Category: Madrid

Off To Visit the Baby, Madrid 2025 Day #6. “Let’s Go Look For an Apartment”

by reissmd, posted in Madrid

We spent the morning looking for an apartment for Erica.  In Spain they don’t have an MLS system where everyone lists their properties for sale.  To the contrary, each realtor has their own listings and the real estate agent represents both the buyer and seller.  So if you are looking to buy a property you need to register with multiple agencies.  This seems like a system in the need of a computer genius and a salesperson.  We did find one apartment to look at this morning.  It seemed old and expensive. From what we were told it’s a seller’s market.  Always seems like it’s a seller’s market until you want to sell. 

After leaving the apartment we went to lunch at Arrocería Imperial.  They specialize in rice dishes. We were accompanied by Erica’s friend Sofi (pronounced like Sophie not like So Fi Stadium).  The four of us shared two dishes. They were both very good but if you aren’t into rice meals this might not be the place for you.  You could tell this was a high class place because the toilet in the bathroom had a toilet seat.  I needed to find the toilet because the urinal was too high for use by a mortal male.  The bottom of the urinal came to my mid thigh.  Granted I’m not the tallest man in the world but I wouldn’t describe myself as short.  I opted for the toilet because the urinal would have required me to aim up at about 45º in order to clear the edge.  That would have been fine but it would have made for an interesting finale. 

I would tell you what this is but I don’t remember.
This was called, “It tastes good but it is a lot of work to eat”.

And or course we couldn’t leave without……………. see below.

Some more Crema de Orujo. “Patrice, look for a 12 step program! Not now, let’s wait until we return home.”

After lunch we visited another apartment.  This place was very interesting  in that after entering, the first room you encounter is a bathroom on the right.  The second room is another bathroom on the right.  That means that if you need to get up at night to use the bathroom you need to bypass much of the apartment in order to get to one of the two bathrooms.  We will continue the search tomorrow. 

After a rest back at the hotel (at which point my step count was 15,514) we headed to dinner.  We went to La Oveja Negra (The Black Sheep), a vegan  restaurant for dinner.  The chef (head honcho) is Sofi, Erica’s friend from this morning.  We had a wonderful meal and then headed back to the hotel. 

Leek Soup. Very yummy.
Vegan Milanesa, also very good.
Sofi, Erica, Famous Blogger, Patrice.

Final step count 18,743.

Adios

Off To Visit the Baby, Madrid 2025 Day #5. “A Day of Rest”

by reissmd, posted in Madrid

Today is a holiday in Spain. December 8th is the Day of the Immaculate Conception.  In a Catholic country this is obviously a big deal and pretty much everything thing in town was closed so we spent the day chilling out.  Erica perused the web for a possible apartment to buy (tear, tear, she’s not coming back to be with mommy and daddy).  Patrice went to the fitness room to work out.  I sat here thinking what it would take to be a full time blogger. 

The thought of blogging full time seemed quite attractive to me since it would give me a reason to wake up and get out of bed each day and I could get paid to travel.  So we did some research to see what it takes to earn a living as a blogger.  I read that quality over quantity can make for a profitable blog.  A blogger can do quite well with as little as 1,000 followers.  That being said, in view of the quality of my posts I will be needing at least a million followers.  

Another key concept is to know your niche.  I clearly know my niche but unfortunately it’s only things that I find interesting (Patrice here, took him this long to figure that out?). 

Apparently to make real money on a blog you have use product placement in your photos.  That’s like selling yourself to the devil.  Clearly something I’d never do.  That reminds me Patrice took this candid shot of me the other day.  Don’t you think it’s very flattering?

I just happen to have those things on the table when she shot the picture. I would never resort to product placement to earn a buck. Hey General Mills, please notice the box of Cheerios!

After a lot of chill time we decided to go out for a walk and meet up with an old friend.  In 2008, I visited Spain and took a Spanish class when I was here.  One of my teachers was Angelica.  During class I mentioned that I was from California and she said she would be going to California soon.  I told her to come stay with me.  She warned “Don’t say that because I will.”  Well she came to LA and stayed at our house and we have been friends ever since.  Every time I would travel to Spain she would help me make plans.  I have affectionally referred to her as my Spanish mother.  She is significantly younger than me so for her to be my mama that is a real case of Immaculate Conception. 

Patrice, Erica and I met Angelica at a local cafe to have some coffee and talk.  The coffee was delicious and the conversation even better.  I always feel so wonderful seeing her.  She is a wonderful mama but even more importantly she is a regular follower of the blog making me an International sensation.  I consider 1 follower in Spain a sensation.

Patrice had tea.  They brought it with a timer instructing her not to pour it until the 5 minute timer completed.  See below.

Notice the 1, 3, and 5, minute timers.

Erica and Angelica had specialty coffees. See below. 

Barraquito (Left): sweetened condensed milk, milk, espresso, foam, and a slice of lemon soaked in liquor.
Mocca (Right): chocolate syrup, milk, espresso, foam.
Chocolate chip cookie in the center

I had a café con leche as usual. Boring but pretty. See below.

A quick selfie with Patrice, Erica, Angelica, and me prior to parting.

After leaving Angelica we headed to an Indian restaurant close to our hotel for dinner.  The food was superb and I strongly recommend you try Atocha Tandoori located at Paseo de Santa Maria de la Cabeza, 27.  Sorry, no pictures of the food but I did get a picture of the aperitifs they served after the meal.  See below.

Patrice had the mango puree with yogurt. Erica and I had the Crema de Orujo.

Those who know me are aware that I am a non-drinker.  Tonight was the 4th time I have had a Crema de Orujo on this trip.  I might need a 12 step program when I get back. 

Adios

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 

Off To Visit the Baby, Madrid 2025 Day#2. “We Get to See a Celebrity Today”

by reissmd, posted in Madrid

Any of you parents out there will be able understand why today was so wonderful.  Erica met us at the hotel after breakfast and then it was off to visit the Irish Embassy where she works as the Executive Assistant to the Irish Ambassador to Spain.   And if you don’t know how much I enjoyed writing that sentence or telling it to anyone who will listen then you definitely are not a parent.   When we planned this trip I asked Erica if we could meet the Ambassador and she said definitely.  I asked, how she could be so sure and her answer was “I make his schedule.  Hmmm, Friday December 5th, 11:00 AM: Meet my parents.  There, it’s done”.  If you don’t think that put me in parent ecstasy you are out of touch with reality.   

Meeting Ambassador Brian Glynn was a real treat.  As expected this career diplomat was very diplomatic and said all the things we wanted to hear about our daughter.  We also spoke about world affairs.  He had viewpoints about Ireland, Britain, and the United States that were spell-binding. In addition he gave me a chance to show him a few of my magic tricks.  I was amazed by how much time he devoted to us.  Mr. Glynn is a very impressive person who speaks 6 languages.  That reminds me of a joke you’ve probably already heard.  A person who speaks 3 languages is “trilingual”, someone who speaks 2 languages is “bilingual” and someone who speaks one language is of course an “American”.  

Irish Ambassador to Spain, Brian Glynn, yours truly (aka Proud Papa), Patrice (aka Proud Mama), and Erica (Executive Assistant to the Ambassador).

After leaving the ambassador we stopped for a quick snack.  I was feeling a bit guilty about not exercising so I decided to work out while eating.  See below.  

I guess I was lying when I vowed to never get on a bike again.

We bought our treats at a local market. Here are a couple of pictures from the market.

Poor little piggies hanging in the market.

If that isn’t enough to make you give up meat try looking at this picture.

Poor little piglets.

Then it was off to meet a celebrity.  Wait, did you think I meant Brian Glynn when I wrote about meeting a celebrity?   Absolutely not!  A very prominent and respected software engineer has been in London working on a project and is traveling through Madrid on his way home.   Yes, our son, David made it to Spain.   How lucky we are.  We met David at the airport and cautioned him to try hard to carry on his luggage and avoid the problem we had.  The 1500 steps to baggage claim is another matter but some exercise is actually a good thing.  Unfortunately David was not allowed to carry on his small bag but luckily his wait at baggage claim was a lot shorter than ours.

It was great having 2 of our 3 children with us.  We visited the Museo Arqueológico Nacional and saw some fascinating  exhibits some dating back to about 500-600 BC. 

Patrice and me with 2 of our 3 wonderful children.

That is going to have to be enough for now because we are off to dinner.

Adiós

Off To Visit the Baby, Madrid 2025 Day#1. “The Joys of Travel”

by reissmd, posted in Madrid

We got off to an early start to LAX today, thanks to our good friend Mike.  He has frequently volunteered to give us a ride to the airport and I think it is mostly because he feels guilty about kicking my butt during our weekend cribbage matches.  Today we are beginning a visit to see our daughter, Erica, who lives in Madrid. 

Today I fell victim to the risk of traveling from a warm climate to a cold one. I was very comfortable in Mike’s car but when I exited I realized that my jacket was safely resting on my bed at home.  No problem I thought, I’ll just buy a jacket at the airport.  Ha!  The only thing I found was something that might keep me warm in Northern California but certainly not in Madrid in December.  One thing that did warm me up was looking at the price ($699).  I messaged Erica letting her know we will need to stop at a men’s store soon after arrival.  She said the magic words, El Corte Inglés.  For those who’ve never been to Spain, ECI is the shoppers heaven.  They have everything.  From high end men’s and women’s clothing, sporting goods, jewelry, to groceries.  Mind you, not everything is in one place.  They have multiple stores around the city so you need to know which ECI store has what you need but as I said they have it. 

Our flight was wonderful.  We flew on Iberia Airlines.  The flight crew were very kind and I managed to get a little sleep. We arrived on time to Madrid.  Getting through customs was a breeze.  I went for a run in the morning but got a second work out at the Madrid airport. I’d estimate the walk from the plane to baggage claim to be about 1500 steps.  In spite of that long walk and need to go through customs we still had to wait for our luggage.  I texted Erica an update saying I think our bags might have been on a different plane because we had been waiting such a long time.  We didn’t see anything on the conveyor belt for another 25 minutes after that comment.  Total baggage wait time about 40 minutes.

After finally getting our bags we saw the sight that brought us to the country, our daughter, Erica.  She was kind enough to pick us up at the airport and was very thoughtful to turn up the heat in the car and get me to a store so I could buy a survival jacket.  Instead of ECI we wound up going to another local favorite, H & M (actually based in Sweden and not Spain). They had a variety of jackets for me to choose and I found one that cost less than the tax would have cost me for the jacket at LAX. 

How do we look? 

When I say WE I mean the jacket and me not, Erica, Patrice and me.

Sorry, I’m a little batty. I didn’t sleep much on the plane.  I need a nap.   Erica has plans for us tonight so I’ll say good night and talk to you tomorrow. 

Adios. 

Europe 2022 Day 23 “Home Sweet Home” USA 10/29/2022

by reissmd, posted in Berlin, Germany, Bologna, Budapest, Hungary, Italy, Madrid, Venice, Italy, Vienna, Austria

Yes, this trip has finally come to an end. Patrice and I were definitely ready to go home (which we safely did last night) and we both think this was one of our best trips ever. Thank you to all the people who helped make it such a success. Also many thanks to all the people who left comments on the blog. I really enjoy hearing from you and staying connected to our friends and family. Here are a series of photos that I found interesting but didn’t get a chance to send them during the trip. They are in no particular order.

Your restauarant server wants to make sure that you know that Europe is no different than the USA. See this copy of one of our dinner checks.

The most common clothing attire I saw on the trip was the NY Yankee baseball cap. I guess they didn’t hear that the Astros eliminated the Yankees from the playoffs 4-0. See below, one of many.

And if you want to buy a Yankee cap they are easy to find.

In Milan, the Galleria had lots of high-end stores. See below.

After all your shopping at the Milan Galleria, you can stop for some fine dining at this location.

We saw a few of these strange devices on the streets of Bologna. No one used them and I am not sure what they are used for.

We saw this boat with an odd name in Venice. Acqua is the Italian word for water. I think you can figure out the rest.

Chocolate Lentils? That is my idea of fiber. See below.

When you gotta go, this is the place to go if you are in the Marco Polo airport in Venice. While you are at it please pick up after yourself. See below.

In Madrid, we saw signs of the USA and Canada. First, we saw little hot dogs from Nebraska. I didn’t realize Nebraska was a hot dog Mecca. See below.

I know you can see Tim Horton’s all over Canada but it looks like they are also attacking Madrid.

Looking to connect with George Washington? Try Budapest. See below.

Budapest had this very unique piece of art in a park (see below). It is also an ecological tool since it encourages people to put their plastic bottle caps inside. See the hole on the right side.

How about a taste of NYC while you are in Budapest? See below.

Did you know that Moses was a techie? See below,

In German the word for jewelry is Schmuck. I know a lot of guys who would say anyone who spends a lot of money on jewelry can be described with the same word. See below.

If you are homesick for Venice Beach in Los Angeles, just get on a tram in Vienna.

But lastly, this is my favorite memory of the trip.

Ciao, until December when are off to …………

Europe 2022 Day #12 “Ryan Air? Please No, Anything But Ryan Air!”. Madrid, Spain; Budapest, Hungary 10/18/22

by reissmd, posted in Budapest, Hungary, Madrid

We had an amazing “Last Supper” with Erica last night at Restaurant El Valle (Calle de Sebastián Herrera, 6, 28012 Madrid).  The three of us shared a huge Hake fish (similar to Cod and Haddock).  The fish was filleted at the table and I am so glad it was.  The pre-filet appearance was fantastic, post-filet it didn’t look like something I would want to eat. 

Hake, pre-filet.
Hake, Post-filet

If you would like to see the 55-second video of the server doing the fileting here it is. It was great watching him do it but I think watching the video might be better for those dealing with insomnia.

Today was the day of our trip that I was dreading. Today we flew from Madrid to Budapest on Ryan Air.  You might be asking if I have such disdain for this carrier why did we book this flight?  Unfortunately, it was the only airline with a nonstop flight to Budapest on 10/18/2022.  The others would have taken many hours longer and routed us through Ukraine or North Korea (that last part was a joke if you couldn’t tell. But as my daughter, Lindsay, tells me, “If you have to say it’s a joke, it isn’t”). 

We did our job, arriving 2 hours prior to departure with our boarding passes in hand (let’s not rehash the fiasco that I told you about yesterday). We walked a fair distance to the Ryan Air check-in desks and saw a rather modest number of people on line.  The queue (how British of me) moved incredibly fast and then we were on our way to the gate.  

As is typical in Spain people started lining up to board long before any announcement that boarding would begin. 

Spaniards are on line to board 19 minutes before the scheduled boarding time and 49 minutes before takeoff.
Patrice and Robert 10 minutes AFTER boarding started.

Onboard we were given instructions in Spanish prior to take-off. I couldn’t understand a word making me very depressed about the quality of my Spanish.   Then they gave what I assume were the same instructions in English speaking so rapidly that I understood nothing.  At least I could feel a little better about my Spanish. We finally took off at 8:38, about 13 minutes late (or 20 minutes early if you usually fly American).  In spite of leaving late, we landed 17 minutes early (1 day early if you usually fly American).  Maybe I misjudged Ryan Air? They might be a budget carrier but they seem to have efficiency as their goal.  It was a great flight.

One other note about Spaniards and their flying etiquette, in addition to lining up to board long before it is necessary (we all had assigned seats so what’s the point?) they have one other curious behavior. On every Spanish flight, I have been on, the passengers applaud after landing. I wonder if they would boo if we crashed.

We were picked up from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD) and driven to Aria Hotel Budapest where will be staying in Budapest. This place is AMAZING. Let me rephrase that, THIS PLACE IS AMAZING. I already told our travel agent to cancel the rest of our trip because we will not be leaving this room. I also contacted a real estate agent to sell our house because we are never going to leave this room. The room is spacious. The bathroom is gigantic. We have a very roomy shower and a separate bathtub. The room is very high-tech with lots of gadgets. Downstairs there is a spa with a sauna, hot tub, and swimming pool. Also, an area to just relax. Breakfast is included and I can’t wait to see that after seeing the pastries in their “bar”. From 4-6 PM, they offer wine and cheese. I don’t drink alcohol but I might have to start.

What a great day. Oh, did I tell you we took a 4-hour walking tour of the city? I would like to talk more but Patrice and I have to schedule our massages.

How fun to see your name on your TV (Patrice, sorry they didn’t mention you)
Piano hallway/lobby with real piano. Breakfast and afternoon treats served here.
Hot tub and swimming pool.
High-Tech shower. I hope I can figure it out.
Bathtub that looks like lots of fun.
Towel warmer to make sure you are comfortable when leaving the bath or shower.
His and her bathrobes.
His and her slippers.
Why doesn’t every hotel room supply you with a Makeup Towel?
And lastly a little chocolate gift on your bed prior to going to sleep.

What a wonderful day. Tomorrow couldn’t possibly match it. Or could it?

Oops, I almost forgot, yesterday’s question. Obviously many of my followers are smarter than me. A number of you gave the correct answer. Window shades on the planes are kept open during takeoff and landing to allow the flight crew to assess any emergencies happening outside the plane. Good work team. I will try to come up with a better question next time.

Viszontlátásra (Good bye)

Europe 2022 day #11. “Why Can’t Things Ever be Simple?” Madrid, Spain 10/17/2022

by reissmd, posted in Madrid

Last night we had a wonderful dinner at a bar near our hotel.  You have to remember when I say bar in Madrid we are actually talking about a restaurant.  The food was good and it was nice catching up with Erica.  It has been difficult for me to have her live so far away but I’ve come to accept it.  I think our visit in 2021 was the first time I didn’t cry when we said our goodbyes.  Hopefully, this trip will be the same but don’t bet on it.

During dinner, Erica mentioned that Ryan Air requires you to check in online and print your own boarding passes.  We had booked our Ryan Air flight through an agency recommended by both of our travel agents for the trip.  The agency they recommended did not tell us anything about checking in online or printing our own boarding passes.  I emailed the agency last night and when I didn’t see a reply I called this morning and left a message.  Their voicemail said they would call back in less than 10 minutes. Twenty-five minutes later I sent another email.  I finally got a reply saying there would be an extra charge for our luggage and asked for authorization to use the credit card on file.  Now steam was exiting my ears.  I replied that when we asked them to make the reservation we told them we each would have a suitcase and a backpack.  I told them they could use my credit card but I was not happy.  Finally, I got a reply that the agent misread our booking and there wouldn’t be any additional charges.  He also sent me our boarding passes.  We used this agency at the recommendation of our travel agents so as to avoid aggravation such as this.  So sometimes paying a little extra for special service is NOT worth the money.  Live and learn. 

We visited Erica at work today and had a bite to eat with 3 of her compañeros. It was a great opportunity to practice our Spanish and meet the people she spends her days with. I tried to convince them that she is not to be trusted and should be deported immediately to the USA. Unfortunately, they were not buying it and it looks like she will be staying after we leave.

Tonight we will meet Erica for dinner. Two of our Spanish friends were planning to join us but they had to cancel due to a serious illness in the family.  It’s amazing how many friends we have here and I always feel bad because we can’t see all of them every trip.  We did have a brief coffee with Angelica who I’ve known since my third trip here in 2008.  She is a real delight and I refer to her as my Spanish mother because she and her ex-husband, Juan Carlos, always took such great care of me during my visits.

Angelica (my “Spanish Mother”, Patrice (my “American mother”) and “the baby”.

Tomorrow we have an early flight to Budapest on Ryan Air.  If you haven’t flown Ryan Air consider yourself lucky.  It’s always an experience. 

I always ask Patrice to proofread my blog. Today she said, “It’s a lot of complaining and not that funny.” I told her people who read this know me and that I complain a lot and I’m not that funny.

A little question for the readers of the blog. Do you know why the airlines ask you to open your window shades during take offs and landings? Please put your answer in the comments and I will give you the correct response tomorrow (if I remember to do it).

Nos vemos en Budapest mañana. (see you in Budapest tomorrow).

Hasta Luego. 

Europe 2022 day #10. “Where Is My Baby?” Madrid, Spain 10/16/2022

by reissmd, posted in Madrid, Venice, Italy

Last night we went to the opera and watched a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata”.  The theater was formerly a palace and the work was performed by a very small ensemble.  There were three musicians and three singers.  The opera has three acts and each was performed in a different room with a 10-minute intermission allowing the audience to move to the next venue.  It was very enjoyable and I would consider going to another opera in the future.  Does anyone know when “Porgy and Bess” will be performed locally?

Upon entering we were greeted with this warning advice.
“Violetta” taking her bows. The room was very hot and unfortunately, we were in the back during every act.

We then had another great dinner, this time at Ristorante Acqua Pazza (S. Marco, 3808, 30124 Venezia VE).  We had an appetizer of Parma Prosciutto and Melon, followed by Pasta with Lobster for Patrice and Amberjack for me.  For those of you who never heard of Amberjack, join the club.  It is a very tasty fish and I was very pleased. 

Prosciutto and melon. Sorry, we were almost done eating it before I remembered to take a picture.

Today we left Venice and flew to Madrid. We went to the Venice airport (VCE) via water taxi followed by a standard taxi (if you consider a Mercedes standard). We were accompanied by our guide Anna Lisa who told us some facts about Venice that our previous guides either didn’t tell us or the information went in one ear and out the other.  It must have been the former since Patrice didn’t recall these tidbits.  If it had just been me I would assume it passed untouched threw my empty head.  

Traversing through the Venice airport went smoothly.  After making it through security we relaxed in the lounge waiting for our flight.  I got a bit of a fright because I dozed off prior to our 11:55 flight only to see this sign when I awoke

I initially thought it was 10 minutes after four but I soon realized it was the 16th of October. Phew!

Leaving the lounge I had a chance to see how far my Italian had progressed.   When we left I said “Grazie” (thank you) to the front desk clerk and she immediately replied in English.  I guess my Italian needs a little more work. 

The flight to Madrid went well, but the highlight of our trip was being greeted at the MAD airport by our favorite driver, our wonderful daughter Erica.  She brought us to our hotel and then lead us through a traditional Madrid activity.  We did laundry.  We still have 2 weeks left on our vacation so it was either do laundry or pay the tour company an additional fee for “hazard pay”. 

Patrice, Robert, and Erica at the laundromat.

After finishing the laundry, we got ready for dinner.  Erica and Patrice went to the hotel gym to work out and I took a nap.

I am looking forward to tomorrow when we do…….  Actually, I don’t know what we will be doing. 

Ciao.  

Oops, we are no longer in Italy. 

Hasta luego.