El Ratón Pérez – The Spanish Tooth Fairy

El Raton Perez

One of the most interesting aspects of living in another country is the subtle differences.  Whether it’s the way people greet each other, or the flavor of potato chips, these are the things that make each culture unique and different from our own.  One of these small differences in Spain is the story of El Ratóncito Pérez. 

            The origins of the Spanish tooth fairy go back to the 1890’s and a sickly young prince, Alfonso XIII.  Alfonso was born after his father’s death in 1886 and thus was crown King of Spain upon his birth.  Because a young child cannot rule, his mother Queen Maria Christina was appointed Regent and ruled in place of her son.  In 1902, when Alfonso reached his sixteenth year, he assumed the crown and full control of the state.  He remained King of Spain until April 14^th, 1931 when the Second Spanish Republic was formed.  He then fled the country.  He lived out his remaining days exiled in France and eventually Rome, where he died in 1941.

            According to the story behind the creation of Ratóncito Pérez, young Prince Alfonso was a frail child and somewhat sickly.  He was also deeply bothered when he began to lose his teeth.  To assuage his fears the Queen called upon Father Luis Coloma, a popular writer of the era.  Coloma was an important figure in the Spanish Realist movement of the second half of the 19^th century.  He wrote several novels and two well regarded histories later in life.  In 1894, Coloma was contacted by the Queen and asked to write a story for the eight year-old Prince.

            Coloma set to work producing the tale of Ratón Pérez.  In the story young Prince Buby (Alfonso XIII’s nickname) loses his tooth and is visited by a small mouse.  The mouse carries a red satchel that he uses to collect all the teeth.  In their place he leaves a small amount of money.  When Buby catches the mouse in the act, Ratón Pérez agrees to take him along on his evening’s work.  During the course of the story, Pérez takes the prince to his home to meet his family (they live in a Huntley Biscuit box) and on an errand too collect a tooth in one of the poorer areas of town.  Here the story takes on a moral message as the prince sees the miseries of the poor and understands that he must do more for the people of his country.  Coloma’s decidedly political slant shouldn’t have come as a surprise to the Queen as one of his most successful novels, titled Pequeñeces (Trivialities), is a critique of high Madrid Society in the years before the Bourbon Restoration.

            Regardless of its political slant, what really stuck with children was the image of the small mouse collecting their teeth and the details of his life.  In the story, Pérez is described as living in his biscuit box at Calle Arenal #8, just off of Puerta del Sol in Madrid.  Sol is Madrid’s Times Square, and Calle Arenal a busy pedestrian only shopping street. Further details tell us that the mouse’s residence was in the back of Prast’s Confectionary store.  For many years there was indeed a confectionery store located at this site.

            Today, the confectionery store is gone, and #8 is a small shopping arcade with a DVD store, a video game store, and a travel agency.  Although the arcade no longer holds the sweet smell of a confectioner, it does commemorate Spain’s tooth collecting little mouse with a plaque, a small statue, several story boards.  In the upper level  there is also a small museum and gift shop.

Douglas and Benjamin at Calle Arenal #8

            After hearing the story of Ratón Pérez, the boys were both very excited to make a trip to Calle Arenal.  Pérez had already come to our house once for one of Benjamin’s lost teeth.  We arrived and began our visit with some pictures near Ratóncito’s statue before heading up to the museum.  Located in suite 14 and 15, you enter first through the gift shop and browse before moving into the next room where the exhibits are found.  The museum is very small only one tiny room.  After being given a diagram of the room explaining what all the exhibits were, we were joined by one of the museum’s staff.  She told us the story of Pérez and even pointed out two small mouse holes in the room where Pérez was known to make appearances from time to time.  Included in the exhibit was a dollhouse fashioned as a biscuit box, and a mailbox where children can deposit letters with their lost teeth.  The latter featured a small lit mouse hole in the bottom that had Benjamin kneeling down to take a peak.

Front of the Gift Shop on the second floor of Calle Arenal #8.

            The only setback to the museum was that the staff didn’t speak any English and therefore, the boys were left to my spotty translation to understand what she was saying.  Even so, you could see the magic come through in the boy’s eyes as they anxiously listened and followed her hand motions as she told the story and pointed out the exhibits in the room.  Overall, even with the language barrier, it was a great way for the boys and I to spend a morning.  It was also relatively inexpensive as admission to the museum was only 1 euro per person.

Close-up of statue honoring Ratoncito Perez.



El Cid’s Castle (Almonacid)

Almonacid Castle

With family in town for the past week and a half, we have had the opportunity to see much of the city and also to travel outside of Madrid for several new adventures.  One of these new adventures took us south of Toledo, roughly an hour and a half from Madrid, to the small town of Almonacid.  Almonacid is not a town you will come across in any of the major tour books.  The only reason we even knew of its existence was a small entry at the back of a guide on the city of Toledo.  It was listed as an entry for a Castle Route looping through Castile-La Mancha.

Village of Almonacid

            At first glance it should come as no surprise that this town of only 813 inhabitants fails to make any best of lists.  It is a run of the mill small Spanish town with few restaurants and no famous historical events to its credit.  The one outstanding characteristic of Almonacid is the ruins of its castle high on a ridge overlooking the town. 

Almonacid Castle (Taken just outside the outer wall)

            The Almonacid castle is an imposing structure of dark stone.  Its claim to fame was that it was once a favorite residence of Spain’s greatest military commander, El Cid.  El Cid was born Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar in a small village about six miles north of Burgos in Spain.  He first earned acclaim fighting under Sancho II.  This continued until the leader’s untimely assassination.  After his death Sancho’s brother, Alfonso VI, assumed the throne.  El Cid and Alfonso immediately clashed after the commander was part of a group that demanded that Alfonso swear an oath saying that he had nothing to do with his brother’s murder.  Rumor had circulated through the court that Alfonso had a part in the killing. 

            Even with the rocky start, El Cid acted as Alfonso’s military commander for the next seven years until the two had another falling out.  This time the dispute arose after El Cid carried out a successful, albeit an unauthorized, raid into Granada.  This appears to have been the final straw for the king.  On May 8, 1080, Alfonso VI exiled El Cid.  He then travelled through Spain as an exile before eventually settling in the Moorish City of Zaragoza.   At Zaragoza, El Cid’s talent was recognized by his former enemies and he was put into their service as a military leader.  In this position he led a Moorish army against the Christian forces of Spain winning a number of battles.

            Desperate and without another choice King Alfonso VI recalled his exiled commander allowing him almost complete freedom in leading his new army which was made up of both Christians and Moors.  With this new army, El Cid  conquered the Mediterranean city of Valencia.  Unfortunately for El Cid his victories couldn’t last forever.  After three relatively peaceful years in Valencia, he was killed by an arrow after the city fell under siege.  After his death, his wife  escaped the city with his body.  It was buried at the monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña in Castille.  Later the body was moved and placed at the center of Burgos Cathedral.

            After arriving in Almonacid, we spent the first twenty minutes just trying to find a way up to the castle.  What we eventually learned was that the castle is only accessible by foot.  There are two paths winding their way to the top of the ridge.  The easier of the two is a meandering path that switches back and forth taking probably a half an hour on foot to reach the castle.  The other option was a very steep path straight up to the castle taking only ten to fifteen minutes.  This path though is not for the weak of heart.  It was steep enough that even though I elected to go up that way, I wasn’t about to go down on the same path for fear of falling.

            Because it was late afternoon when we arrived at the castle, I was the only one that elected to make the hike to the top.  It was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made since arriving in Spain.  What I found in the castle ruins was a unique, genuine experience with Spanish history.   It’s something I’ll carry with me as a memory of this experience for the rest of my life.

View from the back side of the castle

            Arriving at the top of the ridge and at the base of the castle wall, I was greeted with beautiful panoramic views of the town and the surrounding countryside. It was also apparent from up close that the state of castle was poor.  Although the walls were largely intact, there were several large holes providing access to the inner wall and eventually the keep.

            After making a circle of the exterior wall, I entered through a gap and walked around the inner wall.  The inner wall was fascinating because of the insight it provided into the castles defenses.  Between the inner and outer walls were small indentations with room for archers to keep attackers at bay.

Small protected areas for the archers.

            From the inner wall I was able to find my way into the courtyard and eventually the castle keep. To my surprise, the keep was intact and open.  It was quite an experience to stand inside the central tower, looking up at the remains of its stone roof and imagining the history that took place there.

Castle Keep (taken from the courtyard)

            Later, to my surprise, I was joined by my five year old, Benjamin, and my father-in-Law Greg.  I was pleased to show them the castle and share the experience.  That said, I’m glad that I spent some time in the ruins alone.  It provided me with an experience I’ll always treasure.

Castle Walls from the inside looking out.

View from the base of the outer wall.

Culinary Adventures – La Casa Del Abuelo

After a nice afternoon at Parque Retiro in the heart of Madrid, the entire family decided to head over to one of Madrid’s best known restaurants for shrimp. 

            The very first Casa Del Abuelo restaurant was located on Calle Victoria and was opened in 1906.  Ironically, at the time they first opened they didn’t even serve shrimp.  The restaurant started out making fresh bread and serving sweet wine.  In this way they carried on through the the 1920’s and 1930’s when they started to specialize in sandwiches or bocadillos as they are called in Madrid.  The most popular of their bocadillos in those days were Spanish chorizo, anchovies and season pork.  At one point the restaurant was selling as many as 1500 of their sandwiches daily.

            Like many industries in Madrid, the Spanish Civil War had a significant impact on Casa Del Abuelo and its proprietor.  During the war, bread shortages all but shut down the restaurant and forced them to completely change their approach and specialty.  It was around this time that the restaurant reinvented itself, specializing in gambas (shrimp).  At first they earned their reputation on gambas a la plancha (shrimp on the grill) and later with gambas al ajillo (shrimp cooked in garlic).  Much like the success they experienced with their bocadillos, the shrimp at Casa Abuelo began to sell in record numbers.  In one day alone they once sold 675 lbs. of shrimp. 

            Today La Casa Del Abuelo continues to be known for their grilled shrimp, shrimp in garlic, and even shrimp croquetas (croquettes).  The restaurant is operated by the same family, now in its fourth generation and is one of only twelve restaurants in Madrid that have been in operation continuously for over 100 years.  They have also expanded over the years to operate in three different locations.  The original location is on Calle Victoria, a second location is on Calle Nuñez de Arce, and the most recent is in the posh neighborhood of Salamanca on Calle Goya. 

            For our experience at Casa Abuelo, we went to the location on Calle Nuñez de Arce.  It is located just off the Plaza de Santa Ana.  Like many of the restaurants in the area, it is small and narrow with a bar on one side and a single row of tables on the other.  The decoration is simple with dark wood paneling throughout. 

Interior of La Casa Del Abuelo

           For our Sunday dinner we chose to order several dishes and share them as a family.  We had the gambas a la plancha, gambas al ajillo, a calamari bocadillo, and a salad.  The salad was simple and fresh with tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, onions, and topped with delicious tuna.  Although they brought out oil and vingar, we elected to eat the salad with only the oil from the tuna as dressing.  It was delicious and very refreshing after a hot day in the park. 

My oldest son, who can be a picky eater, ordered the calamari bocadillo.  Ironically, even being picky with his food, he loves Calamari (fried squid).  His sandwich was average.  It was better than any calamari that you would get in Ohio, but not up to par with the quality you come to expect in Madrid.   

The family also shared six gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp).  Although they refer to them as grilled, they actually remind you more of a pan fried or seared shrimp.  They are not cooked over an open flame, but are cooked with garlic.  The shrimp were very good, but there is a catch.  Unlike in the United States where shrimp always come shelled, that is very uncommon in Spain. Shrimp here are served in the shell with the heads still on.  This gets even more complicated when you consider that the Spanish don’t eat much with their hands.  Shelling shrimp with a knife and fork is a difficult endeavor and a skill I have yet to master.

Gambas al Ajillo

While everything we had at Casa Del Abuelo was good, the real shining star was the gambas al ajillo (shrimp in garlic).  The shrimp are served in a small crock, sizzling hot.  Smaller than their grilled shrimp, those they use for the gambas al ajillo are shelled and are very flavorful.  They cook in a generous amount of butter, garlic, and a little oil.  How can you go wrong with garlic butter shrimp?  As is custom here,  the whole meal is complemented by fresh bread.

La Casa Del Abuelo is an important part of Madrid’s culinary history and a great place for some of the city’s best shrimp.  No trip to Madrid would be complete without a visit here.

Another Photo of the Interior of la Casa Del Abuelo

Taking a Ride on the Teleferico

Douglas and Benjamin ready for their trip on the Teleferico

After three long weeks exiled in the United States, I’m happy to report that our family has finally been reunited in Madrid.  The last few weeks have been difficult, with delays in the VISA process and the loss of a dear family member.  Even so, I’m excited for the summer months to come and the opportunity to spend more time with the kids.  Of course I’m also excited by the chance to see more of Madrid.  Because the next few months will be spent with the “little guys”, this blog will take on a little more wholesome appearance.  For those of you looking for something more adventurous, I’m sure fall will bring a return to normalcy (i.e. the search for exotic alcohol, bizarre foods, and curious attractions).

View of the Teleferico with the Madrid skyline in the background.

            With a distinctly family feel, my first excursion into the city with the boys took us to the Teleferico Madrid.  The Teleferico is a cable car line that stretches into Madrid’s Casa de Campo.  Casa de Campo is referred to by tourist books as Madrid’s “green lung”.  It is the largest park in the city.  Located on the western side of town near the Palacio Real, its proximity to the palace shouldn’t come as a surprise.  Like several other major European parks it was once the exclusive hunting grounds of royalty.  Unlike many other urban parks in Europe, the Casa de Campo is not well developed as a pristine, manicured park.  For that type of an urban oasis, one has to travel to the opposite side of the city to Parque Retiro.  One plus of Casa de Campo is its size. This allows it to provide a home for both the Madrid Zoo and Parque de Attractiones (amusement park).

Crossing the Rio Manzanares on the Teleferico.

            Through the rough scrub of Casa De Campo runs the Teleferico.  It stretches 2.5 Km (1.35 miles) and deposits visitors square in the middle of the park.  From that vantage point, visitors are greeted with panoramic views of the city, Parque de Attractiones, and miles of the rough plain that remind us of what Madrid would look like without all the sprinkler systems and asphalt.  As my youngest son, Benjamin, put it “it looks like a safari Daddy.”  In truth, he’s not too far off.  Although the park is green in the spring, by early summer almost everything has turned a dusty brown.  Interspersed in this burned out wasteland are pine trees that resemble lollipops with thin trunks and rounded branches.  Running through this dry wilderness are an endless network of hiking and mountain bike trails.

            The Teleferico begins just off of Calle Pintor Rosales in the neighborhood of Arguelles, in the northwest quadrant of the city.  The roots of the Teleferico go back to September 6, 1967 when the Teleferico de Rosales Company was founded.  They contracted with Van-Roll, a Swiss company, to construct the Teleferico.  The construction work took about a year.  The first ride on the Teleferico was made on June 26, 1969 by Carlos Arias Navarro and his wife.  At the time he was the Mayor of Madrid. 

Ready for a hike in Casa de Campo.

            Admission for the ride is roughly 5 euro per person (roundtrip) for the 11 minute ride.  Some of the sites you take in during your ride are the Palacio Real, the Almudena Cathedral, and the Rio Manzanares.  The ride itself is very relaxing, and is even fairly tame for those with issues with heights.  After all, the cable car never rises higher than 40 meters (131 feet) off the ground.  At the end of the line, there are snack machines, a restaurant, and plenty of picnic tables.  We also enjoyed a little hiking before heading back to the city.