Iberian Incursion 2025: Retiro, Madrid

 One of the top draws for visitors to Madrid, is Retiro Park, located in the Retiro District of Madrid. Our hero and his comely bride are currently camped out in one of the many century old historical 'palaces' along Alfonso XII street that line the west side of the park. They arrived safely on Thursday with their son Chris and his girlfriend Shawna to the Hotel Palacio de Retiro, minus one suitcase. This is  the third time that one or both pieces of this luggage set have been lost on a trip to Europe. Happily, each time that this has happened, the luggage eventually caught up but it is always disconcerting for the individual that only has only one extra pair of underwear in his carryon to have to worry whether he might need to buy Euro  boxers. In any event, the staff of this boutique hotel welcomed the four Calgarians with open arms and warm hearts to this beautiful accommodation and reunited Mr. G with his wayward suitcase one day late.

Hotel Palacio de Retiro is the former home of a Spanish railroad tycoon that was built it in 1908. It was a private residence for a time before it served for a short spell as an office building and then about 30 years ago it was converted to a hotel. David the doorman provided us with this history. He has been a hotel employee since it opened as a hotel. Today there are five floors with 51 suites, the majority of which have ultra high ceilings, large windows and beautifully renovated interiors. The common spaces are adorned with some of the original art installed by the original owner which include stained glass windows looking out to the courtyard, marble stairways lined with ornate wrought-iron railings and tapestries in the common areas. The hotel entrance off Alfonso XII street used to be the carriage hall and it serves well today as the reception area beyond which is the coolest hotel lounge. The lounge has 30 foot ceilings from which hang three massive chandeliers. The four lucky adventurers will happily spend five nights bunking in this shack, while they check out the Spanish capital. 

The expedition thoroughly explored Retiro Park on their first full day in Madrid. Even though it is mid-November, there is still plenty of colour in the flower beds and amazingly long after our leaves have fallen in Canada many of the deciduous trees in Madrid are just now beginning to turn. The red and yellow autumn leaves augment the pallete of colours provided by the hardier species of flowers that are still in bloom. The park is divided into numerous sections. Each on separated by hedge-lined pathways, water features or elaborate fences, punctuated by numerous public art works. There is a large lake in the centre of the park where couples can rent blue rowboats. The lake is lined with cafes and restaurants that have tables along the waterfront.  At one third the size of Central Park in NYC it is not the biggest city park but still it is almost a 5-kilometre hike around the perimeter and Mr. Gym guarantees that you will travel much farther when you try to cover all the best sections of the park.

The one aspect of the park that fascinated Mr. and Mrs. Gym was the diversity of trees that flourish there. Mrs Gym marvelled at the sculpted cypresses and the beautifully manicured hedges. Outstanding groves of the stately oak trees grow throughout the park but there are also stands of beech, chestnut, elm, cedar, pine and yew trees; as well as a few acacias, eucalyptus, palm and at least one baobab tree that flourishes there. Of additional note, are the dozens of fruit trees including olive, avocado, fig and almond that must be quite stunning when they all blossom in the spring.

Tomorrow, the expedition will head west to visit some markets and take in more of the Retiro district. Stay tuned!

Front Entrance of Hotel Palacio de Retiro,
formerly the horse-drawn carriage hall.

Hotel view from the north side.

View of the hotel from Retiro Park with 
the front entrance (former carriage garage)
on the lower left.

The hotel cocktail cocktail and tapas lounge.

The interior courtyard onto which Chris and 
and Shawna's room looks onto.

Retiro Park's monument to King Alfonso XII at 

King Alfonso up close

Gym's favourite sculpture of the Fallen Angel
Lucifer, being banished by the Almighty

This ferris wheel originally drew water
that was used for a porcelain factory that
used to sit on this part of the park. It was
destroyed by Wellington in the
Napoleonic Wars and
rebuilt in 2020.

Olive Trees bearing olives that look 
like they are ready for a martini.

A local football match in Retiro Park

More Olives

The Rose Garden

Mrs. Gym with a wayward Dolphin fan

Mrs. Gym in front of some perfectly manicured cypress 
trees

 

2025 Iberian Incursion

 

November 9, 2025

The stalwart adventurers can't get enough of Spain and Portugal. These two countries have so many positives, some of which are as follows:

- the hospitality is so very good;

- the food culture and tapas bars are fun to experience;

- they are so many charming cities and towns with well-preserved heritage sites and phenomenal green spaces:

- the peninsula is warmer than chilly Calgary in mid-November; and,

-  there is a Miami Dolphins game being played in Madrid on November 16, 2025.

This trip is a follow-up to the cruise that the dynamic duo enjoyed earlier in the year, where they touched down in half a dozen Spanish and Portuguese ports on the Atlantic coast. This time they will be going inland to spend some time in Madrid and then will fly down to the Algarve, in the south of the peninsula, to check out the famous golden beaches around Faro. On this trip, Mr. and Mrs. G will be joined by their son and his lovely girlfriend, who will join them in Madrid for a few days before venturing off to Italy while the G's head to Portugal.

With what is going on in the USA at this time, no connections are being made in America. Mr. Gym believes it is a better bet to fly across areas where the air-traffic controllers are actually being paid. KLM has a direct flight out of Calgary to Amsterdam on Wednesday, November 12, 2025. The four travelers will be on that flight which connects in Amsterdam, to a flight to Madrid. 

As the author pens this post, he confirms that weather is a key reason to leave Calgary at this time of year. Winter has arrived along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Gym and his lovely sidekick want to avoid sub-zero weather for as long as possible this year.

Results for Calgary, AB

 ∙ Choose area

0

°C°F

Precipitation: 10%

Humidity: 69%

Wind: 5 km/h

Weather

Sunday 8:00 a.m.

Cloudy

Results for Faro, Portugal

 ∙ Choose area

19

°C°F

Precipitation: 10%

Humidity: 56%

Wind: 5 km/h

Weather

Sunday 3:00 p.m.

Cloudy

Stay tuned! 

Mrs. G, son Chris and Shawna

Fall Update 2025: placeholder

coming soon!

Atlantic Odyssey 2025: Guernsey and Conclusion.

 June 2, 2025

Dawn broke on Day 44 of the voyage as the MS Vista approached Guernsey Island, UK. Our hero and his lovely sidekick breakfasted that morning anticipating their last full-day of this outstanding journey. They had visited many new places over the last several weeks and Guernsey was another example of a port not often on the itinerary of most travellers. They anchored off St. Peters Port and tendered into the capital for a 4-hour walking tour. 

Having already stopped at Jersey Island just two weeks before, Gym generally knew what the vibe was like in the Channel Islands. He also understood that there was a friendly rivalry between the two bailiwicks or self governing Crown dependencies. There are many differences between the two jurisdictions, chief of which is size. Guernsey is smaller in terms of area and population. It is two-thirds the size of Jersey in both respects. 

What else is different? 

1. They each developed their own language. English is universally used in both places but Guernsey has a distinct dialect called Guernsesiais and Jersey has Jerriais. As both places are much closer to France than to England these languages are mostly influenced by Norman French. Jersey has tried to preserve its dialect but unfortunately Guernsey's is considered endangered;

2. Guernsey has no McDonalds but you can get a Big Mac in Jersey. And if you like staying at bigger hotels, you won't find them on Guernsey, where there are only boutique inns and B&Bs. Generally, Guernsey is much quieter and less commercialized. There is no nightlife in Guernsey compared to Jersey;

3. Jerseymen are known as 'toads' to the folks in Guernsey, who themselves are known as 'donkeys' to Jerseymen.

4. Guernsey and Jersey dairy cows actually originated from the two namesake dependencies. Both breeds produce high butterfat milk which makes good ice cream. Jersey cows are a much more popular breed throughout the world due to their greater tolerance of both hot and cold climates.

Nev Johan was the local guider that day. He met Mr. and Mrs. G at the tender dock and led them on a tour of the charming waterfront of St. Peter's Port. They then hiked out onto Castle Pier and walked the entire length of it to Castle Cornet. At the castle, Nev provided a very comprehensive and enjoyable tour of this historic site which included being able to watch the firing of the noon gun.

That evening, the ship would steam back across the English Channel to dock at Portsmouth and our intrepid travellers would disembark the next morning. They hired a car to drive them and all their luggage to Heathrow and would return to Calgary on Westjet. Another classic trip was in the books. Kudos to Oceania and their beautiful brand-new ship, Vista.

JKM

St. Peter's Port, Guernsey Islands

The flag of Guernsey features the golden Norman
Cross inside the English Cross of St. George

Market Hill at St. Peter's Port

Victor Hugo in Bronze - he spent 15 years in Guernsey
when he was exiled from France and wrote Les Miserable there

Pillar Post Box are mostly blue in Guernsey

Nev the guide in his sensible shoes

Town Church in the capital

Castle Pier linking St. Peter's Port to Castle Cornet

Portcullis at Castle Cornet

Castle garden built to memorialize the
80th anniversary of the end of WW2

Fortifications that have survived many battles and 
wars including the most recent Nazi occupation in WW2.

St. Peter's Port harbour from Castle Cornet

The firing of the noon gun

Nice greenscaping on the seaside battlement
of Castle Cornet 

Off in the distance is the Vista, waiting for Mr. and
Mrs. G to return for one last evening

Atlantic Odyssey 2025: Cork's a Corker

Blarney Castle, County Cork, Ireland

Mrs. Gym on a nice 'soft day' in Ireland

June I, 2025

The second last port-o-call on this extended sea voyage was County Cork, Ireland. After zig-zagging back across the Irish Sea from Wales, the MS Vista pulled into Cobh (Cove) on June 1, 2025. Cove is an island community situated across Lough Mahon from the city of Cork. It sits on Great Island and its south coast is part of one of the largest deep-water ports in the world. It is where cruise ships dock when visiting the county and was the last port-of-call of the Titanic, before it ventured out onto the Atlantic in 1912. Cove itself is very picturesque and appears to be worth spending some time in but all the seafaring visitors that only have half a day here will want to visit Blarney Castle. That is what Gym and his lovely boss decided to do.

Blarney Castle is located on the other side of the City of Cork from the dock at Cove. To get there you must hire a car or jump on a bus and travel some 30 kilometres around the north side of the city. The drive time is about 45 minutes. You pass some very lush greenery as you go through the northern suburbs of the city and also some productive-looking farms which are flanked by broadleaf woodlots. The beautiful castle and its extensive castle grounds lie just off the highway, beyond the village of Blarney. 

The Castle began as a small stone keep in 1210 and then in 1446, the McCarthy clan replaced the keep with the larger fortification that you see today. The McCarthys lost the estate during the Williamite Wars and the property was ceded to the English Crown. In 1703 the Crown sold it to Sir James Jeffereyes and it stayed in his family until the Colthurst family married into it in 1846. The current owner is the 10th Baronet Sir Charles Colthurst. He manages Blarney Castle, the extensive grounds around it and significant other  acreage in County Cork. Unfortunately, several generations back the castle fell into disrepair and it is not habitable anymore. The Baronet lives in a grand mansion not far from the castle on the grounds.   

One can study the battlements of the castle in detail by enduring a long queue and eventually, climbing to the top of the outer walls to kiss the Blarney Stone. An added benefit of climbing the 125 stairs and smooching the stone, is that you become blessed with the gift of gab. Just one kiss and presto! Sadly, Gym had just had back surgery a few months before and passed on this opportunity because of the posture one must assume to canoodle with the bulwarks. You must bend backwards over a sheer drop and kiss the stone upside down. I'm sure many of you agree that Gym is already quite eloquent and therefor he was right not to test the three lumbar vertebrae that were shored up by a skilled surgeon in 2024.

Gym and his dear wife, did circle the castle and explored most of the beautiful grounds on the property.The gardens include a plot of poisonous plants, a carnivorous plant courtyard, a boardwalk over a water garden, a fern garden and a rocky area bordered by tall old-growth, specimen and native trees. They spent over an hour wandering around the well-maintained paths and delighted in the Seven Sisters, the Wishing Steps and the Witch's Kitchen. They also climbed over the lower battlements, checked out the dungeon and took some lovely pictures.

After leaving the grounds, it was important to check out the Blarney Wollen Mill which used to be a factory but now is a department store carrying everything Irish. Mrs. Gym was naturally drawn to this shopping emporium because she loves to buy stuff. Gym was drawn there because he had been given a coupon for a free Irish Coffee, on the bus trip from the ship. They grabbed the free drinks and then shopped diligently until it was time to meet the bus. Despite thoroughly combing through the items on the first floor they found they did not have time to look around on floors 2 and 3.  Gym picked up a Guinness ball cap which he coveted greatly. Mrs. Gym bought woollen gloves and mittens for the folks back home.

Early that afternoon the ship steamed out of Cove harbour and into the Celtic Sea. It left early because it had to sail to Guernsey Island off the coast of France. Guernsey, the last stop on this epic itinerary was 500 km away. That seems far doesn't it? Gym learned that 500 kilometres wasn't an issue since the Vista cruises at twenty knots per hour (~40km/hr).

Addendums:

1. Why do you think Ireland is so green? Yes, it rains a lot! But when Gym spent a damp day there, the guide referred to it as just a pleasant "soft day". You see, a misty, light rain is very well tolerated by the locals. Gym assures you though that you will get wet on a soft day.

2. Cobh (Cove) was the last stop of the Titanic before it started its transatlantic leg. About 150 embarked from this port, most of them third-class passengers like the widow Mrs. Rice and her 5 young boys who all perished 5 days later. She is buried in Halifax. Gym's paternal grandmother was a Rice whose ancestors crossed successfully in sailing ships many years before the Titanic's maiden voyage.

Arriving at the dock in Cove, Cork

Driving from Cove to Blarney it is
obvious why this is the Emerald Isle

Blarney Castle from the attacker's
prospective

From the lower battlements, looking back 
across the grounds

You can't go in the Dungeon because
you will disturb the bats.

A nice view from the Blarney grounds

Monkshood, a poisonous plant in 
the 'Don't Touch' garden 

Cannabis not deadly, but maybe not
legal in Ireland

Not far from the Poison Garden
is a cool structure called the
Lookout Tower. It may be part of 
an older fortification on the site.

A typical well-manicured path 
at Blarney Gardens

Druid's Alter flanked by towering Yew trees

The Wishing Steps

The Dolmen that may be a natural erratic
rock formation and was undoubtedly used
by druids

The Seven Sisters are seven upright stones and two fallen stones.
Legend has it that an Irish chief had seven daughters and two sons.
His sons were both killed in battle and this monument 
was the result.

Another nice view of the castle from the grounds

You can't go in the Dungeon because
you will disturb the bats.

Boardwalk and Water Garden

‘Everything Irish’ Department Store

Leaving Cove Harbour to steam out 
to the Celtic Sea