Author: CharleeD

Spain’s Best Feature

Posted on by CharleeD

Before I arrived in Spain, I had heard that Churros dipped in Chocolate were a good dessert to try while traveling there. What I failed to realize, is that Churros and Chocolate are everywhere, can be eaten at anytime (not just dessert), are made different ways, and are possibly the best invention ever.

Churros in Barcelona: The first churros I tried were in Barcelona at a place called Petritxol-Xocoa Café. Quentin and walked along the small streets of El Born to small little street called Calle Petritxol where we found a cute little shop with tons of sweets in the window. It was 10:30 in the morning and we were the only customers in the shop. I ordered the “churros con cioccolata” (my breakfast!) and we waited patiently, because they had not arrived from the bakery that morning. The door opened five minutes later and a man came in with a home-made fresh batch of churros. They were served to us warm with the the thickest hot chocolate I had ever tasted. If you have the real, original cioccolata, it is ten times thicker than hot chocolate in the United States. It tastes like melted chocolate with a little bit of milk mixed in and is deliciously filling. The hot chocolate went perfectly with the warm sugar coated churros. Our first encounter with churros was a tasty one.

IMG_6614Churros in Granada: The next place that we visited in Spain was Granada. I really enjoyed this southern city because you can feel and see the moorish influence even today. Granada was the last Islamic town on the Iberian Peninsula to be conquered by “Los Reyes Catolicos” during the reconquista. After defeating the last Muslim ruler, Emir Muhammad XII, the Catholic rulers Ferdinand II and Isabella II had complete control of Spain. Although Granada was conquered, a lot of the beautiful buildings were still left standing, including the huge moorish palace, the Alhambra. While wandering through Granada, Quentin and I stumbled upon one of the oldest plaza’s, Plaza de Bib-Rambla . While looking at the fountain in the middle of the square, we saw a sign for Churros at a café and decided to stop for a midday snack. At the bar, we ordered from a friendly waitress who delivered hot churros minutes later. These churros were much bigger and longer. They were delicious, but you could taste the oil in every bite.IMG_6489

Churros in Seville: After Granada, Quentin and I took the bus to Seville. The air B&B we stayed in was close to a square called Alameda with tons of cafes and restaurants where you could sit outside in the sun. In the middle of the square where kids were passing a soccer ball back and forth, there was a food stand that made fresh churros. We watched the lady pull a lever on a machine that squeezed dough into boiling oil. The oil fried the dough and she scooped the hot churros out and rolled them in sugar before handing them to use in paper funnels. Even though the churros were delicious, and it was fun to watch her make them, the hot chocolate that I dipped mine in was less thick. I think it used water instead of milk. Regardless, it was another successful churro stop.

IMG_6627 IMG_6630Churros in Madrid: My final taste of churros was at St. Gines Chocolatería in Madrid. Unfotrunately, Quentin had to head back to the United States after we visited Seville, so for the last leg of my trip, I was by myself. Traveling by yourself is a unique experience because you are forced to be outgoing and meet more people. When I was in Madrid, I went to St. Gines for Churros two times (it really is that good). The first time I went was with a guy I met at a museum who was finishing Law School in Madrid. The second time I went was my last day abroad and in town with a group of friends from Italy, France, Australia, Austria and Spain. I would go into detail about how amazing it is to meet people from all over, but the topic here is churros so instead I am going to focus on St. Gines. This particular Chocolatería is in the heart of Madrid and is open 24 hours a day. It is a popular tourist attraction, but you also find tons of locals inside too which means that the place truly is delicious. The churros are cut from long circular spirals and the hot chocolate is rich and thick. My last day in Madrid, we ordered churros and sat outside under heatlamps. I could not have asked for a better way to end my choco-trip—new friends, crowded place, and savoring the best dessert Spain has to offer. As I slowly licked the last drops of chocolate from my spoon that night, I knew it had been a successful journey.

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Churros and Chocolate may be one of Spain’s best features. It was fun (and tasty) to try the different kinds and explore the different way cities and cafe’s offered them.

And that’s an un-wrap!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holy Dessert: The Cathedral that is Never Finished, and the Dessert that Always is

Posted on by CharleeD

One of the must-see sites when you travel to Barcelona is the Sagrada Familia Cathedral. The construction of this huge looming cathedral began in 1882 and is still not quite completed today. Most of the design and the plans for the cathedral were developed by the famous catalan architect Antoni Guadí. Quentin and I were encouraged to visit around two or three in the afternoon so that the light would be at it’s best through the stain glass windows, and we were definitely not misguided by this advise. The church itself is an overwhelming beauty from the outside with different facades that look like dripping wax and have great significance in the bible, but the inside was my favorite part.IMG_6341

There are tall pillars that shoot up and arch out into the ceiling as if they were trees. Entering the church felt like entering a huge secret forbidden clearing in a dense forest. Colored light reflected from the stained glass and filled the air. Each stained glass window had a different vibrant color and represented different parts of nature. I loved the way Gaudí designed the cathedral to mix spiritual aspects with nature. Quentin and I took a small crowded elevator to one of the church towers and looked out over Barcelona before climbing down tiny spiral stairs which spun round and round for what felt like forever. It was an amazing experience… out of all the church’s I have seen traveling through Europe I might venture to say this one was my favorite.IMG_0262_2

After exploring the church, my sweet tooth kicked in again. Quentin and I met up with Will who took us into old town where we found a cute little shop called Chöck. The boys said we had to go in because they like to call me by my nickname “Chuck” and thought it was a sign the shop name was so close to my nickname. The shop had so many sweets to choose from but we decided on an oreo cronut and a chocolate nut donut type-pastry. They were both so delicious that Will and I had to stop in the middle of the street to let the chocolate overwhelm our taste-buds. I think one thing I have learned while traveling is to slow down and take everything in—even if it is the flavor of a cronut, let it overwhelm your senses and completely envelope your thoughts even for just a second. I want to try and live more in the moment when I return home and appreciate the big things like amazing cathedrals and the little things, like a chocolate donut.

IMG_0216_2Holy Dessert. And that’s an un-wrap.

Brunch and Cake “Taking the Cake” in Barcelona

Posted on by CharleeD

I think it is impossible not to laugh when you meet up with someone familiar in a strange new place. The comfort of being with a friend mixes with the adventure and excitement of being somewhere you have never been before resulting in a big smile, a giggle, and, as cheesy as it sounds, the realization of how incredible life is in that moment.

When I first got to Barcelona, I wandered down Las Ramblas, a touristy main street, past the big stone cathedral and into a neighborhood called El Born with narrow streets and lots of people. For once, I was able to find the Air B & B where we were staying without getting lost. It was a tall building with a gated door and I rang the bell and spoke in Spanish (!!) to the owner who buzzed me in. I pushed open the big metal gate-door and walked up four flights of musty stairs (because in Spain the first level is usually level zero) into an apartment where my new travel buddy, Quentin, was waiting for me. This is where the laugh/giggle/chuckle comes in. I was so nervous that I was going to get lost on the way to the apartment or that we wouldn’t find each other because cell phones don’t work without wi-fi, that when I saw him I couldn’t help but smile and laugh with relief and amazement that we finally made it to Barcelona, the number one place on my list of cities I wanted to visit.

I felt a surge of this same strange mixture of feelings when we met up with our friend Will, who is teaching English in Barcelona, for dinner. We were sitting outside at a Café eating and watching skateboarders stick and fail to stick their tricks, when a familiar smile made it’s way into my line of site. The small giggle/laugh inserted itself again here with the combination of the the old friend and the new place.

Luckily, Will shares my obsession for chocolate and sweets, and knows all of the good places to go in Barcelona. To start, the next day he took us on a tour of the city on bikes. We rode up to montjuïc and had a beautiful view of the city. Our bike tour ended at one of the best food places I have been to so far. Although, Quentin pointed out to me that I think every place we go is the best place we have been. I realized that everytime I eat while traveling I usually think it is the best meal I have ever eaten… each new treat is the best one. However, this new best meal was at a place called “Brunch and Cake”. I had a sweet waffle covered in cheese and bacon with lettuce on top. It was something I would never think to make on my own and was the ideal combination of sweet, savory flavors with crunchy, thick textures. After devouring the waffle, Will and I split a huge slice of Oreo Cake. While cake is usually the last thing on my dessert list, behind ice cream, cookies and regular chocolate bars, this cake definitely “took the cake” for the day and satisfied my sweet tooth after our bike ride with the dense sweet flavor of what seemed like a million oreos crushed into one bite.

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Old faces, new places. Brunch and Cake took the cake. And that’s an un-wrap.

Geneva: Chocolate in Transition and Chocolate with Tradition

Posted on by CharleeD

Our last stop in Switzerland, Geneva, was just as beautiful as the rest of the places we visited. Once again, the combination of the mountains against the water was enough to make you want to walk out on a bridge to stop and stare all day. I grew up in the mountains and can appreciate their grand appearance, but never had I seen them next to such a large body of water. Geneva definitely confirmed why Switzerland is one of the most touristy countries.IMG_6204

Mom and I decided to tour the city starting with the Old Town and the looming St. Peter’s Cathedral, and finished at the Revolution Wall. While wandering around Old Town, we heard yelling and chanting from around a corner and backed to the side just in time for a huge crowd of protesters to come marching up the street. We couldn’t understand what they were saying, but one of them gave me a flyer and a Branch Chocolate bar as they passed. We watched as parents with kids on their shoulders, teens, college students and business women and men walked past us with signs or with nothing at all. Towards the end of the line, I asked a girl what was happening and in broken English she explained it was a protest for the rights of teachers and public figures who were getting a pay cut. They had sacks and sacks of Branche Chocolate, a bar unique to Switzerland, but sold all over in grocery stores instead of just specialty stores. This one had cornflakes in it and tasted like thick fudge sprinkled with crunchy texture. Handing out chocolate means business—this chocolate was urgently requesting change.IMG_6165

The next day, Mom and I took these cute little yellow boats across the river and saw the Red Cross Museum. It was a moving experience that makes you want to find a way to give back to the world, or at the very least treat everyone better in daily life. After museum, we got back on the tiny, heated yellow boats and drove by the iconic water spout of Geneva, the Jet d’Eau. On our way home, we stopped in a chocolatier that had been around since 1818, Martel, and tried the traditional “Pavé de Genéve”, or Geneva’s Pavement. It is a small dark square truffle that melts in your mouth. The recipe was originally crafted by a man named Mr. Stankovitch who kept the recipe a secret. Now, all chocolate stores in Switzerland try and mimic the recipe, but only the little shop, Chocolats Rohr, has the original recipe.

Geneva: a place with chocolate making history and a place with chocolate lasting through history. And that’s an un-wrap.

 

 

 

Say Cheese, Again!

Posted on by CharleeD

Mom and I took the train from Zurich to Lucerne, one of my favorite cities of Switzerland. It is situated right on Lake Lucerne and surrounded by Mount Pilatis and part of the Swiss Alps, making it a breathtakingly beautiful city. The main part of town is built right along the edge of the water and there are multiple bridges crossing back and forth including the most iconic bridge of Switzerland, the Kapellbrücke or the Chapel Bridge. When Mom and I did a tour of the city with a cute and smiling blonde lady, we learned that this famous bridge and tower used to be a form of fortification, torchure chamber and place to store treasuer for the city in the 14th century. It burnt down when a careless tourist dropped a cigar into a boat tied beneath it and you can see where they rebuilt it because the wood is still different colors.IMG_6111

I highly suggest taking walking tours of the city you visit, because there is so much history hidden behind the shops and chocolaterias. For example, we learned that most of Lucerne was changed or constructed specifically for tourism. The Chapel Bridge used to lead straight into a Chapel on one side of the river, but they cut it shorter and added a whole sidewalk to the other side of the riverbank so that tourists could enjoy a nice stroll and beautiful view, and use the bridge even if they weren’t going to the chapel. We learned that there are over 225 fountains sprinkled throughout Lucerne that serve as decoration but also places where people can fill up their water bottles with water directly from mountain springs. We also learned about the many animated paintings across the town on buildings and signs that served to help the people of Lucerne when the majority of them could not read.

After trying to soak up so much information that my brain hurt, it was time for dinner. Mom and I went to a restaurant on the river that someone suggested to us. We were seated at a small table carved right into the wall of the restaurant with a window looking out into the street. I loved the environment of the place right away with large wood walls and purple seat cushions. There were flags of each Canton of Switzerland hanging from the walls and a large group of women at a table next to us. They must have been having a girls night, and I was happy because when you end up at a restaurant with locals, you know that you have found a good place. We ordered a traditional dish of Switzerland, the Raclette, without knowing what it really was. We were expecting a fondue type dish with meat (which there is a raclette with meat, but not the one we ordered), but instead, the waiter came out with a little tray with a burner underneath it, a basket of potatoes, pickles and onions, and a huge plate of cheese. The plate must have had at least forty slices on it. Our waiter showed us that you take a slice of cheese and put it on the metal burner, let it melt, and then scrape it off onto your plate to eat with everything. The ladies next to us laughed at how bug the plate of cheese was and watched as we tried to learn to use the burner. It was really quite delicious, but we ate so much cheese AGAIN.

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I ate more cheese in the time we had in Switzerland than I had in my last two years of college… or at least that is what it felt like! Say Cheese, Again, mom!
And that’s an un-wrap.

Confiserie Sprüngli

Posted on by CharleeD

This mini-post will be dedicated to Confiserie Sprüngli, an extravagant chocolate shop in Zurich. It was founded in 1836 and is known for it’s handmade macaroons that parade in pyramids in the window.

Mom and I walked into the first Sprüngli shop we ran into (there are some scattered about in Zurich and even one at the train station so you can’t miss it as you leave the city), and walked in circles around the store staring into each and every one of the glass windows displaying sweet after sweet. There were tons of colorful macaroons, shelf after shelf of cakes, pastries and small sandwiches, and then a long display dedicated to small hand-crafted truffles.IMG_6008

After much deliberation, Mom and I decided on a small traingular cake with a chocolate layer on the outside and hazelnut filling on the inside. Needless to say, it was one of the best slices of cake I had ever tasted. The hard chocolate on the outside contrasted perfectly with the fluffy mousse on the inside, while the tast of dark chocolate and sweet hazelnut combined to create the ideal level of sweetness on the taste buds.

Sprüngli, just like the idea Swiss Chocolate, has a good reputation and a lot of hype, but it does not disappoint.

And that’s an un-wrap.

Say Cheese!

Posted on by CharleeD

Obviously, the first thing on my mind when visiting Zurich was the Swiss Chocolate. I had heard so much hype about how the quality of chocolate in Switzerland is the best, and I was not disappointed.

My journey to Switzerland started out perfectly. I flew Swiss Air from Rome to Zurich, and on the plane flight they gave me a croissant and a piece of mouthwatering chocolate– just prepping me for more delicious things to come during my visit. I met my new travel buddy, my mom, at the airport and we dropped our bags off at the hotel and headed out to explore.

First, we went for a hike in the Zurich Mountain of Uetliberg, which is supposed to have a beautiful view of the Swiss Alps, the town of Zurich and the huge lake. However, it was snowing huge flakes that danced slowly down and blocked the view of anything except for the path ahead and my mom’s face next to me. Even though we missed the view, we got to catch up with one another and took a cute little gondola down the mountain.

When we got back down into the city, we asked information how to visit the Lindt factory and took two buses to a stop where you could smell the chocolate in the air and then followed our noses from there. The sweet smell filled the air and fell with each big snowflake, surrounding us. However, when we got to the factory and asked for a tour, they told us that they were no longer giving tours due to security reasons. I am not quite sure what the world has come to when a Chocolate factory can’t give toursanymore for security reasons… but it was pretty disappointing. We bought some chocolate from the shop anyway, and then found our way back to the hotel to change in time for dinner. IMG_5968

I expected to taste a lot of Chocolate in Switzerland, but I was so distracted by this iconic part of the country that I failed to realize how much cheese I would consume as well. For dinner, Mom and I went to a cute little fondue place five minutes from our hotel. If you have never had fondue before, I would definitely recommend it! The lady brought out bread, potatoes, pickles, and pears and a huge pot of bubbling cheese.

With each bite, Mom and I fell more and more into a cheese coma. We made a huge dent on the food, but weren’t able to scrap the bottom of the pot like the group next to us did. But, before we finished, or close to finished, everything, I caught a picture of the action: Say Cheese, mom!

And that’s an un-wrap.

Rome: A Layered City

Posted on by CharleeD

Rome is a layered city. There is new and old everywhere you look. I heard it once decsribed as a lasagna because new buildings are built on top of the old. Construction takes forever here, because as soon as they dig down to build a parking garage or fix a pipe, they discover a lost building or artifact. For this post, I am going to honor the layers of Rome by writing about an old site we visited, and a new tradition we started.

When in Rome, you must see the Vatican (and the Colosseum and the Pantheon and the Spanish steps and so many other things, but I am going to focus on the Vatican, here or else it would be quite a long and boring read). And you must use the saying, “When in Rome” as much as you can J Our first day in the city, Savannah had organized a guided tour of the Vatican. We walked to the Vatican city and were blown away by the beauty of it. Did you know that the Vatican is it’s own country? I think my favorite part of our visit was seeing the Sistine Chapel. I had studied it in school, but seeing slide show photos of it or reading about it in a textbook does no justice to the actual work itself. Our guide gave us a ton of information before we entered, because there is no talking and no photos allowed inside the chapel. He told us how Michelangelo did not want to paint the ceiling and the Pope, with so much power, convince/forced him to do so. Michelangelo, who specialized in sculptures, had to learn how to paint a fresco which is not an easy task. The process includes putting plaster on the ceiling and then applying paint at the perfect time; not too early because it will soak in too much, and not too late because it will crumble off shortly after the plaster dries. Painting a fresco is extremely difficult and requires not only efficiency, but great skill.

After Michelangelo learned how to paint frescoes, he locked himself into the Sistine Chapel and put a sheet below so that if anyone got in they would not be able to see what he was working on. After two** grueling years, arguments with the pope, and lasting back problems from standing and arching backwards to paint, Michelangelo had completed a masterpiece.

Masterpiece has so many definitions and is sometimes applied to too many works of art or literature. But the Sistine Chapel with this amazing ceiling, The Last Judgment painted on the wall and other paintings throughout by other renowned artists, such as Perugino and Bottecelli, is definitely a masterpiece and inspires silence even if the room didn’t require it.

After seeing visiting the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica, something old and full of tradition, Savannah and I visited a gelato place called La Romana to start our own new tradition. Just like the new buildings that stand on top of the old, we, inevitably made our own new mark on a place where millions of others had for thousands of years before us. This time, our mark was in Gelato. The hostal we stayed at recommended La Romana and we decided to check it out. I am so happy that we did, because it was the best gelato I have ever tasted. It was fluffy and sweet, creamy like ice cream but light like gelato and they topped it with homemade airy and decadent whip cream. After our first night, Sav and I revisited the place every single night—one of the workers even began to recognize us. My favorite flavors were the dark chocolate, the biscotti and the yogurt with honey and walnut topped with chocolate whip cream shown in this picture. When in Rome, go to La Romana.IMG_5769

Old and New. New and Old. And Gelato that would never get old. And that’s an un-wrap.

No Chocolate for David

Posted on by CharleeD

Savannah immediately liked Florence with it’s wide, clean streets and old, yet elegant, buildings. I liked it too because it reminded me of New York in some ways, just not as tall or crowded. On our first night, we slowly meandered the streets to get a feel for the city and we walked right into a Piazza with a huge fake statue of Michelangelo’s David in the place the original statue stood when it was first created.

The next morning, Savannah and I woke early and bought croissants (and Sav tried her first cappuccino, which I don’t think she will be getting another anytime soon) at a small bakery before heading to the Galleria Dell’academia—a museum designed specifically to hold the original sculpture of the David. Although we had seen a version of it the night before, it was truly overwhelming to see the real thing. I was surprised at his size. The musuem had a huge dome with the statue in the middle so you could walk around it and see it from all angles. Even though there were other pieces of art in the museum, the David definitely demanded your attention—it was so large that his hand was bigger than my head. In my art history course I learned Michelangelo believed he was merely uncovering a statue or form already in the rock, and that he carved his statues from one large slab instead of placing multiple pieces together like other sculptures sometimes did. I have no idea how anyone could carve such a large form with life-like precision out of just one piece of stone. It was incredible. The look in his eyes was intense, his muscular features were enhanced, and you could even see the veins in his hands. He was “chiseled”, literally and figuratively, and represents an extremely strong David. He must not have eaten much chocolate because his body looked pristine.

IMG_5671Copies of the David are scattered throughout the city like a scavenger hunt. We saw one the first night, we saw the real one in the museum, and we found another one our last morning at the Piazza de Michelangelo: a hill that looks out over all of Florence. In fact, the whole city seemed like one giant treasure chest containing the better known ornate jewelry on the surface as well as hidden gems burried beneath. There are over 70 museums, of which we only had time to dedicate to two, the Galleria dell’accademia and the Uffizi. But there is also art, new and old, everywhere you look. For example, my favorite secret gem of art appeared in the form of small little men. There were stickers of them on the street signs and graffiti of them on some of the walls. Every time I saw one of these little guys, I couldn’t help but smile.IMG_5685

 

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In between admiring the David’s, the little men, and all of the other old and modern treasures of art we came across, Sav and I uncovered my favorite chocolate of the trip so far. We were walking through a street market when we found a huge warehouse with little stands selling everything from fresh cheese and meats to olive oils and wine. As we strolled through, I made a last minute decision to purchase two square chocolates. The little squares were thick and covered with chocolate cocao nibs on the outside, a layer of dark chocolate, with a center of rich dark chocolate on the inside. The taste lingered in my mouth for the rest of the day. I hope I can find them on Amazon or in an international chocolate shop when I get home.

And that’s an un-wrap.

Round and Round in Venice

Posted on by CharleeD

My best friend and former teammate, Savannah, traveled all the way from Arizona to be my travel companion for a week. We met for a brief adventure through Milan and then took the train to Venice that evening.

They say if you don’t get lost in Venice, then you aren’t doing something right. Well, Savannah and I definitely did Venice “right” by these standards. When we stepped off the train, the sun had already gone down and the city was covered in darkness. We climbed the Ponte degli Scalzi, or the Scalzi bridge, and looked out over the grand canal. Mist hung in the air and scattered around the buildings that seemed to grow out of the water and dim lights reflected across the canal. We stopped and looked out for a while, soaking up the city and trying to digest the fact that we were actually, truly standing in Venice.IMG_5526

Savannah and I followed maps and directions I had taken pictures of on my phone and printed directions from the hostal, and we made it pretty darn close to where we were staying. We followed the maps through the narrow streets, onto a ferry, off of a ferry and around churches and shops into a place called Campo Santo Stefano. However, when we got to this square, (and were literally only 2 minutes away from the hostal) is when everything went downhill. We tried every single street that lead away from the square and we asked over five or six italians for directions. Most of them tried to help, but even with their pointing and hand signlas, they often sent us in the wrong direction or back to the square we had come from. After two hours of walking round and round, we walked into a restaurant and asked the lady to call the hostal to tell them we would be late. Instead of making us buy food or having us sit down for dinner to use the phone and wifi, she asked us what hostal we were looking for and walked us to a man in a different hotel who walked us right to the front door so we couldn’t get lost again. I don’t know how we would have found the place without her help.

After dropping our bags off, we headed back out into the zig-zaggy, name-changing streets of venice and made our way to San Marco Square for a pizza, salad, and of course, some gelato after dinner. Sav ordered Pistachio and I ordered the Bacio Gelato, which is a chocolate hazlenut flavor with small chunks of hazlenut. It is designed to taste like the famous silver and blue wrapped candies that are all over Italy.

The next morning, Sav and I wandered the streets once more. They were much easier and more enjoyable in daylight and with a paper map from the hostal. We window-shopped all of the bakery and pastry shops looking for the best one and were eventually drawn to a little glass one where sweet and buttery smells wafted into the street everytime the door swung open. It was like a secret club where you hear only a glimpse of the music every time the door opens. Sav bought a slice of pastry with spinach in it that tasted like some kind of savory quiche and I bought a circular scone-type pastry with huge chocolate chips called “Ciambella Cioccolato”. We ate our breakfast while sitting on the edge of the water where we could see people go about their daily lives.Eventually, we completed our journey in Venice full-circle back at the train station to head to the next stop of our trip through Italy.

IMG_5530 Round in circles through the city , round pizza, round gelato, round scone. I had a good time running ‘round Venice. And that’s an un-wrap.