Location: Madrid Office
Tapas provided by: Our awesome Spaniard Manager and Mallorca Tapas
http://www.pasteleria-mallorca.com/
I had finally arrived in Madrid the night prior from Milan, after a cancelled connecting flight in Brussels. Luckily I was able to hop onto the next flight (with only 13 open seats available!). Only 3 days in Madrid (and already 1 day lost due to ice storms across Europe cancelling hundreds of flights), I was hard pressed to make the most of the 2 nights to explore food and drink as a first timer in Madrid.
My first day in the Madrid office, I was extended a warm Spanish welcome with some of the very best tapas in Madrid. Not to mention, one of the best teams I have worked with around the world spanning US, Asia, India, Phillipines, London, Italy, and now Spain! The tapas was so delicious, I literally could not stop eating. It was like a bad nightmare episode from the Twilight Zone. My colleague asked me if I was really still hungry, as he saw my hand continue to reach for the small plates throughout the entire afternoon. No, I told him. I'm not hungry anymore, but I cannot stop.
They say that the Spanish people know how to live, that the Spanish have their charm. In this beautiful city of Madrid, I can very quickly understand why and how. I've travelled extensively, from the Middle East, around Europe, Asia, US, and back... so not a lot shocks or surprises me anymore. However, Madrid definitely took me by surprise. For me, I remember Madrid as a lively, bright, clean, and contemporary city to walk over cobble stone roads while having lunch. see fascinating art, enjoy some of the finest gastronomy and delicous wines in all the world, and to live a luxe existence filled with some of the warmest people. For the locals - I just cannot comprehend that, for them, this is their way of life. Soledad will definitely be back.
Thanks Madrid, for showing me something shiney and new and leaving a memorable imprint in Soledad's adventures.
My diary on Madrid begins to read from that week:
Dec 21st 2010:
"After standing in queues since 9am milan time, transitting through brussels sitting on the tarmac for 4 hours then that flight got cancelled, so hustled off the plane, boarded another... finally landed in madrid 6 hours later... with luggage... still stuck in brussels. :))))) TOTAL TRANSIT TIME = 12 HOURS. definitely an adventure but not exactly the Soledad kind! Madrid is cool and i am sitting here in very contemporary brande new accenture office sipping on my free espresso from machine just like in Milan!!!"
Selection of cheeses, including of course, the famous sheep's milk, Manchego.
Assortment of tapas, ready for myself and the Spanish team to devour over siesta lunch break.
My favorite tapas dish that afternoon - grilled banana wrapped in what else... tasty FAT bacon!
Litte fruits to balance all the meat and carbohydrates... don't think these got too much attention though.
Crab (I think, cannot remember so clear, ate too much).
Spanish style souffle. Eggy and doughy. Yum yum!
Close up of my favorite that day: Grilled bacon wrapped banana.
3 comments:
So the secret is out! Life in Madrid revolves around food food and more food!
You'll soon get used to the two - three hour lunches and the fact that nothing ever gets done during these times! Great if you're out for some of the rich food as well but if you're there minding the fort it can be somewhat of a nause!
:-)
Not sure what type of company you work for, but normally in Spain there is not Siesta breaks!.
I agree all the important business are close out around food and specially at the dessert / drinks time
That's how we roll!!! :)
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