Category Archives: trips

a weekend get-away!

13 Wednesday Nov 2013

Posted by in spain, travel, trips

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cadiz
I’ve been thinking about going back to visit Cádiz for ages as it’s one of my favourite cities and it’s been awhile since I was last there. The original plan was to meet my friend Victor @WeLoveMalaga for a day trip because he’s never been to Cádiz, but we’ve been planning this since July and so far haven’t been able to coordinate our schedules. So I decided just to go on my own but then thought I should take the opportunity to visit a well-known sherry bodega in nearby El Puerto de Santa María, which meant I would probably have to stay overnight in Cádiz. But then I got to thinking that I might need more time and so I am now staying one night each in El Puerto and Cádiz. I’ve even booked hotels!

El Puerto: Casa de Huéspeded Santa María
This first one is a rather quirky B & B, which I’m told is conveniently situated just a few metres from the bodega I want to visit. It’s also a few minute’s walk to where I’ll have to catch the hovercraft on Saturday morning that’ll take me to Cádiz (I could’ve taken the train but this looks like much more fun).

Cádiz: Hotel Argentonio
Peter is going to arrive in Cádiz by train around the same time as me and I’ve booked a room at this more traditional looking place, and I was assured that the rooms with two beds in them were extra big and apparently there’s also a balcony that looks out over the street and lets in lots of light. Peter has been back to Cádiz a couple of times on his day tours so he can show me a few places he’s discovered. But mostly I just want to wander around, visit the market and – of course – a few tapas bars. And Victor still may show up on Saturday too.

This will be the first time that Morcilla has been left on her own overnight with Loki and Luna, so I’m hoping that she’ll be okay. All the cats get on really well together but sometimes Loki doesn’t realise his own strength and plays a bit too rough. I know Luna will be fine, and I just hope that Morcilla is now big enough to hold her own if the big galoot gets too feisty.

I’m so excited! Just two more sleeps!

victor!

21 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by in food & drink, friends, Malaga, sevilla, tapas, travel, trips

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victor
Quick lunch visit today with my friend Victor @WeLoveMalaga. He’s been “on tour” for 38 days straight with various groups, going from Málaga to Ronda, Madrid, Granada, Sevilla, Lisbon and back again. Last time he zipped through Sevilla I was busy with Kate and David and we couldn’t meet up, so it was great to spend a brief lunchtime catching up and enjoying some lovely food from the newly opened La Azotea Santa Cruz. And of course now I want to go back to Málaga… but first Lisbon I think.

How’s your Monday going?

más jerez

16 Wednesday Oct 2013

Posted by in food & drink, friends, spain, tapas, trips, twitter, wine, work

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copa jerez
So there I was enjoying my morning coffee in bed with the cats (though actually at work, checking emails and social media stuff on the iPad) and I remembered that it was the Copa Jerez (Sherry Cup), where chefs chosen from seven different countries would meet in Jerez and create special dishes to pair with a particular sherries. And I thought… well, why not? Well, other than I didn’t have an invitation and my friend Annie thought it was too late for her to get one for me. Details, details. I decided to hop on the next train and gatecrash the event. Which turned out to be no problem at all, and anyhow, had I planned to go earlier I would have got an invite. But I digress.

Annie drove in from Vejer and picked me up at the train station. From there we went off to the event, watched a bit of the judging, but for the most part partook of the sherry on offer from 15 bodegas, along with some wonderful jamón and cheese. The competition and various interviews were over by 2 o’clock and I was invited to join a lunch party at a lovely spot called Ajo Negro. Then caught the 6 o’clock train home, arriving just in time to get to pick up my tapas tour clients at our meeting point. Phew!

It was great to see old friends again and catch up, and I also made some good contacts for future sherry education. So it was a good thing I didn’t just stay in bed with my coffee!