So....
Roger Warwick
No trips to report to the group about?
Which one of the 7 wonders would you have taken out in order to get
the Alhambra in? (Christ the Redeemer for me - to think that the
Pyramids, Stonehenge, the Acropolis and the Alhambra all missed out
because of this!)
Roger.
John Zumsteg
month and that's taking our travel budget. On the other hand, once
married, he and his wife are moving to Berlin for three years. I'm
sure we'll have to visit them every year, and once we're that close to
Spain, we'll just have to detour southward for a few weeks.
I, too, would have taken out the Christ the Redeemer statue for the
Alhambra (or about a hundred other places on the list). I read that
the Brazilian president really pumped up the citizens to vote as many
times as possible for the statue. It wasn't in any way a fair vote --
just a measure of who could stuff the ballot box the most.
John
On Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:23:36 +0200, Roger Warwick placed fingers on
keyboard and tapped out:
Bob Dangel
Barcelona on Sunday. I will report on a first-timer's impressions.
mike james
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger Warwick" <ro...@gomadrid.com>
>
> ... nobody been travelling to Spain lately?
>
> No trips to report to the group about?
I'd also been getting a bit bored that the was nothing to read.
So in an effort but not a particularly good one to provide something:
Sue and I did a 2 week plus visit to Almeria at the end of June start of
July but it was simply too hot to do much exploring. It seems odd to say
that not much happened that is worth reporting for the general interest and
pleasure for even a group of hispanophiles such as this one but it is
probably true. Reporting such small things is probably self indulgent but
now I've started....
We used the Cartagena Vera motorway a few times and can report that it is
still fairly empty. Our son came out for a 4 day visit and took a video with
his mobile phone as we drove along it to prove how empty it was. He says he
will post it on Utube as a surreal video and I have to admit that it does
look very odd with km after km of nothing but road.
We used said motorway to visit Cala Negra near to Cabo Cope. It's the wild
area that is about to be developed into the biggest tourist complex in Spain
in the coming months so we are keen to enjoy the place while it's there to
be enjoyed. It's also the sole reason for the new motorway. It was too hot
to walk far but we did find a beach bar that did things in the "old style".
When we arrived long tables were already laid for 10 to 12 diners and we
wondered if we should just sit at a prepared place - the custom in some of
the restaurants we know. But a waiter appeared and said we should wait a
moment and he would get us a table. He did just that, carried a table over,
covered it with paper tablecloth, knives, forks, glasses etc. And we ordered
fish, salad and beer which we ate as groups of pre-booked tables started to
fill up around us with family parties. I said "old style" at the start
because it reminded me of the beach bars in Portugal and some parts of Spain
where tourism hadn't really arrived - it was a beach bar for the locals run
only in the summer by other locals. We then walked along the long distance
coastal path and took a detour down a rambla to find an isolated beach. It
was a bit of a scramble, clearly no one had been down the track for a long
while, and to demonstrate the fact we disturbed a huge buzzard that rose up
and flapped lazily out of what it must have thought was harm's way.
During the rest of the break, when the sun wasn't too strong, we repeated
the adventure in different parts of the coast between Almeria and Marrazon -
salt pans at Cabo de Gata with flamingos, strange run down seaside fishing
villages quietly decaying because of being in a national park, smart new
developments just a few miles away just outside the national park, the local
(to us) mega development at Vera Playa, a huge new town in what was
wilderness until a few months ago. The old lead mine sites are still
untouched but for how long.... The pace of change here is simply staggering
and it's even more so to the English mind that is used to "development"
being complete hundreds of years ago. Things just don't change in England
but in Spain whenever we return after no matter how short a time we are
ready to make a list of things we haven't seen before. It's both one of the
worst and one of the best things about Spain for me personally - the rate of
change is both exciting and worrying.
I won't bore you with stories of jellyfish, cacti 15m tall or learning how,
at long last, to master the cooking of dorada.
All I will say is that if you want to see anything of the Almerian coast as
an undeveloped echo of the almost tourist free Spanish coast - come soon.
mikej
Roger Warwick
My favourite fish! Although I tend to eat it's Portuguese cousin,
"dourada", more often now. We tend to just grill it on a hot plate and
accompany with salad and delicious "vinho verde" from Casal Garcia.
>jellyfish
Plagues again? Did you know they released 2 turtles off Mallorca this
year just because of this - it was a species that hunts and eats
jellyfish. The warmer waters attracts the jellyfish and they're
becoming more and more common off Spanish coasts. I hope there aren't
as many as last year - I'll be sunning it on the Granada coast next
week (Salobreña).
Roger.
John Zumsteg
all the building boom in Spain is driven by developments as you
mention and second homes for people. After several generations of
people having not much money, the article said that a second home is
high on the list of "wants" for many people.
I think this may explain a mystery I couldn't figure out last trip: a
huge amount of new apartment buildings, both recently completed and
still under construction, at Finesterre, just south of A Coruña. No
real industry there (except fishing) but miles of new apartments. I
now think these were second homes.
John
On Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:45:22 +0100, mike james placed fingers on
keyboard and tapped out:
>>
>>
tiffan...@northwesternmutual.com
I am traveling and studying abroad in Cordoba, Spain in the spring semester of 08....any traveling tips?.............or the easiest way to get from the Madrid Airport to Cordoba? I would really appreciate some help, Im terribly excited but really nervous!
Tiffany Wilson
Underwriting Requirements Auditor
Phone: 414.665.1943
Email: tiffan...@northwesternmutual.com
>dorada
>jellyfish
Roger.
This e-mail and any attachments may contain confidential information of Northwestern Mutual. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail and any attachments is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify Northwestern Mutual immediately by returning it to the sender and delete all copies from your system. Please be advised that communications received via the Northwestern Mutual Secure Message Center are secure. Communications that are not received via the Northwestern Mutual Secure Message Center may not be secure and could be observed by a third party. Thank you for your cooperation.
Roger Warwick
Basically you need to get to Atocha train station in Madrid to take
the high-speed AVE train to Córdoba.
You can do this by public transport if you take the Metro (stations at
Terminal 2 and Terminal 4) to Atocha, or you can just get a taxi or a
shuttle service like Aerocity.
I haven't checked this for a while, but you used to be able to reserve
tickets for the AVE at Renfe's website (http://www.renfe.es), to be
picked up at the ticket office on the day you travel.
Roger.
On 7/20/07, tiffan...@northwesternmutual.com
Alison McGlinn
Roger Warwick <ro...@gomadrid.com> wrote:
Tiffany,
Basically you need to get to Atocha train station in Madrid to take
the high-speed AVE train to Córdoba.
You can do this by public transport if you take the Metro (stations at
Terminal 2 and Terminal 4) to Atocha, or you can just get a taxi or a
shuttle service like Aerocity.
I haven't checked this for a while, but you used to be able to reserve
tickets for the AVE at Renfe's website (http://www.renfe.es), to be
picked up at the ticket office on the day you travel.
Roger.
On 7/20/07, tiffan...@northwesternmutual.com
LesterOR
afraid I've diverted any hopes of Spain (or or anywhere in Europe)
until the Dollar is stronger again. I've diverted my 3-week vacation
this year to touring Mayan pyramids and colonial cities in Mexico's
Yucatan. At least it's Spanish-speaking, and it will be very
interesting, but traveling across the pond is becoming harder and
harder for us.
Lester
John Zumsteg
against the Euro, you could have a long wait, Lester. The problems
facing the dollar are huge, structural and not being addressed at all.
Though some folks, including those at the Economist, believe the
dollar is undervalued vis-a-vis the Euro, they also see little
improvement for the foreseeable future; more likely is a continued
gradual decline. Unfortunately!
My wife and I have adopted what may be a somewhat fatalistic attitude:
Yes, it's going to cost us more to go to Europe, but it's still worth
the higher cost to us. We'll probably stay at less-expensive hotels,
and have fewer high-cost meals, and maybe stay a shorter time, but
traveling to Spain and France is still our favorite thing to do in the
world, so we'll continue to find ways to do it. We'd like to go every
year, but now plan on a trip every other year. Sigh.
On the other hand, I've always wanted to see the Mayan cities...
John
On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 06:08:45 -0700, LesterOR placed fingers on
keyboard and tapped out:
>>
mike james
>"dourada", more often now. We tend to just grill it on a hot plate and
>accompany with salad and delicious "vinho verde" from Casal Garcia.
Yum.
A local beach bar suddenly put it on the menu and served it up butterflied
with the back bone removed and a salsa verde.
I tried to filet it in the same way and found to my surprise that it was
fairly easy with the result that it was easier to cook (on a metal plate),
easier to serve and easier to eat.
Our only remaining problem is which wine goes best with it given vinho verde
is difficult to get.
>>jellyfish
>Plagues again?
The newspapers suggest that the plague is about to happen but we didn't see
any other than the one sue managed to swim into. Sam imediately christened
her "the jellyfish magnet".
Very nasty sting however that is still looking as if she has burned her
wrist.
>Did you know they released 2 turtles off Mallorca this
>year just because of this - it was a species that hunts and eats
>jellyfish. The warmer waters attracts the jellyfish and they're
>becoming more and more common off Spanish coasts.
The papers were also reporting a scheme that the Almerian government were
funding to breed
loggerhead turtles and release them. I can't see it working given the number
that would be needed and if the conditions were right for loggerhead turtles
they would be their already in even bigger numbers (given the jellyfish).
They are also planning to use small fishing boats to net, collect and dump
the jellyfish on land.
>I hope there aren't
>as many as last year - I'll be sunning it on the Granada coast next
>week (Salobreña).
The trouble is that even if there aren't as many its enough to make swimming
less relaxing.
After sue got stung we tended to swim with heads raised like periscopes
trying to see if there were any purple blobs in front of us. :-)
Hope there aren't any of the Granada coast - it is supposed to be colder
than the costa calida.
mikej
LesterOR
know about the Yucatan after Thanksgiving.
Lester
On Jul 21, 8:30 am, John Zumsteg <jzums...@DirectionsConsulting.com>
wrote:
JOHN CHAPMAN
Our favourite Spanish white is Albariño. It is a pretty delicate wine with a great fruity frangrance and a nice spritzy feeling in the mouth (athough it is a still wine). The Portuguese Alvarino is the same grape but the treament is a little different. It is a little more minerally in the month and a touch dryer. However, it is still a good choice. If you can't get either, try a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and you won't be disappointed. For an outsider, try a White Rioja (Muga is a good choice) - it is somewhat similar to an unwooded chardonnay.
We were introduced to Albariño last year in Granada. There is s fantastic seafood restaurant in Plaza Bib-Rambla just below the catedral called Cunini. It is busy, active, loud, with spectacular service. All overshadowed by the seafood choice and quality and excellent prices. If you'reis in Granada, you have to make time to go there. Only thing we found, Cunini is a popular local favourite so you will need to plan ahead to get a seat. Has anyone else been there?
If you can't get it, try a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and you won't be disappointed.
Does anyone have any other personal white wine preferences for seafood/shellfish? I'd love to know so we can add to our cellar.
Hasta luego amigos
John
Roger Warwick
Rueda!!!
I'm afraid I don't know how to describe wines, only drink them ;-) But
a good Rueda always goes down a treat with fish or seafood. Many
Ruedas are also made with Suavignon Blanc so I'm sure you'll enjoy
this wine. Most, however, use the Verdejo variety. It's not a bland
wine by any means, and some Ruedas are definitely fruity.
Try a good Marqués de Riscal or a Sanz - delicious!
Apart from the Albariño you mentioned, the other famous Galician white
wine is Ribeiro, which is dryer and less fruity but also worth trying.
Never been to that seafood restaurant in Granada, but it's definitely
on the list to visit - anything popular with the locals HAS to be a
good choice.
If you're ever in Madrid, the Ribeiro do Miño in Santa Brigida is a
good choice for cheap, good "marisco" ...
http://www.marisqueriaribeiradomino.com/
You can't book, so get there early on weekends, other days perhaps not
necessary. They serve "mariscadas" (a platter of different types of
seafood) for two for around 30 euros!
Try a dish of pimientos de padrón to start you off - it's russian
roulette with these small green peppers, cooked quickly in olive oil
and flavoured only with a little coarse salt - you never know if one's
going to blow your head off with it's spicy taste. Most don't however,
and are much tastier than the large green peppers most of us know.
Another speciality is their "Queimada", a punch drink made with
"orujo", an aguadiente or spirit distilled from the skin of the grape
and often served on its own at the end of a meal in "chupitos" or
shots, sometimes unflavoured, other times coffee or herb flavoured.
For the queimada, however, the orujo is mixed with fruit, coffee beans
and perhaps a little brandy. Stand back as they set light to the
alcohol and mix the concoction. It's supposed to be prepared while
reciting a Galician spell (Galicia being the land of meijas or witches
- "haberlas, haylas" as they say there).
Roger.
http://www.gomadrid.com - Madrid City Guide
mike james
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Zumsteg" <jzum...@DirectionsConsulting.com>
>Thanks for the interesting story, Mike. I read recently that almost
>all the building boom in Spain is driven by developments as you
>mention and second homes for people. After several generations of
>people having not much money, the article said that a second home is
>high on the list of "wants" for many people.
Hi John
Sorry to hear that you are having to think in terms of only visiting Spain
every other year.
For us the dollar to pound ratio is advantageous - not that we have taken
any advantage of it so far - but I can see that its putting people of
visiting Spain and Europe in general. In fact sue commented that this might
be the reason this group doesn't get asked as many questions about planning
visits at the moment.
As to the housing boom - yes it all for second homes.
I might well worry about what they are doing to the unspoilt coast but I
can't cast the first stone.
After all we have had a presence in Spain for getting on for 20 years and
are part of the process.
I have some specific concerns - how many of these houses are going to be
empty in the winter
what's it going to be like when they are not empty in the summer and where
is all the water coming from?
I'm also completely at a loss to explain where all the people to buy these
properties are going to be found. I remember saying the same thing while
watching the development in the Algarve, again about 20 years ago. I feared
some sort of terrible crash with properties becoming unsold and vandalised
or a complete breakdown of services. When I went back a few years ago I
found that I couldn't have been more wrong - all sold and not to bad a job
of making it look reasonable in places.
The saving grace of Spain is that its big enough for there always to be bits
that the developers miss - I hope so anyway.
mikej