Panama Two Ways

I really enjoy a good eco-lodge. The nature, the incredible animals (some with Disney colors!) simple but well-prepared food, "early to bed and early to rise," the whole experience. I particularly enjoy seeing and watching birds. Luckily, my sweet wife also enjoys eco-lodges, and we've been fortunate enough to stay at a handful in Costa Rica (see my "Awesome Osa" post 8/12/13) and one in Honduras. It's a healthy, fun, and educational vacation, a no-brainer.

This year, we made it down to Panama for the first time. We decided to divide our week.  The first half was at one of three "Canopy Family" properties, namely The Canopy Tower --- a former US military site turned eco-lodge located in Soberania National Park.  See http://www.canopytower.com. For the second part of our trip we sought a cool place in Panama City to spend a few days, see Gehry's BioMuseo and maybe pass through the canal. Happily, the two destinations we chose are only half an hour away by car, and transport is provided by The Canopy Tower's 3- or 7-day packages.

Copa Air is now flying direct from Boston to Panama City, at least seasonally. This is a wonderful behoovement and great improvement over the Boston-Houston or Miami-San Jose route that we've used traveling to Costa Rica in the past. Flying direct to Panama City, we've already saved connections, time and money by the time we've arrived. And, as mentioned above, ground transport is mostly taken care of, at least until leaving Panama City (an inexpensive Uber ride).

Trogon in the tree...

Mot Mot

The Canopy Tower has an open-air rooftop for easy viewing, a fine communal dining room, and is quite suitable generally, except that its walls are paper thin. In fact, I think parts of the tower are built with sound-conductive materials. This may not be the place for making whoopee. But everyone keeps the same hours with meals, tours and activities planned for all guests, so 10:00 pm to 5:00 am is "quiet time."

Night Monkey (iPhone on scope)

The guides are superb; we were all fond of Michael and Jenny. Birds are the main attraction, (and I saw 135 species over two full days of activity)  but there are also lots of animals, plants and cool butterflies, like the electric blue morpho. Everyone we met was friendly (birders generally are, in my experience) and the three squares were tasty; morning coffee on the rooftop is an especially great way to start the day. All in all, a very fine eco-lodge experience. I must report that Canopy Tower does not quite compare to somewhere like Bosque de Cabo in Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula; the latter has a pool, better do-them-yourself trails and an array of optional activities. But the Tower checks all the important boxes, is less expensive and much easier to get to.

old facade, Casco Viejo

The lodge's driver delivered us to Casco Viejo, the revitalized UNESCO area that is part of old Panama City. We stayed at The America Trade Hotel, http://www.acehotel.com/panama a beautiful property located on a shady square in Casco Viejo. Once a local crack house (as a heard from a native), the ATH property is now a jewel in the hottest part of an upcoming town. The hotel just opened in 2013 and boasts lovely floor tiles, lots of light and very upscale service, with prices to match. We booked the Panorama Room on the 4th Floor, which is large and has awesome views from a corner space, but there is one serious problem. On Thursdays through Saturday nights there is an rooftop dance club across the square from this room. From 10 until 2 am (4 am on Friday and Saturday nights) there can be no sleeping. I mean, I tried sleep remedies, earplugs, everything. A room change to the opposite side of the hotel was required, unfortunately.

lobby tile at American Trade Hotel

Panorama Room, American Trade Hotel

Casco Viejo is a small peninsula surrounded by the sea on three sides, and invites exploration on foot. With the able assistance of our new friend and travel goddess Dianna Upton of Travel Beyond (a native of Panama City), we arranged a pleasant and informative walking tour of Casco Viejo with Rina. Over the course of two hours we visited some sites of interest, and were given an historical appreciation for this area. Rina also offered some shopping and eating suggestions. A walking tour is a fun and worthwhile way to make the acquaintance of a new town, reasonably priced and highly recommended.

We also booked a partial Canal transit half day. From the hotel we were driven down to an embarkation point on the canal in Gamboa. We boarded a boat called Isla Morada formerly owned by Al Capone and used for running rum back in the day, and sailed the Canal southbound through two locks before disembarking on the Pacific side. Lunch and soft drinks were included onboard. And the whole event was MC'd by expert tour guide JC or Juan Carlos, a 12-year Canal veteran who was very knowledgeable and entertaining. The trip was supposed to be five hours, but it was really eight hours. There were a lot of aging American tourists onboard from a Caravan Tour, so the boat was pretty crowded. And the cost, with transport to and from the hotel, was not inexpensive (disclosure: transit on the Canal is never inexpensive, and requires a Canal-approved pilot on board). However, this is a YOLO item, isn't it? And great educational value.  So if you feel inclined and don't mind the freight, go for it.

Canal transit on the Isla Morada

Here are some additional steers:

There is some wonderful food in Casco Viejo, but prices generally reflect the emerging upscale vibe. We enjoyed Tantalo (try the Signature Octopus sautéed with coconut milk, tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger and creamy fellow Peruvian chili) and its sister restaurant, Calliope (we loved the yuca gnocchi in a brown butter with enoki mushrooms and truffle). For a splurge we had a tasting dinner in the new part of town (yes, there is a Trump Tower). This was Intimo Restaurante https://www.intimorestaurante.com where maybe a dozen interesting and delicious small plates were charmingly served and explained. The tasting menu was priced at $85. per person.

Yuca gnocchi at Calliope

There is also superb coffee is Panama City. Panamanian small-production coffees are grown up in the hills a few hours away, and are served at very cool coffee shops dotted around Casco Viejo. Geisha coffee is a specialty brew that sells for a premium price per cup. Bajareque Coffee House is popular, as is the Unido Coffee Shop attached to the American Trade Hotel. One place I highly recommend is Super Gourmet on Avenida A. It features several freshly made juices, excellent breakfast options, empanadas, sandwiches, an amazing chocolate jungle pie, and great local coffee. Also on sale there are Carribean Chocolate Company chocolate bars, which have a rich cocoa taste that's addictive. See our friend Mark, who expedites, offers suggestions and specials, and makes everyone feel welcome.

Finally, don't you dare miss the BioMuseo, designed by Frank Gehry and a wonderful place to learn about Central America's role in creating a Bridge of Life between North and South America. The museum opened in 2014, but it is still in development, with enormous aquariums in the works for the near term. The BioMuseo is full of young volunteers ready to interact at almost every point of interest. There is a short movie shown in 360 degrees. After your visit, there is a cafe with a good view. Someone told me that from overhead, the museum looks like a scarlett macaw. Please tell me if you can confirm this.

BioMuseo designed by Frank Gehry

Panama was recently voted the second most popular destination for U.S. ex-pats, and I can see why. There is much to see and do, many locals speak English, and the currency used is the dollar. Panama City is developing as a business and tourist destination and begs for exploration. Now travel there is easier than ever before. Hope you make some vacation plans soon to enjoy all the treats on offer!

Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada and Ronda

The Cathedral, Seville

The Acazar, Sevilla, almost empty!

       Part of the great pleasure traveling to these areas in the winter is that they are very warm in the summer, to the point of being inhospitable. At least this is certainly true in Sevilla, Cordoba and Granada. In the Sevilla, we were told by locals that the temps are often over 100F in summer. They were in the high 50s during our stay. At the same time they are less touristed in winter, which is a big plus. Having visited some of the prime sites on every tourist hit list, including  The Alhambra and Generalife in Granada, the Cathedral and Alcazar in Sevilla, and the Mezquita in Cordoba, I am here to tell you that I cannot imagine what these places are like in the tourist high season and heat of the summer! Please consider traveling off-peak to save time, money, and yourself from the maddening crowds.

Here's another piece of general advice. In advance of your trip, book one of those tours where they organize the times and buy the ticket for entrance to the site, the "no waiting in line" tours. In Granada, I used "Granada a Pie" or Granada on Foot, which was reasonable in price and very informative. Book with your credit card on line, print the receipt and meet at the assigned "meeting point." Such tours make life easy and guarantee a good visiting experience, explanation of what you're seeing, historical context and appreciation. I was amazed that no one seemed to tip these guides (who are all certified/licensed, btw), so I did.

Remember, all of these towns can be reached easily from one other, or from Malaga, by train or bus, in two hours or less. Only my trip to Ronda from Granada necessitated a bus and train ride.

Seville may have been my favorite city. It has a population of about 700,000 and is the largest city of Andalusia. Its centro contains three UNESCO World Heritage sights, and The Alcazar and Cathedral (with the stunning tomb for Christopher Columbus) are not to be missed. Orange trees are in bloom everywhere. Vehicles are limited in the old town. We stayed at La Casa del Poeta on Calle Don Carlos Alonso Chaparro, and it was a lovely Moorish courtyard building in Old Town with a fountain in the center, flamenco guitar in the afternoon, big, modern rooms with private bath and a 190 E. tariff. The location was perfect. The food options nearby were beautiful old Spanish bars and some modern tapas restaurants.

Casa del Poeta, Sevilla

The Alcazar and Cathedral are out-of-this-world beautiful, and the latter has a treasure trove (including a gold crown with 11,000 precious stones) that's not to be missed. Many buildings are from the 11th to 14th centuries. The Plaza de Espana, built for a 1929 Exposition, is also spectacular, and reminded me of a Spanish Venice.

Plaza de Espana, Sevilla

Columbus' Tomb. Pall-bearers are
the four regions of Spain

Ceiling of Seville's Cathedral, taken by mirror

One of the world's treasures when it comes to historical sights must be The Alhambra/Generalife complex in Granada (did you know that "granada" is the Spanish word for "pomegranate?"). It is not only a sumptuous and well-preserved example of Arab and Moorish architectural influence; it gives the visitor a clear idea of what life was like for the rulers of Spain before the Roman Catholics "cleaned house" in the 15th century. It is like a small city, and deserves a whole day at least. Note again that entry is limited in numbers and is actually timed to accommodate the masses. Get in on a limited size tour and make life easy.

My tour also included a walk around the old Arab quarters called the Albayzin and the Sacramonte area where the gypsies used to live in caves built into the side of the mountain. The former you can do on your own; the latter is just for tourists, as very few gypsies are still there. In the Albayzin there are some expensive, romantic restaurants with views of The Alhambra at dusk and after. 

Alhambra Muquarnas Ceiling

Alhambra wall with ancient stained glass

view from Generalife to countryside, Granada

wall of Alhambra done, caved in stucco

For accommodations, I stayed at the Palacio Santa Ines Hotel, right near the river on Cuesta de Santa Ines., not quite as fancy since I was solo, only about 52E per night. Also, I joined a small, old school gym called Imagen for 5 euros per day, put a work-out into my routine for an hour and a half daily, then hit the mercado for my first vermouth and tapas lunch. 

Ronda is a much smaller town than the others and it is a bit more isolated as well, located up in the hills. The town is built on either side of a great gorge, spanned by The New Bridge, which is actually very old.

Brroding Ronda and the New Bridge

One of Ronda's claims to fame is its Plaza de Toros (Bull Ring), which is one of the most venerable in Spain, and furthermore was "home" of Pedro Romero, who slew 5000 bulls and changed the way the sport was done. Another great spot to visit is the Arab Baths; these remains are from the 11th century if I'm not mistaken.

Arab baths, Ronda

The countryside around Ronda is quite beautiful, and provides a great opportunity for hiking, and nature-watching. I was lucky enough to have the great service of Peter Jones of Spanish Nature, who took me out over two days to see 68 species of birds, fox, ibex and other treats. 

Finally, Cordoba can be done as an easy day trip from Malaga, and is required in order to see the incredible Mezquita, the church and mosque that presents a wonderful combination of Arab Muslim and Christian Gothic influences. 

The Mezquita interior

The Mirhab contained the guilt Koran; before it pilgrims would circle
ten times on their knees.

In the courtyard outside, you can wander around The Patio of the Oranges, said to be Europe's oldest maintained public garden from 714 AD. 

The pleasures of these small towns in Andlusia are plentiful and well worth your experience. I ate very well at local places recommended mostly by Trip Advisor, Triposo (see recent post on this wonderful app) and locals I met. Meal prices were usually reasonable unless we went out fancy. While I was alone, 20 E was about my max, with a beer, wine or the wonderful Spanish vermouth with a slice of orange and soda.

A word about Iberian ham and charcuterie. You may think these people are overly enthusiastic about their ham and such, but if you spend a bit of time learning and appreciating the finer points of this food and the cultural pride behind it, you may see the light. Of course Spain has excellent fish (especially sardines of all sizes and preparations), and fried fish is my personal thing,  so I was always happy. But the ham from the best Iberian pigs, the pato negro, is very special indeed. These pigs live more or less in the wild among oak groves that supply a steady diet of acorns. The result is a rich, oily and somewhat nutty flavor and, supposedly, a very healthy nutritional profile. Delicious! Remember that Serrano ham is a much lower grade (and price) than jamon iberico.

A selection of meats from a shop at the Mercado

Pato Negro, the pig with the rep

Malaga

According to my expat friend Richard, who has lived in Spain for a few decades, Malaga is a very hot destination right now. And there is clearly a growing international community living here. The reasons are manifold. For one thing, Malaga has a world-class international airport, with connections throughout Spain and Europe. Secondly, the climate is far enough south to make winter comfortable, with temps usually in the high 50s or low 60s. Third, Malaga has good beaches, even adjacent to the city itself. For those with "itchy feet," Malaga provides an excellent gateway into the region of southern Spain called Andalusia, and the Arab-influenced towns of Cordoba, Granada, Sevilla, and Ronda. All of these are easily reached in an hour or two by an excellent high-speed train system out of Maria Zambrano station, as my recent travels attest to. Finally, the fall of the Euro and a decade of crisis in the Spanish economy have created a friendly environment for buying, renting and traveling. Even necessaries and eating out seem a whole lot cheaper than I can ever remember.

For the first time, Cheryl and I tried an Air BnB rental in the Merced section of town for a week, instead of staying at a hotel as we normally would. The truth is, hotels and Air BnB rentals both have good and bad points, as you can imagine. With our Air BnB experience, we had a really good host, who was generally very responsive, and literally saved our butts. [We went out on the balcony to do some laundry --- this is where the washer was located ---and when we closed the slider door to save heat, we locked ourselves out! I still can't understand why a slider would automatically lock when closed from the outside. But luckily, I had my phone with me!] Other problems: the one heater did not warm the entire apartment; there were only two small towels that were never changed, there was a bottle of wine but no bottled water, coffee, sugar or any basics. I think I would use AirBnB again, but the cost was not a great savings over the Room Mate Larios Hotel I used later, and when you're on vacation, convenience can be king. My advice is to vet your properties very well, and then get lucky. By the way Room Mate Larios is a very good hotel experience, with great location, clean art deco lines and fine rooms. About 110 Euros per night, with a good breakfast buffet available until noon for 9 Euros.

Malaga has about 560,000 inhabitants, and population history shows a marked increase beginning about 2002. As a result, there is a lot of rehabbed housing mixed with some incredible old buildings. One of the first things you notice is a large, looming 11th centure Moorish fortress called La Alcazaba that rewards a climb up the ramparts with some good views. At the bottoms of La Alcazaba are the remains of a Roman theatre, which are easily viewed and visited for free.

Malaga is the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, and you can visit both his birthplace and the excellent Picasso Museum at San Agustin 8, which has some exclusive exhibits from the master. Also downtown are two other not-to-be-missed museums --- the Carmen Thyssen Museum, just opened in 2011 with an excellent collection of 19th and 20th century Spanish paintings, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, housed in a refurbished old trade house, with a broad and interesting collection of art and installations spanning modern history. None of the museums cost more than 10 E. The Automobile Museum is a 9 Euro cab ride from the centro, and boasts a world class car collection that includes a '58 Mercedes "gull wing" a Swarovski crystal encrusted '85 Rolls Royce and some priceless '30s and '40s roadsters. The museum is located next door to "The Russian Museum," which was originally a tobacco factory, Edificio Tabacalera. The latter had a Chagall exhibit I wanted to see, but was inexplicably closed when I got there. The lesson is to check schedules since many are closed Sunday or Monday; a call is not a bad idea. Finally, Malaga's version of The Pompidou is fun and located near the new pier and shopping area.

Many parts of the centro are pedestrian areas filled with bars, restaurants, shopping and tourist attractions. One example is called the Larios, which has festive overhead lighting and is chock full of people, especially on weekends.  [Note: I cannot really understand the Spanish lifestyle --- they love to be out late visiting with friends and taking drinks and tapas in bars. Even families with small kids are out and going strong past midnight. How do they get up for work?] During temperate weather, many folks head down to the new waterfront area, where there are shops set up on carts, and more restaurants and bars among the expensive boats docked in slips along the harbor. One Sunday I saw a live swing band set up in a bandstand at the near end of this area, with maybe 50 couples dancing the jitterbug and the like.

A well known locale for drinking and eating is the venerable Bodegas El Pimpi. I visited three times and it was always crowded. Waiters may ignore you, and you may have to wait for a table. Go anyway. El Pimpi is good, reasonably-priced food and drink. Have the baby clams in garlic and oil, or the fried small sardines or the pulpo gallega --- octopus with parsley, oil and potatoes. Good octo is a pleasure, and El Pimpi's was excellent.

El Pimpi --- sign of quality

Beher near the Larios has excellent ham and meat generally, if you feel like a burger. There are a lot of other good restaurants to try in Malaga and I'll let you explore on your own, except for two steers that offer something a bit different. One block down from the Theatre Cervantes is Noviembre, which is never too crowded, has the best salads I've tasted in Spain, and is a real bargain. When you're jonesin' for some greens (and you will), this is a great go-to option, especially with a fresh juice drink.

Tasty tapas of Malaga: fried green peppers, calamari at El Mercado.
baby clams and awesome octo fro El Pimpi

My other suggestion is to wander around El Mercado Central Atarazanas --- the enormous building that houses all the meat, fish, fruit  and vegetable vendors. This building is remarkably clean and offers a great opportunity to buy some fruit or fixings for a picnic. There are restaurants with seating outside and bars with tapas inside. I recommend the latter because it's more fun. The food is not fancy, but it is excellent and fresh. For a few days, I was working out at a local gym, and would drift over after my workout to reward myself with a vermouth on the rocks with soda, follows by fried calamari, shrimp on a skewer, a taps-size paella, smoked sardines, whatever. Three or four tapas with my drink and mineral water came to 18E. If I tipped the server a euro, he or she would be thrilled, and that's good karma. [Note: my observation is no-one tips, at least from what I saw. Pennies on the dollar, if at all. Must be hard times.]

Malaga has two very sweet beaches that are immediately east of the center, an easy 20 minute walk. The first is Malagueta and the next is la Caleta. Both have plenty of fine sand, places to rent chairs, public bathrooms, and at least four restaurants in back of the beaches for snacks and drinks of all kinds.

Malaga has so many things going for it --- great climate, food, beaches, access to Andalusia and Europe. One might wonder if there is a down side. Having spent two weeks here, including one week on my own, I must report that I think there is. Partly because it has become a vacation destination and even a hub of the area, Malaga is drawing lots of tourists, especially Germans, Brits, French, Dutch and Americans. There is a growing expat population. And it seems to me (just my opinion, okay?) that the locals, who are extremely oriented to their own families and friends, don't care to engage with "outsiders" if they don't have to. Of course, this kind of provincialism is not uncommon anywhere one goes. I feel it in Maine sometimes, for heaven's sake. But the three ex-pats I spoke with here all echoed this idea. One said that after 20 years, she still didn't have any close friends who were Spaniards. And for me, based on my short experience, it was almost palpable at times. Or maybe my charm and smiles are just failing me...Anyway, I would not deter anyone from visiting this wonderful area. But maybe best to have some company...

San Sebastian, 2017

We first visited San Sebastian in the early fall of 2015, (see the original blog post here: http://spybirdtravel.blogspot.com.es/search?updated-min=2015-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2016-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=6 ) and we could not wait to get back. 

Being there in January this year afforded us a very special and unexpected opportunity --- Tamborrada 2017. This is the most important holiday of the year in San Sebastian (which is also called Donostia, if you don't know), and it is a huge deal. The origins have something to do with the expulsion of Napoleon's French army and the part played by local chefs harassing the French occupying force by beating pots and pans. You can check out the Wiki version here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamborrada
So nowadays, on Tamborrada, everything shuts down for 24 hours so that everyone --- I mean everyone --- can march in parades, gather in the main square, and play traditional songs, mostly on drums. All of the town's famous eating societies dress up to the nines as chefs and soldiers. Kids have school marching uniforms. Each group has a 24-hour itinerary that calls for marching and drumming to any number of points in the city, playing a few tunes, being rewarded with food, wine and beer, and chilling a few minutes before getting back into marching mode. Forget sleeping or avoiding the festivities --- those are not options. It's a Basque Blast, and you're all in.

I learned from locals that people who work out of the city and students studying abroad often return to San Sebastian to go out with friends and march on this holiday. And it is apparently a great honor to be invited to a friend's gastronomic society to march. The locals love Tamborrada; they get misty-eyed when they talk about it.

Fortunately, during this highest of holidays, we were staying at the ultra-fabulous Hotel Maria Cristina http://www.hotel-mariacristina.com. If you go to SS, please don't consider staying anywhere else. This rococo jewel is elegant and comfortable, and so visually pleasing in every way. We were upgraded by the manager Styge to a suite, and we were almost giddy when we saw it. The service is first rate, and everyone is very kind and helpful. Yes, this is a splurge, but it is one you should make. You won't regret it, and YOLO.

Back to the story... The Maria Cristina offered its guests a special dinner event at the hotel. It began at 8:30 pm and ended at 3:00 am the next morning, and included a fine dinner with Basque specialties, a visit from one of the gastronomic club drum corps, a DJ with dancing, drinks, of course drumsticks and a wooden drum board. It was great fun, very festive and the natives were friendly. If you made it to 3 am, you got churros and chocolate, or garlic soup. (Not sure I get the garlic soup part, but I did not last that late anyway.)

Two friends get ready to march

In the main square, action central

Head chef leads the drumming at Maria Cristina

Tamborrada party in full swing

School kids in marching regalia

Many things in life are never as good the second time. Repeat food experiences often suffer from this phenomenon; maybe you've noticed. Well, not so with the group Pinxtos Hunting Tour done with San Sebastian Food (www.sansebastianfood.com). The tour has been recommended by international publications, is well-run, and a great social experience. At 95E per person, the tour also turns out to be a great value. Once again, we had six stops, all the food/drink was arranged for us, and we felt like insiders in the know. As a bonus, our wonderful local guide provided us with a summary of our experience by e-mail together with a cheesecake recipe and other recommendations for eating in the city. This is not to be missed, and if you can somehow get Lourdes as your guide, you will have a blast. 

3 fave pinxtos: roast pig with pimento and herb oil, "cod bonfire" with
herb aioli and liquid salad, sunchokes with foie & hazelnuts. All so good!

Here is the list of stops from our pinxtos tour on January 18:

-Gorriti, by La Bretxa market….Anchoas Rebozadas (battered anchovies with red pepper), Txistorra (local fresh chorizo), Txakoli (local white wine) and Beronia crianza from Rioja Alta.

-Urola, Calle Fermín Calbetón…Pulpo (octopus), Alcachofas (artichokes with almond praliné), Gilda (traditional pintxo with pickled pepper, olives and anchovy), Champis (mushrooms with mashed potato), Bolo Godello from Valdeorras and Amézola crianza from Rioja Alavesa.

-Zeruko, Calle Pescadería…La Hoguera (cod bonfire), Anguila Ahumada (smoked eel), Alcachofa con Foie (golden artichoke with foie and nuts), Tomatito (false baby tomato with tuna), Enate Chardonnay from Somontano region and Marqués de Murrieta Rioja.

-Txuleta, Plaza de la Trinidad…Pimiento Relleno de Rabo ( piquillo pepper stuffed with oxtail), Croquetas de Txuleta (steak croquettes) and Finca Resalso red wine from Ribera de Duero.

-Sirimiri, Calle Mayor…Cordero (slow cooked lamb) and Remelluri crianza from Rioja.

-Atari, by Santa María Church…Torrija (basque french toast), Cava, Pedro Ximénez sweet sherry and Orujo de Hierbas (herbs liquor).

When I last wrote about San Sebastian in 2015, I went out on a limb, and proclaimed that in my mundo, this town has the best food I've ever experienced. I'm doubling down. San Sebastian is food mecca, and you don't need to go Michelin star to eat like a queen. Note that it's great in the off season. Hope you are inspired to get out there. It's a bit of traveling, because there is no direct access from outside Europe, but it's well worth the effort.

Madrid, 2017

We're mad about Madrid. For many American tourists, it is Europe's forgotten capital city. But why? It has several world class museums, fantastic green space, and some wonderful eating adventures. There is a handy Metro if you don't want to use taxis. And right now, the Euro is about 1.1 USD; that's a big improvement over recent history. Off-season in Europe is a beautiful thing for savvy travelers.

Last trip to Madrid was 2015 and I posted about it September 12, 2015. You can read the review here: http://spybirdtravel.blogspot.com.es/search?updated-min=2015-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2016-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=6 .

 This time, we skipped The Prado but went to the Thyssen-Bornemizma (or simply "The Thyssen"), and enjoyed a great exhibit on "The Intimate Renoir," some masterworks by Hopper, Lichtenstein, Dali and others, and even a few boxes by my childhood neighbor, Joseph Cornell. The Thyssen's web site is here: http://www.museothyssen.org/en/thyssen/home

Dali's "Girl at the Window"

There's a pretty good cafeteria/restaurant at The Thyssen also.

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia http://www.museoreinasofia.es or The Reina Sofia, is an absolute tour de force, especially in the area of 20th century art of various media. Picasso's Guernica is here, as is a continuous showing of Bunuel's Andalusian Dog. Post-modern and surrealism are well-represented. The space in the main venue is clean and un-cluttered. Check the museum's web site for "associated" activities that include film, dance and lecture.

The Reina Sofia also boasts a fine restaurant called Arzabel. We plucked up our courage and tried the recommended sea anemones  (locally called ortiguillas) which the waiter told us were electric, but luckily for us, were not. They are fried and taste like a savory clam. The artichoke hearts, fresh and in season, were delicious also. For some reason, the restaurant serves butter from a giant barrel tub. It must hold five or six pounds of butter. It's not clear why a restaurant would use the same butter for everyone, but they must, I guess.

tasty ortiguillas

As you can see, we've already steered away from culture and into food....

I highly recommend Ten Con Ten on Calle Ayala 6. http://www.restaurantetenconten.com . It is so good, we had to go twice. Call my girl Adela and reserve a table so you're not disappointed. This is not very fancy, but somewhat trendy with 30-40-something date crowd. The second night, staff seemed a bit friendlier; maybe that's only natural. Some suggestions:  the burrata and strawberry salad, the artichoke hearts with spinach and potato puree, and the osso buco cannelloni. The oxtail meatball is also surprisingly awesome. Desserts are also well worth your consideration.

Ten Con Ten: burrata salad, 'chokes and cannelloni

The other major revelation from this trip to Madrid was a fine Mexican Restaurant called Punto Mx, where Chef Roberto Ruiz has earned his first Michelin star. http://puntomx.es . It is simply superb. This restaurant sources almost all of its product from its own organic crops, they make their own tortillas, and they show imagination and loving care in all preparations. As an added bonus, Punto Mx has a killer mezcal collection ( I enjoyed del Marguey Tempextrate for the first time) and "The Mezcal Lab" upstairs for drinks and small bites. This is where I would live if Madrid were my home. Eating at Punto Mx is fun and unpretentious. Guacamole made at the table is fabulous. The braised duck enchilada is to die for, as are the panuchos. But here is the surprise: one of the best desserts I have ever eaten. It was lemon gelatin cubes, with soft, slightly sweet avocado balls that burst in your mouth, sweet corn flautas, and homemade coconut ice cream. It doesn't sound so incredible, but trust me, it tastes perfect after a great Mexican meal!

Incredibly delicious dessert at Punto MX.

I was knocked out by Punto MX. No chef in Oaxaca has anything on Chef Ruiz.

For a really different dining experience, Castafiore on Calle Marques de Monasterio includes opera performances by very talented waitstaff. I learned that they have professional singing gigs when not at the restaurant. They act out little scenes around random tables and put the music right in your face. The effect is pretty cool.

Unfortunately, dining at Castafiore means you have to eat their food, and that's really difficult to do. The food is, in my humble opinion, well, horrible. Even a ham bocadillo with some cheese would have been better than the frozen fish in unidentified green sauce and baby eels. Couldn't eat my dinner, but enjoyed the show, the ebullient owner, the conga line through the kitchen that ended the night. So is it worth 40 euros? Not sure. I don't regret the evening, I just wish Castafiore would choose there or four items -- even pasta and tomato sauce would do, and try not to do cuisine. They can't.

The Rastro, Madrid's weekly flea market, is a lot of fun. It happens on Sundays at  Calle de la Ribera de Curtidores. Trash and treasure, antiques, junktiques and crafts, it's all fun to browse through.

Rastro treasures

If you go to The Rastro, you must grab a sandwich at Martina Cocina. Absolutely fantastic homemade bread, salads, empanadas, desserts etc. Definitely a great place for brunch.

Finally a hotel review. We stayed at The Hotel Orfila on Calle Orfila, close to Colon Metro stop. This is a Relais & Chateaux property, which is always a sign of high quality. The staff is very friendly, and when we pointed out that we were never told there would be a charge for breakfast (and they satisfied themselves that this info did not appear on our booking), they removed one of the three days' charge. The rooms are roomy and the location is great. My only complaint is that the property is a little tired. I would probably try another hotel next time.

Triposo, the essential app

       Using the Triposo.com app is an absolute joy and essential travel tool. This Swiss Army knife for the traveler allows you access to a world of information about most cities and major travel destinations at any time, through your smart phone, even without wi-fi.
        Let's say you are traveling in Andalusia, southern Spain. Simply:
        1. download the Triposo app;
        2. search for any download "Andalusia, Spain" while you do have wi-fi.
That's it. While traveling in, say, Sevilla, you can track your own location, research sights, food & drink, banks, and things to do near your location, and find the quickest route to get where you want to go. It actually tracks your progress moving from one place to another. There is historical information, hours for businesses, pictures, everything you need to get around.
One small fault: all of the restaurant reviews seem very similar, for some reason, and very general in nature. But the one to five star system seems pretty reliable.
         This is revolutionary stuff. No more maps or guides. No more getting lost. It's all right there in your phone.
          Triposo rocks. Give it a try!