Roadmaps, Windmills and Tears

We had always planned to visit the iconic windmills of La Mancha, famous from Don Quixote and his author Cervantes, which I admit I have yet to finish reading.  So we drove from Trujillo heading for Consuegra.

After a good while, we pulled into a small roadside cafe for help.  Four old men sat at the tapas bar and nodded as we entered.  We ordered cold drinks, coffees and a bottle of water and laid out our Michelin roadmap.  My navigator insists on Michelin when driving in Europe.

The young lady stood behind a glass counter of tapas awaiting instructions?  It would appear this was a  "deep fried" tapas bar.  Possibly with the ethos of "kill it, batter it, fry and serve.  A sort of KFC v Willy Wonka, as I could not distinguish any of the ingredients?  However, we enjoyed a selection of the unknown.

I decided we needed help and asked the locals for Consuegra?  Top tip here, roadmaps are a universal language.  "Puede indicarmelo en el mapa?"     A mild excitement ensued.  Small glasses of beer were placed on the corner of the unfolded map to the nervous look of my wife.  She is very territorial of her maps, and a lively argument erupted as to which road to take.

I gave over my five euro note to the bemused young lady and still got change!  Amazing good value.  And set off bidding goodbye to our waving party.

We found this incredible sight of medieval windmills and it started to rain!  We had planned the big Don Quixote photo shoot but our spirits dropped.  Sadly my navigator began to cry!

We have so many places we need and want to visit, that you cannot Always Return on a better day.  However, I have made a promise to my researcher and navigator to make a big detour next time we visit Madrid and Return !

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Hobgoblin and Stuffed Braised Lambs Hearts

Firstly gently pour yourself a nice pint of Hobgoblin.

Then I seasoned the lambs hearts and stuffed with chopped onion and sausage meat.

I then wrapped the hearts in bacon, made secure and browned them in a pan.  Then transferred to a roasting tin and covered with foil and slowly roasted.  Then I took the wine and made a red wine reduction and garnished with freshly chopped parsley from the garden.

After a long slow cook in the oven we served the hearts with fresh mash potato and steamed broccoli and enjoyed the rest of the Pinot Noir

Return to our wedding venue.

It was a wet Bank Holiday Monday and the wife had heard good things and suggested we Return to the Mansion House at Llansteffan.

We had not been since our wedding sixteen years ago and I felt we would end up being disappointed in the way you are when you return to somewhere that was once special.

We arrived, being only the second car in the car park and feeling rather anxious.  However, from this point on everything was elevated on every level.

The new refurb has let light flood in and would satisfy any wedding photographer on this assignment.  Yes, they still do weddings every Saturday.

We wanted to try the weekday set lunch and were met by Lucy Joyce who has perfected meet and great and made it her own.  Very smart, professional and oozing enthusiasm.  Any young lady who is confident and  courageous enough to recommend a new beer to me, gets my vote.  This I enjoyed whilst we chose off the wine list and lunch menu.

Choosing beetroot smoked salmon and the pate for starters.  A good house white of french sauvignon blanc and battered red mullett and chips with a momentous rib eye steak for me, marbled and very tender.

The fish was fresh and my steak was cooked beautifully.  Alice Jones took over our service and added a small french merlot for me to go with the steak.

This venue has mesmerizing views of the sandy bay and to add to my pleasure played various piano concertos over the speakers to add ambiance.  For years I have been banging the drum about playing good classical music during dinner only to be ignored.  Mozart finished, Chopin took over and here I admit after seeing the film The Pianist, Chopin has become my favorite.

Alice talked us through the dessert menu selecting the tiramisu and tart a citron.  Choosing the Muscat dessert wine to hold their hands.  Gone are the days restaurant offer a good choice of port, brandy and cigars.  However, anywhere that offers a good choice of dessert wines wins my approval..

I remarked to both Alice and Lucy how good the food was and asked about the team? The head Chef is Oscar Ware, obviously knows about good menu choice and prep and his disciples being Paul Owen and Anwen Morris certainly don't let him down.  They seriously know how to cook.

All in all a very memorable and pleasing experience and left me wanting to return with guests very soon.

Prawns, Cervantes and Gynaecologists

We walked along the coast skirting the city of Malaga heading for the Marina.

  The coastal road is lined with all types of tropical palm and native trees in a wide shaded walkway, giving excellent shelter from the sun.  As the white sun is filtered through the dense green foliage you can taste and smell the shade.

I wanted a paddle before lunch.  Is this a truly British pass time? Probably Not, but I think we are true devoties of walking in the sea getting our rolled up trousers wet. Very satisfying !

The Marina led us along a new stretch of prominade displaying the usual culprits of different foods of different nations.  We kept walking, as you know "its always the last bar or restaurant at the end " that normally gives you the best, it was !

We found a mass of locals and tourist alike enjoying a Bucket of Beer and Prawns.  No english spoken here but an incomprehensible menu.

So I just pointed at what the others were doing.  This is self service.  You get a bucket of ice including six small bottles of beer, strangely with a deposit on the ice bucket.  Why?  And then choose your sea food.  The prawns here are amazing.  Result !

Later after our seiesta we walked back up hill again, stopping to enjoy the shops selling vast selection of ice creams and a  new one to me, a frozen yogurt shop.

We had uncertain  directions and  were looking for Cervantes Restaurant, we did find it eventually, but probably a taxi to get here might be a good idea if your unsure.

It's near the concorde and Piccaso's studio.

We paused outside the art studio, and knew I should be more interested, but I struggle with Modern Art and it is sadly  wasted on me.

We found Cervantes and squeezed into this tiny tapas restaurant.

And immediately began enjoying the atmosphere.

I ordered the sweetbreads off the specials board and settled.

This place is very small and the tables very close, so we found ourselves next to two young ladies from the States.  One had been out in Andalucia a while, the other recently joining her from the East Coast.  The new arrival Loudly and excitedly told her all her stories from home and how Good her Gynaecologist was!   I needed to fire a warning salvo over her bow,  as this conversation was becoming uncomfortable.

I did the usual of "Hi, where are you from ?" which was wasted as my geography of the East Coast of the USA is non existent.  I joked and explained that with My English Accent its Not surprising that  the British are disliked all over the world.  She laughed and countered, that the Americans came a close second on the popularity scale.  This did the trick, as we were spared the full details of her internal examination, and I was consequently allowed to enjoy my sweetbreads in peace.

Museo del Jamon/Museum of Ham and the Alcazaba de Malaga

The further uphill in Malaga you walk the more authentic the city becomes.

Follow the streets towards the old Roman Ruins and look for the Museum of Ham.  This establishment sells a selection of the famous spanish hams of various types, ages and prices. This is a franchise and not actually a museum!  I like this concept and often call in their fast moving stand up eatery when in Madrid.  Normally for breakfast.

Its a very good way to learn and taste without overcommitting your budget to a full racion in a restaurant or bar.

I always to try to call here if I have a flight back the following day, I ask the staff here to make me a little lunch box of their ham and cheese to eat on the flight home.

If this is your first taste of the ledgendary iberico acorn fed black pig air dried ham, taste it with a good wine or even better a dry glass of fino sherry.

Then if the sun is not too intense walk further up and explore the Alcazaba.

It's very minimal in cost to enter and for me a Master of Pure Andalucia

Undisputedly one of my favourite historical sites, rarely busy, but truly memorable. 

Malaga Central and the Sherry Bar

There are only two platforms for the trains at Malaga Airport.

Nearly everyone takes the train to the beaches/costas, direct from here.  We however, and the occasional local, stand on the other platform and take the train to Malaga itself.  This is a beautiful city and as authentic Andalucian as they come.

You either exit at Malaga Maria Zambrano the main station.  Here you can get a taxi or bus or coach or train to just about anywhere OR stay on to the last stop Malaga Central.  Where you exit by the river in the heart of the city.  You then cross the main road on foot where all the flower sellers are and look for the Sherry Bar named Antigua Casa De Guardia.   I say look as there are no signs just iron railings on the windows and a wide open door if open. (it's near Burger King as a landmark).

Upon entry you take yourself up to the long bar and point to one of the huge selection of sherry barrels.

You will be asked "glass or bottle"  and they then chalk up your tab on the bar there in front of you.  If your lucky they often sell fresh mussels from the fish market located behind, as a tapa. This is the perfect start to any Andalucian Adventure.

However, if they are closed as they don't stay open late, carry on on foot towards the Cathedral and take an off shoot street (see your street map) and find Lo Gueno spanish for "the good stuff".

This has a top flight restaurant serving suckling pig on one side and an amazing tapas bar opposite.

I always go to this tapas bar every time we visit Malaga.  You wait impatiently in the small "L" shaped corridor of this busy bar and seize a bar stool when they become vacant.  The tapas selection is vast and the service openly friendly. The staff know me here, so I order a tapa and then Ask Them what I should drink with each small plate of warm, rustic and vibrant smelling food.

I have been given various wines, sherries and even brandy, all outstanding.

We have stayed in Malaga city centre many times.  Always advised to use Maria Zambrano station.  We have walked in the heat, booked taxis to and from the centre and even dragged our hand luggage with an intense hangover early the next day.  Not knowing the unmarked subway entrance in the city centre is in fact Malaga Central !  Only used by locals and not on any maps!  Probably Malaga's best kept secret !

The hotel receptionists and taxi drivers are all very good but I admire their sense of humour and code of secrecy !!

Exploring Tuscany by Train

Touring Tuscany and Umbria by train for me is the ideal way to explore.  No stressful driving and parking and the rail network service is extremely well run.

However, take care here, as once you have purchased your rail ticket Don't forget to punch it before you get on the train or this could lead to a fine.

We flew into Pisa and made this our base camp.  Staying at the Hotel La Pace, within easy walking distance of the railway station, with an old style Sicilian restaurant just opposite.

 We enjoyed our railway journey to Lucca for lunch, full of its high towers, and superb lunch time restaurants just over the bridge of the Serchio river.

This is the birth place of Puccini and is still unspoilt.

The following day our rail ticket took us to Florence.

However, Florence needs more than just a day time visit so we will have to return.

We lunched up in the overlooking hills with an impressive view of this iconic city.

Each evening we returned to Pisa and always found a different amazing restaurant.

In fact, when visiting Bernardos the specials were so exciting I could not decide so I ordered Both !!

We enjoyed the house wine in every establishment and know we only scratched the surface of these beautiful cities.