Offline in Madrid

There’s been wifi problems in the Farrell house. Hence, no blog posts or facebook updates, not that I’ve really had the time here in Madrid.

We’re staying with a great friend of mine and her family here in Madrid. They have lived here for a couple of years and are going back to London in July so our visit is well timed. It’s half way through our holiday and we’re enjoying some down time in this comfortable, spacious home... full of children. Between us we have 6 kids between the ages of 9 and 2. Energetic, imaginative, interesting children (did I mention loud?). We’re having a fabulous time and the kids are in their element.

It’s a major logistical operation to get us all up, breakfasted, out the door and down the street.

 
We’ve dragged these kids through busy plazas, on and off metro trains and buses. We’ve had highs and lows during the course of these outings for each and every child. BUT WE PUSH ON!

A high for the grownups was a visit to a sardine bar...

... fresh sardines simply cooked on a hotplate and served with chunks of salt.

 

Delicious. They’re eaten with fingers and washed down with beer...

Then the heads and bones are THROWN ON THE FLOOR! IT’S FABULOUS!!!!

Yum.

The kids didn’t get into the experience though (that's all 6 kids) and spent most of the time sitting on the step at the door. ‘Awww, it smells!’ and ‘I’m hot!’ and ‘I don’t like it here!’ and ‘When can we have our ice cream?’ and ‘Muuuummmmm!’. The latter yelled for the 15^th time as I was ignoring all complaints and soaking up the ambience that was the fabulous smelly sardine bar. ‘Another beer! Gracias!’

And I’ve been taking photos of food again.

Finely sliced, amazingly tasty ham off teh bone, sliced to order....

 

Anchovies!! with olives...

 

Deep fried, melt in your mouth calamari...

 
... which is a little out of focus due to all the excitement.

The Farrells’ have been amazingly wonderful hosts and we’ve loved staying here but our itinerary moves us on tomorrow to Paris. Rod knows a bit of French from when he lived in Montreal. He knows how to say ‘I cannot speak French’ in French. And that’s it.

This is the extent of my French (spoken in a very broad Aussie accent):

Bonjour

Merci

We (yes, I know, 'Oui')

Non

Sil vous plait

Resturant

Fillet mignon

Pepe le pew

Jacques Cousteau

...um... I should be right with that...

I hear the French are very forgiving and patient with non French speakers... we’ll be fine...