10-4 Some Mid-day Shots and Pinchos!

 Today was a busy day.  After a slow start - a long lazy breakfast, followed by the cleanup.  We have not figured out how to get the dishwasher to work so I have been doing them the old fashioned way. Michael is doing all the cooking which I appreciated.  After all that was finished I gathered up the yarn and crochet hook I purchased at the Merco El Campello to head off to the knitting/crochet group that meets at the Garden Room restaurant same as I did in the spring of 2023.  The two small skeins of yarn and the crochet hook cost 5 E or about $5.50.  Last time I made my purchases at a much more expensive store costing me over 12E.  

It took me about 20 minutes walking time - a lot of that up hill.  I recognized most everyone who was there - at least their faces.  A lot of them remembered me.  Joy is the leader.  Marietta was someone I talked to a lot last time.  I sat by Sue and Chris and had some interesting chats.  It seems people come and go in this group.  Some have permanent Visas and live in the area full time, but quite a few are like me and come when they can.  This group is on the older side - just as the Linus Project group I belong to in Albuquerque is.  But I can assure you none of these English ladies voted for Brexit!  There was much complaining of the difficulties of living within the Schengen 90 day rule!

The group meets from 11am to 1pm on Fridays - and seems more of a social group - there was a lot more chatting going on than knitting or crocheting!  Michael was to meet me here at 1pm so we could go to a restaurant that we had frequented last time here.  He liked the meal of the day and I the pizza. Michael was thinking we were to early for lunch.  We decided to walk by it and just check out the times it was open.  This is a local restaurant, not a tourist restaurant - those are open for both lunch and dinner at any time.  Problem was solved as it was closed!  

We next walked down to the waterfront to a tapa's restaurant.  Michael had sent me a video on how to order tapas as if you were a real Spaniard.  But this is a tourist restaurant - not a bar that sells tapas. So all that was not necessary.  The name of the restaurant is:  Lizarran Casa de Pinchos.  Our understanding of the word "Pinchos" was that it also meant little plates - perhaps more for an individual rather than for sharing with a group.  Here it seems to mean something on a stick with a piece of bread under it.  

                                       

And you can put anything on a skewer and stick a piece of bread under it - even an egg roll!

Chorizo - so delicious - but also juicy and squirty.  I got the juice all over my bright yellow shirt!

A cheeseburger slider.  And so many other things I did not get photos of.  If you answer the waiter "pinchos" instead of asking for the menu - you will get as many of these dishes as you want.  They just keep coming out of the kitchen every 5 minutes or so.  The waiter goes around to the different tables w that have asked for Pinchos carrying his trays of the fresh dishes - and you take what you want.  At the end they count up how many skewers are left on your plate - and charge by that.  I think here it was 2.50E per skewer + the Potatoes Braves below and our drinks.  It was around $30 usd.  Just an aside - a small bottle of water costs as much as a glass of wine or a beer!

We did order one dish off the menu - Potatoes Bravas.  We have tried these at many a Spanish tapa's restaurant.  Once it was delicious - other times not so good.  I like the sauces on the side so the fried potatoes do not get soggy.  The red Sause is a tangy hot sauce with a little sweetness.  The aioli's vary - this one was delicious.  Michael got a beer - and I ordered water.  But as soon as we got the first dish I knew I had to have alcohol - white wine goes very well with this meal!  We will go back again - we enjoyed the meal very much!