs apartment, which had a key box, to get inside the apartment, to get the keys we needed for the garage to park the car.

The parking spot was a bonus, a little tight for Eric and our rental car, but doable with Adrienne and myself giving guidance.

Here’s a few shots inside the apartment.

Cider is king here and Eric was excitedly looking forward to it. We had tried some earlier in the trip and there is not one bit of sweetness to the drink, very, very dry. Not going to be something that I indulged.

Even though we had that a.w.e.s.o.m.e meal for lunch, we still need some calories before going to bed. A number of restaurants were available 50 feet from the garage and we picked one. Eric tried their hearty bean dish, Adrienne wanted a tomato salad and I went with fish and frites. We were all satisfied with our selections.

It was dark when we left the restaurant to walk the long trek to our apartment (not) but it gave us a chance to see the pedestrian street in its glory.

What to do when in a historic city center after eating some breakfast? Visit their church: the Cathedral of San Salvador of Oviedo. It was founded in 781 A.D. by the King of Asturias

Originally there was plans to build twin towers, but the ended up with only one. It was not lack of funding that made this decision, but in the 1500s it was a popular solution.

The entry is imposing, as it’s meant to be.

Topped by this scene.

Let’s go inside. It was somewhat surprising there was an entrance fee of 10 euro. Most churches are free. They have a great brochure, numbered with specific stops and after scanning the QR code info was shared in a concise and informative manner – not long winded. We agreed afterwards, it was worth the 10 euro.

Those golden panels…were created in the 1500s by a Flemish artist. The facade is made of chestnut but the sculptures within are walnut, that has been gilded. They tell the story of Jesus and Mary in 23 scenes, starting at the bottom left. The central panel is dedicated to Christ the Savior.

There are a number of side chapels, but this one had some unusual artwork as part of the alter.

I’m sure these faces are there for an important message, but………a tad bit creepy.

Next we were directed upstairs to the most holy chamber. It is considered the most important surviving structure and the only thing remaining of the original medieval structure. It was built during the 9th century as a palace chapel for King Alfonso II of Asturias and the church of San Salvador of Oviedo. Apart from acting as royal chapel, the Holy Chamber was built to house the jewels and relics of the cathedral of San Salvador in Oviedo, a function it continues to have 1200 years later.  The photo below is the entrance for the two rooms.

The first room has four columns with well-preserved sculptures. Each column has two apostles positioned to talk with each other.

There are a number of interesting details at the bottom, all of which are different. Here’s an example.

It was built as a relics’ room to keep the different treasures brought from Jerusalem to Africa, and finally deposited at Oviedo.

The Shroud of Oviedo is the most notable relic of Christ’s passion kept in the Arca Santa reliquary. The bloodstained cloth or sudarium (Latin for sweat cloth) is reputed to be the cloth wrapped around the head of Jesus Christ after he died and left in the tomb folded to the side at his resurrection.

Additional internet research also indicated the following items are inside: a piece of the True Cross, pieces from the Crown of Thorns and the Holy Sepulchre and some bread from the Last Supper to name just a few.

Exciting the Holy Chamber, I noticed these sculptures on the wall above the doorway. They were part of a painting on the wall that was richly colored. Their faces are the only thing that remains.

Following the tour route it took us another flight of stairs where there were five rooms for a museum. These articles have been curated, collected, donated and purchased for historical value. Here are a few things seen.

Going back downstairs, we discovered this courtyard. There was an ancient olive tree that had stood the test of time.

A burial crypt was also seen in this courtyard.

A cloister existed for meditation.

Along with some of the oldest crypts.

Upon exiting the cathedral this archway is placed on an angle for a specific reason. It led pilgrims to the Hospital of St. John, which no longer exists.

These alcoves on the outside were deliberately left empty. These are to be a reflection of the spaces that we ourselves must fill up with our life’s work.

One last photo of the cathedral. The tower has a bell made in 1219 and is the oldest bell still actively used in Europe.

It’s time for a break in writing and a break from our church tours. This cathedral was the majority of our morning, so very interesting, so very old and so very well presented.

Ginny

Oviedo 2025 – post 1

by ginnyinshanghai

On our way out, I wanted one last photo from San Sebastian: Peine del Viento or ‘The Comb Of The Wind’. Located in the western area of San Sebastián and at the foot of Mount Igeldo, the Peine del Viento is one of the most celebrated sculptures by Basque artist Eduardo Chillida. Here are the first two sculptures.

Installed in 1977, the artwork is a series of terraces built of pink colour granite and three anchor-like iron shapes welded into rocks. This is one of the most visited places by tourists and locals, especially on stormy days, when waves pound against the cliff rocks. And this is the third sculpture.

All my photos had been from the Old Town, but here is one last shot of San Sebastian, taken near the sculptures, looking towards the beach and the Old Town.

We are headed West towards Oviedo and halfway there we started thinking about eating. Googled ‘places to eat near me’ and in 5-ish minutes, we would be near a highly-rated restaurant. Okay, let’s do it.

What’s in a name? We knew it didn’t open until 1pm and that was our arrival time. Once again, we were the first ones inside the restaurant.

Let’s just say they took pity on us and shared they could set up in a table in a side room for us. Okay. It was a set menu displayed in the entrance. Eric caught on before I did and possibly, he searched the internet while we waited.

We had walked into a Michelin Star restaurant – without a reservation and we were being seated. OMG. You might see the price above and go ‘yikes’. For foodies and for anyone wishing to eat at a Michelin star restaurant – this was a deal. We tend to look for ‘Michelin recommended restaurants’ which are less expensive but quite frankly just as good.

First to arrive was their bread, butter and marianito. We all really enjoyed the parsley butter. What was so special about it? It was just darn good and not seen before.

The foie gras curd topped with orange gelee’ arrived, complete with an ivory spoon and edible flowers on the rim. Both Adrienne and Eric reaped the benefits of my selective eating. I tried everything that was brought to the table. Some I liked (or not) and this was one that after the orange gelee was eaten, i could eat the foie gras curd underneath – not an entire cup mind you. And yes, I ate some of the flowers. 🙂

This dish we talked about several times after the visit. Several cockles were nestled amongst the green peas. The light green round items were potato-shaped garlic bombs (my word, not theirs).

Our next plate was probably the one I liked the least. The mushrooms had been formed into a ‘log’, with fried (?) garlic dough balls on the ends. I didn’t love the flavor profile but the other two enjoyed the remainder.

Okay, I knew the meat in the next dish I would eat, but somewhat hesitant about the smoked eel. Our server said it could be altered, but also shared it was a small part of the dish. I didn’t change a thing. I tried both, but let’s be real. By this time, I was getting full. Add in wine and rustic bread……………I was reaching my food intake limit.

The creativity was good, I liked the fresh farm egg yolk and the crunchy ‘chips’ which did add some flavor to the wheat rice. The other two were starting to be selective when finishing their dishes as we still had more to come.

I enjoy mullet but never been served with it roasted. The cauliflower and sauce was interesting. I had plenty to share.

The beef was very tasty and I enjoyed the ghnocchi. Again, I had plenty to share with the other two. We made it through all of the courses. I am truly stuffed.

Two different dessert options were available so naturally between the three of us, we got to try both. Their homemade ‘torrija’ was the clear winner. I enjoyed my coffee brownie with the two different types of ice creams, but the other was perfect.

To top off the meal (like we really needed more food – LOL) coffee and petit fours (Yuzu, passionfruit, jellied red fruits and white chocolate arrived for each of us.

After the meal was concluded, our server took us over the other side of the building. The main dining room looks out over the valley, but more importantly, there were two open kitchens where all the food was being prepared (same menu) and part of their experience. Really, it was the only difference between the two eating spots.

Speaking of views………………

Behind the restaurant was a vineyard.

Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.

Before writing this, i looked at the website for Eneko. Oh my goodness. They shared the timeline of their restaurants.

~2005, first restaurant opens here, Azurmendi

~2007, first Michelin Star

~2010, second Michelin Star

~2012, third Michelin Star

~2013 thru 2016, numerous awards and Azumendi opens in Thailand, chef selected to form group of European’s Young Leaders

~2017, opening of Eneko at this location, earned Michelin Star, also opened in Tokyo

~2018 thru 2020, earns number of sustainability awards

~2021 thru 2024, opens restaurants in Seville, Madrid (2) and Bilboa, Chef Eneka Axta wins Vanitatus Chef of the Year

I have to end this post here. The remainder of our drive to Oviedo, pales in comparison. The adventure will continue in the next post.

Ginny

San Sebastian 2025 – post 4

by ginnyinshanghai

Our last day in the city and we made the most of it. We found a little market and bought cheese (for Eric) and bread (for myself) which I used for toast the next several days – yummy.

The beach along the bay had different activity this morning – sports.

Our goal today was the San Sebastian Cathedral as it is commonly referred to or the full name is Cathedral of the Good Shepherd of San Sebastian.

Its construction took place in the last years of the 19th century in a Neo-Gothic style. One of the most astonishing features of this cathedral is the bell tower, standing at 75 meters and is one of the tallest points in San Sebastian.

Once inside, it is imposing.

One of the first chapels on the right held this clock. I haven’t seen one of those spaces dedicated in this way.

naturally there a multitude of stained glass windows.

I discovered another set of windows with this anchor, undoubtedly closely linked to the people of San Sebastian.

One of the highly ornamented chapels:

Lately I’ve started noticing the columns of these churches and all of the extra ornamentation. Always someone watchng the congregation – be it person or beast.

As we were leaving the building and area, the bells started ringing.

One thing I discovered on the internet about the Cathedral I found interesting. They have a subterranean pumping machine in their basement to prevent flooding in San Sebastian. The presence of this underground infrastructure demonstrates the historical significance of the cathedral in the city and its ability to adapt to the community’s needs. They are intertwined amongst crucial moments of Spanish history. During the Spanish Civil War, the cathedral as a field hospital.

A number of hours had passed since our food tour the previous night and it was time for mourishment. Eric wanted a repeat from an earlier foray – pig ear.

He was happy with his selection, and I ate another braised beef cheek – such a hardship, not!

We revisted the place with the ‘potato salad’ and saw another pintxos being prepared – we wanted one. Tomatoes with tuna – delicious!

Another stop at the Oyster place, which I discovered I never got a photo of the outside. We were there so much, the guy recognized us – by us, I mean Eric and Adrienne.

Believe it or not, we were trying to hold back. We had dinner reservations at a seafood restaurant tonight and wanted to go with a (semi) empty stomach.

It was a good restaurant. I wouldn’t call it fantastic, but with so much food and michelin stars around, what is ‘good’ is relative. There were a few reasons Eric wanted to eat here. First were the barnacles. It would be a first for Eric and truthfully, there’s not many new things he hasn’t tasted.

Okay, interesting. We asked the best way to get to the meat and a manager came over to show us. Don’t think I mentioned, we were the only ones in the restaurant. Our reservation was when it opened – which is way too early for locals to eat. Actually, they did seat us and let us order wine before they opened and we could order.

Back to the barnacles. Did I eat them? Yes, and here’s proof.

The had a special item on their menu that we got for sharing. Crab was the main component. It was okay. Truth be told, I would have rather eaten more of the barnacles.

Here is the second reason Eric wanted to eat here……………………Turbot. First, they brought out the uncooked fish, sharing its weight and cost. Yes, they wanted it. I say ‘they’ as this is a dish for two. Adrienne was all in and wanted to be part of the ‘two’.

It was served table-side.

What did I eat? Shrimp and frites. Both were good.

This was to be our last night in San Sebastian.

We packed and cleaned up the apartment, basically pulling together our recyclables and items to throw away. In the morning, drinking our coffee, we heard clapping. Looked outside our window and saw this.

A few minutes later, groups of runners arrived.

The photos were taken from our apartment – a great locaiton by the way for eating and walking. We hope to be back to San Sebastian for more food adventures.

Ginny

San Sebastian 2025 – post 3

by ginnyinshanghai

After visiting the church, we explored the city and nearby harbor. It was a gorgeous sunny day.

We could see a kayak slicing through the water, and waaaaaay in the distance was a swimmer. OMG – the water was cold.

There was a staircase, leading down into the water. Naturally it needed investigation. Hmmm, what was Adrienne taking a photo of? Oysters and barnacles on the framework, of course.

Then these two gentleman walked past us – definitely looking like they were heading into the water. Yep, that was where they were going. Unfortunately, the gentleman with the black swim shorts changed while standing and it took me a second to see that he was naked and putting on his swimming attire. That second – I saw way too much. Really? Really! Eric said the look on my face was priceless.

City Hall was along the waterfront………….

……….along with a small park for kids to play in and others to set on benches to people-watch. I wandered over to these trees and noticed some were using screws to keep them from splitting apart. Interesting. Looks like they need some maintenance as one of the screws wasn’t doing much good.

Continuing our walk along the promenade, we came across these sand designs when looking over the railing.

But then we saw a sand artist at work.

The finished design:

And just in case one wanted to contribute to his cause……….Adrienne dropped a coin, but missed the sheet. Wop wop. You could also see the tools he utilized for his masterpiece – three rakes.

All this walking called for a bit of lunch. Instead of ordering some tapas and standing around table tops, we were looking more for a restaurant – and found Bardulia.

Iberian ham, roasted peppers, frites and veal cheeks. Enough to make us through until tonight’s adventure – a highly-rated food tour.

Walking through the town, they had some spring flowers in full bloom. We never see tulips in Florida and several beds were planted with them. Pansies were mixed in the same bed.

Also found this candy-stripe tulip.

Always drawn to purple flowers.

But let’s talk about one of the absolute highlights of our time in San Sebastian – a food tour. Not just any food tour, but one that has a 5-star rating after 574 reviews – that is nothing short of amazing……..and so was our tour.

We met our tour guide, Eski, a few blocks from our apartment and after some introductions, food likes/dislikes we were on our way. One thing extra special………we were the only ones on her tour that evening. That’s what happens when you visit a place in the off-season – which was perfect for us. 🙂

Our first stop was:

We learned the proper way to pour cider, which gives it some body and carbonation. This cider is not sweet at all. Eski provided the demonstration.

Then we all got to try it.

Since we are good with tasting and sharing food, every place we stopped, we got to try different things based upon our likes. We got scallops, braised beef and didn’t get a photo of the third item. 😦

Next stop:

I had a potato dish, similar to potato salad that was f.a.n.t.a.s.t.i.c. Throughout the remainder of our trip in Spain, when possible, we ordered it again. We’ve looked up the recipe so we’re expecting Eric to recreate it once we get home. The other two items were fried shrimp and a fried sardine.

We could also choose our drink at each of the stops. This time we all had local white wine.

Eski was quick to pivot on our tour to either expand our culinary options or find better choices. This next stop was a favorite of Eric’s.

It was all about the foie gras for those two while I had the grilled oyster mushrooms.

We were not done yet, we still had two more stops.

As we walked into this establishment, we were greeted like family and brought back to a table in the back. We either got a hug, or a kiss on our hand by the owner? Father of the owner? Didn’t matter, he was a real charmer. Our guide is well-known and has a fabulous reputation. She holds every place we stopped to a high standard. Here we had croquettes, octopus and Iberian ham.

By this time, I was done eating. It was way too much food for me. Add to the fact the tour was an evening tour and all that food would be sitting on my stomach. I had already switched to drinking water at this point.

Eric and Adrienne had been at our last stop the previous day and was underwhelmed by their pintxos.

She ordered two of the same ones and because the owners know her, they make her pintxos fresh. Oh, what a difference in taste – according to Eric and Adrienne. What were they? Truth be told, I don’t know. I was ready for bed and fading. Stuffed pepper? Salmon?

Looking back on our experience………..it was a great tour. Here is the review that Eric left and I couldn’t agree more.

She had a chance to respond:

We do hope to be back. We enjoyed San Sebastian and all the food it offered.

Ginny

Oops, had to add one more photo – our group from the tour.

San Sebastian 2025 – post 2

by ginnyinshanghai

Basilica of Saint Mary of the Chorus

Walking into this basilica was bearing witness to 800 years of history. It is one of the most ancient sites in the city. Various temples have been erected here since the 12th century. The current building was finished in 1774 during a period of prosperity.

The high altar grabs your attention upon entry.

The painting at the top of the above photo is saint Sebastian. This one was installed in 1819 after the previous painting vanished in 1813.

The selection of saints on the alter were all martyrs, aimed at exalting the sacrifice of one’s own life in the name of religious beliefs. Yikes!

The gold centerpiece is the ‘Lady of the Chorus Virgin’ that attracts the biggest devotion. This icon has not ways been located in the high alter, but in the chorus of the church. It has been here the last 250 years, but the iconography seems to track it back to the 16th century Italy. There is a festival in September devoted to her.

Twin altars flank the high alter. The one pictured below is Saint Barbara which is the patron saint of the artillery.

Three additional alters were in this basicilica, with identical architectural design but accomodate different saints and what they are associated with. Some are associated with the sea, , merchants & tailors and fishermen.

All the detailing just astounds me. Especially when you hear when these things were made and the hardship those not of nobility existed within. Even looking up high, figures are carved into the pillars. Someone was always looking at you when you attended church.

Speaking of looking up, captured a photo of the ceiling. The design is stunning but thinking back to other ‘fine’ ceilings we have seen on this trip, they are somewhat plain.

We could only see a portion of the organ as they are in the midst of collecting funds for restoration. An organ existed prior to 1860, but no information had been found. The City Countil found renewed energy in the mid-1800s to fund this one.

They created a museum next to the sanctuary and it was open. They have collected items in the surrounding communities that were utilized in the past. Some were in better shape than others as they had been put to daily use in their houses and barns. It was an interesting collection.

I would have enjoyed listening to their organ, but the next time would be on their Sunday service at 11:30am – the day of our departure. Concerts are held regularly, and the music creates a ‘magical’ atmosphere inside the temple.

I really enjoyed walking and looking through this building and reading about all of the symbolism. My last photo is another of the facade. It has prolific decoration and marked theatrics as opposed to the simplicity and minimal ornamentation spread throughout the rest of the outside facade.

The center glorifies the Lady of the Chorus, flanked by her parents as she in turn looks up to the Heaven.

And above it all, is a statue of Saint Sebastian.

If you ever make it to this city…………..take a moment, step inside and soak in the ambience, history and symbolism.

Ginny

San Sebastian 2025 – Post 1

by ginnyinshanghai

I mentioned in the previous post, we were going to hit a few other cities. Our next stop is going to be San Sebastian. But first, we rented a car so it was back to the airport. There was a little mix-up with our rental car reservation, but after some time on the phone with the original agent…….we were able to get a car.

It’s approximately four hours to drive to San Sebastian, not including a stop for lunch. We got a bit hungry and pulled off for a restaurant that the internet showed was open for lunch. No such luck. Actually, we walked most of the town and all of the (few) places to eat were shuttered closed, not opening until 4pm. We poked our heads into an open butcher/charcutier place and the owner said he could make us some ham sandwiches, in ten minutes. Sold! We picked up a bag of ruffles chips, some sodas and our hunger was satisfied. Actually, they were pretty darn good sandwiches.

And before you know it……………….

But why San Sebastian? It is in Basque country, and lies on the coast of Bay of Biscay, twelve miles from the Spain/France border.

The first evidence of stationary human presence dates to 22,000 BC. There were Roman settlements around 200 AD. No written records are known until 1014, a monastery. The area has been conquered, destroyed, rebuilt, burnt to the ground with periods of instability and war.

San Sebastian was one of the earliest towns hit by the 1918 Influenza epidemic. Poverty, famine, repression and smuggling all had a part here. This town didn’t seem to have a chance, but yet it is thriving now.

So again, why visit? San Sebastian is renowned for its Basque cuisine. The city and the surrounding area is home to a high concentration of restaurants with Michelin stars.

The city is also known for its pintxos (small plate dishes similar to tapas) which are found along the streets of the Old Town. That is why we are here!

We are staying in the ‘old town’ of San Sebastian. We are one block down from #8, Basilica de Santa Maria del Coro. Definitely in the center of the old town.

It is a pedestrian zone so after parking underground, we walked to #13. Adrienne was pointing to her bedroom.

A short tour of our apartment for the next several days:

Did a quick unpacking them headed out for some pintoxs. Eric had done his homework and had downloaded a map. First stop – patatas bravas, basically cubed potatoes. What makes this establishment’s dish special is the three sauces on top. I love me some sauces. Add in some sangria and we were good to go.

Next up, Atari for braised beef cheeks and seared foie gras. Loved the mashed potatoes under the beef cheek. They said the foie gras was the best they had eaten (and they have tasted a lot).

Two more stops before I called it a night. Right after we got in, they got inundated with locals, so we only tried the risotto.

Next door was a place specializing in seafood, but what caught Eric’s eye was the oysters.

A few skewers of food were ordered with the octopus on the right my choice. The other two skewers were ‘The Original Basque Pintxo – Spanish Gildas’.

What makes the skewers (anchovy, peppers and olive) on the left special? It can be categorized as the first ever Basque pintxo. Its strong, salty and pickled flavor bursts in your mouth like no other. The trick is to eat it all at once. They accepted and mastered the challenge.

Next up? Bedtime for me. After escorting me back to our place, they went back out for me food and drink. I’m not really sure who was watching out for each other. Ha!

Ginny

Madrid 2025 – post 5

by ginnyinshanghai

Mercado = Markets

When we were at Barcelona several years ago, we stopped at markets that not only had produce for purchase but also places to eat inside the market. We loved that! If possible, we definitely stop at those places for eating. One of the best reasons the three of us enjoy these………we can each order the type of food we desire and are not limited to one restaurant’s menu.

We’ve already hit one such market in Madrid, but we have found several more. Let’s start with Mercado San Ildefonso.

They are billed as the first street food market in Spain inspired by the street food markets of London, Singapore and New York. Opening in 2014 it’s near where the traditional food market was located until 1970 when that was demolished

It offers 18 stalls and three drink bars on three floors devoted to different gourmet products. There are no boxes of vegetables, no fresh fish or meat to take home but an establishment to take a break during a shopping day or meet friends after work.

Enough talk, let’s see the food. I ordered the chicken skewers and fries.

Eric ordered a few things to share:

We enjoyed our meal, but so far, the first market we visited on Day 1 beats this.

We were splitting our vacation between three cities in Spain and before taking off to northern Spain, we wanted to stop at Mercado de san Miguel. We had been told that this was mainly a tourist market that locals no longer visit. Well, we’re tourists. Let’s go!

This market is a monument to Spanish cuisine located in the heart of Madrid. They welcome more than 7 million visitors each year. 100+ years have passed since this was inaugurated as a food market. This historic building allows visitors to take a tour of the flavors from each of the corners of Spain.

You know what? It was full of tourists – but we enjoyed it. 🙂 It had a ‘vibe’ going and after finding seats……it was a fun experience. People were continually moving around so after finding a table spot for the three of us – we were set.

Mostly I sat at our spot, trying to keep our stools, but upon occasion, I left them and did some exploring on my own inside the market.

Let me show you some of the vendors I came across. Perfect little sausages to pop in your mouth with their own holder.

Always enjoy a good fish display.

Several different types of paella.

First time seeing octopus on skewers.

There were a few stalls that had oysters, all from France.

Having the little figures in front of their cheese displays made it much easier to decipher the beginning ingredient of their displayed cheese.

There was at least one vendor that had sweets after you finished your savory choices. A great way to top off your meal – just saying.

But what did we eat? Let’s see………………

Oysters from two different vendors.

Octopus, very tasty and not chewy at all.

One of the last dishes was the paella with the squid ink. It turned your tongue black.

But we ultimately finished with Ibersian ham (of course) with nuts and crackers.

Yes, we can say the place was full of tourists but I would still recommend anyone visiting Madrid to stop by and pick up some goodies. We would definitely stop by again.

Ginny

Madrid 2025 – post 4

by ginnyinshanghai

We did some historic sites while in Madrid. One such site was the Royal Palace of Madrid.

It is the official royal residence of the Spanish royal family, although now only used for state ceremonies. The palace has 1,450,000 sq foot of floor space and contains 3418 rooms, making it the largest royal palace in Europe. Versailles is bigger, if you count the gardens.

If the Spanish king is in the building, a second flag would be flown.

The palace is on the site of a by-gone Muslin era fortress constructed in the 9th century. While there had been a number of expansions and alterations through the years, the palace burned down in 1734. A new palace was built from scratch on the same site beginning in 1738.

The grand staircase is composed of a single piece of San Augustin marble and upon reaching tyhe top stair, turning around you are greeted with this imposing site.

A close-up of their coat of arms…..

Carved lions guard the statue on both sides.

The frescos on the wall above the grand staircase depicts Religion protected by Spain. Everyone room had fantastic murals on the ceilings. It really was almost too much to take in. One could not absorb the beauty of the palace.

There is so much opulence that after a while the only difference is the overriding color in each room. We saw the King’s chambers, then the queen’s chambers. Clocks were a thing to be collected so I included a gallery of (some) of the numerous clocks we encountered.

The chandeliers were amazing, some rooms having more than one. Here’s a small gallery.

The banquet room was also imposing.

Which led us to their ‘pantry’ highlighting some of their porcelain and silver serving pieces.

The throne room and jewel room were equally imposing.

We enjoyed the tour, especially the part where we got to ‘skip’ the line with our tour guide.

Next door is the Almudena Cathedral, I mean, literally right next door from the Royal Palace. It is the Catholic cathedral in Madrid and the seat of the archdiocese of Madrid. It seems to have been built on the site of a medieval mosque that was destroyed in 1083. The statue is a moument to Pope John Paul II.

These doors were extremely tall. Hard to see that in my photo, but maybe you can guess the scale from the photo above.

It was started in 1883 but not completed until 1993 so it is a ‘newer’ church, with some modern touches. This was evident in the stained glass windows.

While no service was occurring, there was someone playing their organ. The organ was installed in 1999 after being made in Barcelona.

Since that doesn’t happen very often, I included a short video – which also gives a wider perspective of this modern church.

I totally loved the ceilings, they were so colorful and unexpected but inspired by Moorish designs. Here is the nave and the area above the pulpit.

Such amazing colors.

The Cathedral Crypt can be accessed via the Cathedral or a door along the side of the building, which is how we entered.

It is the largest crypt in Spain and completed in 1911. The chapels inside contain the tombs of important 19th century families.

This was the first time we have seen flowers on the crypts. Once you look at the dates, then you truly realize this was much younger than most other crypts we have visited in Europe. For those, no family members are around to place flowers.

Some visitors feel the crypt is more beautiful than the cathedral and in some respects more well decorated. There are five naves and 20 chapels. The number of columns with trees, plants and flowers was amazing.

Typically, I enjoy the really old churches, cathedrals and basilicas more than the modern ones, but exploring both of these buildings was a nice juxtaposition of architedture.

We need more food!

Ginny