TravelswithCharie

On my first day in Madrid, I passed by this window and stopped to admire the fresh seafood on display. Then I noticed the menu and after checking it, I decided to stay and eat lunch. The restaurant is called Tres Encinas and it is on Calle Preciados, a short walk from Plaza Callao. I chose mixed vegetables for the first course and grilled salmon for the second. The waiter brought me a big plate of what I considered, overcooked vegetables, a typical European way of serving vegies. The salmon steak was big enough for 2 people. Desert is selected from a tray brought to your table. This is a pricey restaurant but worth it. The decor at Museo de Jamon tells all. Legs of ham hang all around the restaurant. Not surprisingly the menu includes ham soup, ham sandwiches, ham tortilla (omelette) and sliced ham appetizers. They also serve 3 course meals for less than 10 euros. For 9.95 euros, I had paella for the first course, cochinillo asado (roasted suckling pig) for the second, and flan for d

Books are not only great travel companions especially on those long flights and sleepless nights, they also give a good background of the places you are visiting. On my recent trip to Granada, I was pleased to have read Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving. Irving wrote details of his stay at the Alhambra which was then occupied by bats and rifraff. He also recounts the legends he heard surrounding the former occupants of the palace which entertain and enchant.  While in Granada, I had the chance to visit the summer house of playwright and poet, Federico Garcia Lorca. Lorca was also an artist and among the memorabilia are his sketches and paintings as well as a painting by his friend, Salvador Dali. Lorca was executed by government forces in 1936. Here are some beautiful lines he wrote: El aire llorό al ver las penas tan grandes de mi corazon. No visit to Spain would be complete without reading Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. At  Plaza España in Madrid, the statues of Don Q

Just returned from Spain where temperatures were muy bajo and snow blanketed the sierras from Madrid to Granada. And with the perseverance of a Don Quixote, I didn't let anything stand in the way of exploring Madrid, Granada, Segovia and Avila. The bitter cold, the rain, the snow, the wind and jetlag couldn't keep me indoors. What's more I found the family crests of my paternal grandmother and that of my great grandmother. I felt a real connection with Spain after reading the history of my forefathers and the role they played to reconquer Granada. And talk about wardrobe malfunction! Wearing layers of clothes is alien to me blessed as I am to live in the California sunshine year-round. Thank goodness though for long coats, few people saw me pulling my runaway hose back in place. Whew! More on Spain when I've had some sleep and rest. Hasta luego! * * * Photos by Rosario Charie Albar

Happy Chinese New Year! It is the lunar Year of the Dog. And to celebrate, we had lunch at the elegant Mandarin Gourmet in Palo Alto which serves the best Chinese cuisine in the area. For starters, we savored won ton soup and minced chicken in a lettuce cup. This was followed by moo goo gai pan, Mongolian beef, prawns with honeyed walnuts, three delicacies kung pao style and crispy Chinese eggplant shaped like meatballs. My plate was filled to embarrassing proportions but I cleaned it up except for a single broccoli. According to Chinese astrology, people born in the year of the dog (1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006), have a deep sense of loyalty, are honest, and secretive. They can also be selfish, stubborn, eccentric and are noted for their sharp tongues. Famous people born in the dog years are William Clinton, Cher, Madonna, Winston Churchill, Liza Minelli, Michael Jackson, Mother Theresa, Linda Ronstadt, Sophia Loren, Norman Schwarzkopf, Sylvester Stallone, Shelly Win

One of my favorite museums is the MOMA in New York City. Recently renovated, the MOMA has gained more space to showcase its dazzling modern art collection. I first visited the MOMA in the 80's to see Starry Night . I was a big fan of Van Gogh then (still am). I couldn't tear myself away from the painting but when I did, I was rewarded with the works of Cezanne, Matisse, Gauguin, Picasso, Warhol, Kandinsky, Jasper Johns and a host of famous artists. Every time my travels took me to New York, I made it a point to go to the MOMA. I became acquainted with artists whose works were unfamiliar to me and I started to appreciate better the sculptural pieces that form a prominent part of the collection. My interest in modern art intensified with each visit. The generous spaces have brought out more masterworks from storage. There is so much to see from furn iture to prints to photographs, to the permanent collection and the courtyard sculpture garden. There were also many people and I h

by Rosario Charie Albar Las Vegas never fails to entertain. Even the non gambler will find an embarrassment of things to do starting with a relaxing day at the spa, a visit to one of several art museums, watching free Strip shows like the dancing fountains at Bellagio or the volcanic eruption at the Mirage, shopping at Caesar’s Forum Shops or at Fashion Mall, ATV driving across the Nevada wilderness, or indulging the palate at one of many fine restaurants like Postrio or Spago’s. During the holidays there are the added attractions of gingerbread houses, Christmas décor that would please Santa, the kids and the child in all of us and techno lighted tannenbaum rivaling the colorful neon lights of the Vegas skyline. All these make strolling along the Strip at night a must for all visitors. I had a lot of fun running around town before year’s end. It was special to get together with friends and relatives and personally wish them a prosperous new year, che ck out the winter themed decoratio

by Rosario Charie Albar According to Patricia Schultz, there are 1000 Places to See Before You Die . Well, I've tried to see as many as I can in 2005 and came home with many beautiful memories of the man made wonders of Egypt, the natural splendor of Yosemite National Park, the lazy days at the Wannsee Lake in Berlin, the gastronomic pilgrimage in Prague and best of all, the warmth and hospitality of old and new friends I met along the way. Travel is a gift that keeps on giving. A fellow traveler once told me that she is always happy. She is happy during the trip discovering new places and meeting people. When she returns home, she is happy with travel memories and the photographs remind her again and again of the good times she had. This happiness is sustained when she starts planning for her next trip. And then it's time again to embark on another journey. And the cycle continues. Last night I spoke with a close friend who loves to travel and whom I met on my way to Europe. W