Pretty rubbish I couldn’t get myself to update the blog daily / every few days as now need to catch up, so I’m really sorry it might be a long post but with some cool pictures and places to visit so give it a go :-)
After a week of sun tanning, sea swimming, pig eating and mojito drinking, my husband and I were joined by out buddies Russ and Sam. I must say I probably have never laughed so much in my life. I almost developed a 6 pack (I’d definitely have one if it wasn’t for the amount of food and booze I had). We drank and eat some more and travelled around to see great things.
There was a Fun fair in town so it gave spaniards opportunity to party…not only at the fair itself, the whole town had street parties set up, with live music, shows and drinks (don’t forget the drinks!). All people were dressed up in traditional Spanish clothes, dancing flamenco and sipping mojitos (I wish good London bars could make mojitos as good as old dudes on the Spanish streets). After having few (too many in my case) drinks, we hit the fun fair itself.
And how very different spanish fun fair is to any other fun fair I went to! Not only it runs at night (opens at 6pm and is open till 6am), has the fastest, weirdest and creepiest rides (check out the tiger), but also the whole corner of it is set up as 6 clubs. Because who doesn’t like a bit of fun and a drink and a boogie? My hubbs and Russ decided to be adventurous and went on the few rides (I was somehow not convinced these were completely save, seeing older spanish gentleman with a fag operating them! Not that I would go on any if I was convinced they are saved any way tho!). My husband is a big fan of the rides but seeing him holding to his sit like he wants to jump off, made me even more convinced that staying on the ground and eating fresh doughnuts was the best decision of the day.
The only 2 fun activities I anticipated in were dodgems and scary/ haunted house tour. For some unknown reason, haunted house made me laugh uncontrollably- maybe because I was secretly shitting myself and hiding behind my husband all the time. It was pretty hard to keep my face straight when all these dressed up guys were telling creepy stories in Spanish I do not understand at all. I was given few dirty looks from them, but these bastards got me when one said in English ‘whatever you do, do not look them in the eyes’, and me being me turned to my husband asking ‘look who in their eyes?’ and there she was just behind him, the girl from the exorcist with spinning head (or at least in my head she had one!) jumping up and down the bed, screaming and shouting. I think at that time the whole fun fair could hear me and I’m pretty sure few times I was closer to the ceiling that she was. That followed by the guy with the chainsaw and it was done and ready for a drink or 2 or 6.
The day after the street party and the fun fair, we have decided to tackle the local mountain- La Bermeja. Supplied in the cool box, full of beer, champagne, worrying small amount of water and BBQ meats- we got on the road (with our bless him designated driver). I am not good with heights as it is, but being stuck in fiat 500 with 3 other people, on a Spanish country road, revealed new fears in me. After probably an hour of Sam and myself screaming at random, we arrived at the top. Oh my God, what a view! If that was going to be my last trip, it was definitely worth my heart attack trying to get there. We could see the whole coast and the mountains. I was so overwhelmed I completely forgot about my fears and was quite happy to jump between the rocks to get the better view (what a fucking stupid thing to do now I am thinking about it!)
We went on another road trip, this time to Tarifa- surfers paradise as people call it. When someone says white sandy beaches and a crystal clear ocean, I say yes please, when are we going?
It was actually the first time I swam in the ocean. Also my husband had a great idea to climb the sand dunes, in 50 degrees full sun, on the sand hotter than hell. I probably made only half way up that bloody thing as my heart was jumping out of my chest and I was sure any minute I’ll have a stroke or a heart attack or will just simply die there and roll downhill (downdune?). We’ve spend rest of the day swimming in the Atlantic, drinking cold beer and eating paella! I could definitely live like this.
Apart from the road trips, we have also experienced the most amazing food! It was the first time I had snails, at least now I can say I had one and I didn’t like it! Below some of the incredible places we visited:
San Rafael
A very traditional old school spanish place. We had half of a suckling pig- the sweetest, juiciest bit of pork I have ever had. Gorgeously crackly baby pork skin served with potatoes baked in olive oil with sweet Spanish onions. Oh. My. God. If someone would ask me what meal I’d want to eat for the rest of my life, this would be a definite contender. We also had some sweetbreads and a home made flan for a desert- we were even cheeky enough to ask for the recipe, surprisingly the owner have it to us! Say whaaaat? In fact, it was so good before I even thought of taking the picture, it was all gone!
La Tarraza
This place just blown my mind away. As it was my 4th visit to Spain (my husband use to live there- since he was a chubby boy until he could drink legally), we were looking for a place we have never been to before. The best people to ask in Spain are the taxi drivers, and we’ve been told…is the place to go. My husband, as the only spanish speaking person, gave them a call and the lovely people running the restaurant decided they’ll open it just for us! Where else would that even happen? We had so much food, I wanted to cry, I looked like I was 8 months pregnant. If I was going to describe how incredible each dish was, this post would have 600 pages. To make it easier, we had breaded, fried aubergine with orange blossom honey, followed by fresh goat cheese with anchovies and olive oil on Spanish green tomato, prawn cocktail with smoked roe and strawberries, veal with raspberry drops and a rabbit. After demolishing all of above I had no space for anything else…anything else but creme caramel…in one evening I put on half a stone of pure fat…all my clothes are now too small.
Chambao
I won’t write an assay about this place, just a great beach bar, with all night long parties. Their chicken salad and goat cheese with walnuts and red wine reduction salad are out of this world. They always have the freshest fish and the views are just gorgeous, you can even get a massage if you feel like it!
Casa Orta
I think this is my favourite holiday find! My husband and I were looking for a place to have some lunch when we’ve seen a corner of a table sticking out from a little walkway. Feeling adventurous we decided to have a little beer and some tapas. We’ve been back there twice stuffing our faces with home made croquettes, ox tails, pigs cheeks, aubergine fritters with honey, the most gorgeous stuffed crab and traditional hams with cheese. I could literally moved into this place (and it has nothing to do with rather handsome older gentleman running it!) if only I could eat all this food everyday.
Casa del Rey
After eating all these yummy, homely meats with gravy, tons of potatoes, chips and salads, we wanted to go to more, let’s say refined place. What we thought will completely melt our cards- as place looks ridiculously expensive- was a rather nice surprise when the food bill came to £50. And that included foie gras, all variations of Spanish black pudding, cheeses, hams and jugs of gin. Unfortunately (or rather fortunately) I had no chance to take many pictures as food disappeared quickly :-(
Also, there are few life saving alcohol remedies, in case just like me you want to be an utter pig and eat it all 3 time and all over again!
Pacharan- a plummy tasting after meal liqueur served on ice that melts all the good food making space for some more!
Manzanilla- during the meal dry sherry, it melts your food as you eat- even better!
Fernet Branca- this one tastes like concentrated mouth wash, it will make you want to cry, but it’s the best remedy for sore stomachs, also when you’re stuffed yourself completely, strong and awful, as it’s a medicine!;-)
I must say, still, after eating at all these incredible places, I missed my curry…and my thai…and Chinese…definitely missed some gut burning hot chillies!
Back in the UK now so it must be time for hot sauce. Bring on the pain!
X
lunchtimetequila 