Toledo: Weekend 4

My old apartment.

Toledo.

With Mercedes in front of the Cathedral.

My old friend, Cervantes.

With José at Enebro.

Spanish Fam.

Monday and Tuesday of October 11 and 12 were holidays so I didn't have class. Monday I left Motilla for Toledo. The bus ride was about two hours long but seemed longer because I was so excited to get back to Toledo! When I arrived I half expected Mercedes to be standing right there. But I called and she said she was there, upstairs in the waiting area. I didn't see her and instead of waiting I went to the bathroom. When I came out she was standing there. We gave each other a big hug and walked back to the car with our arms slung around each other. Jinez was waiting at the car and we drove to their new house. It was so strange to be back in Toledo with Mercedes and not go to the house that I had lived in for three months, that I remember as my home in Toledo. But her new house is beautiful! Instead of just one floor, it is 5. There is a basement that is similar to a library with shelves of books. And there is a door in the floor that you open up and can climb down a ladder to a wine cellar that used to be tunnel for plumbing way back when. The first floor has two bedrooms, one I slept in and another for her current student, Ryan from Notre Dame. The next floor is the kitchen and their bedroom. The top floor has the family room, kitchen table and a terrace that looks out over the river. This view is also amazing very different though from her last apartment. Before I could see the castle and now it is landscape. Both views are equally beautiful.

We ate dinner of gazpacho, chicken wings and fruit for dessert. Then I called José and we made plans to meet in the Plaza Zocodover (the main plaza). I invited Ryan to come with and thank god because Mercedes now lives by the Church de los Reyes Catolicos, on the way other side of the casco. So I had no idea how to find my way. José was standing in the plaza waiting for me and when he saw me said (as always) "mammiiiiii." We went to O'Briens and I had a few drinks, catching up, talking about old times, dancing and circulo (the disco in Toledo).

The next morning I woke up and ate breakfast out on the terrace. Breakfast was hot milk with sugar and cereal. It is probably one of my favorite breakfasts, not because it was hot milk and cereal, but because the sun was shining, I wasn't wearing a coat and I was looking out over the river of Toledo. It was unbeatable. Then Mercedes took me to buy my bus ticket for later and dropped me off in Plaza Zocodover so I could explore a little while she went home to change and get Jinez.

I walked down to see my old apartment, the bridge, castle and the cathedral. It was amazing how quickly everything came back to me. My feet led me without thinking exactly where I wanted to go, exactly how I remembered walking around Toledo a year and a half ago.

Mercedes met up with me at the Cathedral and we went to get a drink. José met us at Enebro, my all time favorite spot in Toledo. Then we went back home for dinner at 3. One of Mercedes' sons, Ricky, and his girlfriend came to eat too. We had wine, beer, champagne and too much food. We sat out on the terrace for a few hours listening to music, dancing, talking and enjoying the holiday. At 7:30 we headed to the bus station. José, Mercedes and Jinez saw me off on the bus as I headed back home to Cuenca...

besos,
j

Tortilla Española

While I was at Bea's house her mom and sister taught me how to make tortilla española.
They said I can't live in Spain and not know how to make such a classic dish.

So you will need: potatoes, eggs, olive oil and onions are optional.

Cut potatoes into thin slices and put in a pan with olive oil.

When potatoes get tender, break into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon.

Whisk 4-5 eggs in a separate bowl.

Add potatoes from pan into the eggs mix and stir.

Place mixture back into the skillet on the stove.

When the egg mixture is cooked on one side, take a plate. Place the plate on top of the mixture in the skillet. Then flip the tortilla from the skillet to the plate and slide back into the skillet so the other side can cook. Continue flipping sides until fully cooked.

And then you have a tortilla española!

Good luck! It is delicious and pretty easy once you get the flipping down...which I haven't mastered yet...

until later
xoxo,
j

Chili

Around Halloween we always have chili. I couldn't help but crave it so I decided to make it. Slight problem, chili powder doesn't exist. Multiple flavors of beans were also not too easy. But my mom thankfully sent me a recipe to make my own chili powder.

Homemade chili powder.

Final result.

No sour cream either. But I found greek yogurt, which worked perfectly. Sprinkled some shredded cheese. And now I have enough chili to last me for two weeks...

Jamon

One of my all time favorite Spanish foods...jamon. And Bea's family had the whole leg. This costs around 70 or more euros depending on the type and lasts for about a month. You use a knife to cut the jamon off the bone as you like. But you have to cover it up so it doesn't dry out. Let's just say I had more than enough jamn this weekend...

The hoof.

more to come, 

j

Weekend Three: Cuenca and Motilla

Weekend three I had a puente (bridge) because Tuesday was a holiday, Christopher Columbus Day, we didn't have class. So the bridge means we also didn't have class Monday. So I spent Friday and Saturday in  Cuenca. Saturday night one of Bea's friends came over. They got carry out from a bar for dinner. It was the best tapas food I have had yet...so many of my favorites!

Morteruelo...typical dish only found in Cuenca

Croquetas!

Chicken wings with garlic.

Tortilla española.

Then we made mojitos. It was such a process...We had the fresh mint, we had to crush the ice and put it all together but they turned out in the end.

Bea and Irene starting the mojito process.

Ta-da!

 After mojitos we went out to the bars and discos...until 7:30 in the morning. By 7:00 I was ready to go and was patiently waiting for Bea to get tired enough to leave. The next morning, well really later that day, we went to Motilla to eat with her family around 2.

Saturday October 9, 2010

Thursday, October

Thursday night Bea and I went to her friend's apartment. We brought pizza and wine. Then we headed to the botellon in the main Plaza (Plaza España). There is a chinese convenient store where you can buy any type of liquor and mix (Fanta, Coca-Cola), ice and cups for about 5 euros each. Then we headed to the Plaza where everyone stands around the fountain in the plaza and drinks and socializes before going to the bars. But it started raining so Bea and I headed to a club and danced waiting for everyone else. From there we went to another disco and called it a night around 5 am. The rest continued to the another bar until 6:30 a.m. My feet were killing me, there was no way I could have lasted...maybe tonight, we'll see.

have a great saturday!!

besossss,
j

La Abodega

Sunday morning I went to one of the places that they make wine in Santa Cruz de la Zarza. I got a tour and tried the wine straight from the vats. The owner who gave me the tour after gave me three bottles of wine as a gift, one of each that they make there : blanco (white), rosado (pink) and tinto (red). Then we went to the vineyard and picked grapes from the vines. I loved seeing how they make the wine right there and sell it to the local bars and restaurants. But even more, I loved picking the grapes! I brought back a whole bag back to Cuenca.

Grapes before going into the vats.

Tasting wine right out of the vat, one month old.

Straight off the vine.

I don't know how long I can wait until I have to open and try the wine...

xxoo,

j

Weekend Two: Segovia and La Granja

On Saturday morning, I left with Esme's family (mom, dad and sister) at 8:30 in the morning and headed for Segovia. The drive was about two hours and I couldn't keep my eyes open the entire car ride as we went out the night before until 3:30 A.M. We made it to Segovia and walked around and took pictures of the Roman aqueducts. These are the best preserved of the Roman aqueducts in the world...and they're in Spain. It really is an amazing sight. The city it built right around them but they are perfect, like they haven't been touched by time over all these years.

Aqueducts.

 It was a beautiful day too: blue skies, sunshine and warm weather. I remember visiting Segovia before when I studied in Toledo in 2008 but going back to the same spot twice never hurts, especially when it's as impressive as Segovia. I could have spent all day walking around and looking at them.

                           

Then we walked to the cathedral. We went inside and even though I couldn't take pictures it reminded me just of about every church in Spain I had been in: high ceilings, long, bronze everything, smaller rooms dedicated to saints. The outdoor patio was on of my favorite parts with the windows that looked into the garden. 

Cathedral.

Windows.

I love the ceilings.

Then we walked to the Alcazar. Inside there is the bedroom, dining room, meeting room and room with other old artifacts from the castle. The best part of the Alcazar is the view because it sits on the top of the hill in Segovia.

View from Alcazar.

Bronze ceilings.

Then we drove 15 minutes to eat lunch and visit the palace in La Granja. The palace in La Granja was one of the summer homes of the Spanish kings. I want every single chandelier I saw inside the palace. They were amazing. Apparently the queen loved to collect them and they are gorgeous! The doors from room to room were placed in the exact same spot so when you looked through the door into the next room it looked like a mirror, but really there were the doors. But the best part about the palace was the garden in the back. The palace sits in the mountains so the view of the mountain tops in the background is amazing. Going the palace in fall was probably the best time to visit because everything was still green with some trees beginning to change and fall to the ground. The gardens were full of paths and famous for the number of fountains.

With Esme and her parents.

With Esme and her sister.

After La Granja, we got back in the car for the two hour ride home and as soon as I sat down and put my seatbelt on I fell asleep. I slept the whole way home...

más luego,

j