Snow and Sleep in Siguenza

The first few days of our trip were pretty busy. So when we arrived in Siguenza, and realized how cute this place is, we decided again to re-arrange our itinerary and spend an extra night here. Vacations are supposed to be restful, right?

After we unpacked our bags, we headed down the street to Bar Alameda for lunch. Our drive to Siguenza took a bit longer than we had anticipated, due to some tricky sign reading near Medinaceli, so we were very hungry. Inside Bar Alameda, we found a bunch of locals playing cards and dominos. I don't think anyone except the bartenders work in this town. 3PM on a Monday and everyone was drinking and eating and having fun.

We sat down to tortilla de atun (Spanish omellette with tuna), chorizo, bread, and two drinks that I thought were a dark, stout-like beer. However, after a grimmacing first sip, we decided the drinks were less like stouts and more like Spanish Long Island Iced Teas. From a keg. Nasty stuff! One drink and both JCB and I were on our way to siesta time. 

We made our way back to the hotel, but stopped at a little store (mercadito) and bought some snacks, including two bottles of Spanish wine. A tempranillo reserve from 1999 (4,90 Euros) and a Rioja reserve from 2000 (3,30 Euros). Both were amazing, and we probably thought they tasted even better because we knew how cheap they were. Sleepy, we siesta-ed all night long. Nothing is open in Siguenza on Monday nights, so "when in Rome."

This morning, we awoke to light snow and brisk 2 degree Celsius temperatures. We bundled up - JCB literally threw his pants on over his pajamas - and took a walk to get breakfast. More tortilla, chorizo, and cafe con leche. Our food was good, the coffe was better. We felt ready to tackle our day.

Except that by noon, we were pretty much done with our day.  Siguenza is SMALL. Really small. Although La Catedral is beautiful, we whisked through it in about 20 minutes. And the castle? Well, the castle has been converted into a hotel. Still picturesque, yes, but nothing to really see except the outside. Still, we managed to keep ourself busy by eating every couple of hours. 

Yes, every couple of hours. We are hungry! All the time! In fact, I'd say we've been hungry pretty much since we left Lleida. And as we tried to find a place to eat, I started to remember why I previously vowed never to go back to Spain - the food is horrible. Well, let me correct that statement: the food in Madrid is horrible. And maybe all of Castilla? Cured hams. Bacon. Chorizo. Cured hams. Bacon. Chorizo.  Cured hams. Bacon. Chorizo.  And body parts that I prefer to see on a body rather than in a stew. And everything in oil. Even cheese in oil. Is that necessary? We miss our fish. We miss Barcelona!

When times are tough, though, I think it is always important to reach out to the locals. So we went into the Office of Tourism and picked up some brochures with restaurant recommendations. We sat on the cold steps of La Catedral and found a place that served "migas" - what our Lonely Planet described as an Aragonian treat of breadcrumbs, tomatoes, and olive oil. We had been looking for migas in Zaragoza, per our Lonely Planet's suggestion, but never found it. So, imagine our excitement to find the dish in Siguenza. Regrettably, though, and much to our surprise, when our migas arrived we found them caked in chorizo and chorizo juice and sprinkled - or maybe I should say, showered - in chunks of fat, which I will assume was meant to be bacon, but was really just gristle. Que es esto?! Bummed about our migas, we really only had a few bites. Sadness...

Siguenza came through in the end, though. We found a Chureria and satisfied our lunch craving with churos y chocolate! And we spent the rest of the afternoon lounging around our hotel. We lied in our bed, opened our curtains, and watched the snow fall. Siesta came early today. JCB slept while I watched a movie and compiled our pictures. But now it is time for La Cena, and we're eating at the hotel restaurant downstairs. The menu is impressive - take a look - and since there are many options without ham and bacon, we have faith that el Doncel will restore our faith in Castillan cuisine.