Bievenidos a Madrid!

After an easy train ride back to Schiopol Airport and an approximately two-hour flight from Amsterdam, we’ve arrived in Spain’s capital city. Madrid’s public transport system – just like pretty much all of the public transport systems across Spain – is well-marked, clearly organized, and user-friendly even to the casual user and sometimes-Spanish speaker. Following a quick metro ride into the Sol station and a four-block walk to our hotel (the Room Mate Alicia), we’re out in the Plaza de Santa Ana enjoying the sunshine and that palpable Spanish conviviality as we meander toward our afternoon destination to watch the Ivory Coast take on Portugal.

After a lazy walk around the old city center, we settled in at a local tasca (that’s a tapas bar) to catch the second half of what may be the tournament’s most boring game thus far. The 0-0 draw suits us fine, however, and frees us up to enjoy some sherry and tapas at La Venencia – named after the wine-sampling tool otherwise called the “wine thief”. Despite their strict no-pictures policy, we managed to catch some snaps anyway. 

La Venencia is about as purely-Spanish as any place can be: simple, unadorned, and delicious. You can choose glasses of five or so different types of sherry, select a plate of chorizo, olives, or other delectable treats, and settle in for light conversation amidst the locals. Wonderful.

 

Another leisurely walk around, and soon we found ourselves ready for Round Two. Thankfully the Toscana Taberna was right there, and we were treated to crispy boquerones, plates of jamon iberico de bellota, and a truly amazing morcilla (cumin-scented, slightly spicy blood sausage.) 

Matched with the house rioja, the morcilla was absolutely what it should be: rich, meaty, and just a hint of those elusive spice notes. Mmm! (Too bad I didn't manage to get a photo before we devoured it.) Now hopefully tomorrow La Furia Roja can match the brilliance of our meal tonight...

Want to experience it for yourself? Contact us now and we’ll get you there!

Hup Holland Hup!

Today Holland begins its campaign to bring home the world’s most prized trophy, and they’ll do so against pseudo-rival Denmark (Holland, which is only a portion within the Netherlands but generally comes to be the name by which the entire country is represented during activities outside their own borders, also considers Germany a rival.) Someone has apparently alerted the Dutch that their game is the early game today (with a 130p local start time) because absolutely nothing is open for business except bars and restaurants showing the game. This may be because everyone in Amsterdam is at one of three squares in the town center wearing an orange traditional reserved in the US for hunting.

We came across a fortuitous find this morning – Pancakes! Amsterdam – and it was open (well, we had to wait until 10am, but then it opened. The Dutch don’t care for an early start.) 

I selected the lemon and sugar pancake, which was like a crispy-on-the-bottom crepe with just the right amount of sweet and tart. My breakfast companions chose the banana, bacon, and chili pepper pancake; a chicory, camembert, and ham offering with a drizzle of raspberry sauce; and a chocolate, caramel, and walnut option that I’m sure was created by a dentist with ulterior motives. Needless to say, the options at Pancakes! Amsterdam were inventive, delicious, and an altogether pleasant way to start the day.

Amsterdam has a café culture: any street with dining options will be cluttered with tables and chairs outside when the weather permits. Today it’s approximately 75 degrees Fahrenheit with bright sunshine – just in time for the game! With no one at work, every café stretching as far into the public space as they can, and a jovial happier-than-usual Dutch populace singing and cheering on the Oranje, today is going to be a good day.

We made a few friends while we watched the game at the Rembrandtplein, and the Dutch welcomed us Oranje-cheering Americans with open arms. The game was a success – despite missing striker Arjen Robben, the Oranje dispatched the Danes 2-0 with little effort.  

We celebrated the victory, watched the following game, then took a break for some thai at Rankana in the Western Canal Belt. The Dutch particularly enjoy Indonesian food, but thai has been enjoying a resurgence as of late, and Rankana didn’t disappoint. Crispy spicy duck, a peppery chicken curry, and two bowls of sticky, slightly sweet jasmine rice later and we were quickly sated. Better than the thai on offer in the US but not nearly as good as what you find in Bangkok, I’d say Rankana is a perfectly serviceable option for a relaxed, mid-range meal in a scenic part of the city.

Tomorrow we’re off to Madrid for a few days of La Furia Roja, tapeos (a tapas bar crawl), and big Spanish wines. Viva Espana!