Cachopo is pure comfort food, think chicken fried steak but instead of gravy, it’s stuffed with cheese and all sorts of tasty ingredients, depending on the chef’s preference. We’ve had a cachopo craving ever since we landed in Spain and yesterday we satisfied it in a lovely little restaurant, La Charca Taberna. It lived up to its glowing reviews on TripAdvisor.
Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid
Today, the Botanical Garden boasts 90,000 plants,1,500 trees, and five greenhouses filled with non-endemic species. As we strolled the garden, workers were busy replacing spent displays of tulips, iris, and other spring blooms. Not much else was in flower, but it was still a joy to claim a bench and relax with other visitors lost in conversation or a good book. Busy-body magpies entertained, gliding through the jasmine-scented air. It was a splendid way to spend an afternoon, refreshing body and soul, on a sultry Madrid day.
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH RON & MARY JAMES
Sometimes a simple walk in Madrid turns into a magical memory. Yesterday was one of those. Our plan was to stroll in nearby El Retiro Park and grab a bite on the way back. What we experienced was an almost five-mile-long sensory-rich adventure and an unexpected Sunday feast. It didn’t hurt that it was a beautiful day with brilliant blue skies framed by dramatic fluffy clouds.
DEVOURING MADRID
A great food tour is a far cry from just eating and drinking. Food is intertwined with history and culture, so you won’t know Madrid, or any other destination, without knowing its food. Our guides were insiders who had a passion not only for food and drink but also for the history and lore of the place they call home. At each stop, they shared stories a casual diner would miss if wandering on their own. Like the nondescript door where nuns answer a bell and sell homemade cookies. Or the tapas bar Hemingway frequented. Or the reason squid sandwiches are a Madrid favorite.
The following are some highlights of our most excellent Devour Tours in Madrid.