9 28-30 A Sojourn in Madrid

 Our original plan was to spend the last three days of September in Toledo.  It - like Bilbao is a hilly city and our Airbnb was not close to the historical areas.  So we bailed on that because of my broken toes and decided to visit family in Madrid.  It turned out to be a very good thing.  For some reason unknown the chair in the kitchen in our Airbnb in Bilbao declared war on my right foot toes.  Most of the time when it attacked me I was wearing shoes - so it lost.  But - the last day we were there I let my guard down and was in my stockings only.  That battle was brutal and I lost badly.  So now both my feet hurt.

Our drive from Bilbao to Madrid was uneventful.  It was stressful in the fact that Michael had not slept well the night before and it kept raining off and on.  Just a couple of shots taken as we were driving along the highway.  I don't know if the signs seem different than in the U.S. You can see some of the landscape.  I am so used to seeing signs that say the speed is 120 - but that is in kph not mph.

Once in Madrid, our first task was to pick up daughter, Alexis from the Madrid airport.  We were a little early and so pulled into the express parking lot.  Only to discover that it was actually the uber drop off/pick up lot!  But they did take our credit card and it was great because it was so close to the arrivals area.  

After a successful pickup of daughter we needed to find our Airbnb.  We already knew there was no parking available near our apartment.  We finally made it down the long lane to the cul-de-sac in front of the apartment building at 1pm - every spot was full.  We unloaded all of our luggage and I waited with it while Alexis and M went in search of parking.  We were told we could drop our luggage off at 2pm and have access of the apt at 3pm.  As I waited and watched cars come in to the cul-de-sac and then turn around and leave - not a single car parked there when I arrived had moved!  About an hour later they returned they had found a parking garage where they could leave the car the whole time - and come and go as they pleased.  Michael's first comment was - the car is staying here the whole time - we'll just take Ubers!

My niece, Rene Michelle has lived in Madrid for a few years.  She has an apartment in a nice suburb with easy public transport to downtown or any where she needs to go.  But sometimes it can take an hour+ to get anywhere.  She came to our Airbnb and we just hung out here.  My granddaughter, Jojo, just started University in Madrid about a month ago.  She informed us that she had some kind of virus, but was feeling ok at the moment and wanted to see us.  She uses her parents uber account and was able to make her way to us.  We found a pizza place close enough to walk to.  The pizza looked great, but was pretty mediocre - but it was something RM could eat as a vegetarian.  Later we went to a bar - actually next door to the pizza place for drinks. and called it an early evening.

Monday was more of the same - family hanging out eating and drinks.  This time Alexis, Michael and I took an uber to RM's apartment and enjoyed time talking and then she served us a great Spanish meal.  I did not take photos - but it was delicious.  From there we all took an uber to Jojo's apartment.

First order of things was to take a selfie of us all!  After a tour of her room and apartment we all walked to a nearby bar.  

We found a bar across from the Opera House.  The neighborhood was quiet, but a bit more expensive.

Look at Alexis in the first photo and RM in the second.

Jojo - still not feeling so well, but wanting to spend time with us.

The Opera house is the one with the orange roof in the background.

We decided to order some tapa's with our drinks.  And ordered too much as usual.  But that didn't stop us from eating it all.  First up - above - Teriyaki chicken with popcorn dust.

Spanish Tortilla with 1/2 loaf of French bread.

Croquettes.

The translation of this dish was called "broken eggs" - It was anything but.  The fried eggs were dipped in batter and fried.  the dip was a cream with herbs and truffles and some ham.  Interestingly the eggs were still very runny when cut into.

We thought we had also ordered grilled vegetables - when we didn't get them we asked and it seemed the order never went in.  But they came out in record time and were a great counter to all the fried food.  RM left to take the public transit home.  Jojo walked back to her apartment.  And the rest of us got an uber (a Chinese car - don't know the make - but the entire roof was a sun roof) back to our Airbnb.  I took photos out the window of the car.

I believe this is Peurto de Alicla.

On the highway underground in our Uber.  Many of the main highways are underground in Madrid.  

Tuesday, our last day in Madrid is a chill day.  RM arrived at our apartment a little after noon.  We found a restaurant that had vegetarian options.  Spain is awful at offering up anything but meat dishes.  Of all places it was an Irish pub called The Irish Temple!  They had a ton of options on hamburgers, a few other sandwiches thrown in for good measure and a section for vegetarians.  The burgers were all so big - I opted for the children's choice and got 40 grams less of meat!  Three of us had burgers, one vege and Alexis had a salad.  We all enjoyed our choices.  Service was slow - seemed to be only one server doing everything.  RM had to leave before we got the check as she needed to get to her Spanish language class.  

The evening was chill with some pre-packing and organizing.  Tomorrow we drop off Alexis at the Madrid airport for her flight home to Malmo Sweden.  Michael and I will point our car in the direction of El Campello and a four hour drive.  Can't wait to get there to relax.  Oops - we have family coming to visit us there every weekend.  Hopefully it will be warmer weather than we have had so far!