The Delight of Place

 Today, all day, we walked through the heart of Madrid and spent the day appreciating the architecture and joie de vivre of the city. Two of the most prominent squares of Madrid are in this area. They are Puerto del Sol and Plaza Mayor. Puerto del Sol is sort of the hub for busses, metro, political demonstrations, etc. It’s very lively, active and filled with tourists as well as locals. It was once the entrance to Madrid through a gate with a carved sun (long gone). The pictures on Flickr will show a statue of the city symbol, Bear with Berry Bush, and the patron, Charles III. There is a pastry shop here that defies description. Mounds of delicious delights tempted us and we gave in to delicious Neapolitans. From here we walked to Plaza Mayor, a vast, cobbled stoned square, described as a grand palace turned inside out. It’s been the stage since 1619 for bullfights, pageantry, and the Inquisition’s horrors, and the spot upon which the war against Napoleon began in 1808. We had lunch outside here in the glorious Spanish sun drinking beer and watching all the peddlers. Next, we visited the Royal Palace, avowed to be the best preserved palace in all the world as well as the 3rd largest. The royals no longer live in the palace (they have a little mansion nearby), but it is still used for royal affairs. The decor was really over the top for my taste. Too much Rococo combined with Chinoiserie left me wishing for some Shaker relief. But, amazingly there were 4 Stradivari instruments. A shame they are under glass and not played. Tonight’s dinner left us both craving something green. I don’t think the Madridians (?) recognize the vegetable family. There is fish and ham enough to feed the world, but nary a steamed broccoli in sight. 

Reina Sofia

The Reina Sofia holds Picasso’s Guernica and the studies for it. The painting occupies its own gallery. I had never seen the painting before and found nothing surprising in the viewing. Maybe the starkness and graphic nature make the reproductions work well. What was most interesting were all the studies; to see which images were discarded and which chosen was so insightful. Also, it was fun to see the transformation of the piece through a series of photographs by Dora Maar. Picasso certainly could portray anguish.

There was room after room of surrealism (not my favorite). But there was a Juan Munoz, a definite favorite.
That night we ate at a Fodors recommended tapas restaurant, el Bocaito. The atmosphere was nice, very Spanish, with ceramic plates all over the walls. But we still think Los Gatos’ food is better. We took a taxi over, but walked the mile or so back. The buildings were nicely lit. 

Walk from Bocaito to our hotel

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Museo Prado

 We got a wake up knock from housekeeping this morning at 11:00 am. What a shocker. We thought going to bed at 10:00am would solve the jet lag. Guess we were wrong about that. Alternatively, we have adjusted quite well to siestas.

We spent the entire afternoon at the Prado, a museum which lives up to its world class reputation. I saw works I’ve never before seen except in reproductions. Some of them surprised me with unexpected color and details. Among those we were most delighted by were Velazquez’ Las Meninas, Goya’s 3rd of May, Durer’s Self Portrait, and for those of you who got the visual joke in yesterday’s post, the real Naked Maja. Kathy, we saw Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights and were reminded of our lovely time with you and John in the Lisbon Museum of Antiquity. There was a room entirely dedicated to murals removed from Goya’s home. His personal works are so much more expressive than the court pieces. Perhaps the piece that impressed upon both of us the most was Van Der Weyden’s Decent from the Cross, a work of near perfect composition, technique, color and emotional impact.
After, we enjoyed some small tapas at the bar* next to our hotel. I thought my Spanish was working really well until Wayne pointed out that our waiter spoke English.
We returned to the hotel where Wayne worked out while I ate chocolate and listened to Leonard Cohen. Then we returned to the area behind our hotel of muchos tapas bars for dinner. I ordered what I thought was grilled mushrooms but was in fact steak. All was good, but I obviously continue to work on my comprehension skills. Hasta mañana. *

kathrynlima | February 10, 2011 at 6:27 pm | Reply

Sounds like when we met you in Lisbon and all overslept because of the darkening shutters in the room! And I’m with you on the siestas. Javier Falcon, the Inspector Jefe in Seville in Robert Wilson’s series, has lunch at 1:00 and sleeps until about 4:00 or 5:00, after which he resumes his day. Dinner at 11:00 p.m., of course. Muy bien!

Hola Madrid

 We arrived in Madrid some 13 hours after leaving Boston. The weather was a spectacular surprise. It was downright balmy at @50. Our driver, a charming (and gorgeous) chap, drove us down the main boulevard past huge and flowing fountains and around green parks and massive city gates. We are in a very nice area. The Prado is steps away. Small pedestrian streets filled with tapas bars back up to our hotel. Trying to stave off jet lag and at the suggestion of our hotel clerk, we went to one of those bars, Los Gatos. It was a small place. No one spoke a word of English. Our seats were beer kegs. The most amusing thing was the mural, after Goya’s Maja, which I’ve pictured here. Look closely…very closely. We absolutely love this city. Kathy & John. You would, too. The boulevards remind us of Lisbon. I’m so excited about the Prado. Time to treat the jet lag. Hasta luego.

1 Comment

Juliaeinstein | February 9, 2011 at 5:28 am | Reply

Lol en espanol!

 

An Invitation

Posted on January 25, 2011 | 2 Comments

Presented here is an exclusive railing tour for the privileged few. A very special trip blog prepared for those whom we love to bore with vacation pictures. This twice in a lifetime opportunity with insider access will begin production on or about February 8, 2011. Stay tuned for Tales from the Rails.

So, admit it. This is just plain beautiful. And the Wynn is filled with beautiful mosaics. One little coffee shop has mosaics inspired by Matisse paintings. We had a leisurely morning. Took in our last warm day with a walk and a big buffet breakfast. The flight home was shorter and the jet lag less taxing.
Cause I've got friends in low places
Where the whiskey drowns
And the beer chases my blues away
And I'll be okay
I'm not big on social graces
Think I'll slip on down to the oasis
Oh, I've got friends in low places

Wayne generously spent the day shopping with me while I looked for boots. Did find the perfect boot....but not my size. Our search took us to The Venetian. It is an incredible space. This evening we saw The Jersey Boys, a play of the story of Frankie Valle and the Four Seasons. It was nice to remember the songs. But the show was mediocre. We had forgotten the Patriots were playing. Had we thought of it, we would have watched them in one of the bars rather than the Jersey Boys. We saw the first quarter, though, by choosing a restaurant with a TV and requesting a table with a view. What a game to miss!

And Trisha Yearwood, Too.

During the day we walked through both hotels and over to the Palazzo. The day was very warm and sunny. We had a nice lunch at La Cav, a tapas bar. But, without question, the best of the day was the concert. I laughed, I cried, I sang along. It is not hype that Garth Brooks is one of the best entertainers around. There is no backing band. It is Garth and his guitar. He played verses and snippets of the songs that influenced and formed him. The best were American Pie and some Cat Stevens. His wife Trisha Yearwood came out ant sang 2 duets with him. His clear, almost pained, but strong voice was as good as any recording we have So glad we went!!!

Well It's Bulls and Blood

Even though they say "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas", I'm going out on a limb here and tell all. Odds are I will bore before I shock. The flight was a long 5.5 hours. But Wayne has a new toy, the iPad, which entertained him, and I had a good book to finish. We had a great cabby who told us that the National Rodeo World Finals were in town. So after checking in we headed straight for the concierge and secured tickets. We have wanted to go to a rodeo for some time, especially to see the bull riding. And it seemed such a serendipity since the purpose of this trip is to see Garth Brooks, he of Ropin' the Wind. And what fun it turned out to be. And LOUD, Wow. There was calf roping and steer wrestling, barrel racing and bronc riding, but best of all, there was bull riding. We're primed for the week end.

A few words about The Encore, which is part of The Wynn. Our room was the size of a small NYC apartment. The place is filled with beautiful mosaics on the walls and in the floors. There are several spectacular waterfalls and gardens so well tended. Shopping galore complements restaurants aplenty. The Encore Entry

A Little Help From My Friends

We spent last week in Pennsylvania celebrating Thanksgiving and the overall enjoyment of dining and drinking for days with friends. Ken and Vicki hosted Thanksgiving dinner. John and Kathy treated us to a wine paring dinner at their club. And we went to Pittsburgh for dinner at Majorca.

Rally for Sanity

We did our best. Drove for 10 hours through NYC stop and go traffic that seemed to stretch from the Cross Bronx Expressway to the Baltimore Beltway. Stood for 5 hours shoulder to shoulder with thousands on the DC Mall. Cheered. Laughed. Sang. Danced. Made friends with all our fellow ralliers. In other words, remained sane and hopeful. But, alas, the country as a whole remains completely insane. I'm just happy to say that I reside in MA, where civil rights, education, science, and the freedom to be an atheist still rule. I had nightmares last night that Sarah Palin was President.

We spent a fun few days in Chicago. What a fabulous city. The weather was absolutely perfect. And the people are all gracious, polite, helpful, and generous. We either walked or took public transportation everywhere. A breeze of a city to peruse. Our agenda:
1) 2 trips to the Art Institute. The new wing is open. I still like the Japanese collection.
2) The Symphony. Ricardo Muti is the new conductor. He chose Berlioz Symphony Fantastique
3) All the Frank Lloyd Wright designs we could find, both in Hyde Park and Oak Park. While in Hyde Park we saw what we could of President Obama's home.
4) Got "high up" everywhere. The Navy Pier Ferris Wheel, top of the Sear's Tower, top of the Hancock building
5) Ricky Gervais, funny man, show for HBO.

Back Again

We've been home a week now and have had time to reflect on the trip. We were greeted with an unusually warm and sunny Massachusetts' April. The temps were in the 70's and 80's. The daffodils are blooming and the peepers are singing. We're already planning next year's winter get-away.

As for this trip. There was not a bad day (I'll forget the 2 separate George Washington Bridge accidents that delayed us 2 hours in NYC) We spent 8 weeks in 30 states and the District of Columbia, drove over 11,000 miles, met great people, saw amazing sights, learned new things, and discovered the best short ribs ever.

If I had to give advice (Do I ever do that???), I would say the following:
1. Best Museum: Denver, because of the extensive Native American collection
2. Best Restaurant: Jack's Stacks in Kansas City. By all means, the best ribs we've ever had. And, believe me, we've had our share of ribs.
3. Best Digs: The Desert Pearl in Zion.
4. Most moving moment: Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
5. Most beautiful sight: Zion National Park, all of it, even the heart stopping Mr. Carmel drive in.
6. Best Margarita: George's at the Cove in La Jolla. And the view didn't hurt, either.
7. Funniest thing: Standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ

Flower Power

Our final stop on the great odyssey is the DC area. Our first night was with Aunt Juanita and Uncle Carlton in Woodbridge, VA. We had a great time with them, catching up on family, politics, and travel. We also got to see Justine who is off to Oxford this month. The 2 final nights were in DC where we saw Adam, Maura and Tanith for dinner night one. Adam spent the next day with us doing the tourist thing and showing us his new home. We spent the entire day in the National Portrait Gallery and walking around the Tidal Basin. The NPG was fabulous. The current show featured Rose Frantzen, Jim Torok, and Rebecca Westcott. Take a look. You will be very impressed. Pay attention to the scale, too. The other show I enjoyed was the portrait competition. It was thrilling to see the variety and skill of these artists.

On our walk to the Tidal Basin, I saw a Luis Jimenez sculpture in front of the American Art Museum. What a serendipity! This is the same sculptor we saw and studied in Santa Fe. The walk around the Basin was warm with bright sun and peak cherry blooming. Tomorrow we head home, happy to be going there.

The Butler Opens the Door

We spent time in Richmond, VA today in order to see some Civil War sites. Wayne has an interest in aspects of the war: the pathos, the battles, personalities, and Lincoln to name a few. We started with the American Civil War Center at Tredegar. Tredegar was a gun foundry. We, first of all, had to share the Center with a group of Middle School students who ran, yelled and banged on everything. Yes, it was yet another focused, well-planned field trip where students were required to analyze, deduce, theorize and report back on the experience. But, beyond the chaos of the day was the astounding presentation of the war. No wonder many Southerners are still fighting this War. Without doubt, the Center presented slavery as a secondary (or tertiary) cause of the war. According to the Center, it seems that tariffs and Kansas along with states' rights were the primary cause. Whatever the chain of events truly were, they push the fact that slavery was not all that bad and the evil Union hell bent on taking away their God given right to own and sell people. Perhaps this continuous propaganda is what nurtures the vitriol that continues today.

Then we went to the Confederate White House. The tour guide taught us that Davis' "butler" would greet guests in the foyer and his "maids" took care of the household. Finally, someone asked if slaves were in the house. Her reply, "Both slaves and free servants. And even the slaves had their own house which was quite a perk for their job." Job? Really? Talk about denial. So glad I moved north.

"Savannah would be better for you. You'll just get in trouble in Atlanta." Mammy

Savannah, the most beautiful city in the south. Thank god they surrendered to Sherman and preserved all that beauty and charm. We spent Sunday morning enjoying the beauty and spring warmth before heading for Richmond, VA. The last, and only other time, we were in Savannah was in January 2005. It was cold, and the Pats were winning their first Super Bowl. Late March is a much better time to visit. All the trees were dressed in their finest blossoms, the Spanish Moss was swaying in the breeze to the tunes of sidewalk gospel singers, and we were chomping peanuts by the river. Savannah's downtown is one of the largest National Historic Districts in the US. It boasts 22 squares, each with a central park area holding prominent sculptures and surrounded by absolutely gorgeous, beautiful homes. Some of these homes are museums and restaurants as well as bed and breakfast joints. The downtown area outside the Historic District and adjacent to the Savannah River is one long, long shopping and dining delight. I highly recommend a visit. But not mid-summer when a belle could suffer from the vapors.

Miami Heat

We spent the day in Maimi on Lincoln Road and in the Bass Museum. Lincoln Road is a Ramblas type area consisting mostly of restaurants and commercial shops. There are one or two galleries and the Arts Center. The area teems with tattoos, cleavage, lots of skin, and electronic devices. We had a nice sushi lunch among the tanned. After lunch we walked about 1 mile to the Bass Museum. It is very small; one room of Renaissance art and a floor of contemporary pieces. It is more like a gallery than a museum. Question: Why is a mosaic penguin in front of a restaurant NOT art and a mounted stack of cardboard boxes in a museum IS art? Dinner at Chima was so nice. It is Brazilian in style and food, a beautifully appointed space.

The Family of Man

This morning we had normal business to take care of. Wayne needed to go to the Apple store and have his network connection fixed. He also decided to return the Lamborghini. It's too difficult having 2 cars on a trip. We also went to this huge Swap Shop on 88 acres that has everything from psychic readings to dime store items, XXXX videos, food, carnival and 14 drive-in movie screens.

We visited the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art today. It is a small museum and even had a section off limits. But there was an excellent exhibit of Edward Steichen's work from 1923 through 1937 consisting actors, writers, composers, models and dancers he photographed for Vogue and Vanity Fair. Most significantly for me were the models wearing designs by Channel because we had just seen the movie Coco Before Channel.


The Museum sits on the banks of New River next to Las Olas Blvd. After leaving the Museum, we went to the Riverwalk area for lunch and a stroll.

Let Me Tell You About the Rich.

They are very different from you and me. F Scott Fitzgerald
Look what being around them made Wayne go and buy!!! So, to explain all this silliness, we spent the day in Palm Beach, the winter playground for those who register their yachts in the Caymen Islands. We had lunch at a fabulous hotel, The Breakers, built by Henry Flagler who was responsible for bring the railroad (and, thus, the rich) to Florida. The pictures fail to illustrate the opulence of the place. It boasts multiple expansive halls and verandas, 3 ballrooms, outdoor spaces, and shops. One of the ballroom ceilings was covered in gold-leaf, the other with murals. The flower arrangements were yummy and the staff was pleasant.



We also strolled down Worthen Ave when the very rich shop. The funny thing is the windows are full of tiny little sundresses and the patrons' average age is close to 60.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

We had a fun day at City of Palms Park watching the Red Sox get trounced by the Tampa Bay Rays. All the big stars were playing: Pedroia, Drew, Youk, Ellsbury, Ortiz. And, they STILL lost. But we were in the bleachers with a bunch of very funny people and enjoyed the sun, beer and jokes.