Madrid : Day 26

September 14, 2026

Madrid : Day 26

Meaningful Moment

I was texting my granddaughter this morning just to check in, and I had this thought that what I said to her kind of really sums up what this different kind of Camino has been about.

"I won't say that we had a blast, but I can definitely say that we had a most rewarding experience. I would say a spiritual experience, of course people tend to define that in many, many ways. I'm sure that I can say for both Deb and I that it was very rewarding to spend 2 weeks in service, as it gave us a very different perspective on the Camino de Santiago."

Date	17 Aug 2026 (Monday)
Weather	High: 100f. All sun again! Would be tough to live here.
Total All Caminos:	2450 miles
Lodging (Deb & I):	$125 Zinc 1 @Calle 10 Arenal / 2 nights
Total Lodging:	$ 935
Airplane(s):
Total Airplane(s) / Trvl Insrnc:	$ 1580 / $ 199
Buses / Trains / Taxis & Rides (Deb & I):
Total Transportation (Deb & I) :	$ 357
Food (Deb & I):	€ 10 cafés € 30 tapa hopping lunch € 10 Churros con chocolate @ San Ginez € 40 dinner La Revolcona € 10 ice creams
Total Food:	$ 1178

Random Thought of the Day

Cafe con leche to start the day. Found a coffee shop with Wi-Fi. Going to pin this one so I can find it later in the day, if I need to. Still way too early to go to a Starbucks LOL

Just completed check-in for our return flight to the States and then Rochester. We're flying Madrid to Atlanta with a 2-hour layover and then to Rochester. If all things proceed to plan, we should be home by 6:00 p.m. tomorrow.

Notable memories

Returning to my normal life tomorrow.

I can see on my calendar different things coming up like US Coast guard auxiliary activities, neighborhood association meetings and responsibilities, hiking Club responsibilities, and the start of the fall class season for German and Spanish and tap dancing at RIT, Osher and Oasis adult learning, and maybe a few other things.

I also have not been doing my normal exercise routines. My body feels good, doing 4 mile walks at least every other morning if not more often.

But I do miss my yoga and my tap dancing.

And in a strange way I miss my nightly physical therapy at home sessions. There's a regularity to them in the basic stretches that I did during the sessions.

Deb and I visited Center on the Sephardic Jewish people. I learned that Sephardic Jews are more of the Southern European - Northern African (Moorish) heritage.

Paintings below are by Silvini Mizrahi

Born, raised and educated in Argentina. Lived in Israel. Moved to Boston.

"Testigo Silencioso"

"Silent Witness"

"Ocho Kandelikas"

"Right Candles"

AI Gen'd --

"Ocho Kandelikas" (Eight Little Candles) is a famous Hanukkah song written in Ladino (the Judeo-Spanish language of Sephardic Jews.

-- End AI Gen'd

Lyrics in Ladino

Hanukka linda sta aki,
ocho kandelas para mi.
Refrain:
Una kandelika,
dos kandelikas,
trez kandelikas,
kuatro kandelikas,
sintyu kandelikas,
sej kandelikas,
siete kandelikas,
ocho kandelas para mi

"Kapará"

Sephardic Jews in Argentina use the Kapara ritual in the face of an irreparable material loss, and it is like giving an offering to God to accept the loss.

AI GEN'd -- Kapará is a notable painting by the Argentinian-American interdisciplinary artist Silvina Mizrahi.

The artwork is part of her celebrated Sefarad series, which heavily explores Jewish traditions, childhood memories, and Sephardic cultural heritage.

Key Elements of the Artwork

Thematic Inspiration: The title Kapará (or Kapparot) refers to a traditional Jewish atonement ritual practiced before Yom Kippur, symbolizing spiritual cleansing and a fresh start.

Artistic Style: Mizrahi’s paintings in this collection feature bold, vibrant expressionist colors mixed with a whimsical, emotional approach to abstract and figurative forms.

Cultural Context: The piece belongs to a broader body of work heavily inspired by the costumes, music, and diaspora history of Sephardic culture. This series was prominently featured in her public exhibition, “Silvina Mizrahi: A Sephardic Spirit,” curated through the Hebrew College Arts Initiative.

-- End of AI Gen

Mercado de San Miguel

Lunch time tapas. Crab on kelp. Lobster taco. Also sampled cheeses and pastries.

My new friend. Puerta del Sol. He must have been roasting inside that suit because I was hot.

Deb liked this picture better cuz I was talking to the guy in the suit

This is a different guy we met on the street.

I don't know what his story was.

Deb and I took an afternoon walk in the heat of 5:00 p.m. Madrid. Temperature out there is about 98° right now.

Made a potentially unwise decision to stop in San Gines chocloterría to have Cafe Con leche and churros, dipped in melted hot chocolate.

We asked for an air conditioned place, and it was air-conditioned, but only to about the high 70's, I would say.

Anyway, San Gines has been serving melted chocolate and churros since 1894, so it's a tradition to go there. Deb and I stopped there in 2022 when we did our first Camino together, and now we visited their business in 2026.

Final meal in Madrid : Mesón la Revolcona

Gambas al Ajillo, Boquerones, Tinto verano, agua con gas.

The building itself is 500 years old.

Boquerones and Gambas al ajillo

This is a stunningly beautiful restaurant.

The lowest floor is actually converted caves, according to the waiter.

And then we ended the night with a walk to Puerta del Sol. Everybody was out in the evening, after having avoided the afternoon almost 100° f temperatures. This is what I love about Spain.