MUSEUM DAY IN MADRID - GUERNICA AND TAPAS TO BEAT THE BAND

It Always Helps To Know A Guy (or girl) That Knows A Guy

 

One of the most impressive things about The One Shot I raved about in my last post on Madrid was the staff. The young ladies at the front desk seemed to know everything about everything in the Prado area. Waking up with reduced jet lag our second day, we asked about a place for breakfast. They pointed us to a very small café just down the lane - D.O.C.C. Madrid - Perfecto! As we were served by a most helpful and resourceful barista/manager of this 10-12 seat eatery, it became apparent that the Spanish are very accommodating people, even with Americans who speak embarrassingly bad Spanish.

However, one thing must be noted. Call me an Ugly American if you like, but, the Spanish do not have the coffee thing figured out. This is going to sound soooooo uncharitable - but we are all about the truth here at TNA. The coffee served in virtually all restaurants and coffee shops in Spain is Café Con Leche - half coffee and half warm milk. It is always luke warm and tastes rather odd to a palette that is accustomed to very hot coffee with a small amount  of cream and sweetener. I know what your thinking - What an unliberated American  toadie, right? I apologize in advance for my embrace of that symbol of American coffee excess. That's right - the only real coffee I had in Spain was purchased at - you guessed it - Starbucks. I should probably have my vagabond credentials suspended for not "acting like a local", but that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. I don't care what Rick Steves says. Trains and Tapas - Sí. Coffee - No!

Would You Like To Go To The Museum Today Mi Amor?  Sí She Said

After breakfast we hailed a taxi and said Hola! Reina Sofia, por favor. Ten minutes later we pulled up to Madrid's national museum of modern art. This former 16th century hospital boasts permanent and temporary exhibitions of Spanish and other international artists. Works  by renowned painters and sculptors Joan Miro, Donald Judd, Max Ernst and Georges Braque, to name just a few, ensure that the visitor will see some of the most provocative, ground breaking art of the last century.

Enjoying the many works in Madrid's largest and best known museum, we strolled into the room in which is hung one of the truly great paintings by one of modern art's greatest painters. Many art lovers and critics alike view Guernica as Pablo Picasso's greatest work. Upon seeing this enormous painting up close and personal, it is hard to argue against that point of view.

 

 

An apt description of the painting, its scope and effect on the viewer is best summarized by travel blogger Katie Hammel in an excerpt from  one of her articles entitled Viewing Guernica at Madrid’s Reina Sofia Museum:

Picasso’s Guernica is one of the most visually stunning paintings in the world, and one that is best appreciated when viewed in person. At first glance, the painting looks like chaos – all hard lines, blunt angles, and cartoonish scenes of animals and people. But when you look at the details, you begin to see more. Here’s a woman, grieving for the child in her arms. There’s a fallen man, his broken sword lying beside him. The painting depicts the bombing of Guernica (in Basque Spain) during the Spanish Civil War. The Guernica takes up nearly an entire wall of the museum, and at 11 feet tall and nearly 27 feet wide, it is simply massive.

After the Reina and a light lunch, we returned to the Prado area and the beautiful Neptune Fountain. We then decided to do what all good tourists do - hop on a Hop On - Hop Off  Bus for a grand tour of Spain's capital city. Never having done this rather "touristy" mode of sightseeing before, we both agreed that it is a great, inexpensive way to get an overview of a city, its architecture and its neighborhoods. Plus - you can rest your weary feet while enjoying the view.

Al Final Del Día - How 'Bout Some Local Sobrosa Tapas To Make A Thing Go Right

 

As I said earlier - It always helps to know a guy or girl who knows....you get the picture. Once again, the dynamic duo at the front desk did not disappoint when we asked for dinner suggestions. At the end of a full day of museum stalking and sightseeing we were in need of some really good food. We took a short stroll from One Shot up Calle del Prado and arrived at the absolutely slammed, well designed tapas restaurante LATERAL around 8:30 PM. After only a few minutes, we were ushered to our table amongst many apparently satisfied diners, eating and drinking like the locals. Now - I am, by no means, an expert on Spanish food, tapas or otherwise. But, in this Americano's humble opinion, the numerous courses of spring rolls, calamari, etc., etc., etc., along with a nice bottle of  Tempranillo (Spain's most common grape), were superb in every way. And I could have sworn I saw Hemingway sitting in a corner by himself drinking a small glass of sherry - Just kidding.

And the prices, with the euro at an all time low against the dollar, were  muy barato - actually downright miserly. Take heed my fellow Nomads, if you are looking for a place that will serve you well for very little then get on that plane asap.

As we walked back and prepared for another night's sleep in our little trozo de cielo at The One Shot, we mentally crossed the fabulous Guernica off the Nomad Bucket List. The memory of that profound work of art and strolling the narrow streets of "Magical Madrid" is now
permanently etched in our collective Nomad heads & hearts.


Next up - A Bucket List Day Trip - The Windmills of La Mancha.


Salud Vagabundos

d.l.Stafford
thenomadARCHITECT

Spanish Lesson of The Week - Spain is downright cheap. That's right fellow Vagabonds, compared to Italy, France and the UK, Spain is one of the lowest cost countries for Nomads looking for a deal. Excellent wine can be had for $3.50 a glass and four star hotels can run as low as $125 a night. And, as of the date of this post, the dollar is a very low $1.12 to the euro. Take that California!

Video Artist of The Week - Joe Cocker, a true R & B, Soul and Rock & Roll legend could be heard in bars and cafes in the Land of Conquistadors. They love that rock and roll in Spain!
 

 

MADRID - BIENVENIDA TO THE SECOND COOLEST CAPITAL CITY IN EUROPE

IT'S NOT PARIS BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE MIS COMPAÑEROS VAGABUNDOS - MADRID HAS GOT IT GOIN' ON

That's right. Madrid has everything a Nomad full of intense wanderlust needs. Great food, great architecture and Picasso's Guernica. That's enough to put a town on the A List. But Madrid has so much more. As we approached this thoroughly modern metropolis with a history that goes back to at least the ninth century, we became instant romantics in search of all the things we had read about this place of insatiable cultural  diversity and a vibrant populace to go with it.

 

 

And where better to start our almost month long sojourn in the land of Iberia than Magicall Madrid? As one perceptive writer commented to comedian & radio personality Dennis Miller recently - Miller, you gotta go to Spain. All they do day and night is eat and drink. Saludos Vagabundos!

Just Gimme That One Shot Prado 23 - Por Favor

After a little hunting up a narrow street off the main drag,  the taxi stopped in front of our base of operations for three days in Madrid - The One Shot 23 Prado. Through a simple glass door entry into a lobby with stark white walls & modern paintings and sculpture everywhere, and a couple of nice English speaking conserjes jovenes, we were in. It was official, we had arrived in Madrid. Our room continued the minimalist grammar - white walls, smart furniture, a bathroom with a huge rain shower, comfy bed, pickle stained wood plank floors and a large mirror on the wall that was actually a tv. We almost never watch tv while traveling. I mean what is the point of watching a game show in a language you may have studied for six months but have absolutely no chance of actually understanding? However, the subtle design touch with a tv that actually looked like a mirror was a very hip detail in this architect's opinion.

 

The hotel designer adroitly inserted minimalist spaces, surfaces, furniture, etc. into a vintage building of undeterminable age. Those crazy creative Europeans do this with such ease.  And to make the thing go perfect, our room had a large balcony with chairs and a table for a little morning coffee or snack to enjoy the sounds of the street and some fresh air. And the staff, always helpful and knowledgeable about who, what and where were always at the ready with maps and instructions.

 

And one last thing about the One Shot for Gen Xers  and Millennials - FREE WIFI !! - OMG, U have 2 stay here!!!!!!!

 

And Where To Eat? or should I ask - Donde Comer?

 

The area around the One Shot, Paseo del Prado, is a great area to see many of the things that make Madrid such a great city. Museums, parks, transportation are all easily accessible on foot. In addition, the area is loaded with great restaurants. Because we had eaten the usual composting trash they served on our nine hour Delta bus flight, we were somewhat satiated but very tired. So our plan was to get some shut eye before venturing out for the evening.

 

IMHO - There is nothing more important than getting some quality nap time if you arrive in Europe in the AM after a 9-10 hour flight. Some say you should "keep going". I am not of that school. Your biological clock is demanding that you treat your temple with some respect. That means sleep fellow nomads. So go to bed already!

 

And Wake Up About 8 PM for some Serious Tapas - Oh Mi!

 

That's right. Spaniards just don't bother doing too much in the afternoon - early or late, so we got up around eight, jumped in that massive rain shower with pressure to die for, combed and made ourselves up and took off for our first real experience enjoying one of the many things España has contributed to civilized culture - TAPAS. Hola LA MUCCA DE PRADO! This very busy tapas restaurant/bar had been recommended by the one of the young ladies at the front desk and it did not disappoint. Great food and great service. Flying somewhat blind, we ordered a few items and some wine and began our official culinary trip in the land of Jamón Ibérico and Tempranillo.

 

Oxford Dictionary defines Tapas as small Spanish savory dishes, typically served with drinks at a bar. Savory - sí, drinks - sí, small - well not really! Tapas Rule No. 1 - Go slow. Cheese, sausage, beef, veggies - you name it - they can serve it up in quantities that will leave you with a need for more nap time. Safe to say - the Spanish have very much perfected the art of eating and drinking.

 

After dinner, we took a leisurely stroll back to our little piece of minimalist diseño and its very comfortable bed and nodded off with dreams of the coming days in the land of La Mancha.

Still to come in Magical Madrid - Museums, Windmills and More Tapas!

D.L.Stafford
thenomadARCHITECT

Spanish Lesson of The Week - In place of a quip or other witty euphemism, this series will contain a weekly thought, point or admonishment about travel in Spain and other countries, including the good ole USA.

This Week's Lesson - Always follow the two day rule when traveling to Europe. Unless you are a hyper, super energetic traveler, which makes you completely annoying or just too young, you should allow yourself two full days to "get in the flow" of life in your new environs. Jet lag, learning the ways of the place you are in and the practical things you need to deal with (ATM's, different food, language, etc.) require some serious R & R to get your biorhythms properly aligned. So, like I said earlier - Go to bed already!

Video Artist of The Week - Chic Corea - One of the fathers of jazz fusion, this 22 time Grammy winner commands the keys with creativity and skill.

 

 

 

The Ultimate Side Trip - How Architecture Begats Heaven On Earth

I wrote this really great post a while back & forgot to publish it -  OH MY!!

Dateline - Forty-First Anniversary Trip  August 18, 2014
To bring all of you urbane & curious Nomads up to date on one of our annual sojourns for two - we had already stayed two nights at The Price Tower, the only high-rise hotel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Bartlesville, OK, of all places, and had driven to the lovely village of Bentonville, AR, home of Walmart and slept amidst the art and design at the elegant 21C Art Hotel and visited the world-class Crystal Bridges Museum - we decided to take a side trip to see a small chapel in the Ozarks and this - as Paul Harvey used to say - is the rest of the story...


This Is What Architecture Does At Its Very Best

 

Frank Lloyd Wright called architecture the mother art. Philip Johnson, creator of, not the best but, the most famous glass house, said - Painters can just throw away or hide their work, architects can only plant vines. Frank Gerry, current architect at the top of the architect cum narcissist heap recently said  - 98% of what gets built today is shit. Don't blame me, Frank said it - not I. And finally, Lord Norman Foster, designer of such iconic buildings as "The Gherkin Building" in London (it does look like a giant pickle) said - Architecture is an expression of values. OK then.

 

The world of architecture is full of manifestos, aesthetic declarations and other statements on the importance of architecture in every culture. Almost all architects enjoy theorizing and pontificating about architecture - particularly their own - almost as much as they enjoy designing buildings.  I can only tell you that, as an architect for some thirty five plus years, designing a truly great building is hard. There are so many things that can get in the way - codes, budgets, clients, building committees, architects - the list of barriers to great architecture is quite extensive. So, when we decided to make a day of visiting one of the truly great works of architecture and art in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, we had no idea that our visit would provide such a profound experience.
 

All any Nomad needs to do to understand the impact of architecture is to take a stroll through the Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris or enjoy the unique pleasure of sleeping in a Frank Lloyd Wright house. As they say in some parts - they got nothin' on this place. The glass and wood Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas transcends all of the bromides ever written by self-important architecture critics trying to explain why this or that building transcends their bromides. This small, elegant house of worship is truly transformational.

 

Architecture The Way Nature and God Intended

 

Driving the long and winding road from Bentonville to Eureka Springs, the beauty of the Ozarks was around every curve. As the crow flies, Eureka Springs is only about thirty miles from Bentonville. But the road builders in this part of Northwest Arkansas didn't really concern themselves with the straight and narrow and, by design or not, managed to create a perfect road trip for wandering Nomads of every stripe. As it turned out, our ultimate destination made the one-hour drive seem almost incidental. Having left Bentonville early in the morning, we decided to find a restaurant in Eureka Springs for breakfast. After a few minutes, we found Main Street Café, a classic small diner, and enjoyed a fabulous, typical unhealthy feast of pancakes, sausage, grits and lukewarm coffee.

 

After the most important meal of the day - Yes, Nomads don't live by aesthetic meanderings alone - they gotta eat - we headed to the place we came to see - Thorncrown Chapel.

 

E. Fay Jones, architect and teacher, was the architect of this remarkable building. I had the distinct pleasure of attending a lecture by Jones when I was an architecture student. Unlike many of the architects who came to Auburn to enlighten the cadre of future designers of all things great and small, Jones was a soft spoken, southern gentleman, who let his work do the talking. And it spoke with unsurpassed eloquence and beauty. Primarily a residential architect, Jones defined his own architecture by reinterpreting the tenets of organic architecture espoused by Wright. Using simple local materials, he developed an architecture that was simple, structurally honest, intimate and dramatic.
 

As we approached the chapel along a serpentine walk through old-growth trees in the heart of the Ozarks, the building presented its front façade of glass and wood as thoroughly modern, yet ancient, as though it had been there, in that exact spot, for many millennia. Much like his mentor, Frank Lloyd Wright, Jones perfected the art of what I like to call architecture and transition. From our first glimpse of the building through the trees, we felt as though we were ushered into a place of intense simplicity and beauty. Approaching the front doors of this quite small glass and wood building with heightened expectations,  the detailing of this unadorned wooden structure was simply masterful. And, finally, when we opened the doors and entered this special place of worship, I realized that this is what great architecture is. It can trace its beauty as architecture and art back to 70 BC in achieving the admonitions of Vitruvius - Commodity, firmness and delight. No planting of vines needed here.


As It Turned Out

We arrived at the perfect time. With a small audience/congregation of no more than thirty people, we were seated and had the joy of listening to a former Minister of Music sing the great gospel anthem "My Tribute". And to make the experience complete, the current director sang several old great hymns of the church. We sat in worshipful silence, as we listened to this great traditional music being performed in a church of magnificent modern, yet ancient elegance.
 

So, if you ever get out Arkansas way, take that short drive from the corporate world of tiny Bentonville through the beauty of the Ozarks, to this truly remarkable religious structure. It is a "must see" place that should be on every Nomad's List of Places To See Before You Die.

d.l.Stafford
thenomadARCHITECT

Travel Quote of The Week - "Really I feel less keen about the Army every day. I think the Church would suit me better." - Winston Churchill

Video Artist of The Week - Jars of Clay - Who better to go along with a transformational work of church architecture than one of Christian Music's more transformational groups.

P.S. Next post, we pick back up on our excursion to the Land of La Mancha - te lo prometo!

ALERTA de VAGABUNDO - WAITIN' ON A PLANE TO THE PLAIN IN SPAIN

Preflight Thoughts

 

Journal Entry while sitting in the World's Worst Airport waiting to board the World's Worst Airline to España:

"Dateline 5/2/15 - Atlanta Airport - On the underground tram from terminal to Delta Gate there is a relatively attractive young woman across from us leaning nonchalantly against the side rail - push up bra - very tight t-shirt - stretch pants/leggings - funky calf high boots - sucking down an iced latte with a golf ball sized wad of gum in her mouth & a water bottle cavalierly "hooked" on her arm - a small leather purse draped over her shoulder & the piece de moda - a tie died hair/head band. And I am thinking - 1) In her own head she knows she is a happening chick - You can tell this from her "worldly" condescending sneer/frown & 2) Seeing an attractive 24 year old (I'm guessing) in the bowels of Hartsfield Airport somehow makes the Atlanta Airport seem better - Well, not really! Oh & she is texting without ceasing like any good Millennial! Goodbye America - Hello La Mancha!"

 

Just an example from my journal to prove that I am NOT a tourist just looking for a good time, but, an observant, erudite chronicler of world culture and its many varied aspects. I am, in a word, a NOMAD, in search of meaning in life and places to sleep that make you feel good AND make you think. We have returned from an amazing trip to one of the most enchanted lands in Europe. The land of ancient religions, ancient architecture, modern design, insane art, conquistadors and enough legends and myths to keep historians blogging well into the next millennium.

 

I will be chronicling our sojourn to the land of Picasso and Gaudi in the coming months. There are so many things I never expected. Every time I go abroad, I return with a renewed sense that the world is truly an amazing place, if you will just take the time to look, see, listen and taste the beauty, debauchery, history and people of other places. America is my home and I love her with every fiber of my being, but, we all need to get out more!

 

So pull up a chair and set a spell. Spain is on the way. The Random Topics will cover all things great and small in the Land of Iberia.

 

D.L. Stafford

THENOMADARCHITECT

 

Travel Quote of The Week - Never go on trips with anyone you do not love. - Ernest Hemingway. They don't call him one of the greats for nothing!

 

Video Artist of The Week - Janice Joplin - After seeing this R & B Rocker in 1968, I knew I would never listen to Rock Music the same way again. And, along with dozens of other American Artists, she can be heard in every bar, café and hotel in Spain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SO I WAS TALKING TO THIS FEARLESS NOMAD THE OTHER DAY....



And she starts telling me about her eight mile trek from a "nearby" village to Machu Pichu in tennis shoes. And I'm thinking, this girl is far too intelligent to do that on purpose. Well, as it turns out, the trek was unexpected and it was you know, like a whole new experience that was  well worth the relative pain she had to endure to get to one of the world's truly magical places. Just listening to her describe it made me ever more determined to get there in the near future. It has been on my Bucket List since Professor Gettle described the daily sacrifice of virgins to the gods way back when I was a lowly and unknowing architecture student.

And as we continued our discussion about travel, we concluded that the unexpected must be embraced while traveling. It's those things that are not on an itinerary or in a brochure that will make travel meaningful and may even change your way of thinking.

Travel Like You Give A Damn!

This time of year people start talking seriously about vacation. Most serious nomads start getting those "gotta' move" jitters around the middle of April. Tax season is over. The kids will be out of school soon. Winter will finally blast its last gasp, even up north and millions of travelers will take to the roads, the rails, the seas or the air to places familiar and unknown. For us traveling is not really a leisure activity. I consider  travel one of life's opportunities to change, sometimes profoundly, my world view. When I heard my young friend explain, with unfettered enthusiasm, the joy she felt upon arriving at the high mountain Estate of The Ancient Incas, it further convinced me that travel, to be truly appreciated, must have those experiences that come from somewhere or someone that we did not think about before we hit the trail.

I once heard  a  barkeep in Montepulciano singing an aria at the top of his tenor voice late in the day while lost and looking for the 700 year old house we had booked for the night. With this sound floating down the narrow streets of this magnificent hill town, I walked into the café  to ask directions. Like all Italians, he was ever so polite, stopped singing and explained how to get to our destination. As I left the café he resumed his magnificent singing, picking up right where he had left off. This simple encounter and experience was, dare I say, quite profound. Watching aggressive old men play an intense match of bachi ball in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower will let you know for sure that people the world over have their  priorities very much in order.

In the fifties, as the son of a hardworking, entrepreneurial business man father  and a classic homemaker mom, I always assumed that everyone went to Daytona Beach in early summer, followed by a two week camping trip, in late August, to Gatlinburg, Tennessee and The Great Smoky Mountains. I learned to pack a trunk from my obsessively organized father. My first memories of driving are the times I spent in my dad's lap behind the wheel of the big Caddie as we headed  south to the beach or north to the mountains. I also have Technicolor memories of stopping at a roadside somewhere south of Ocala and eating ice cold watermelon that had been submerged in freezing water all day. Your teeth hurt, but, the sweet taste of that summer delicacy was pure heaven.

And, with the freedom of summer at The World's Most Famous Beach, I enjoyed eating a hot dog with a real six ounce coke that brought tears to my eyes. If you are under fifty you have no idea what that means. It was something quite exotic and worldly for a ten year old from Tallahassee. Then it was on to camping in the Great Smoky Mountains with all of the latest gadgets one could attain in 1957. It was a very "American" experience that I utterly loved. My brother, however wasn't quite so sure. Actually, he was quite sure. He loathed camping then and now. Yes siree, my brother is of the certain opinion that there is absolutely no reason for a normal thinking, sane person to EVER sleep outside.

The point here is that travel means different things to different people. Some find extreme comfort in that favorite place on a lake. Others relish the extreme adventure involved in setting out on a little used fork in the road. I think there is actually room for both. On occasion, we visit one of our favorite cousins who lives on Lake Blackshear in Warwick, Georgia. It never fails to take me to a place of sentient peace and tranquility, not to mention insane food. The simple pleasure of sitting and having a morning coffee on a porch on a lake is - well - one of life's good things. You don't need to read The Art of Doing Nothing at this place. That fine art has long been perfected in that beautiful house on that simple porch looking out onto that peaceful water where nothing is demanded and everyone seems to laugh  a lot.

However, I have also been on the receiving end of some of the most unexpected pleasures that seemingly came from nowhere. From the debauchery and beauty of Venice to the art show of Ocean Trash in Southern Oregon, to the old man who gave us directions in Wales in his native tongue, which has nothing to do with American English. My journals are full of those things, great and small, that make you want to keep moving. But, remember, where you sleep does matter. The castle in Provence or the smallest hotel room on earth in Venice - it all makes the heart grown fonder of things yet unknown.

 

And one last thing that can assist you in getting off the couch and on the road to nirvana? Grab a book, that one book that spoke to you about a place, a time or a people. We have been planning a Bucket List Trip to the land of Don Quixote, bullfights, tapas and Tempranillo for a long time. All of that thinking about, talking about and planning for our visit to the land of conquistadors  made me re-read one of the truly great novels of the twentieth century, Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, which I mentioned in a post, Now I Know Why Hemingway Always Wrote Standing Up , a few weeks back. His detailed descriptions of every tree, pebble strewn path, river and the people that visit and inhabit the exotic locales of Pamplona, the running of the bulls - well, you know the story - have helped me to prepare mentally and yes, spiritually, for what I hope will be the trip of a life time

 

It is my fervent hope that you will find yourself completely lost in some ancient place and look up and see something that will make you see life better in this world that increasingly makes less sense! My one and only says that traveling with me is one U-turn after another. Remember, half the fun is getting there. And the other half is sleeping in a place you could only dream of.

 

Happy Trails -  Felici Percorsi - Bonne Route -llwybrau hapus - Buenos Caminos - Head Suusarajad,

 

D.L.Stafford

thenomadARCHITECT

 

 

Travel Quote of The Week - “For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

 

Video Artist of The Week - Who better to celebrate the life of the vacationista than The Beach Boys. With the sounds and lyrics of Summer, one of the greatest pop/rock groups in history makes us all appreciate life's simple pleasures. And they are on tour, after fifty plus years. The last time I saw them, they were still worth the price of the ticket.

 

LIVIN' LARGE IN TEXAS PART II

FOUR DAYS IN HIPSTERVILLE - JUST IGNORE THE GUY WITH ALL THE "KIDS" IN THE MINIVAN

That's right, a minivan! When I pulled up to the Marriot in Dallas to pick up "the kids", my son - the first one out the door - exclaimed in his best high pitched Leave It To Beaver voice - HI! DAD!! Then the rest of the crew piled in and discussed, ad nauseam, our mode of transportation for our days in Big D and our subsequent trip south to the tattoo capital of the world, Austin. You know how kids are. Wow dad, what a cool ride said the daughter snarkily. Was this an upgrade? asked the daughter-in-law laughingly. Well, at least we won't get a ticket for speeding said the mom admonishingly. And on and on. However, no one complained about having their very own seat. We just put the 5'2" daughter-in-law, the one who queried me about the upgrade, in the little seat in the back and all was very cool. Perfect ride I say.

 

As we made our way south on Interstate 35 from Big D to Austin, I was happy as a tipped cow to have all of the family headed for some good times in the Live Music Capital Of The World. After hours of searching dozens of web sites, I found a place  that would sleep five  just off South Congress Avenue (SOCO), which is THE happening area in Austin. A 1926 bungalow had been repurposed with some serious funk to create a very cool landing spot for the four days/three nights we were in the place that boasts many favorite offspring, including Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughn and The Fabulous Thunderbirds.

Complete with old doors,  corrugated tin ceilings and a very funky paint job, in and out, The Red Bungalow proved to be a real find. It had all the basics, including a nice outdoor patio for socializing with your morning coffee and it was within easy walking distance of the clubs, restaurants, museums and ridiculously high priced boutiques of every ilk on South Congress Avenue. The bathrooms could have been a bit bigger and the furniture was somewhat sparse, but, other than that, it was good quality space for our familial coalition of five vagabonds in search of a happening in a city where residents boastfully proclaim - KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD! And, based on the sights and sounds of this unique town, residents and nomads alike nurture that admonishment 24-7.

BAT**** CRAZY IS NOT JUST ANOTHER ADJECTIVE IN AUSTIN

That's right, locals and visitors alike go crazy over bats in this town. Observing the short migration of 1.5 million bats every night at dusk is truly an unforgettable experience. According to local legend, when the bridge was renovated in 1980, the bats found the cracks and crevices built into the bridge a perfect place to call home. Presto! Lots and lots and lots of bats call The South Congress Avenue Bridge over Lady Bird Lake home.     Although in residence as early as March, the best time to witness this man assisted natural phenomenon is in August, which is when we were there. Perfect planning by you know who. They apparently winter in Mexico. I am sure they are included in the latest version of The Dream Act - just kidding.

I also highly recommend paying ten bucks for an open top boat for viewing from the lake. You don't have to fight the crowds on the bridge and the little lady that captained our launch was very knowledgeable about the bats and the Austin skyline. And no need to worry about bugs, since the bats eat 10,000 to 30,00 pounds of insects on their nightly flight. Watching the sky turn black with over a million bats, as they take to the countryside, is a great way to enjoy an early evening with family and friends. And don't forget to bring along a cheap merlot or pinot and some Dixie cups. Good time, indeed.

AUSTIN LOVES TATTOOS, GREAT MUSIC AND KILLER FOOD

Apparently tattoos   generate   some  form of street cred in ultra hip Austin. Every size, color, style and theme can be found on bodies, ankle to neck, along with mega piercings of every lip, nose and ear. I cannot attest to other parts unseen. The GEN Y generation apparently has an almost obsessive need to express their individuality with tattoos. One day, in a galaxy far far away, when the inevitable drooping, dropping and sagging sets in with age, the old Millennials will lament the foibles of their youth. As a friend once noticed about a lady friend who had put on a few pounds - It used to be a butterfly on that cheek, but now it's a California condor. Austin locals, from pizza joint waiters to hotel concierges, wear their body art with intense pride. And that attitude is pervasive all up and down SOCO.

If you are a music lover, then Austin is, indeed, where you need to be. Specifically, live music is around every corner and in every venue from barbecue joints to the famed Austin City Limits. Unfortunately ACL had no performances while we were there. In addition, I have read that you need a special dispensation from the Pope to score tickets or be best buds with Willie Nelson. One very cool place we went to enjoy barbecue and some good live R&B was Salt Lick Barbecue. You can also pick up some Texas wine at Salt Lick Cellars next door. Our friend for life, Paula, a transplanted  Floridian took us to this great little spread in Texas Hill Country. It's nice to know we have a friend in one of the coolest town's in America who knows their way around the place.  It's a must visit for hungry vagabonds where great food and music can be had with a view. And having a true Austinite show you around doesn't hurt.

Tex-Mex, Fried Chicken, All of The Above - you name it - is available in the culinary haunts in every corner of this great city of just under a million. It may be left of center politically, but Austin is pure right all the time when it comes to food. Whether it's Lucy's Fried Chicken, which manages to turn comfort food into something sexy or Torchy's Tacos for serious Mexican with that undeniable Texas Touch and bottled cokes. Oh yeah baby!

I would be remiss, as an architect and nomad, if I did not mention one place to sleep in Austin that has been on my Vagabond radar for years. Hotel San Hose' is a repurposed, updated motel right on South Congress. Unfortunately, the place was booked and it is pretty pricey. However, I did take the time to walk its zen like environs and public areas. With its minimalist aesthetic and blend of natural materials laid over the bones of an old motor inn, it seems to live up to its billing. Very retro eco. So, when in Austin, its worth checking out.

Austin should be on every Nomad's list of places to see before you die. It is as All American in a Texas style kind of way as you will find. Like Lyle Lovett says in the song of the same name "That's right - your not from Texas, but, Texas wants you anyway". As we boarded the plain for good old Tallahassee, that song kept playing in my head. I am not from Texas but every time I go, I feel like maybe they do want me. With the right jeans and the right hat, who knows?

Head Em' Up Move 'Em Out!

D.L.Stafford

thenomadARCHITECT

Travel Quote of The Week - "Some folks look at me and see a certain swagger, which in Texas is called walking" - George W. Bush

Video Artist of The Week - Norah Jones & The Little Willies - Born in Brooklyn, raised  in Texas, Norah Jones is the daughter of concert promoter Sue Jones and Ravi Shankar, master sitar player (Yes - The guy that taught Beatle George Harrison). The multi-award winning artist formed an ad hoc group of players and singers - The Little Willies - who turn out some amazing music that you will NEVER hear on the radio. One of the most compelling recordings by this group is a little ditty called "Lou Reed" with Norah Jones on piano & vocals, Richard Julian on vocals, Jim Capilongo on guitar, Lee Alexander on bass and Dan Rieser on drums. Just picture it - Mr. Velvet Underground tipping a bovine. Now that's something to ponder!

 

VAGABOND ALERT - DATELINE APRIL 2 MMXV

HOLD ON, THEY'RE COMIN'-HOW TO HAVE MORE MONEY IN YOUR POCKET WHEN YOU GET ON THAT ROCKET!

That's right fellow vagabonds, travelers, wanderers, searchers, seekers, fly boys & fly girls and nomads who need a break - the good old USA is soon to have somebody to compete with the greedy, money grubbing "we charge for everything" airlines like Delta, United, KLM, Air France, British Airways ad nauseam. The latest news about low fare airlines is going to be a boon for penny pinching Nomads who want to cross the pond or just catch a quick flight to Cleveland without 3 - 2 hour layovers.

 

RYAN AIR - CHEAPOS LOVE THEM - UPPITIES HATE THEM

 

RYAN AIR is coming to America. Ridiculous fares can already be had in the UK and the rest of Europe from/to selected cites. How does a round trip TIX for a paltry $65 from London to Barcelona grab ya? I thought so. Now, you have to read their rule book about luggage, carry-ons, on line purchases, etc., and they charge for every extra. But, if you are a savvy vagabond, and what reader of this blog isn't, you can plan and pack accordingly. A specific date is not set yet, and the first flights will probably only be from Boston and New York. They tend to fly to second tier airports. But who cares? You can save enough money to sleep in a five star instead of on your long lost cousin's couch. If Ryan Air makes a go of it on the Transatlantic routes, it will be a matter of time before you can catch that flight from Nashville to Cleveland for ten bucks. Click here to read a take on this from the SKIFT travel blog. I mean, other than Southwest, the best and cheapest airline in America, when is the last time you flew an American based airline, landed and walked away with  a good feeling about them or yourself? Hopefully, Ryan Air will make the big boys change their ways.

 

WOWAIR - REYKJAVIC'S ANSWER TO LOW COST QUALITY AIR TRAVEL

 

WOWAIR'S tag line is "Iceland's Most Punctual Airline". Stop laughing! They are serious. I have never been to Iceland, but, based on the quality and prices of their hip hotels, it is not a place that takes traveling well lightly. They are throwing their hat into the ring of the cacophonous US to Europe Airline Market. Click here for a Washington Post article outlining the plan. Depending on when and where you go, you can catch a one way from Boston to Paris for $99. Now that's just insane. Like any low cost air travel provider, you have your lovers and haters. The fact is - you can NEVER, EVER do worse than the bigs. So, I say wowee - zowee to WOWAIR.

 

So, fellow vacationistas, these two little tidbits are worth checking out and tracking to see what they do next. And of course, I will keep you posted when events develop or news is released.

 

HAPPY TRAILS!

 

D.L.STAFFORD

thenomadARCHITECT