3 Weeks in Spain (via Japan)

[rbjhan]

First trip report here Hopefully I can do it right!

So back in March I decided to go to Spain in May, hmm 6 weeks is not nearly enough planning time! But I managed, somehow.

The itinerary:
MEL - NRT JL774
2 days in Tokyo

HND - LHR - MAD JL41+IB something
Madrid - Segovia - Avila - Salamanca - Toledo - Sevilla - Cordoba - Ronda - Granada - Madrid

MAD - NRT - MEL IB6801+ Overnight Hotel Nikko Narita + JL773

 

[RooFlyer]

Sounds a great trip! I loved Spain, especially Segovia and Salamanca. Do you like gin & tonic, by any chance?

 

[rbjhan]

JL774
Had I known AMEX will be getting rid of the restaurant credits I would have gone to Movida! Bah.
Nothing really to write about re Marhaba lounge, but at least there are made to order noodles.


Couldn't get a window seat either, but the aisle seats on the window side do have some extra storage.


Had western breakfast last time and didn't like it. So Japanese breakfast it is.

 

[rbjhan]

Sounds a great trip! I loved Spain, especially Segovia and Salamanca. Do you like gin & tonic, by any chance?

Tinto con limon the whole trip haha! Didn't know such a thing exist before, man I totally missed out.

 

[rbjhan]

This is my 8th trip to Japan by the way...so pretty much no sightseeing, just wondering about Ginza...

Hotel Remm Kyobashi
I almost always stay near Tokyo Station/Ginza area, Kyobashi is right in the middle, very handy.
Good size by Tokyo standard.


Shower only, def not typical Japanese...

 

[rbjhan]

Nothing much to report in Tokyo...just some pics of food

Gyu-tan


Shiroebi from Toyama


Sashimi set


Royal Copenhagen is very popular in Japan..

 

[rbjhan]

JL 41 departs 2 am(!) from Haneda, so I'll need to find something to do that day...Luckily this is Japan, people are creative in terms of how to kill time before a flight.
Look what I found: Heiwajima onsen!
Obviously you can't take pictures inside, so I direct you to the official website:
https://www.heiwajima-onsen.jp/en/

Basically, you pay 2400 Yen which includes entrance to the onsen & facilities, shuttle bus to Haneda airport at 10 or 11pm. (There are later buses to Haneda too, but cost a bit more I believe). Massage, vending machine, restaurant cost extra. Beats JAL Lounge by a country mile.

Speaking of lounges, JAL is quite generous...


This flight is not full (oh I wonder why )so I got a window seat no problem.


Tons of privacy when the partition is up.


And I had ramen!


APEX suites are not my favourite seats out there -- not a fan of neighbours plus not enough storage, personally I like reverse herringbones. But JAL is often cheaper than the ME3 going to Europe. And you can stop over in Tokyo!

 

[VPS]

I love Spain - good on you for writing a TR - looks good so far

 

[rbjhan]

There's a new Plaza Premium lounge in LHR T5, very quiet as Priority Pass can't get you in. Luckily Amex Plat is accepted, much better than the zoo that is BA lounge.

I'm not going to write about the Euro Business LHR - MAD, economy seats with a blocked middle seat is really not that exciting.
There is one thing though, when we get to Barajas airport, my luggage was one of the very last to come out - together with all the other business passengers! Not a great first impression...

 

[rbjhan]

I love Spain - good on you for writing a TR - looks good so far

Thanks!
I love Spain too, it is just so damn far...

 

[amaroo]

Looking forward to the updates - I’m another Spanish fan.

 

[TomCC]

Love Japan and am often thinking about Spain so will certainly be paying attention on this one!

 

[rbjhan]

Double Tree by Hilton Madrid Prado
Oh my god what a disaster...booked and paid for a king room, and this is what I got:


Being very jet lagged I didn't think too much. But a few days later when looking through my pictures found this:


WOW! So I got the smallest room of the whole floor?!
Don't recall seeing downgrade as a published benefit of Hilton Gold... Anyways the hotel didn't respond to my queries so ended up contacting Hilton Honors after came back home, finally got a refund.
So yeah, stay away from this one!

 

[rbjhan]

Devour Tour Madrid
Booked a "Tapas, Taverns & History Tour" as it's highly recommended by a friend. It was pricy at EUR 99 plus tax. But such a great experience! Love it.

We went to four local taverns. First stop is Casa Labra for their famous bacalao, quite salty but delicious! (Forgot to take pictures, bah)

Next up is my favourite of the night, Meson del Champinon, so much so that I went back the next day



No.3 is La Casa del Abuelo and prawns in garlic


Final stop, Casa Toni, here we sat down and had multiple dishes...I'll let the photos do the talking.


Oreja a la plancha, yum.


Our guide Joy is an American expat, she's done a great job keeping everyone entertained and also provide great insight about Spanish food and history. And she introduced us all to Tinto de Verano!
I'm not a guided tour person, at all. But this one is so good I ended up booking another one of theirs in Sevilla.

 

[rbjhan]

Prado and others.
Main reason I booked that terrible hotel is I wanted to be close to the museums. (iirc Westin was EUR 500 plus those days, WTF is all I'm gonna say)
Museo del Prado needs no introduction.


This is Spain after all so the museum opens at 10 am. I went early and didn't come out until about 6:30pm, it is just this large and I was totally exhausted.
6-8pm is free entry time but one look at the queue I'm convinced it's well worth the money to pay for a ticket...

Thyssen otoh is nice and quiet. Also, you can take photos heh heh.




Didn't go to Reina Sofia as I'm not into those things...

Caixa Forum


More random pictures of Madrid...
Metropolis building


Retiro Park


Palacio de Cristal

 

[rbjhan]

Santiago Bernabeu & Caja Magica
Long time Real Madrid supporter here, so





Also went to watch some tennis!
Third round in the main stadium Manolo Santana. Saw Djokovic v Chardy and Federer v Monfils.
Unfortunately Rafa played at night that day...




It's much smaller than Melbourne Park but nonetheless a good venue for a Masters tournament. And I like how they arrange the practice courts along a central walkway.

 

[rbjhan]

A few more Madrid restaurants：
Sobrino de Botin, apparently the oldest restaurant in the whole world. Also featured in Heingway's The Sun Also Rises.

I was in the much sought after basement


Gazpacho

Their famous suckling pig


Didn't think the food is that special, but an experience I guess...

 

[VPS]

Prado and Thyssen are much better than Reina Sofia - loving the photos and bringing back memories

 

[rbjhan]

La Tasqueria, not for the faint hearted, haha


And you can see why...


Ox tongue and olive


Tongue * Salad * Lobster


Ear * Beans * Salad


Tripe * Shank * Snout


This one is off menu, can you see what it is?


The deep fried ear is a bit too much but I love everything else

 

[rbjhan]

Prado and Thyssen are much better than Reina Sofia - loving the photos and bringing back memories

coughcontemporaryartcough