Chinchon

Castillo de Los Condes located just outside of Chinchon

Located only a short ride just outside of Madrid the small community of Chinchon is a step back in time to the 16^th century. The village is ideally located near the Tajuna River and the fertile valley that surrounds it.  Even today a variety of crops are grown here including corn, wheat, and the crop that has brought them their notoriety, anise. 

                It is impossible to visit Chinchon today and not feel the sense of pride its people feel in their famous Chinchon liquor.  Chinchon is anis flavored liquor available in three varieties.  Dulce, which is sweetened, Seco which is dry, and Seco Especial which is used to catch things on fire (at 74% alcohol this isn’t hard to accomplish).  In addition to their famous alcohol, they use anise in baking, cooking etc…  Although the use of Anise to flavor alcohol is pretty common in the Mediterranean (think ouzo in Greece) the stuff coming out of Chinchon is believed to be some of the best in the world.

Chinchon's most famous product.

                Out visit on Saturday December 3^rd, was actually my second to the sleepy little village.  The boys and I had made the trip back in August on a scorching 90+ degree day.  It goes without saying that this one was much more pleasant with temps in the mid 50’s and with Kelly coming along.  We began our visit in the most famous part of Chinchon, the Plaza Mayor.  The main or old Square, as it would be called in English, is considered one of the most interesting in all of Spain.  It features four story balconied buildings surrounding a circular plaza.  The square itself was first laid out and construction was begun in 1499 and completed in the 1500’s.  During the summertime the plaza comes alive as a bullring is constructed at the center and for three months bullfights are held.  This culminates with a celebration in mid-August that brings Spain’s most famous matadors to town.

Chinchon's famous Plaza Mayor with the Iglesia de la Asuncion above it on the hill.

                Our visit began in the Plaza Mayor where we visited some of the shops and a small museum dedicated to Chinchon’s role in the production of wine, olive oil, and of course Chinchon liquor.  After the visit to the museum, we headed up one of the city’s narrow streets to the Iglesia de la Asuncion (Church of the Ascension).  The church is from the 16^th century with a painting by Goya above the altar.  Unfortunately, the church is only open just before mass so we were unable to see the painting in person.  One thing we didn’t miss though was the view from the hill that the church rests on.  It overlooks the Plaza Mayor and, on an opposite hill, the ruined Castillo de los Condes (Castle of the Counts) which is not open to the public.

View from the church with the castle in the background.

                After our hike to the church, we headed to the Meson Quinones and the Cuevas del Murcielagos (Caves of the bats).  The caves themselves were actually free of bats, but were a wonderful atmospheric place to get a glass of wine.  Essentially the caves are the wine cellar of the restaurant.   They are carved out of the rock that that building sits on.  They are complete with giant clay pots that the wine was aged in before it was served.  For only one euro, you got a small pottery glass of wine (about 2 oz.), that you could keep, and the chance to explore the wine cellar.

The caves (wine cellar) at Meson Quinones

                After exploring the wine cellar, we headed back to the Plaza Mayor for lunch at one of the many village Mesons.  Mesons are restaurants that specialize in all varieties of roasted meats.  Those in Chinchon are especially famous for their roast lamb.  Although I love lamb, I decided instead to have a roast loin of Iberian pig.  This is a special semi-wild pig that is only native to Spain.  Its diet is made up almost entirely of acorns which gives the meat a wonderful nutty flavor.  Iberico (as it’s called in Spain) is also incredibly popular either cured or made into chorizo.  In addition to the Iberian pork loin, I had Sopa de Chinchon (Chinchon soup) that was made with pork, bread, onions, sweet paprika, and a whole poached egg.  For dessert I ordered leche frito or fried milk.  It was a dessert made with boiled milk, egg, flour, bread and sugar.  This is then made into slices of custard that are breaded and fried, not exactly a healthy choice, but certainly a delicious one.  To top it off, the server poured Chinchon Seco Especial over the top and caught the whole dessert on fire.  Just the look on the kid’s face made it worth the price of the dessert.     

The kitchen at La Virreina restaurant.

                After lunch we had one last surprise as there was a man standing at the center of the Plaza Mayor offering carriage rides through the city.  In all honesty I thought they would be too expense for the four of us, but Kelly and I were shocked as he only wanted three Euros per person for the ride.  So that’s how our day out ended, flying through the streets of an old Spanish town in a horse drawn carriage with only the sounds of the horses hoofs clopping through the ancient narrow streets.  It was an amazing day out and one that we will carry memories of long after we’ve returned from Spain.                   

Douglas and Benjamin in front of the carriage.

Culinary Adventures: Sobrino de Botin

Exterior of restaurante Sobrino de Botin

                One of the true joys of central Spain cooking is the asador.  Asadors are restaurants that feature a wood fired oven in which a variety of meats are roasted.  The two most popular of these are cordero (lamb) or cochinillo (roast suckling pig).  Although there are wealth of these restaurants located in the city and the surrounding countryside, only one can make the claim of being the oldest.  Madrid’s Sobrino de Botin is the oldest asador in Madrid, but it doesn’t stop there.  Not only is it the oldest restaurant in Spain, it is documented by the Guiness Book of World Records as the oldest restaurant in the world.

            Since 1725, the cooks at Sobrino de Botin have prepared their mouth-watering roast meat dishes.  The restaurant itself is located just down the hill from Madrid’s famous Plaza Mayor on Calle Cuchilleros, or the street of the culters.  Most likely the name comes from the cluster of workshops that were once located in this busy corner of the city. 

            Even before the present day establishment was opened in 1725, it is highly possible that another restaurant operated on the same spot.  As early as 1590, an inn and restaurant are believed to have been serving meals to the muleteers and traders who had recently completed their business at the nearby Plaza Mayor. 

            Much like those early traders, our family negotiated the wide square of Plaza Mayor and headed down the hill to Calle Cuchilleros and Sobrino de Botin.  Unlike those early traders, we weren’t celebrating a successful day of business.  Instead we made our way to Botin to celebrate my 35^th birthday.  After all, where better to celebrate a historian’s birthday than at the oldest restaurant in the world. 

            The entrance to Botin off of the street is nothing spectacular.  It has a wooden front with big picture windows showcasing the restaurants history and signature dish, Cochinillo.  After lingering a moment to read some of the history and excerpts from some of the world’s best known authors about the restaurant, we headed inside for lunch.    In regards to some of these famous authors, Botin had been no stranger to the literary world.  The restaurant is mentioned by several notable writers these include Spaniard Benito Perez Galdos, American James Michener, and of course lover of all things Spanish, Ernest Hemmingway. 

Interior of Botin

            Towards the end of his seminal first novel, The Sun Also Rises, the main characters of the novel lunch at Botin.  To quote Hemmingway, “We lunched upstairs at Botin’s. It is one of the best restaurants in the world. We had roast young suckling pig and drank rioja alta. Brett did not eat much. She never ate much. I ate a very big meal and drank three bottles of rioja alta.”

View from our table upstairs at Botin.

Like Hemmingway’s characters we ate upstairs, I dined on roast suckling pig, and drank rioja.  Unlike his characters though, I stopped at half a bottle.  Had I followed the passage exactly, I think they would have had to carry me out of the restaurant.

The restaurant itself is a delightful maze of rooms spread thoughout three floors and a basement.  Some claims are even made that the cellar may be part of the foundation of a much earlier building.  Today it is just another dining room.  After being seated upstairs we all placed our orders.  Douglas ordered his favorite croquetas, and heuvos revuelto de la casa.  The huevos revueltos are essentially scrambled eggs with different ingredients added to them.  In the case of the huevos revueltas de la casa, that meant scrambled eggs with potatoes, and crumbled blood sausage.  The dish was actually quite good and Douglas was very happy with his choice.  For her part, Kelly ordered ensalada mixta and pollo asado.  Ensalada mixta is a house salad that usually features iceberg lettuce, fresh tomatoes, onions, and canned tuna on top.  It is traditionally dressed with olive oil and vinegar.  The pollo asado is roast chicken prepared in the same wood fired ovens that are used to cook the lamb and suckling pig.

When it came time for me to order, I decided to go all out and have the Menu de la Casa.  At Sobrino de Botin, this means a first course of Sopa de Ajo, a second course of Cochinillo, a dessert, coffee, ½ a bottle of rioja wine, and bread.  With a feast like this, Benjamin was the luckiest of the bunch, getting to sample off of all of our plates.

Sopa de Ajo

The Menu didn’t disappoint from the first course.  Sopa de Ajo is a garlic soup topped with an egg.  The soup is similar to french onio soup with a tasty broth supplemented by chunks of fresh bread.  Unlike french onion soup, the dish is not topped by cheese, but instead by a poached egg.  It is also not nearly as salty as french onion.

Cochinillo

The second course of my meal was something that I had been looking forward to ever since I began to familiarize myself with food of central Spain.  Despite this, I held off on ever ordering this signature dish.  I guess my reason for this is that when I ordered Cochinillo for the first time, I wanted to make sure it was top shelf.  If you’ve read my earlier blogs, you’ll remember that I took the same approach when it came to Cocido Madrileno.  Cochinillo is roast suckling pig that is cooked in a wood-fired oven. When you first put your knife into it, the skin is thin and crispy.  Underneath is a thin layer of fat that keeps the meat moist.  Under that is some of the most delicious pork you could ever eat.  It truly lived up to expectations.

To complete the meal we all indulged in dessert.  I stuck to the traditional Arroz con Leche (rice pudding), Kelly had an apple tart, Doug white chocolate cheese cake and Ben enjoyed flan.  Overall, it was a wonderful traditional Spanish meal in a truly special location.  The only drawback was that the place can be a bit touristy.  Despite this, it is a must visit if you are spending time in Madrid.

Douglas and Benjamin enjoying lunch at Botin.

Amsterdam

The boys and I just before the Marathon.

Ah Amsterdam, the land of windmills, wooden shoes, canals, cannabis and prostitution.  Perhaps no city on the face of the planet has a bigger Jekyll and Hyde complex than Amsterdam.  On one hand she is that cute little Dutch girl, but when the lights go out she becomes something far different.  So what you ask was I doing in Amsterdam?  The answer is none of the above.  I was in Amsterdam to run the marathon.

            I stumbled upon the Amsterdam almost by accident.  I had originally planned to run a marathon in Porto, Portugal but the dates simply didn’t line up.  A trip to the U.S. to promote my new book, The Dover-Phila Football Rivalry: A tradition Shared Through its Greatest Games (shameless plug), meant that I would arrive back in Spain only two days before the race.  This left me looking for another option.  In the end I settled on Amsterdam because the date worked and frankly, I’ve always wanted to see what all the fuss is about.

            After arriving in Amsterdam on Friday morning, we made our way downtown to check out the race expo and pick up my race number, microchip etc…  The expo was held at a sports center that was adjacent to the 1928 Olympic stadium.  The stadium was constructed so that the city could host the 1928 summer games.  By modern standards the stadium is actually quite small.   While today it can accommodate up to 64, 000 people, when the Olympics were held here is could only hold half that.  Regardless of its seating capacity, there was definitely energy present in the old stadium.  The 2011 version of the marathon both began and concluded on the stadium’s track.

            After getting my race number and a quick stroll around the expo, we all hopped aboard the metro and headed back downtown.  Before I go any further though, I have to note that we did not have a map of the city.  Instead we chose where to leave the train by the proximity to Amsterdam Central Station, which is where all the bus and tram lines begin.  Getting off the train, we headed to lunch at a small pub.  Nothing special, but not bad either.  Then we decided to walk a little while.  Of course, as Murphy’s Law would have it, we nearly walked right into the heart of Amsterdam’s famed Red Light District.  It didn’t take long to realize it either as large picture windows began to appear in every store front.  Instead of displaying Futbol jerseys and kitschy windmill souvenirs, these particular windows featured scantily clad women dancing provocatively.  While personally I would’ve enjoyed “the sights”, it wasn’t exactly a family friendly environment.  It was also around this point that Kelly and I realized that we hadn’t seen any other tourists with children since before we got off of the metro.

            After righting our path and steering well south of the Red Light District, we continued our stroll through Amsterdam.  Much like Madrid, Amsterdam is a relatively (by European standards) young city.  Although it was founded in the 1200’s, it didn’t really come into its own until the 17^th century (1600’s).  In fact it wasn’t until the mid 17^th century that the city’s population grew to over 100,000.  By comparison, in the mid 17^th century London had a population of over 500,000.  The real change in Amsterdam is due in part to the construction of the canal system that began in 1613.  The canals form concentric circles around the city center and connect into the river Amstel, Amsterdam’s main natural waterway.  These canals helped Amsterdam to become the financial center of the world by the end of the 17th century.  Most notably, Amsterdam was home to the Dutch East India Company.

            Today the canals are more known for their tourist appeal.  They provide a fascinating way to see the city.  On Friday night, after taking in the architecture and layout of the city, we boarded one of the city’s many tourist boats for an evening cruise on the canals.  Our particular cruise was designed for families.  It provided the history and information on architecture for the adults while the food (pizza and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream) was chosen to entice the kids.  We thoroughly enjoyed the evening as the boats provide a wonderful way to see the city, especially at night.

The family on our pizza cruise.

            Our second day in Amsterdam was spent with a little shopping, a visit to the Westerkerk (West Church), a walk past Anne Frank’s House, and a tour of the Rijksmuseum.  The Westerkerk is the church that Anne Frank writes about in her famous Diary.  Westerkerk is a Protestant church that is recognizable for its soaring west tower capped by the Imperial Crown of Austria’s Maxilian I.  In addition to Anne Frank’s Diary, the Church is also well known as the final resting place of Dutch painter Rembrandt.  After walking through the church we headed next door to the Anne Frank House.  Because of the incredibly long lines, and the mature subject matter, we decided against taking the tour.  The house itself features the hidden annex that Otto Frank hid his family in for two years until their betrayal to the Nazis during WWII.

Amsterdam's Westerkerk

The Rijksmuseum

            Following the Anne Frank House, we took the trolley to the Rijksmuseum.  The museum is a national history and art museum founded in The Hague in 1800.  It was later moved to Amsterdam in 1808.  The current building that houses the museum’s collection was completed in 1885 and was under extensive renovation when we visited.  Despite this there were still over 400 artifacts and paintings on display.  What I enjoyed most about the collection was the focus on using these artifacts to share the history of Holland and the Netherlands.  In a museum the size of the Rijksmuseum, there are certainly hundreds of thousands of artifacts.  Imagine having to whittle that number down to 400 to tell your story.  This led to a very concise and focused exhibit.

            The first floor of the Rijksmuseum was focused on Amsterdam’s and Holland’s history from the beginning up to the present.  It explored the country’s growth due to commerce, the Dutch trade and colonies, and their position as a world naval power.  The second floor was devoted to the museum’s extensive art collection.  Of which they have quite a few original Rembrandt’s.  The most famous of these is titled The Night Watch.  The Night Watch was completed in 1642 and is regarded as a masterpiece for its feeling of action and movement and more importantly for its excellent use of light and shadow.  Rembrandt perfectly highlights the main characters in the painting through his use of light and shadow.  It is almost as if those who you are supposed to notice in the painting are actually being spotlighted.

Rembrandt's "The Night Watch"

            Our final day in Amsterdam was made up by the race from mid-morning to early afternoon and an impromptu trip to The Hague in the afternoon.  The race itself was a great first introduction for me into racing in Europe.  It was my first race outside of the U.S. and honestly I wasn’t sure quite what to expect.  In the end though, 26.2 miles is no different than 42 km. 

            The race began in the city’s Olympic stadium at 9:30 am local time.  We started on the track before leaving the stadium and heading out onto the streets of the city.  It’s important to note here that the race didn’t go into the older parts of the city.  Although we ran alongside of the outermost canal, we didn’t venture into the older parts of the city.  Despite this the urban part of the run featured some exceptional architecture, the Rijksmuseum, and two separate sections that travelled through Vondelpark (the city’s largest urban park).  Despite these well-known sites, my favorite part of the race was when we went south along the banks of the Amstel River. 

            Being a large urban marathon, I didn’t expect open fields and farms.  That was exactly what I got though as I ran through miles 9-14.  Through this stretch the route was a bike path with the river on one side and farmland on the other. The views were of open fields, quant houses, livestock, and historic windmills.  We were also treated to views of rowing teams getting in a workout of their own in the smooth waters of the river.  It was really a nice change of pace, and it broke of the monotony of a typical big city marathon. 

Inside Amsterdam's 1928 Olympic Stadium

            With the help of near perfect weather, 40 degrees at the start and low 50’s at the finish, and the flattest course I’ve ever run, I ended up with a personal best time of 3:07:47.  The best part was that I actually felt stronger as the race went on. It is always more fun to be passing people at the end of a race and not be the one getting passed.

            Following the race, the family boarded a train for The Hague.  The Hague is the center of Dutch government and one of three major cities (along with New York and Geneva) to host the United Nations.  The city is also a popular summertime destination as it is located on the North Sea.  After meeting up with a high school friend of Kelly’s, we travelled to the beach to walk on the boardwalk and get a bite to eat. 

            Kelly’s high school friend is originally from Brazil, but is married to a man from the Netherlands.  They have a three year-old daughter and the kids almost instantly hit it off despite the fact that the little girl spoke only Dutch and Portuguese. We all enjoyed the beach and Douglas was even brave enough to wade into the chilly surf.  Also while at the beach I had perhaps my oddest ever post-race meal.

            Before I get into what I actually ate, I need to explain the post-race meal.  Although the experts tend to recommend a certain amount of protein, etc… to aid recovery, I take a little different approach.  To me, post-race meals should involve something so deliciously terrible for me that I would never choose to eat it otherwise.  Some examples of great post-race meals are; half of a Chicago style deep dish pizza, Chili Cheese Fritos, and a triple Baconator from Wendy’s.  If it’s greasy and full of fat, it’s a perfect choice.  It also goes without saying that this incredibly unhealthy meal is usually washed down by several beers.

Dutch Herring Sandwich

            On this particular occasion instead of the usual I opted to go for a traditional Dutch treat.  I ate a raw herring sandwich that I purchased from a stand on the beach.  It is actually a Dutch tradition called soused herring.  To prepare it, the fish is cleaned and the fillets are packed into a barrel filled with a mild brine solution.  The raw fish are then allowed to ripen in this brine solution for five days before they are ready.  The soused herring is served on a bread roll, covered in diced onions.  Although it doesn’t sound that appetizing to the American pallet, it was actually quite good.  The flavor is salty and slightly fishy (in a good way), and enhanced by the onions.  The only challenging thing about this dish is the consistency which was a little mushy.

            Overall, we had a great weekend in Amsterdam.  Even if you aren’t into the vices the city has to offer, it’s still a fascinating place to visit with great architecture, history, arts, museums, and of course an incredibly fast marathon.

Culinary Adventures - Restaurante Malacatin

Wearing my bib at restaurante Malacatin.  .

            As we age, we learn to appreciate what makes a good restaurant.  The interesting thing about this is that each person develops their own criteria.

To me a great restaurant must have three things.  The first of these is, of course, great food.  This is a given and without great food we can all agree that you can’t have a great restaurant.  The second factor that makes a great restaurant to me is character.  Your experience there should be memorable.  Character can come in many forms whether it is the setting, the staff, the presentation, or the locale.  Any one or all of these things contribute.  If you leave a restaurant and a week later can’t remember what the place looked like, it wasn’t a memorable experience and that restaurant probably lacked character.  The final factor I use to define a great restaurant is a personal preference.  To me, a great restaurant has to have history.  Whether it’s a traditional dish, a historic setting, or a family history with a restaurant, to me this is the icing on the cake.  After all, bad restaurants don’t last long enough to develop a history, especially in a city like Madrid.

Exterior of Restaurante Malacatin.

With all of these criteria in mind, I headed to Restaurante Malacatín on Saturday September 24^th.  Restaurante Malacatín is a Madrid institution known for the city’s best Cocido Madrileño.  It is located in the gritty neighborhood of La Latina. La Latina is in an older section of Madrid known for its great restaurants and tapas bars.  It’s also the site of Madrid’s ancient Moorish quarter of Mayrit.  Malacatín though is not set among the trendy restaurants on Cava Baja.  Instead it lies just off the Plaza de Cascorro.  Located on Calle de Ruda, a small side street, Malacatín is surrounded by shuttered stores, flats, and Asian clothing stores.  The difference between Malacatín and all of these neighbors is that this tiny little restaurant has operated out of this spot for over 100 years.

Restaurante Malacatín was founded in 1895 by Julian Diaz Horcajo de Santiago.  Originally the restaurant was operated as a wine bar.  It was often frequented by locals including a guitar playing beggar who would sing, “tin tin tin Malacatín tin tin”.  The name stuck. 

Julian and his wife Maria had twelve children.  They passed on the restaurant to their youngest daughter Florita beginning a tradition that continues to this day.  Malacatín is now run granddaughter Dona Conchi and her son Jose Alberto. It was under the management of Florita that the restaurant expanded to add a kitchen and came to be known as Malacatín after the beggar’s song.  It was also around this time that they started specializing in the most sacred of Madrid’s culinary traditions, Cocido Madrileño.

The origins of Cocido are believed to go all the way back to the Middle Ages and a Jewish dish called, adafina.  Adafina was a slow cooked meal that catered to the Jewish Shabbat or Sabbath.  At the time of the Inquisition in Spain during the 15^th and 16^th centuries, Adafina was changed greatly and pork was added to the dish producing a more recognizable version of Cocido.  As time passed and the city of Madrid grew in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, the dish gained popularity for its simple ingredients, heartiness, and fairly low cost to produce.  Today this dish, above all others, has come to represent true Madrid cuisine.

Cocido Madrileno

The first thing you need to know about Cocido Madrileño is that although the dish is prepared in one big pot, it is served as three courses.  The first of these is the soup course.  For this, the broth that everything is cooked in is separated and then small noodles are added.  In addition to the soup, you are also served a small platter of pickled gherkins, pearl onions, and guindillas.  Guindillas are small picked hot peppers.  They also serve a plate of whole raw onions alongside the soup. 

The second course of Cocido is the vegetable course.  The stars of this course are the chick peas.  These are slow cooked and take on the saltiness of all the various meats.  They also give the soup its heartiness.  In addition to the chick peas, there is cabbage, and potatoes.  It is also with this course that the pork belly appears.  This is the one part of the dish that simply didn’t agree with me.  Pork belly is the layer of fat between the skin and the meat of the pig.  Although it adds a great deal of richness and flavor to the dish, the texture was simply something I couldn’t stomach.

The final course of Cocido Madrileño is the meat course.  This is by far the richest and most filling course.  It’s like salty meat heaven.  The meat course consists of chicken, pork ham bone, roast beef, pork knuckle, fresh chorizo, and morcilla (blood sausage).  The result of all these bended flavors is magical.  It is also incredibly filling. 

Interior of Restaurante Malacatin.

After our meal we paid our bill we were met by one of the restaurant’s owners.  Because the place is so tiny (only ten tables) he shakes everyone’s hand and asks them what they thought of their meal.  He also thanks you for coming to Malacatín.  Although much has changed in the restaurant’s 116 years of operation, the hospitality hasn’t.  If you are looking for an authentic culinary experience in Madrid, Malacatín can’t be beat.  Just make sure to book ahead.

Dreaming of Wales

Betws-y-Coed and Northern Wales

            After three days in Leeds in which Kelly had to work, our family was very excited to head to Wales and truly enjoy our vacation.  The trip itself took us from Leeds to Manchester and then on into Wales.  It is very easy to tell once you’ve crossed the Welsh border as immediately all the signs are in Welsh.  This is a byproduct of the Welsh Nationalist movement.  Although they were never militant in the way that the IRA has been in Northern Ireland, the Welsh are very proud of their heritage and native culture.  This culture along with the language differentiates them from their English neighbors, and perhaps no region is more adamantly Welsh as those in the mountainous north.

            In addition to their national pride, the Welsh are also known the world around for their hospitality.  They are very welcoming people.  They never fail to greet you, and once they find out that you are from somewhere other than the U.K., they are more than happy to start up a conversation, recommending everything from sites and museums, even which train will get you to your desired location the fastest.  As a very good friend of mine told me when she found out we were going to Wales, “I hope you find the true Welsh experience you are looking for.”  Little did she know that we wouldn’t even arrive in Betws-y-Coed, before we were introduced to Welsh hospitality.

            After traveling along the northern coast and enjoying beautiful views of the Irish Sea, we boarded our third and final train of the day to head south into the mountains.  Taking our seats, we noticed a kind looking older gentleman with his brolly (umbrella) and newspaper sitting just across from us in the back of the rail car.  Within five minutes of the train leaving the station, he had introduced himself as Arthur.  Over the next thirty minutes or so, Arthur gave us the history of every small town we passed, advice on sites to see, and his only copy of the train tables.  It was then, before we even reached our destination, that we realized what a magical place this would be.

            After a long day of travel (nearly four hours by train) we arrived at the small Victorian village of Betws-y-Coed.  Betws-y-Coed lies in the Snowdonia region of Northern Wales, which is named for the U.K.’s highest peak, Mount Snowdon.  The village itself became popular with tourists only after the rail line was finished in 1868.  After that, Betws-y-Coed became a destination for Victorian tourists looking for an escape into the wild.  Today, nearly 150 years later, not much has changed.  The town is a great starting point for the numerous walks, hikes, and bike trails in the region.  On one side of the town is the Gwydyr National Forest and a short bus ride away are some of the most spectacular mountains in the U.K. 

The church Hill House B&B

            Our accommodation in Betws-y-Coed was at a charming little bed and breakfast called the Church Hill House.  Our room, which was classified as a family room, featured a double bed and bunk beds for the boys.  Included in our room rate was a full Welsh breakfast every morning.  For those of you unfamiliar, this means a fried egg, hash browns, a rasher of bacon, beans, a baked tomato, sautéed mushrooms, sausage and black pudding.  Most days I complimented this feast with a small pot of tea.  Needless to say, lunches were usually pretty light during our stay.

            Although we enjoyed a number of activities and shopping during our time in Betws-y-Coed, several activities stand out above the others.  These are the Snowdon Mountain Railway and Llanberis, my hike with Douglas to the mountain lake, and our dinner at a sixteenth century Welsh Inn. 

The boys in front of our rail car.

Snowdon Mountain Railway Station

           On our first full day in Wales, we set out for the Snowdon Mountain Railway.  The railway has been in operation since 1896.  It sets off from the town of Llanberis, traveling 4.7 miles to within sight of the summit of Mount Snowdon.  That is, keeping in mind, that the weather in good enough to actually see at the summit.  Unfortunately for our family, the weather that day was as typically Welsh as the hospitality.  We are able to glimpse breathtaking views of the other mountains and the rich valleys for about 2/3 of our trip up the mountain.  The remaining 1/3 of the trip was marked by a steady rain, mist, and thick clouds.  In fact the weather was so poor that our time at the actual summit was less than five minutes.  We climbed the final thirty yards or so, snapped a very misty picture and headed back to the safety of our train car.  Even with the poor weather though, the experience was once in a lifetime.

View from the train about halfway up Mount Snowdon

At the summit of Mount Snowdon

Also while we were in Llanberis, we had a much more pleasant experience by simply enjoying the great outdoors.  Prior to our trip on the Snowdon Mountain Railway, my wife spotted a sign pointing towards a waterfall.  With time to kill, we hiked about a half an hour to reach it.  Although the kids complained at the beginning, the charm of the Welsh countryside and its unpredictable weather brightened their moods.  In only that small bit of time we experienced sun, clouds, and rain, twice.  Our efforts though were rewarded with beautiful views of the town, the waterfall, and a picturesque stone fence bordered field complete with a horse and several sheep.  Sheep in Wales are like mosquitoes in the Amazon.  They are everywhere.  It was great though to see Benjamin’s face as he came face to face with “Mr. Sheep”.  So much so that we didn’t have the heart to tell him that it was actually “Mrs. Sheep”.

Benji and Mr Sheep.

On our second full day in Wales, we decided to stay in Betws-y-Coed, relax and do some shopping.  After this was finished and we still had a couple of hours until dinner, Douglas and I decided to take one of the hikes that began around the corner from our B&B.  The hike was difficult but the sign promised a mountain lake, which piqued our interest.  After nearly 40 minutes of steep climbing, Douglas and I emerged at the top of the ridge with views of the mountains and a fairly large lake stretching out in front of us.  We hiked the entire way around the lake, before heading back down to meet up with Kelly and Benjamin.  I’ll always remember the look on Douglas’ face as we came back onto the road by the beginning of the hike.  He was so proud of himself for completing a “difficult” hike.  Moments like this remind me that it’s the little things in life that really count.

Douglas after finishing our hike.

            After working up a big appetite with our hike, we all got ready and headed to the Ty Gwyn Hotel and Restaurant for dinner.  The Ty Gwyn dates to 1636 and features beautiful low wood beamed ceilings throughout.  For many years it operated as a coaching inn.  For the past 28 years it has been operated by the same family with a patriarch also serving as the restaurant’s chef.  They pride themselves on traditional Welsh cooking with a focus on local produce, meats, etc…  Like most Welsh cooking, the Ty Gwyn relies heavily on lamb, potatoes, cheeses, and leeks.  The meal I enjoyed that evening was something I’d never tried before, lamb Wellington.  It featured lamb loin baked in light pastry dough.  It was wonderful, especially when accompanied by a good pint of Welsh bitter. 

The Ty Gywn

Lamb Wellington

         

          Overall, our experience in Wales gave us exactly what we were looking for.  It was a simple, friendly, beautiful, and magical escape from our everyday lives in Madrid.  It’s the type of place that calls to you once you return home.  To steal from the same friend who I mentioned at the beginning of this piece, once you visit Wales you will forever suffer from “hiraeth”.  It is a word that is unique to the Welsh language.  It means, “longing for Wales”.     
 

Kelly and I during our hike to the waterfall.

The Leeds-Liverpool Canal and the Royal Armouries

Douglas and Benjamin in front of the Royal Armouries

One of the best opportunities afforded by living in Europe for two years is the chance to travel.  One such opportunity presented itself this past week as Kelly was asked to travel to Leeds, West Yorkshire, U.K.  Because the boys had not yet started school, we decided to make it a family trip, with a stopover in Northern Wales as well.  Although the title of the blog may be “2 years in Madrid”, these next few entries would be more aptly titled, “6 Days in the U.K.”.

            The city of Leeds, England is located in north central England.  Unlike a lot of the old towns in England, Leeds does not have a great deal of older architecture, museums, monuments, etc…  Although it’s a college town, it looks a great deal more like a business or manufacturing center.  With a population of 788,000, Leeds has risen to become the economic center of West Yorkshire if not Northern, England.  Along with this type of growth comes many new buildings and a modern skyline.  For those of us who end up in the region as tourists (especially American tourists) this does not mesh well with our image of the quant English town.  Despite its modernity, Leeds is not without its charms. 

            One of these charms I discovered on a run near the Leeds riverfront.  Running from just below the Leeds Rail Station is the beginning of the Leeds to Liverpool Canal.  The Leeds-Liverpool Canal greatly improved the economy of Yorkshire as it linked one of the regions greatest business centers with the port of Liverpool.  Begun in 1770, the canal took nearly 40 years to complete.  The primary cargo on the canal in those early years was coal and limestone.  It is made up of 91 locks and runs 127 miles.  Unlike many other canals, the Leeds-Liverpool canal was constructed with wide locks that allowed it to better compete with the railway. 

A canal boat docked at the Leeds riverfront.

            While today the canal is used primarily for leisure boating, it was recognized as a shipping resource into the 1970’s.  As late as 1972, coal was still being shipped to the power station at Wiggan via canal.  In additional to the leisure boats that traverse the canal today, the old towpath running alongside the canal has become a favorite of walkers, runners, and those on bicycle.  The current towpath runs the entire way from Granary Warf in Leeds where the canal empties into the River Aire, to Liverpool.  The canal provides a great resource for those in Northern England as the entire distance can be covered by foot or by boat using the lock system that is still operational.

Display Case at the Royal Armouries Musuem

            The other top notch attraction the boys and I discovered in Leeds was the Royal Armouries Musuem.  Opened in 1996, the Royal Armouries sits on the bank of the River Aire.  It is a modern building complete with three floors of exhibits, a central tower, gift shop, theaters, and an outside interpretation area.  At the time of its construction, the museum was originally designed as an overflow site for the extensive collection of the Tower of London.  The Armouries is a national museum operated by the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport.  Like all national museums, there is no general admission charge.  In addition to the main collection, the museum also hosts special exhibits and interpretations that charge a minimal amount.

            Once inside, the Armouries there are three floors of exhibits.  They are organized into the Hunting Gallery, Oriental Gallery, Self Defense Gallery, Tournament Gallery, War Gallery, and the Hall of Steel and Street.  The majority of these galleries are filled with polished examples of days gone by.  Suits of armor are displayed alongside a multitude of weapons.  The exhibits are so well done and displayed that one almost forgets exactly what it is that these shiny works of art were used for in the first place.

Hall just outside the Oriental Gallery

            In addition to the armor, there are great exhibits on the evolution of hunting and big game hunting, modern weaponry, law enforcement and the weapons Asia.  One of the exhibits that really caught my kid’s attention was a short video showing the process by which a Samurai sword is made.  Immediately behind the video was a beautiful display case showing many different Samurai swords as well as swords in different states of assembly.  If there is one thing you are sure to notice about the Royal Armouries, it is that they are very well funded and that they work very hard to make the museum and its interpretation one of the finest in the U.K..

            Along with the Samurai Swords, our other favorite artifact was the parade armor helmet fashioned for England’s King Henry VIII.  The helmet was given to the King by Emperor Maximilian I. 

Parade Helmet that belonged to King Henry VIII

            Outside of the permanent collection, the museum also has some wonderful hands-on areas that were very engaging for the kids.  Among these were the crossbow range and the police dog demonstration.  The police dog demonstration was put on by the Leeds Police Department and featured two different dogs that were raised and trained for police work.  The demonstration took place in the Tiltyard which is an outdoor area attached to the museum.  Admission for this “extra” was six pounds for all of us and it was definitely worth it. 

Police Dog Demonstration

            In addition to the various demonstrations, the Tiltyard is also home to jousting contests during the summer.  Two of the larger of these are held during the weekend of Easter and at the end of the summer.  The end of summer jousting contest attracts competitors from all over the world who ride for the chance to bring home the H.M. Queen’s Golden Jubilee trophy.

            While I wouldn’t describe Leeds as a destination vacation spot, there are some things to recommend it.  The river walk, towpath, and city hall were very nice, and the Royal Armoury is probably the most well presented and interpreted museum I’ve visited in three trips to the U.K.