On Monday, we left Barcelona early on the bus. (It was a very short visit to this city because of the flight delays.) Around noon we stopped in the ancient city Segovia, named for the Roman emperor at the time of the founding, Cesar Augustus. This town is known for the Basilica de Pillar. Second church visit in as many days. The square around the church was very laid back and delightful; a welcome break from the bustle of Barcelona. We joined up with Wyatt and did some souvenir shopping and had lunch. We shared some tasty chicken wings and our first ham sandwich. It’s the famous local jamón on a thin baguette. We learned about the Toro the bull liquor advertisements in the countryside. It’s a large black bull cut-out and is the only billboard allowed in Spain. Because they were so iconic, an exception to the ‘no billboards’ rule was made for Toro. There are 80 throughout Spain. We’re having a good time looking for them and I hope to snag a picture.
The countryside is absolutely covered in fruit and nut trees in bloom. It’s a beautiful sight. Spain has more tourists each year than the US, with an area the size of California. They have a good infrastructure for tourists. The tour bus drivers get required rest breaks, and there are great rest areas with gift shops, small cafeterias, snacks.
We checked into our modern/spartan hotel and then took the subway to an amazing restaurant in the Puerta del Sol. It was a small place with dark, gleaming wood, mirrors, and sparkling lights. Our group had reservations and took the entire lower floor. Sophie sat with the kids and Stephanie enjoyed the time with the other adults on the trip. Since our group is so large, we’re served a fixed menu. The appetizer was a scalloped potato and ham dish with a light cheese layer. The main course was pork cutlets with a delicious sauce and more potatoes on the side. Dessert was a yogurt with berry sauce. We took the subway back and got to bed around midnight.
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