Hola from Cadiz!
For some reason yesterday, neither of us was hungry even for a plain salad! (Hopefully the reduced calories will help too…) So, at dinnertime we had a couple of tangerines (which are delicious here!) and watched the Madrid Mutua Open (tennis) until bedtime. (It’s funny watching a tennis tournament currently taking place in Madrid – about 6 hours driving time away, and all the people are bundled up in heavy coats and jackets! Hope it turns warmer by tomorrow!
As for today, we are gradually getting things taken care of! For example, we head to Jerez de la Frontera in a bit (beautiful small city we have visited before) for a tour of the Tio Pepe bodega. We then have made an actual reservation at a tapas restaurant for late afternoon today back along the beach. Maria, in whose apartment we are currently residing, sent us literally pages and pages of recommendations. This place, Musalima, is, like Arsenio Manila, along the beach front, but several blocks further on. The menu looks really good! Then, tomorrow we leave for Madrid and our city-center apartment, owned by Luis.
A couple of days ago I wrote to Luis about parking. His advice was, “don’t rent a car; not necessary in Madrid.” Well, that is, of course, very good advice – but what does one DOwith a car when one has one? What we’ve decided to do is go straight into Madrid to the airport (we know it’s fairly easy to find, thanks to motorway signage) and will leave it at a parking garage next to the terminals. Then, we will walk back into the airport, find a taxi and get to Luis’ apartment. When we’re done with Madrid, we will taxi back to the airport, pick up the car and head once again out of town. That’s the best we can think of, but should meet the case. (Although if we want to go to Toledo for a day … and we do, we’ll just have to train to and fro; oh well!).
It's now about 10 am and our reservation at Tio Pepe is at 12:30 pm. I’m thinking we’ll head out now to Jerez, as I remember it as being really enjoyable to walk around! So, more later!
m
xxx
Hola again, at approximately 6:11 pm after a very full day! Out this morning and over a stunningly beautiful bridge – reminds us rather of the bridge at Millau, and truly, a work of art! I hope the photos are good! And on our way to Jerez. When we were first in this area, three years ago, we stayed here and very much enjoyed it. This time, though, I hadn’t realized that the name of the city should actually be “Tio Pepe” as there are Tio Pepe buildings everywhere. We had been recommended to Gonzalez-Byass, by Joe and Carolyn Braun. Joe sent us photos of a mouse perched on a tiny ladder heading into a glass a sherry. Well, Gonzalez-Byass is now Byass-less, and the 4th and 5th generations of the Gonzalez clan is now running this absolutely HUGE mega-company.
After somehow actually finding a parking space behind the cathedral and next to Tio Pepe buildings, we proceeded to tour the cathedral. Much better audio presentation than in Cadiz, and we very much enjoyed it. Seems that we did time it well, though, because about an hour after we entered and were about ready to leave, the entire cathedral was inundated by school children in uniform! There were all sorts of ages and uniforms represented, and I’m thinking they were there for a mass, but the sounds of hundreds of school children’s feet was amazing; like a thundering horde, which they truly were!
So, out of the cathedral and back up the street for our 12:30 pm tour. And honestly, Tio Pepe doesn’t mess around! There were probably 40-50 people on “our” tour! We actually boarded tram-cars on wheels and wound through and over and above various buildings; past the founder’s garden, started by his wife, through the huge facility which has been built to accommodate weddings and receptions. Finally got out next to one of the bodegas encompassing Tio Pepe. The first difficulty was the fact that there were so many of us – and the guide was attempting to do tours in Spanish, English, German and French. Honestly, not successfully. Be that as it may, we enjoyed walking through the different buildings – and talk about a signature gallery! Lots and lots of barrels signed over the years by famous people! We saw the original Jean Paul Getty’s barrel, 1924, I believe. R recognized a Nobel prize winning scientist (Marconi), and of course the entire Royal family in Spain going back several generations. From here, we walked to the tasting room, and depending on how much you paid, you could get what we got – two tastes, one of Tio Pepe and a really excellent blended with Palomino and Pedro Ximenez, up to five tastes with cheese and crackers. Figured that €19 each was enough, considering that we had paid so much less at Barbandillo yesterday and gotten more wine and truly a better tour! Oh well!
By this time, it was past 2 pm and we were thinking that naps and an early dinner (tapas, of course, as restaurants don’t start serving dinner, usually, until after 8 or 8:30 pm! (By which time I am usually considering bed!). Got back to Cadiz about 2:45 pm so were able to get a short rest in, before heading down the beach to Musalima. It was good; R liked it better than me, but it certainly wasn’t Arsenio Manila.
We started with an order of roast chicken on a bed of sweet potato puree, with guacamole highlights. From there, we had the char-grilled artichoke, which was yummy. Next was tiny shrimp sauteed in garlic – also pretty yummy, and is now the first thing on R’s list to make when we get home! And finally, several tempura-battered shrimp with a sweet and sour sauce. As a firm believer in Blog-Truthfulness, I have to report that somehow, I managed to get LOTS of pureed sweet potatoes all over my ONE jacket! UGH! Fortunately, when we got back to the apartment, I was able to get it washed out completely. I’m now hoping that my jacket will be dry enough to wear in the morning, as it’s the only one I have, and it is pretty wet at the moment! We also stopped (or I stopped, rather!) at a gelato place along the beach, and got TWO scoops on a cone, one of – you guessed it! Stracciatella, and the second vanilla mixed with Oreo’s! Very good!
Now back in the apartment, and I’m working up to getting us packed. We’re hoping to be out about 8-ish tomorrow morning, as we have a long way to travel – so early to bed tonight, regardless of what tennis is on the television set!
All in all, we have really, truly loved Maria and Alberto’s lovely apartment at the beach, and hopefully will be able to return some day. We’re not really beach people, but this time – before summer hits, and the weather a little cooler, has been absolutely perfect! So on to Madrid!
Lots of love,
m
xxx
PS - Again, I have a flood of photos to post, so I am going to do it separately. I'm also going to see if I can possibly get them in order this time. Blogspot truly has a mind of its own, but at least I can give it a try!
m
xxx
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