DAY 27 WEDNESDAY, 21st OF NOVEMBER Chinchon Day 2

DAY 27 WEDNESDAY, 21^st OF NOVEMBER Chinchon Day 2

Buffet breakfast was as usual, excellent. We decided to drive out to Aranjuez, the playground of the Spanish royalty. Lots of palaces, gardens and beautiful buildings. Getting there wasn’t too bad if you don’t mind barely paved, one lane roads! It was the scenic route and we approached the town from a never before seen path through olive trees etc!  
 

Paul found a cheap gas up station to refuel the car only 1.19 per liter of diesel and found a parking spot opposite a Parking ticket machine, opposite a CajaMar Bank with ATM that did NOT charge a fee! Well done him! Across the street was the Aranjuez city market, so had a walk around the meats, fish, and produce shops to the central area with a bar and tables set for the patrons. We have noticed lots of elder people out with walkers accompanied by younger care givers. At least the older ones are still Vertical and getting out and about versus sitting at home staring at 4 walls. Notice many on this trip.

We walked to palace grounds and tourist office. The feet are not letting Jane enjoy as much as usual but we are giving it the old college try and we still clocking up some impressive totals, stepwise. The best exercise for neuropathy is walking even though it is most uncomfortable! Go figure!

We returned to Chinchon but had to drive out and about the country side with local signs pointing out the way to Chinchon through the edges of Villaconejos. It was a bona fide diversion but why we were directed to mud paths and pot holes was not explained, we followed a large lorry truck taking the same route as us. Back on black top we made time back to our village. Stowed the car again without problems and walked up the hill stopping at the working man’s club that Paul had spotted with a Menu of the Day sign: 7.50 € after a beer we asked what was on the menus:  A single item Cocido madrileño (boiled garbanzos stew with potatoes, cabbage, meats, veggies, etc in broth Ron Hand should remember this well from our Pyreness trip years ago!!) It is not my favorite so we ventured into La Villa restaurant for lunch and sat in solitary splendor, upstairs, viewing the Plaza below. Lamb chops, salad, tinto, coffee. Excellent meal, #3 restaurant on trip advisor for Chinchon and rightly earned, No Less!

Following the obligatory siesta, we putzed around a bit and decided a couple of tapas would suffice for dinner. The town is very quiet, as it is really out of season. Olive oil, garlic and the famous Chinchon Dulce (that tooth rotting sweet liquor) are the products of this small town but their main pull is that lovely Plaza! We did spot some camera wielding tourists in the plaza but I think they come, visit, take photos and leave so finding a bar with tapas and people is daunting. We have found this everywhere and the unseasonably cool weather does not help. We have found that we have acclimated very well and it isn’t really that cold, just nice and fresh!

DAY 26 TUESDAY, 20TH OF NOVEMBER LORCA Travel Day to Parador Chinchon

DAY 26 TUESDAY, 20^TH OF NOVEMBER LORCA Travel Day to Parador Chinchon

It’s going to be another very long day driving north to almost the Madrid outskirts. Paul was able to alter our planned stop at Parador Alarcon which is a restored castle out in the remote country side. It has become one of our favorite locations but the allure, if not the castle, is that there are hiking field walks all around the castle grounds. However, as Jane’s poor feet are not up to the strenuous exercise, we opted to spend more time near Madrid and so we changed at the last minute without cost. Paul said we actually saved about 50 euros by changing so I guess we made all around on this one. We also changed from the interesting looking hotel in Torrejon when an opening became available at the Parador Alcala. We really like Alcala, it is an easy walking city, very vibrant.

As we started out it was light rain most of the morning as we skirted Albacete and Murcia the skies cleared part way and sun poke thru in places. Chilly at only 10C but we are comfortable in the car. When we were about 1 hour out of Madrid, we started to look for a stopping place for lunch. Paul found one appropriately named Restaurant Stop. Not a usual Hotel/hostal next to a gas station but a proper sit-down restaurant with tablecloths and cloth napkins. Lots of business people and well-heeled patrons. Not going to be our 8 Euro menu del dia! Jane had a ½ menu of the day while Paul enjoyed fish soup followed by the same escalopes.  Back on the road for another 45 minutes into Chinchon.

Straight into the Parador and unloaded onto a luggage cart. When we drove down the hill to the garage, we found someone parked in the no parking lead in to the garage entrance necessitating a 3-point turn to make it thru the opening and down the inner ramp towards the 2^nd gate. With the car sorted, we walked up to the main plaza and noticed that the bullring partitions were removed so that the entire plaza is now open for parking and walking. Evidently after the bull fight season ended in October they removed the ring until the next bull fighting season. Paul drove around trying to solve the mystery of our vanishing tinaja bar. Let me explain. The first time we came here we walked and wandered and stumbled onto a bar which was incredibly interesting. A place where they used to make and store wine on the premises. The basement was filled with huge tinajas (over 7/8-foot-tall) which had been signed by all sorts of celebrities, royalty, writers etc. When we returned with the kids we tried to find that damn place and could not! Our memory of where it is, is totally wrong! I cannot believe we could have walked that far around the town. So, we drove and it is way up there, at the top of the hills surrounding the town. We did not go in as we were so ticked off at ourselves! Churlish, I know but maybe some day we will return!

This has got to be one of the world’s most beautiful medieval plazas. It looks a bit worn and needs some paint as befits a century’s old plaza but its symmetry is beautiful. A circle of buildings around the central plaza, at night, all lit up, it is stunning. You can almost hear the clip-clop of horses and the rumble of cart wheels. Of course, you have to suspend the present- day reality of all the cars dashing through the plaza to access the tiny streets climbing up to other parts of the town but, with enough wine it is do-able!

We walked the entire circle for drinkies and tapas before returning to the Parador to eat a proper meal. With the Departure day coupon ticket of 15% off, we opted for a proper meal this night. Chinchon is a former monastery and was occupied for about 25 years or so before they upped stakes and moved. It always puzzles me why these monks, or friars moved with such regularity. I don’t think they moved very far, just to another set of buildings. Anyway, the reasons are shrouded in time and history and they or their patrons, left behind some very fine buildings for us to enjoy. The gardens are quite lovely, it is a very quiet and peaceful place. The dining room is tiled with old style blue and yellow tiles and has arched windows. Lots of beautiful colored blown glass on shelves and very coordinated seat covers. Lovely! The staff at the Paradores is always so friendly and helpful, always with a smile.

Finally time to connect with the Madrid friends and family. Thursday night into Madrid for Juanmi, Maite and Los Tios, and Friday we will see Guillermo & Alexis with Alison, Emily in Alcala. Saturday morning is our early flight to Atlanta to end this month-long journey.

DAY 25 MONDAY, 19TH OF NOVEMBER LORCA 2ND DAY

DAY 25 MONDAY, 19^TH OF NOVEMBER LORCA 2^ND Day

Typical start to the day, buffet breakfast to replenish the food stores. It was partly sunny to start with but by the time we hopped in the car the skies were pelting us with a steady rain. The target was the large central commercial center for the Chinese Bazar. We found all sorts of things but nothing to buy and so we left to explore the other side of Lorca and the Horse on the statute in the traffic circle on the opposite of town from our entry point.  Remember, Mondays, most museums and touristy spots are closed so though a nice art gallery or museum would have been just the ticket to get out of the rain, we were out of luck.

This side of town looks a lot cleaner and with more shops and definitely a lot of foot traffic, ultimately, we found a car park at 1330PM and left the car for a break and refreshment. Now restaurants and bars are usually all over Spanish towns but do you think we could find one? Hell no! Finally, we ask a lady and she pointed us down the street to Yolanda’s! Menu of the day was only 9 euros and we watched person after person stop in for lunch to go in a box to take home. We opted to try the menu. It was all excellent! It was obviously a local favorite with office workers coming in to eat. We have been very interested to see that there are now places that do take outs only. All homemade food, soups, salads, pastas etc. It is an interesting change to the Spanish culture but it makes sense. If both parents work and the children come home for a couple of hours in the middle of the day, who has time to cook a full meal, as is their usual custom, and then head back to work and school! Also, I suppose, a lot of older single people will pick up a meal and head home.

Lorca is different. I suppose an earthquake will do that to a town. The Parador is on top of a very high hill above the town. Switchbacks galore. It is isolated to say the least, no popping out to the old town for a tapa and a glass of wine!  The discoveries they have made archeologically, are vast. In the Middle Ages it was the frontier town between Christian and Muslim Spain. Earlier than that, it was ancient Llura or Heliocroca to the Romans. 

Recent excavations have found that Lorca has been inhabited continuously since Neolithic times, 5,500 years ago. That is a short bit of the history, there is too much for me to write here. I find it to be a bit dark and foreboding, perhaps I was here in a past life. Funny how places can affect you. I think if we had been able to stay for the Fiestas I might have had a different perspective. I always find it fascinating how Christians, Jews and Muslims have, in the past, lived side by side peacefully but once the Inquisition started a dark part of history began. Making no judgement here, just musing!