Boog's Blog

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Monday 17 November cloudy intermittent rain
Tuesday 18 November cloudy

Monday mostly a rest day getting ready for the big hike along the Thames tomorrow. Some shopping and good eating during the day. Selfridge's quite respectible Tom Yum soup. Salmon, bobby's, excellent for dinner.

JD decided to join us on the walk.

12th century Norman church in iffley called saint Mary church oldest Norman church in England

Lovely path along the Thames until after lunch at a pub. The way became very muddy and slippery. KB slipped and muddied himself. Others were slipping but managed to stay upright.

Andrew Dunn joined for dinner. Good to catch up and share a fine Italian dinner.

In Album Thames

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Sunday 16 November sunny in Madrid mizzle in London.

Day started with the Madrid marathon. When I asked how many people are running the only answer I could get was muchos.

Ham and eggs, tasty breakfast at our favorite pastry place. Suizo and caracola.

Took cheapoair tickets to London, only ones with ready direct flights. Aireurope carrier. Very impressed. 10 agents at check in, no baggage fees, well organized ( NOT) like Ryan air. Easy ride from Gatwick to Victoria where out manservant picked us up. He was not properly dressed.

A fine dinner of winter vegetables and wonderfully roasted lamb topped off of course by excellente and nice company

Finished the day with a pint-o-doom, or favorite.

In Album 11/16/14

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Saturday Valencia

Morning train to the third largest city in Spain and apparently the most visited by tourists. Afraid we were that we might encounter some.

Train is an Ave which traveled at 290km/hr. Countryside just rolled by.

Well organized city. When you arrive there is a tourist office a good map and then a free shuttle bus to the center of the city which is about a 10 minute walk. We walked. The map was annotated in the local Valencia language.

The signs and street names and directions seem to be in the local language as well.

We arrived on a Saturday morning and there are an unbelievable number of churches within a very short distance of the central square; each is full of people and various celebrations. Wedding baptisms, mass , a church every hundred feet and many of them all around a single large square in the center of the city.

The main church seems to have grown organically by adding churches on like blobs.

At the restaurant El Rall the manager was fab. Explained the various types of pigs, terms, gave us samples of her best imberico and serano,how to order jamon at the central Mercado. Gave us a handwritten note for ordering the best jamon. Got some at the Mercado for Bobby.

See other posting about the Mercado.

Also explained paella, a dish made by the men on Sunday for their wives. Almost the name for men cooking for their wives. Families fight over the burnt rice at the bottom, socarrot.

Ended the evening with a Saturday walk very crowded in central Madrid doing what's called El Paseo

And so ends the main Spain adventure , bueno. el paseo sabado por la noche

In Album valencia

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http://fieldtripper.com/c/axDtA72s0UQ/mercado-central-market-building

I thought you might find this interesting, too.

It's your world, explore it.: http://fieldtripper.com

Field Trip – Mercado Central Market Building
Designed by: Alejandro Soler March and Francisco Guardia Vial After several attempts of initiating the construction of a new market (1869, 1874 and 1907), it is in 1910 when the Valencia City Hall announced a new national tender for the construction of the new Mercado Central (Central Market).

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Friday 14 November more rain, intermittent

Thyssen, arms merchant and museum builder.

Exhibition of american expressionists, many of those in David McCullough's Americans in Paris. Reasonable collection of other impressionists, avant garde artists the 1910's and a lot of dreary paintings from earlier periods. A few fine Canalettos

A day of wandering around the city with breaks for eating and an early tapas dinner.

In Album madrid4

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Land of the "Al"

Alameda
Alhambra
Alcazar
Alcazaba dos, malaga y Alhambra
Albayzine in Granada

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Thursday 13 November

Train back to Madrid. Return to give star luxury for M&G's final days.

There is no high speed direct train, the current local is without amenities. Afterwards about two hours of the for hour journey we stop. The stop necessitated by a chance of rail widths onto international tracks. Not an entirely smooth procedure.

Lunch at the hotel, all were hungry after the train ride.

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In Album 11/13/14

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Wednesday 12 November

Alhambra day.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra

Far too many pictures of this most excellent attraction. Architecture, Washington Irving rooms, gardens, carvings, ceiling, walls, baños, and more.

Spectacular views with a bright late afternoon sun and darkish clouds.

Wonderful walks in the Generalife gardens

Dinner at at a gastropub.

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In Album Granada 3

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http://fieldtripper.com/c/QbCEeil6epw/alhambra

I thought you might find this interesting, too.

It's your world, explore it.: http://fieldtripper.com

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Field Trip – Alhambra
The Alhambra ( /ælˈhæmbrə/; Spanish: ; Arabic: الْحَمْرَاء‎, trans. Al-Ḥamrā; literally “the red one”), the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra (Arabic: الْقَلْعَةُ ٱلْحَمْرَاءُ‎, trans. Al-Qal’at al-Ḥamrā’, “the red fortress”), is a palace and fortress complex located in the Province of …

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