Wednesday 15 October 2014

Joan Carroll

Upscale Mercado
Description:

You never have to eat alone, you can share your meal with several hundred others! The Mercado de San Miguel is one of Madrid's oldest and most beautiful markets. It has early 20 century glass walls (built in 1916) and its original cast iron structure but has undergone a 21st century makeover. It now bills itself as a culinary cultural center. You can buy quality fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish, and browse among more than 100 varieties of cheese. It is a large space strewn with tables where you can order tapas or more substantial fare, along with beer or wine. Stroll around and try alot of different things! I had the paella and a beer and watched the city go by.











Wonderful In Any Language
Description:

Who doesn't love a farmers' market? Here is one in the Plaza Mayor in Segovia Spain. Besides having some yummy stuff you can learn some Spanish too: potatoes, oranges, onions, sweet onions, tomatoes on the branch. The farmers' market happens on Thursday with produce as well as books, clothes, etc. There are also at least two shops selling famous Segovian treats and if you can resist those, you are a better person than I! The cathedral is right there on the square too, although you will have a much better view of it when the market is gone later in the day. The plaza itself is definitely worth a walk around: it was built in the 17th century. On one side is the Town Hall, which was designed by Pedro de Bizuela in 1609. The facade of this building is quite simple, although the front is made of granite. Another side of the Plaza Mayor has the Teatro Juan Bravo, built in 1918. This is the theater where the city has cultural events. There are music, dance, and plays very often in this theater. Juan Bravo was the leader of the rebels in the Castilian War of the Communities (Revolt of the Comuneros) that took place in 1520 and 1521 against Carlos V. The revolt was stopped and Juan Bravo was executed. The arcades of the Plaza Mayor started in 1884 by the architect Odriozola, but finished only in 1917. Today the Plaza Mayor is a favorite meeting place, and if you are lost, stop in the TI for a free map.

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