Mike..... wrote:
> Following up to d4g4h4@yahoo.co.ukDavid Horne, _the_ chancellor
>
> > I thought it was brilliant. Great time of year to go- sunny (apart from
> > a shower when we were in the Prado!) but cool to warm, perfect for
> > walking around.
>
> yes, it mad going to Spain in summer, beach aside.
Never been in the height of summer (usually go on leisure in May- and
that can be hot!) and wouldn't want to!
> >The rest of the time was spent doing what we usually do on
> > this kind of holiday- walking around, soaking up the atmosphere
> > (avoiding smoke when possible),
>
> smoke? Don't you like it then?
Did I say I hate cigarette smoke?
> >going into odd or interesting stores
>
> > (though I bought a sombrero at H&M)
>
> hee hee, photo!
Hey- this _is_ a sombrero
http://www.davidhorne.net/sombrero.jpg
>
> >and eating. Some of the good stuff
> > we had included the suckling pig I'd mentioned, also suckling lamb,
> > partridge, rabbit, tripe (callos a la madrileņa- excellent!) and
> > seafood. Also happened on a nice Peruvian restaurant (the only
> > 'non-Spanish' meal we had) where we had Causa (OK- not as good as
> > Oscar's mother's though) and great anticuchos de corazon. On that
> > subject, we appreciated the way that the suckling pig and rabbit
> > included the giblets- we wouldn't expect that in the UK.
>
> I don't recollect giblets, maybe they just forgot :-)
Quite likely- it happened a couple of times, and we were impressed.
>
> > We actually 'visited' more in Toledo and Segovia. Both cathedrals are
> > excellent- Toledo is exquisite on the inside, while Segovia's impressed
> > more on the outside. The aquaduct in Segovia is very impressive.
>
> as is the castle, very Disney!
It's said to be the inspiration. Is that true? I'd thought it was
Neuschwanstein...
>
> >For my money, Tarrogona's is more 'beautiful' but the scale of
> >Segovia's, and the way the city has been built around it is undeniably
> >impressive, even if they do park the number 11 bus at the foot of it! :)
> >
> > My 'rough guide directions' for Madrid (picked up cheap in a bookstore a
> > few weeks ago) was very helpful, though it notes the journey time from
> > Madrid to Segovia is around 2 hours. Not any more! The AVE from
> > Chamartin station takes you there in 30 minutes, including a 17 mile
> > long tunnel under the Guadarramas. Very impressive! Toledo is also on a
> > high speed line, and 30 minutes away, from Atocha station.
> >
> > On both services (which only stopped at those respective towns) they
> > seemed very much geared for tourists, who were definitely most of the
> > traffic. I say 'most' but the trains weren't very full. The AVE to
> > Segovia was practically empty, so it would be interesting to know my
> > carbon count per mile on that one!
>
> Well, not much you can do about it, is there.
I think the Spanish are building for the future. If you check out the
current high speed lines, and future plans, it's _very_ impressive
already. It would make, say, a shortish trip to Spain just visiting the
biggest cities quite manageable.
> > I'll leave aside the smoking issue- I find it immensely irritating, and
> > hope that the law can be changed soon...
>
> smoking issue?
Did I tell you I hate cigarette smoke?
--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate -www.davidhorne.net
(email address on website) "If people think God is interesting, the
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Otherwise they should just shut up about it." -Richard Dawkins |