Day: December 7, 2025

Off To Visit the Baby, Madrid 2025 Day #4. “The Bitter and the Sweet”

by reissmd, posted in Madrid

Last night we had an incredible meal.  We ate at El Pimiento Verde (Calle de Lagasca, 43).  We had been there before, but to be frank I didn’t remember how good it was.  Patrice and I enjoyed the monkfish (in Spanish it has the unenviable name of “Rape”).    This might have been the best fish I’ve ever eaten.  David and Erica each had the filet mignon. We all shared the artichoke which too was probably the best artichoke I have ever eaten.  They also supplied us with delicious bread, a palate cleansing broth to drink, and yummy croquets.  If that wasn’t enough we shared a baked apple with ice cream for dessert.  Oh my God I’m getting full just writing this.  I need to take a break from writing because it’s time for breakfast. 

Monkfish (Rape) with potatoes. The before picture.
And after. A thumbs up from David.

Earlier in the evening Erica took us to the “Repair Cafe”. At this location some very smart people get together and share their great minds repairing items. So if you have a hair dryer, coffee maker, or some other device that is not working properly, you can bring it to the Repair Cafe and get it fixed for free or a small donation of your chosing. So instead of an appliance being added to the waste of the world it is brought back from the dead and the owner and society both profit. David was working on a hair straightening iron. I was totally amazed by his ability. He was explaining to Erica what he was doing and I was trying (I emphasize trying) to follow along. My only thought was, “Could this genius really be my son?”

Last night was bitter sweet in that we had a wonderful time with the kids but this morning it was time for David to return home.  I can’t feel too sad because we will see him again in a couple of weeks.

Today we met up with Erica and went to El Rastro, an open air market that is open every Sunday.  If you love crowds and buying junk that you don’t need this is your place. 

For example, we traveled about 5,800 miles to get here, shouldn’t I go home with a Lebron James jersey?  

A vintage jersey from when he was with the Cleveland Caviliers.

I offered to buy this for Patrice. See below.

She was very considerate of my sleep and financial well being when she said “Dream on! Save your money”.

The Rastro offers tables for people to eat while shopping. See below.

Don’t you just want to dig in when your food has been hanging out on a trash can?

If the latest in tech hardware is your area of interest then you might want this offering. See below.

I asked the salesperson what this was and he said, “Un momento, necesito preguntarle a mi padre” (One moment, I need to ask my father).

Here is a “must have” item. See below.

Wouldn’t a used beard trimmer fill out your bathroom drawer?

In addition to the hoards of people, the place was very clean. Just look, as this woman adds one more item on top of this trash can (or should I say lunch table?). 

If you are a long time follower of this blog, you know we are NOT in Japan.

After an hour or so at El Rastro it was time to eat.  Today we dined at Casa Erica.   She made us a luscious seafood salad.  She was very kind, making sure that her dog didn’t lick me during lunch. Unfortunately after lunch I became too much for the doggie to resist. I know there are a lot of dog lovers out there but if I am going to get licked by a female I want her to have 2 legs, not 4.

At night Erica took us to La Parcería (the partnership).  It’s a cultural organization formed by Brazilians and Columbians.   We saw men and women dancing, accompanied by 2 percussionists and a singer. They were very energetic, very entertaining, but too loud for my gentle ears.

After the show we shared a quick bite at a local bar. In Spain, restaurants are referred to as bars. We shared “Huevos Rotos” which means broken eggs. See below.

They weren’t broken when we received them but they were soon after this picture was taken.

I need to get to sleep now because we have lots of big plans for tomorrow. I would tell you what’s going on but the truth is I have no idea.

Hasta mañana.

Off To Visit the Baby, Madrid 2025 Day #3. “Another Great Day With Our Kids”

by reissmd, posted in Madrid

Last night we had a wonderful dinner.  We ate at El Valle (Calle de Sebastián Herrera, 6  Madrid, Spain).  It only gets a 3.6 on Trip Advisor but this was our second time visiting this restaurant and we give it 5 stars.  Clearly Reiss Travel Blog is about to surpass Trip Advisor with users.  The food was excellent.  We had a Turbot that fed all 4 of us.  The food was very good and the waiter deboned the fish (not all bones were gone, so be careful when swallowing). Last time we were here the server did the deboning at our table which provided a wonderful show.  This time it was done out of sight.  The service was good except for one of the busboys spilling our water (which we paid for) and then he planned to just put a small towel over the wet area that encompassed almost half our eating space.  We convinced him to change the table cloth instead.  In addition to the turbot we had a side order of potatoes (that came with the fish) and appetizers of calamari and croquettes.  They gave us a complementary after dinner drink called Crema de Orujo which was a lot like Bailey’s.  Then we shared a Tart de Santiago (almond cake) for dessert.  It was a wonderful meal. Following dinner we hung out at the hotel for a while and then it was off to bed. 

The Turbot before deboning.
Turbot after deboning and ready to eat.

I slept in this morning and got us off to a late start.  Erica gave us instructions on how to take the bus to her place.  I love learning how to get around town with local transportation.  I did a great job, turning a 16 minute walk into a 20 minute bus trip. 

For breakfast Erica took us to a local place which was one of the few places that were open because today is Constitution day (December 6) a holiday in Spain.  The place had seating inside and out. It is not horribly cold so we might have chosen to sit outside but outside there are frequently smokers nearby.  We were told there was only one table inside that would seat the four of us.  They said we could have the table ONLY if we promised to vacate by 3 pm.  We were told this at 11:30 AM.  I LOVE SPAIN. 

We then strolled around the town seeing the opera house, Plaza España, Cervantes statue, Sol, and something I’d must have walked by numerous times but never seen before, Raton Perez (known by locals as the “Tooth Fairy”).

Don Quixote in front, his sidekick Sancho Panza, at his side, and their creator, Miguel de Cervantes.
Raton Perez, aka “The Tooth Fairy”
Outside the building we saw where Raton Perez enters and exits the building

We did a fair amount of walking today (obviously I am feeling guilty for not exercising on the treadmill) so this deserved a little treat (oops, need to get back on the treadmill) so we went to the famous Chocolatería San Ginés There we had churros and Spanish style hot chocolate. The hot chocolate is more like a dipping sauce.  It was divine.  

Churros and Hot Chocolate from Chocolatería San Ginés.

We need to go back to the hotel to rest before our next activities.  Maybe I will go to the fitness center and work out (who am I trying to kid?). Speak to you tomorrow.

Adiós