Presa El Gasco

Looking at vultures

 There is a strange artifact of history that is now a pleasant park and a fantastic walk. The El Gasco Dam is a failed dam constructed in the late 18th century. It was intended to be a grandiose engineering project leading to canals connecting Madrid and the Atlantic Ocean. At the time it was to be the tallest dam ever constructed but after being plagued by delays and setbacks, an early failure led to the project being abandoned. The steep walls of the dam are still visible and you can walk freely on top the very steep walls. It's a cool experience and the views over the valley are fantastic. I highly recommend visiting its Wikipedia page to learn more about its strange history.

There are a couple of trails in the area that wind through the hills or along the incomplete canal. There is a much longer loop that goes through a classic Mediterranean tree and shrub habitat. There are some beautiful views across Madrid and nice assortment of trails winding in and out of the rocks. 

We were lucky to see a group of Griffon and Black Vultures scavenging a Wild Boar carcass by the river. There were probably thirty to forty of them and we saw several go to perch in the sun across the valley while others fought it out for a piece of the boar. I was surprised at how open the area was, there were no fences or installations of any kind. The area was popular with dog walkers and I understand why with such an enjoyable walk near to several smaller suburbs. 

Views from above

Nice wooded area by the canals

Cocido

 

The ultimate winter dish, cocido is a very meat centric stew. This is a common winter dish in most parts of Spain bar the hotter south, and although the core ingredients remain the same, regional variety is exhibited especially with the meats.

The dish starts with a noodle soup in a rich stock. It can either be combined with garbanzos or have the garbanzos served separately. In this case we had them separately which I quite liked due to the even richer sauce the garbanzos were presented with. After this is a dish of meats all of which were perfectly cooked and presented. The regional touch were the "bollas", delicious little fritter like composites from the stews and stock of the different meats. 

We were lucky enough to get this cocido at a local restaurant as part of their daily menu, an extreme bargain that had the usually calm restaurant overflowing with anyone from a 15km radius. Turnover was quick and efficient as the business tried to maximize flows and make their August on cocido day. With a dessert included it was 15 Euros per person, fantastic value especially in the calorie to cost ratio!

To say cocido is a rich meal is an understatement but if you're looking for a heart meal to warm you up, this might be one of the ultimate choices.

Roasted chestnuts (Castañas asadas)

Compact booth

One of my absolute favorite winter features of Madrid are the availability of roasted chestnuts (Castañas asadas). I had not been familiar with just how delicious these roasted nuts could be admittedly being more familiar with the word from the opening lines of the Nat King Cole Christmas classic, "The Christmas Song". The presence of their temporary booths, not present in summer, are a sure sign of winter and the warm nuts offer respite from the cold. They are sold in three different sizes and the bags even come with an extra side bag for the shell of the nuts!

Shout out to the Instagram user vive_majadahonda for the short feature video!

Dual pocket bag for shells.

Bike rides along the coast

End of the road beach in Torrenostra

 

One of the staples of our trips to Alcossebre are morning bike rides. I am a huge fan of cycling and the setting in Alcossebre is beautiful with normal rides following the coast. The most common route we take is to the neighboring town of Torrenostra just south of us. It is about an 8km ride one way and makes for a perfect route along the coast with the final point being the literal end of the road in Torrenostra at a small park on the beach. We usually get off the bike and stretch a little bit overlooking the ocean. There is a small park nearby with drinking fountains meaning we do not have to take water bottles along.

There is usually a nice breeze coming off the ocean and it is in view for nearly the entire ride. If you get out early enough (before 9am) the road will be deserted with only a handful of walkers and cyclists getting in their morning exercise. Cars are also scarce which allows for a real casual and safe ride. I can't imagine a better environment for morning exercise though it's a shame the road doesn't extend a little further along the coast.

Parc Natural de la Serra d'Irta: El Faro hasta Playa de Cala Argilaga (Trip II)

 

I've written about this park before and it remains a summer staple. We enjoyed a beautiful walk along the coast and checked out some little hidden stoney beaches. It's particularly beautiful in the late evening with the light fading as it sets over the hills but it is also a fantastic area for a picnic. Although you can not drive to most of the beaches you can park the car and take a short hike to set up in a relatively secluded beaches, especially when compared to the hectic nature of most of the public beaches in Alcossebre.

Doorway curtains (Cortina de tiras)

 

A variety of curtains

In addition to the unique persianas, another ubiquitous and unique household furnishing are doorway curtains (Cortina de tiras). I had never seen these before coming to Spain and initially thought they were cumbersome and uncomfortable but I now enjoy their utility, especially for keeping flies out of houses. 

Whether it is the door to the outside or interior partitioning, the doorway curtains hang from the top of the doorway and cover the entire doorway. They are typically made up of strands of metal or plastic and come in all sorts of colors and designs. 

When passing through the doorway you can kind of brush them aside like a normal curtain but when passing with items in your hands they can be a little unruly but after some practice you get used to it. As mentioned I initially thought they were unnecessary if not a little strange but in the end I am a huge fan.

Basketball

 

Awesome court by the beach

Although Spain is more well known for futbol (soccer), basketball is a growing sport. I'm much more comfortable on the basketball court than the football pitch and thus I enjoy pick up games whenever I get the chance. 

As true to the sporting stereotypes, I find the Spanish players are either solid with great fundamentals and a non-flashy game or they are very inexperienced and lack formal training. Either way it makes for a fun environment, especially since I am past my athletic prime. 

Local court

At the beach there is a local court that inconveniently hosts futbol games as well. It's a little cramped as the games run perpendicular to each other (see above photo) but it's surprisingly smooth and interference is not so bad. I get hit with a futbol once in a while and we hold up action if the futbol game is passing through but otherwise it's a normal game. There is a nice group of regulars that come and we're able to play 2 on 2 or 3 on 3 and the skill level is usually good enough to be enjoyable while not being too serious. 

I've had similar experiences in Madrid though I have not sought out any serious courts rather I've only played in the local parks. I encourage anyone that plays even a little bit to not be afraid to go out and enjoy some recreational basketball.