I am one of those people, unfortunately, who are very difficult to buy a gift for because I have all that I need and I spoil myself more than the healthy recommended allowance probably. So, when I do ask for gifts, it is usually for experiences and memories. As my thirtieth birthday approached, I asked my boyfriend for the same and he gifted me with a memorable trip to Spain.
Day 1 & 2: Madrid 10/29-10/30
We arrived in Madrid on October 29th at around 10 AM. After getting to our hotel, we spent the remainder of the day roaming the streets but we were so jetlagged that we hit the sheets for nap time at 6PM and didn’t wake up till the following day. That morning was the very first time I was introduced to the Spaniard breakfast. Malaspina had just opened and we were the first to be seated, yet almost immediately we were served a fresh slice of the Tortilla Española – which I have only ever known as potato & egg, but this version was like a fluffy frittata style. It was free too! It was like a little bite before our meal. When we ordered, the waiter looked at us funny and told us we were ordering too much- at first I was like “Sir, I can eat” but he looked serious so I followed his instruction. He proceeded to bring us Pan con Tomate y Jamon Serrano along with Patatas Bravas.
Y’all – I needed a nap after that meal. That salty thinly sliced ham, on the bed of freshly grated tomatoes, seasoned with the richest olive oil! O M G! The ham reminded me of prosciutto, another favorite snack. After eating, we decided to a passeggiata – a stroll to help digest. We made our way to the Plaza Mayor and admired its beauty. Then out of curiosity, I strolled to the Mercado de San Miguel. There the Serrano Ham gazed at me with its shiny and delicious skin – my goodness I can smell it as I type these words. By 1PM I was hunting for the Bank of Spain – because MONEY HEIST- am I right? Unfortunately, I could not find the entrance. Maybe it was the jetlag settling in, but we gave up on the bank.
We fell asleep around 6PM that day and spent the next day roaming around Spain. That was until it was time for the highlight of the trip in my opinion. We got all gussied up and headed to El Botin – also known as the oldest restaurant in the world. If you are a literary fan, many a famous writer have dined here. They have also wrote about their experience eating the young suckling pig at this restaurant. And honestly, rightfully so. The meal was exceptional. I’ve read some reviews that this place was overrated but my boyfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal. For apps we had the most amazing croquettes. We had the suckling pig and steak covered in this mushroom sauce for entrees. Dessert included leche flan and a lemony cake. We also got a bottle of rioja alta as per Ernest Hemingway’s recommendation in The Sun Also Rises.
Day 3: Barcelona 10/31
The next day we were up and out to the high speed trains. Your girl loves a speedy train! We were off to Barcelona and I had a full itinerary planned, but, we were unsuccessful this day. Listen Linda, sometimes we make mistakes and this day was full of them. To start, I did not buy tickets for the Sagrada Familia in advance. Mistake number one. But in my defense I did not know what time we would arrive and get there by. So, when we got to the astounding unfinished church, the tickets were sold out. I then tried to buy them on on my phone through an outside company. To my error, I spent nearly $180 for a “Barcelona day pass” that would not go into effect until 24 hours from purchase. I clearly wasted money and it was useless. Tried to get a refund too, and… it was non-refundable.
We decided to say adios to the Sagrada Familia and glanced at it from the outskirts. We moved along to see more of Gaudi’s work at the Casa Batillo. And again, did not buy tickets for in advance. Nonetheless, looking at the marvel of his work was satisfactory enough for me. We had a quick lunch and then met up with my boyfriend’s aunt. He had not seen in a very long time, and it was my first time meeting them. They graciously invited us over and his aunt made this paella dish. I am still thinking of it and savoring it to this day. After drinking and eating for several hours, they took us to the National Theatre of Catalonia. Then we went to the Jardins del Mirador del Alcalde where we strolled around and viewed the city lights till late. They took us to the train station at around 9PM and we settled in on the train back to Madrid.
Day 4: Madrid 11/1
Day 3 was another packed itinerary. We began our morning strolling towards Chocolateria San Gines to taste the best churros and hot chocolate in existence. As an American, we think hot chocolate like those swiss miss packets. This was not that- this hot chocolate was THICK. It reminded me of ganache. It was made for churro dipping but I saw people sipping, it was definitely a thick gulp. After that, we walked off the calories by visiting the Teatro Real and the Royal Palace of Madrid. Then, we made our way to the Temple of Debod, and the Gardens at Western Park.
I thought this park was ridiculously cool and really wish I would see it in spring when everything is blooming. It is said royals who have visited the queen of Spain have brought their own rose seeds. They were then planted in this garden. On the descriptions of each flower it states who and when the flower was gifted. It was super cool to see all the different kinds of variations.
After a little siesta, we got ourselves dressed up again and headed to Mercado de San Ildefanso. It was like a beer and food hall. To my utter suprise and joy, they had filipino food! You know if I see a lumpia I am gonna get the dang lumpia. We also had some kim chi, bulgogi, and lots of beers.
Day 5: Seville 11/2
Next up, another high speed train! You knew it was coming! We took the 8 AM train out of Madrid and headed to Sevilla. As a Game of Thrones fan, I was extremely excited to see the House of Dorne’s filming location. Lets be honest- those were some bad ass women! We ate a quick meal and then made our way on adorable and quaint streets towards the Alcazar of Seville. This was hands down the most gorgeous castle I have ever been to. The gardens were literally a maze and amazing – see what I did there. A lot of our time was spent here so afterwards we needed to refuel. By refuel I mean get an aperol spritz!
After having a little nom-nom, we went to the Plaza Espana and watched the Fountain. We walked through Maria Luisa Park and then headed for dinner at El Rinconcillo. This place had a line waiting outside of it. Wait time would have been awful BUT we finally thought ahead. We went early before they w opened officially and put our names down for a later time. We also did not sit at a table and opted for the bar seating. Watching them thinly slice that serrano ham was a true work of delicious art.
Day 6: Madrid 11/3
For our final day in Madrid, we decided to “take it easy” and slept in a little late. When we woke up we headed towards the Embajadores neighborhood and had a “light” lunch. Nothing was light about this lunch, but we needed to get all to flavors in before we left. The solution – TAPAS. We stopped at a Taberna El Sur and ordered some patatas bravas, paella, and lomo bajo. Everything was great, even better was the sangria!
As I lightly stumbled out of there, we needed coffee. By 2PM, we strolled to walk off that meal, we found the Pum Pum Bakery with hysterical merch, delicious coffee and pastries. We left and walked around some more and by 3:30 made our way to the Parque del Retiro and the Palacio de Cristal. We hung out in the park and did a little people watching. He and I sat by the lake, for what seemed like hours – yes it was romantic. Although the truth is my boyfriend is not one for romance so I was romanticizing my own life. By the 6 PM we headed back to our hotel to siesta, then prepared for a late night out.
I wish I could tell you the details however, I had too much to drink. I know we had dinner at Pez8, but could not for the life of me recall the meal. Then we had drinks at some outdoor bar in some vibrant plaza. Note to self: document everything.
Day 7: Madrid and Back Home 11/4
After sleeping in a mild hangover, we packed up our belongings and prepared for our flight in the evening. At this point in history, virtual covid tests were required to board, so we took care of that in the morning. After we were all settled, we decided to – can you guess? If you said eat some more DING DING DING!
We revisited some of our favorite places. First, went to Cafe De La Luz again because their pan con tomate was deelish. Then we headed back to Matilda because we personally thought they had the best Spanish tortilla. After walking around to digest, we then decided to try a locally recommended place called Madrid Madriz. We ate something called solomillo la plancha – and it was – wait for it – legendary. It was cooked to perfection and perfectly salty – just how I like it. We also had croquetas, jamon serrano, and so much more and I guarantee you my cholesterol was flying high. At that point it was time for us to grab our luggage and head on home.
Spain, in all its jaded history, is still an amazing place to see and to enjoy food. There are so many places in the world I want to see and Spain has definitely left a memorable mark. I can only hope to return again and eat my way through Spain once more.
