Monday, June 10, 2013

            Last week, for the most part, was uneventful.  We returned home from Lisbon close to noon and unpacked.  We tacitly decided that the week should not be one full of activities because, in truth, in our week in Lisbon we had walked more than thirty-five miles and climbed the equivalent of one hundred and seventy-five flights of stairs. Wednesday morning our thighs confirmed that we had indeed accomplished all the foregoing.

            Thursday we stopped by Carosel in the hopes of catching up with Jordi, but he had gone off to Javea with a friend to chat with some of the local fishermen.  We decided to skip the main course and just enjoy the table de entremeses and that was a good decision because we were full by the time we finished all the appetizers that included a coca with marinated vegetables, a brandade, a deconstructed gazpacho and a salad with butterfish.  There was, of course, room for dessert and when we finished our coffee we headed back home.

            The veteranos met on Thursday night and the discussion, as usual, was very lively.  Afterwards we made our way to El Museo de la Tortilla where we had pre-ordered a special meal.  We started off with a salad with tomatoes, onions and red and black olives.  Next came a plate of pollo y conejo al ajillo.  To be honest, I have tasted better and the dish was warmish rather than hot.  There was also a platter of potatoes and green peppers.  We finished the meal with our usual coffee and then we all headed to our respective homes.

            Friday we did some shopping in preparation for Rachel’s visit.  She arrives tomorrow and we are trying to stock up on products she can eat.  We found a few things and added them to our expanding larder.  Since we were close by The Ginger Loft and it was approaching lunchtime, we decided to drop in and have some lunch.

            We discovered that the first ever Salón Erótico was being held at the Feria Valencia and that five of the restaurants in town were offering a special menu that focused on food that are reputed to be aphrodisiacs.  The Ginger Loft was one of the five participants. We enjoyed a salpicón de mariscos along with an avocado and asparagus salad, a rather lively Thai beef curry and for dessert a shimmering panacotta and some chocolate.  The meal was outstanding, as usual and we discovered that that organizer of the event and two companions were dining at the table next to us.  I later discovered that the young woman seated at the table was none other than Sophie Evans who is or was a rather notable porno star.

            Saturday we finally caught up with Jordi in the afternoon.  He has been given a clean bill of health and that is good news.  After enjoying a cup of coffee with him, Susan and I took a rather long walk that took us down Calle Baja and then on to the Turia.  From there we walked to the Torres de Serrano and ended up in the Plaza de la Reina where we stopped for an ice cream.  When we got home it was 8:30 and that turned out to be our activity for the day.

            Yesterday we walked to the IVAM and saw a couple of exhibits and from there we walked to the Corte Inglés where we picked up a couple of things for Rachel’s impending visit.  From there we walked back home and, in the process, completed our five-mile walk.  We took life easy for the rest of the evening by watching some TV and doing some reading.