Dalí

Our plan for today was to go to the Dalí museum in Figueres which is two hours away on the regional rail and one hour on the high speed Ave train. But first, we took the metro to explore La Ramblas, a shopping area and where La Boqueria is - the largest market in Barcelona. There are 40 markets in the city and here's a picture collage of some of the food on display:

We wandered the market buying fruit juice and breads for breakfast and taking in the myriad of food and colors. I stopped by Pinotxo which is where the Peruvian family in Granada recommended as well as my guidebook. I had a plate of chickpeas, supposedly their specialty. Also, as it was the morning, we were still in breakfast mode and not ready for all the seafood tapas which looked appetizing. 

We then made our way to the Sants train station. After a few tries on the kiosk not taking my credit card, we finally got our tickets to Figueres-Vilafant, the high speed train station near the museum. The train ride took less than an hour and after a ten minute taxi ride, we were at the museum called Teatre Museu Gala Salvador Dalí. Dalí designed and lived in it and is the site of an old vacant theater. His tomb is also here in the middle of the museum. Here's a photo collage of the building exterior:

Several of the pieces are coin operated. For instance, this Cadillac begins to rain inside once you put in 1€:

For this one, the picture collapses and opens when you put in 1€:

Here's also a collage where from afar, this picture looks like Abraham Lincoln:

Here's a photo of some random objects:

But after waiting in line, climbing some steps, and looking through a lens, it looks like a face:

Here's a very detailed and very small oil painting that I liked with a fun frame:

After the museum, we were a bit hungry, so we went to a nearby restaurant and had sangrias. I had stuffed tomatoes, while Nakia ordered empanadas and a salad. 

After relaxing and eating, we went back for the second part of the museum, Dalí's Jewels. Unbeknownst to us, Dalí had designed jewelry with many of the visuals from his works. The Royal Heart that could pump was amazing. Nakia got a great video of it (check it out on Facebook). Here are a few visuals that you might recognize (my melting clock photo unfortunately came out fuzzy):

Many of the jewels had his original sketches next to them like the one below:

We both enjoyed the museum very much and decided to walk around Figueres. We walked down to the Main Street of La Ramblas and saw a stretched face of Dalí on the ground. Supposedly the town put it there to honor him. When you look at a reflection of the face in a silver pole, the face looks normal. Nakia bought a few hand made bowls and then we got a taxi to return to our train station to head back to Barcelona. 

The train ride was quick and we came back to the hotel to rest. Then we were off to Espai Sucre for dinner - this restaurant only served desserts and was on Anthony Bourdain's show. At first, I got cold feet as I wasn't sure there would be enough sustenance, but every dish was delicious and the wine pairing was well done. Here's a collage of the dishes:

We then walked around to help digest all the food and headed back to the hotel. We were so full from all the sweet and savory dishes!

  

Alhambra

This morning I had a 9 am entry into the Palacio Nazaries. Although not ideal, it was actually the only and last ticket available when I booked about two months ago. 

I caught the bus from my hotel and transferred to the Alhambra minibus from the city center. I made it up to the ticket booth for pickup around 8:45 am and walked over to the Palace. As I had come last night, everything was familiar and easy. The poor guards must get so tired re-explaining everything as like I mentioned, not everything was intuitive. Also, I'm glad I came for a day visit as some of the rooms were roped off last night. Here are some day photos of the Palacio Nazaries:

You exit from the Palace into the Portal Gardens which leads to the Generalife Gardens. As I wasn't ready to make my way back up to the main area and the Generalife Gardens, I decided to visit the Alcazaba which is the fortress. There are several towers and is where the soldiers lived. Here's a photo of some of the rooms which aren't that much smaller than my NYC studio apartment:

Also nearby was the Palace of Charles V which has two museums. One for the Alhambra and a Fine Arts museum. I went into the Alhambra one which has artifacts, tiles, ceilings, and statues. The building is a large rotunda. Here's a photo:

At this point, I decided to sit on a stone bench that wrapped around a large tree. I sat here for awhile and then I suddenly noticed a pool of water around my feet and half of me was soaked. Not sure where the water came from, but I walked over to a sunny bench, shifted my skirt around so the half was exposed to the sun and I could dry up. Thank goodness for the strong Spanish sun!

After I was all dry, I walked over to the Mezquita baths and then up to the Parador which is on the site of an old Franciscan monastery converted into a high-end hotel. I then made my way to the Generalife Gardens. Well-manicured and flowers everywhere, I walked to the Generalife Palace and took photos of the various courtyards. Here's a collage of photos:

I then walked out of the gardens and down a path to the main entrance. Here I caught the #30 bus back down to the city center in front of the Cathedral. Here's a picture of one of the many minibuses that zip around in Granada:

I then caught the #31 bus up to Albaycín. This is an ancient Muslim neighborhood and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can walk up to this neighborhood easily, but I get plenty of steps in everyday, so there's no need to be ambitious - I have been averaging 16,000 to 20,000 a day! I got off at the stop closest to Iglesias Salvador and looked around. This church was built on top of an old mosque and still has a courtyard with traditional Islamic arches. 

I then walked over to Plaza Aliator, to go to Bar Los Caracoles which means snails. This too was where Anthony Bourdain had been and is well-known for their gigantic snails. Although I prefer the traditional French version with garlic butter, this had a nice spicy Spanish kick. An older gentleman sat nearby and was very kind. The restaurant hadn't opened yet at 1 pm when it should have, so he caused a little ruckus and made sure I was taken care of. I was the only one in the plaza with a table cover! Here's a picture of some initial bites that are complementary, the snails, and a tinto verano:

I then walked down to Plaza Larga where there is the beginning of a Roman defense wall and then over to Mirador de San Nicholas. This is the most famous viewpoint in Granada of the Alhambra. It is famously known and mentioned by many, that this is where President Clinton said this is where he saw the most beautiful sunset in the world. 

Here, I enjoyed sitting in the sun and chatting with various tourists who inevitably wanted their photos taken. Here's a photo favor in return as well as a photo without me that shows the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains in the background:

I walked over to the Mezquita, the mosque in Granada and right next to San Nicholas, but it was closed for the midday break. I then meandered down the hill, down Carrera del Darro, a narrow street alongside the Rio Darro. The street led me to Plaza Nueva where I was yesterday. I sat here to rest and had another tinto verano. It's like I'm playing bar golf, except with summer wine and drinking one in each and every plaza!

The bells in Plaza Nueva started ringing and the Santa Ana church was opened. As my Catholic / Baptismal name, I was especially interested as it was mentioned that the church has nice mudéjar attributes. I walked in and they were in the middle of mass for which I stayed. 

As it was not quite dinner time, and I had pretty much walked everywhere, I decided to go to Los Italianos, a popular ice cream shop with a line out the door on the Gran Vía. A fellow tourist at the Mirador de San Nicholas mentioned it had gotten famous because Michelle Obama had visited here with her daughter. I enjoyed a chocolate chip ice cream cone pictured below:

There really is nothing like European ice cream in my heart / memory / stomach! When my family went to Italy, my mom insisted that we have ice cream in Spanish Square to reenact Audrey Hepburn in "A Roman Holiday". And when I lived in Paris for a summer in high school, I must have had ice cream or sorbet everyday. I remember learning about new fruits and berries - like cassis! 

I then walked down to Plaza Navas to return and try the beers at El Tabernaculo. Famous for the Jesus and Mary motif and of course, Anthony Bourdain has visited here as well. I had two Alhambra Especial beers, the local brewery here. At the bar, the bartender spoke about Anthony Bourdain having visited and was chatting with a family sitting next to me. Their daughter was clearly American and we all started chatting and hit it off. I actually sat next to the father on a bench earlier in Plaza del Carmen which is nearby. I was waiting for El Tabernaculo to open, while the father was waiting for his daughter who was buying makeup in the MAC store across the street. Both parents are university professors from Illinois and were doing their sabbatical in Spain, so their daughter could perfect her Spanish. The parents were Peruvian immigrants and met while getting their masters in the states. They were super kind and they invited me to join them down the street at Taberna La Tana, another Anthony Bourdain place. They were doing an Anthony Bourdain walking eating tour! Kismet! 

We chatted about living abroad, my trip to Peru last year, being a second generation child, and of course food! They gave me good recommendations in Sevilla and Barcelona and were super sweet. They then invited me to join them to pick up fried fish at a little shop on Pescaderia right next to Bar Oliver where I had lunch yesterday. The fried fish as tasty and they advised it was commonly sold on the beaches. 

We parted ways, but it was great to chat with Americans with a similar appreciation for food and travel! Here's a photo of the family and the fried fish sign:

I then took a taxi back to my hotel to rest for my last day in Granada!

Granada

The only confirmed item on my agenda today in Granada is a 10 pm night visit to the Nazaries Palace. As such, I decided to sleep in, eat breakfast at the hotel, and lay by the pool for two hours. I also received an email from the Novotel rewards department that I had earned a free night with my Madrid stay, bringing me over the minimum threshold to redeem points. Cyn for the win! Although my hotel here in Granada isn't expensive relatively, the euro conversions had felt like small explosions on my credit card statement! I guess I've been spoiled by my recent trips to South America where the exchange was always in my favor. 

I finally made my way out of my hotel to the bus stop, about a five minute walk. The bus takes about another ten minutes to bring you to the center of the city. This was perfect as many places close between 1 pm and 4 pm, so I was making it to the second opening. At the bus stop, I met some tourists - two middle-aged couples from Salamanca. We conferred about the bus and they decided to follow me off the bus at the city center as I had a map from my hotel. I also bought a bus pass that allows seven trips and saves me 20 euros per trip. They joked it was amusing that I, the American, was giving them, the Spaniards, directions. 

We got off at the Cathedral and I tried to get my bearings and figure out where the stop was for the Alhambra. I was super hungry for some reason - so, I walked around the Cathedral through Plaza de la Romanilla to a street called Pescaderia. This street is known for seafood restaurants and one called Bar Oliver where Anthony Bourdain had been. His Granada episode was also special because his cameraman lives here part-time, so there was real local knowledge. I ate outside under a canopy while musicians performed all around. There's really nothing like soulful Spanish songs and Spanish guitar! I had a glass of white wine with the fish special suggested by my waiter. For some reason, they had trouble swiping my AMEX. The owner asked me about Georgetown as it's the Georgetown credit card which has no foreign exchange fees, so I try to use it when I travel. I advised it was the school where President Clinton and where Prince Felipe of Spain got his masters. He laughed at my fun facts. 

After lunch, I walked around central Granada. I walked through Plaza Bib-Rambla and then to Corral del Carbón. The Corral del Carbón is a Moorish courtyard and perhaps the oldest building in Granada. I walked up to Plaza de Isabel la Católico where there is a statue of Columbus with the Queen. Here's a photo:

I then walked up to Plaza Nueva and tried to go into the Santa Ana church but it was closed for the midday break. I then walked down Caldereía Nueva which has a bunch of stores connecting the Muslim neighborhood of Albayzín and the city center, and brought me back down to the Cathedral. 

The Cathedral is supposedly the second largest in Spain. The sanctuary was gorgeous and the surrounding chapels elaborate. Here's a collage of the sanctuary:

I then exited and walked around to go to the Royal Chapel. Even though they are connected, you have to enter and pay twice. Here there was an impressive gate and the tombs of Fernando, Isabel, Joanna, and Philip I. Also the main altar and the side baroque altars were very intricate. 

I then walked through La Alcaicería, a market and supposedly, it was the site of an old Moorish silk market that was destroyed by a fire. Now, it's all souvenir shops. I had time to kill and was planning to eat in the area called Realejo, so I decided to visit the Church of Santo Domingo which is in the same neighborhood. The altar pieces were intricate - one had so many angels. It clearly took a lot of work, but the heads were a little creepy. 

When I tried to find the bar / restaurant I wanted to go to, El Tabernaculo, it was not yet open. So I sat in Plaza del Carmen where there is a city building and tourist information office. Suddenly music was booming out of the building - in the middle of the courtyard, a full band was playing. They were fantastic and later some teens joined and all the music sounded like soundtrack music. When I headed back to El Tabernaculo and it still wasn't open, I decided to head to Plaza de la Romanilla which was hopping earlier. For some reason, I was craving pasta so I went to El Deseo, a Mediterranean / Italian restaurant where I had a tinto de verano and a lasagna. Tinto de verano is described as a poor man's sangria of Granada in my guidebook and is just red wine and lemonade. Tasted like juice!

After dinner, I walked up to the Gran Vía and got on the #30 Alhambra minibus. The big buses can't handle the winding roads, so the minibuses take people up and down the hill. I have a ticket for tomorrow as well, but the night visit to the palace is a new type of visit so I thought I would try it. During the ticket collection process, I managed to translate for some Americans, help a Spanish lady, and explained the ticket system to some Irish tourists. The tickets are a bit confusing. For a night visit, you can only do the gardens called Generalife or the palace, not both. Tickets to the Alhambra need to be purchased at least one month in advance. The Irish tourists were middle-aged ladies who assumed they could see parts of the palace as part of the garden visit, but they are on the opposite sides of the complex. Furthermore, they were in Granada for only one night and the Palace tickets were sold out for tomorrow. I let them know there were a few tickets left for the 10:30 pm entry, but they would have to forgo the gardens. They ended up taking my advice. 

The Palacios Nazaries was incredible. The detail. The architecture. The beauty. Seriously, "look up" is not just something to say to some addicted to their smart phone! Each ceiling was intricate and different. My neck hurt from the photos and trying to look at everything. Good thing I have a ticket for tomorrow. Here are some photos that do not do the palace justice:

Instead of taking the bus back, as I'd have to transfer and it was late, I took a taxi directly back to my hotel, so I could rest up for more Alhambra tomorrow!

Toledo

Just like yesterday, I must have been really tired because I overslept my alarm by about three hours. Maybe it was the Benadryl, but good thing I had no concrete plans this morning. As such, I missed breakfast in my hotel and headed over to the Mercado de San Miguel where I ordered a pincho of ham and cheese. Pincho is like a bite - the tapas culture here is so great. The market was cute and right next to the Plaza Mayor. 

As many places are closed today, I decided to visit a few plazas. First the Plaza de la Villa which has three sides of 17th century baroque architecture. Then I found Plaza de la Paja, described by my guidebook as a village square in the heart of the city. Both charming and in and near the La Latina neighborhood. I then took the subway to Chueca where I had reservations at 1:30 pm at Casa Salvador. Casa Salvador is famous for their hake and oxtail stew. Their service was fantastic and I had the fried hake, oxtail stew, and a glass of Rioja. The oxtail meat just fell off the bone and was very tender.  Thankfully I secured a lunch reservation as it was closed yesterday and is closed on Monday evenings. I picked this place because, of course, Anthony Bourdain had been here. The bull fighting paraphernalia and red checkered tablecloths also added a nice touch. Here's a photo collage of the experience:

After lunch, I walked down to the Palace Hotel which is where the Atlético Madrid celebrations were held, to pick up my bus to Toledo. I had originally researched going alone for a full day, but when the tour price alone was just a little more than the cost of a round trip ticket on the Ave, the high speed train, I decided to book a tour. I also thought it would be good for me to be around some people. I also learned the Palace Hotel is now a Westin which made me think of Jamie who loves Starwood!

The bus made a few stops and then made it to the main terminal where we picked up the entire group. It was nice not having to think or plan anything. However, I was clearly the youngest by at least ten years. Our tour guide was sweet and we drove to Toledo which took about an hour. In Toledo, we first visited the Cathedral and walked through the streets of the Arab, Jewish, and Christian quarters. In the Jewish quarter, there were tiles within the stone roads that let you know you were still in the Jewish quarter. The streets were very narrow and the city sits on top of a hill. Here's an example of the narrow streets and passages:

We then visited the Church of Saint Tome, in order to see El Greco's masterpiece, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz. We could not take photos, but it was incredible. 

We then visited a sculptor's house now museum of Victorio Macho which had beautiful views of Toledo and the Tagus river. Here's a shot from the museum and you can see the colorful tour buses that are parked outside the city walls:

Then we went to the oldest synagogue in Spain - Santa Maria La Blanca. It's a synagogue with a Catholic name and Arab design. Here's a shot of the ceiling with the cross, the arches, and columns:

Finally, we visited the Monasterio San Juan de Los Reyes, originally built to be the final resting place of the Spanish royalty. However they changed their minds and decided to be buried in Granada. The church had royal emblems, eagles, and initials of Fernando and Isabel all over. It's still a working monastery for Franciscans. On our way back, we visited a crafts factory known for precious metals encrusted in steel called Damasquinado. 

We then drove back to Madrid. I got off at Gran Vía, the broadway of Madrid, and walked to Plaza del Angel to Café Central where Athena and I came on Friday. Café Central specializes in jazz. Interestingly enough, this week's performers is the Maureen Choi Quartet. Apparently, she's Korean-American from Michigan and had been interested in fusing the violin with Latin jazz. The performers were clearly talented, but I don't really know enough about jazz. They performed original as well as cover pieces. I also ordered a salmon and brie pincho and a caprese pincho. 

It's my last night in Madrid and the city exceeded my expectations with warmth and hospitality. As such, here's a photo from Puerta del Sol, a central square of the city showcasing the Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid jerseys. Indeed, it's a city of champions!

Sunday in Spain

I must have been super tired as I got up about 2 hours after my alarm. When I finally did get up, I had the usual breakfast and walked over to the La Latina neighborhood. Every Sunday, there's a giant market called El Rastro. The streets were blocked off and anything you could think of was being sold. I particularly enjoyed an antique shop that sold the Willis Ave bridge sign - something I saw every Sunday driving home from church in the city back to Westchester. Here's a photo of the market and the antique shop:

After the market, I took the subway to Venturas Rodriguez. My motive was the cable car ride that was included in my Madrid card, but along the way I stopped at Debod Temple which is an Egyptian temple in a park. Reminded me of the Temple of Dendur in the Metropolitan  Museum of Art, but much bigger as it has two floors. Here's a photo of me taken by a nice lady who wanted to return the favor of me taking a photo of her family:

I then walked over to the Teleférico, the cable car. There was a long line, but due to my priority access, I was able to skip it. It was about a ten minute ride over Casa de Campo, a large park where many seem to bike ride. I didn't even bother to get off at the top as I wanted to hurry down and the top seemed like just a tourist trap. But I wanted to see an aerial view of the city.  

I also rushed so I could visit the San Antonio de la Florida Hermitage which was nearby and closes at 2 pm. The small chapel had amazing ceiling frescos painted by Goya as well as his remains in a tomb. The chapel is very intimate with magnifying mirrors placed around in order for people to easily see the ceiling. In order to preserve the chapel, they built a twin chapel next door for worship. As you couldn't take photos inside, here's a photo of the outside also with artisans trying to sell their paintings:

I then took the bus to the metro at Príncipe Pío. I accidentally got on the shuttle to the Ópera station and had to go back - our version of the Times Square shuttle. I finally made it to Plaza de España which was suggested in the walking tour in my guidebook. There is a massive monument dedicated to Cervantes in the park. I then took the metro back to the Ópera stop. Just outside was the Royal Theater / Opera house and the Royal Palace. Before heading in to the Royal Palace, I stopped to enjoy some chocolate ice cream in one of the cafés in the Plaza de Oriente.  

Again, due to my Madrid card, I was able to avoid the long line and enter into the Royal Palace in seconds. The staircase, ceilings, ornate walls, and chandeliers were incredible. Every inch of detail and decadence was overwhelming. The most impressive rooms were the dining room that comfortably seated fifty, royal chapel, and the throne room. There were portraits painted by Goya and each fresco was incredible. I only took photos outside and the fresco above the staircase entrance. Here's a collage:

Apparently, the Spanish Royal family no longer lives here and it's only used for special functions. I'm reminded of when I met Prince Felipe at a Georgetown event (he went to grad school there) and feeling pierced by his blue eyes, but I digress....

Next to the palace are the Sabatini gardens. Well manicured with a little wooded area called Campo del Moro where a Muslim army had camped prior to attacking in the 12th century. Around me there were several couples in deep relationship conversations, the guy always patiently listening. I chuckled as I walked by - whether in English or Spanish, the conversations sounded absolutely miserable. 

I then took the subway back east to Atocha where I got off and walked over to the royal botanical gardens. Not something I would usually explore overseas, but Christina said she enjoyed them, was free to enter, and near my hotel. The grounds are expansive and right next to the Prado museum. 

On my way back to the hotel for a siesta, there was another champions rally for Atlético Madrid. I have learned this very spot (where I was last night) is the traditional place for Atlético Madrid fans to celebrate. In between the Palace Hotel and the Ritz, it's called Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo with a fountain in the middle, called Fuente de Neptuno. During the celebration in 1996, apparently Neptune lost a few fingers... A photo of today's rally and fans getting excited in front of tv camera crews:

After my siesta at around 8 pm, I made my way to the Chueca district to go to one of the oldest tapas bars in the city, also visited by Anthony Bourdain. It's called Bodega de La Ardosa and was established in 1892. I ordered Spanish omelette (their specialty), a Cordoba-style salmon gazpacho purée called Salmorejo Cordobés, and eggplant tempura. And of course, a glass of their house Rioja. The tapas bar is so small, there is a seating area behind the bar. I had to duck under the bar and was attended to by a very sweet waitress. Here's a collage of the food and ambiance:

After dinner, I took the subway back to my hotel and took some Benadryl as I was super congested. I had packed in a lot today, especially because most places close on Monday. My feet feel like they're going to fall off, but so far, Madrid has been good to me!

Madrid: Parks & Art

Today, I woke up only after about 5 hours of sleep and had breakfast at my hotel. Love the traditional ham and cheese breakfast! Athena and I made plans to meet at 10:30 am to walk around Parque del Buen Retiro, the Central Park of Madrid.

The park was lovely with a large artificial lake and an ornamental structure of the Monument to Alfonso XII. Also there are two extensions of the Reina Sofia, the Palacio de Velázquez and Palacio de Cristal. The Palacio de Cristal was having an installation called "Splendide Hotel" by Dominque Gonzalez-Foerster with rocking chairs and books which was cool. We walked down to the rose gardens and on our way, passed the only statue in the world dedicated to the devil, called the Fallen Lucifer. Here's a photo of us:

At this point, Athena had to leave for her flight. It was fun having company and perhaps we'll get together back in NY with Chris!

I headed to the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia which houses modern art. Today is supposedly International Museum day so admission was free. I went straight to the second floor to see the museum's prized piece, Picasso's Guernica. Truly massive and incredible with the subtle details of the shades of gray. I recalled Ri painting a replica in college for a play, Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile! I couldn't take photos in the Picasso galleries, but here's a photo of Dali's Grand Masturbator (his titles are always so "thought-provoking"):

After tirelessly walking through the second and fourth floors, I made my way into the garden where there was a massive Calder statue and enjoyed the warm weather and sunshine!

After the Reina Sofia, I headed back to my hotel for a siesta. I was not only tired, but I have a bit of a cold. Not sure if it's allergies and walking around the tree-lined streets and plazas, but I have been congested and sneezing lots. Even in threes, which in Spanish deserves a "salud", "dinero", and "amor"! 

Around 5 pm, I headed to the Museum Thyssen-Bornemisza, an astounding private collection of modern art. It has everything that I love and studied over the years. For a private collection, I think it's right up there with the Barnes Collection due to its expansive array. There was also a Cezanne exhibit that is closing tomorrow, so the exhibit was packed. Here's a photo collage of a Chagall, Dali, and an example of the many book stalls lining avenues and along the parks. 

After completing Madrid's Museum Triangle in two days, I headed north, passing all the book stalls on the avenue and arriving at the famous Gran Café de Gijón. This is an old-school café opened in 1888 where supposedly the famous Spanish literati frequented and had their discussions. As I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, I was pretty hungry especially with all the walking. I ordered a Gazpacho that was light and refreshing and a Spanish omelette that was super satisfying. However, this was supposed to be a snack! I had researched where Anthony Bourdain had frequented and I found myself at Le Cabrera, a gastropub and cocktail bar. Even the water was all fusioned out with mint and lemon. It tasted a little like my toothpaste, but I think my bartenders were impressed I A) Noticed B) Knew how to say mint. I ordered a strawberry passion cocktail and a sea bass tartar with trout eggs and avocado. Here's a photo of my dinner:

 

My bartenders were great and when I was leaving, they told me the night was young on a Saturday. Although I've gotten used to eating at 9 pm, I could barely keep my eyes open and I planned to see a lot tomorrow before my Madrid card expires. 

On my way back to the hotel, I was proud that I figured out I could take the #37 bus. However, we were re-routed. A soccer team had won the cup final and people in red and white jerseys were everywhere along with the police! A kind lady on the bus asked the bus driver when we were going back to the avenue, but it was going to pass my neighborhood, so she advised I should just get off and cut across. I knew exactly where I was, so there were no problems there. I got to witness the excitement firsthand though - singing, honking, and fireworks in the streets! I learned later that Atlético Madrid tied Barcelona to clinch the La Liga title and will play against Real Madrid next Saturday in the Champions League. Not sure what this all meant, so I looked it up! This will be the first time two teams from the same city will face each other for the European football championship! Also, Atlético Madrid hadn't won La Liga in 18 years! I will have to find a place to watch the game - I will be in Sevilla next Saturday. Too bad I won't be in Madrid, as I'm sure the city will go wild if tonight was any indication. A photo of the mayhem and celebration in front of the Palace Hotel:

I safely made it back to my hotel. I wish I could stay out and celebrate, but I can barely keep my eyes open! 

Lima

We woke up and as I was still not feeling well, we took it easy and slowly made our way out of the hotel. We decided to go to the top museum in Lima called Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera. We took a taxi as there really is no other way to get around in Lima. But, there are no meters, so the drivers can dictate the prices.

This museum is the largest private collection of pre-Columbian art. It was a beautiful museum and was a great capstone of our trip as it summarized and showcased the artwork and textiles of the pre-Incan and Incan empires. There was also an incredible room that permitted visitors to see the storage items - there were shelves upon shelves of pots, jewelry, and bowls that were not officially on display. The gardens were also very beautiful.

However, the highlight of the museum was the Erotic room. The Incans made erotic pottery that was absolutely hysterical. As my guidebook says, "it is a separated room from the general collection, like the porn section of a video store."

We then took another taxi to our lunch reservation in the Victoria neighborhood at Chez Wong. The unmarked restaurant has the best ceviche in town and was showcased recently on Anthony Bourdain's show. He visited with Eric Rippert and like them, we enjoyed ceviche and 2 stir-fry's. Chef Javier Wong only prepares lunch, does not accept walk-in's, and is very friendly. As such, I made the reservation in August! Also, there is no menu and all 12 tables or so enjoy the same dishes. Here are some pictures of us with the Chef, his preparation, and the dishes we enjoyed:

After our leisurely lunch, we took a taxi back to our hotel in Miraflores and rested. We eventually made it out to a beach / seaside bar called Cala. This was recommended by Jamie's colleague. We had drinks while listening to the waves and underneath the cross nightlight! (Yes, there's a giant cross of lights on the beach) There was also an annoying smoker who wanted to sit and talk to us and considering we were not all feeling 100%, especially not me, I deterred him with my charming frankness. 

We chatted and eventually made it back to our hotel on our last night in Peru!

Tour de Montreal

In order to see the city, Allison, Caitlin, and I signed up for a bike tour by Fitz & Follwell called "Hoods & Hidden Gems." Starting at 10:30 am, we biked around northern Montreal and visited the villages. Sunjay's friend, Tom also joined us.

Although the tour started out a little slow, we enjoyed our friendly guides (Martin & Mimi) who took us through Mile-End, Outrement, and Little Italy. We got to eat at the best bagel shop called St-Viateur and had coffee at Cafe Olympique. Both were great and the bagels are supposedly closer to the original invention.

We then visited an amazing food market called Marché Jean Talon. The food was fresh and well-presented. We couldn't get enough of the fresh tastings of fruit - juicy orange slices, tomatoes which are in season, and peaches. We also treated ourselves to strawberry sorbet in this amazing market.

We also visited an old hardware store in Little Italy called Dante that sold typical stuff, but had evolved to sell top-notch cooking supplies and arms. Yes, there were guns and rifles in the back - one of two places in Montreal. Supposedly this is one of the top four places to visit in Montreal according to Anthony Bourdain. The other three being Schwartz's, La Banquise, and St-Viateur bagel shop. We have already hit all 4!

Cooking Supplies

Guns

We rode through parks, backstreets, highways, and main roads. When we crossed large streets, we did so in a Tour de France manner. In parks, kids cheered and were excited when we rang our bells. Truly a Tour de Montreal!

Throughout the city, you could see really interesting staircases to the 2nd and 3rd floors. This is done to maximize tenant space and so that people can walk straight to their doors. Also, houses are set back ten feet from the road, so there were lots of gardens and terraces.

We picnicked in Fountain Park after picking up sandwiches at an adorable bakery and buying some local beers. There are quite a few microbreweries in the area. The tour was suppose to end around 2:30 pm, but since we were enjoying ourselves and our group, it went closer to 4 pm. We had couples from Boston and Ohio also on the tour.

The bike shop is very close to Mont Royal, the mountain of which the city is named with a "Disco Cross" which changes colors and a famous lookout called the Chalet.

Caitlin, Tom, and I decided to rent bikes from the bike-share system which abounds in Montreal. The city is incredibly bike-friendly, so it was a great way to explore.

As we went up the mountain, we realized there was a big difference between the light road bike and the heavy bike-share one, ten speed vs. three speed, and that we were exhausted from biking since 10:30 am. Slowly but surely, we made our way up to a beautiful lookout to see the entire city. Well worth the effort and embarrassment (I mean, Denise managed to lap us on the mountain while running).

What was also nice was that we could bike down the mountain and then downhill to our hotel. All for $7! Plus the marijuana waft up and down the mountain was interesting. Smelled like Chinese herbs, as my dad would describe it.

So the plan was to nap, but Caitlin, Allison, and I proceeded to have a difficult time figuring out a place to eat, a place near the party tonight, or a place that would take a large group. We were starving as we had burned like 10,000 calories and ate only 800 according to Caitlin's scientific measurements.

We finally decided on Moutons Noir on St. Denis and went with Tom and Jeff. We tried to go to Au Pied de Cochon, but it was packed. The company was great and dinner was delicious with calamari, salads with duck confit, and lamb filets. The restaurant's specialty was lamb. It was also BYOB so we brought the wedding welcome bottle from Sunjay and Katie and another bottle meant for our bus ride up.

In the evening, everyone congregated at Macaroni Bar which was the rehearsal dinner venue. Seriously, Sunjay and Katie have so many friends! And I can't wait to celebrate some more tomorrow!

Ubud

February 6th - I'm definitely getting use to bungalow living and the creatures that share it with me. I share my bathroom with a massive spider / tarantula and cockroach. I don't even scream anymore when I see them. I have become one with nature. ;-)

I woke up to a breakfast of fresh fruit, mixed fruit juice, tea, and a chicken porridge called Bubur Ayam. The porridge was quite delicious.

Then I booked my free Balinese massage. 2 women worked me over for an hour and I smelled like rose oil and looked oily all day. Absolutely relaxing!

Lynne met me at my hotel and we headed to the Monkey Forest nearby. There is a sacred temple inside and the monkeys are very revered. These monkeys were super smart and will crawl all over you if you feed them.

We then headed to Babi Guling Ibu Oka for some traditional Balinese pork. They roast only a few pigs a day and in the special, you get some sausage, fried pork, pork loin, and fried skin! Yum! Believe that Anthony Bourdain visited here as well.

We then crossed the street and saw the City Palace which seemed to be getting ready for some celebrations.

The afternoon was filled with walking in and out of shops and galleries in Ubud. I eventually walked home and went for a dip in the pool.

I met Lynne later at Bebek Bengil also known as Dirty Duck. The setting was surrounded by rice paddies in this very large, but serene restaurant. We both had "the original crispy duck". The restaurant name comes from the fact when the restaurant construction was near completion, some ducks came in from the nearby rice paddies and ran all over the restaurant. Also, I learned today that the owner of my hotel, Agung Raka bungalows, owns this restaurant and therefore got a 10% discount. And I had picked this restaurant from my guidebook! Cyn for the win!

After sharing a pitcher of bintang beer and stories, Lynne and I parted ways. She'll continue to stay in Ubud while I head to the western coast and surfer / trendy / backpacker beach in Kuta.

My last night in a bungalow and my first day of scuba tomorrow!

Singapore!

Yesterday we went to Chinatown and had Hainanese Chicken Rice. Anthony Bourdain ate here at the hawker center. We then walked around Chinatown and got a fruit dessert with mango, sago, and some other type of grapefruit. We even passed by a Korean restaurant!

Joe's friend is Hungarian and we went to her dinner party last night.

Already I have seen 2 hotels between Saturday and Sunday. The Raffles and the Fullerton, both beautiful. We had the famous Singapore Sling which originated at Raffles. We then walked around the marina and Boat Quay (pronounced key). For dinner we went to little India and had southern Indian food on banana leafs (like I had in Kerala India!). It was delicious. The neighborhood was swarmed with Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, and of course Indian migrant workers. Sunday is their only night off so they sit, drink, and eat on the sidewalks. At night they will all hop on trucks and go to worker dormitories far away.

Tomorrow I will have to fend for myself as Joe goes to his banking job at HSBC. We'll see how I make do as I will no longer be chauffeured in Joe's Mercedes sports car. ;-)

Hope it's warmer and less snowy in NY. It has been raining lots, but makes it about 70 degrees where the Singaporeans say it's "freezing". They even served us hot water at brunch because the weather "was so cold". Clearly these people haven't seen 3 NY blizzards.