A Rainy Pre-Game Friday

Friday, March 14, 2025

It started off as a rainy day but would turn into a brilliant afternoon perfect for, what else . . .

SHOPPING! 

After the short walk to our transport

stop to take the reliable #1 bus . . .

. . . we arrived at the super

secret spot for the BEST

Tortilla de Patata in Gijón

It was proclaimed as such by our resident Gijón expert and Mariners Team President Kike Prado Alonso.

Now after two trips to this hidden gem, I concur.

We arrived to the as expected packed little café and waited in a line of about seven people outside for one of the coveted 25 seats inside.

We happily grabbed two open

seats at the bar after waiting outside

for approximately 15 minutes

Our two Nutella Cappuccinos were

AMAZING!

As for the two Tortillas de Patata,

there are no words to fully describe

their moist goodness

"We're #1! We're #1!"

The Sun was out again so we opted

to stroll home to aid our digestion

This small store selling fruits had an eye appealing front. 

The joys of Gijón's architecture

know no bounds

A Spanish Civil War poster

in the Jovellanos Public Library

The ceiling of the Basilica

del Sagrado Corazon

The Basilica's stunning main altar

Why is there a circus tent

inside the Basilica?

All is right with the world,

Laurie is buying a new pair of boots

Doctor

Constantino García

Traumatologist

Orthopedic Surgery

Spine

Two Vagabonds afoot in Spain

In the late afternoon, we

ventured out for an aperitif

before a little more sauntering

We stopped in at the nearby Hotel Polar's bar where Laurie ordered a glass of of Spanish Alberiño white wine and I ordered a Carajillo, the Spanish version of an Irish coffee.

The wine was no problem but my Carajillo was. The young lady at the bar was honest and said that her Carajillos were really not all that good so I ordered the usual Café con Leche.

She gave me a much relieved look, the pressure on her was off.

When our two beverages arrived, we were also given a plate full of potato chips and a second plate with three different mini-sandwiches as part of our afternoon snack.

Our bill came to a whopping

4.50 Euros!

I felt good about helping to Make Spain Great Again!

At 9:00 P.M., our Mariners had a well attended and focused one hour walk-through practice.

On Saturday, our Gijón Mariners (1-4)

will face the two time defending

National Champion Las Rozas

Black Demons (6-0)

Back on January 25th, in Madrid, the Black Demons defeated the Mariners, 49-27. 

On Sunday, our Under 12

Flag Football team will play

a pair of games in Valladolid

The drive to Valladolid takes about three hours to cover the 180 miles between Gijón and Valladolid.

At Noon, it's the Mariners vs. the Valladolid Penguins.

The Mariners finale sees the Gijón squad facing the arch-rival Oviedo Phoenix.

It is going to be TWO BEAUTIFUL days for American football!

Stay tuned . . .