Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !!

Posted by: mimijac

Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 10/12/00 02:07 PM

Hello ,

Has anyone heard of these people?

I got the adress of this site somewhere and their service looks like a lot of fun... organized tavern crawling with other people visiting Madrid !!! Anyway, go see for yourself http://www.walksofspain.com !

I am preparing myself to book with them for an evening so any comments from people who tried it would be appreciated... I wouldn't want to find myself all drugged up in a back alley somewhere !!!!

Thanks a lot
Posted by: missmadrid98

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 10/12/00 02:37 PM

this person who runs this, has posted on this board before and madridman has talked to him so we have heard of him before. It sounds fine.
Posted by: nicholas

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 10/13/00 07:37 PM

yes, many of us here have heard of that site. the person who organizes the walks often does a very thinly veiled job of advertising on this page. madridman has actually addressed this with him on several occasions. from what i can see, these walks are nothing you couldn't do on your own.
Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/20/00 12:06 AM

Hi mimijac!! So did you take the Tavern Crawl Tour with Andrés? If so, how was it? Please give us the true "scoop" so others can benefit from your experiences. Thanks!

Saludos, MadridMan

[This message has been edited by MadridMan (edited 11-21-2000).]
Posted by: Antonio

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/20/00 07:49 PM

Last Saturday I joint Andrés for one of his tavern "tours".

Ann and Nicole - two of my customers from Colorado - came with me as well. We met Andrés at Plaza Mayor at about 8:30 pm. We were a large group (18 people at the begining).

We ended being a group of 14 people (Andrés told me he didn't expect so many people and he wants to keep groups smaller).

First, we went to have a vermout in an old bar besides the Plaza Mayor. On that night there was a party organised by the a radio station and the Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol were very crowded.

Then, we moved to another tavern where we had gambas al ajillo, wine and sangría.

As you probably know, we Spaniards love to change from one place to another so we moved again to have patatas bravas and Spanish omelette with bravas sauce (btw, they have patented the recipe of the sauce at that bar).

By that time everyone was full up, but Andrés took us to an old tavern near Tirso de Molina were we have wine and we tried torrijas (which I considered unusual in a bar).

Then, we went a "El Son", a Salsa club (I think it's one of Andrés' favourite places). I had to wake up early the following day so I didn't enter that disco. But Ann and Nicole told me they had a great time and Andrés even tried to teach them how to dance merengue.

Although there were some Spaniards, the "official" language of the tour is English so we were all talking in English. Most of the people were from the US and they were really nice. We had a great time and I think so they had the rest of the people.

I'll tell Ann and Nicole to post their comments on Andrés' tours here.

Regards,

Antonio

PS: BTW, there were some people at the tour who followed my posts here. They seemed very happy to meet me!. I guess I'm becoming famous !!

------------------
The best tips from your favourite hostal in Madrid.
Hostal Chelo at http://www.chelo.com
Posted by: mimijac

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/21/00 01:47 PM

Hello, yes we are back from our trip and enjoyed every second of it ! As soon as everthing calms down at home i'll tell you all about it ...

As for the Tavern crawls, me boyfriend and I really enjoyed it. Andres came with a friend which was a blessing since we were only my boyfriend, I, Andres and his friend. We really enjoyed the tour for the company, the drinks and the food.

Sure some people would say that we could do it on our own but that not true ...

As tourists, we don't know about the good places, plus, we don't speak the language (it makes it difficult to asks what's good, what's the specialty of the house...let alone understand the answer ha!ha!ha!. It is also nice to spend an evening talking with people who are from Madrid. Finally, we felt more secure this way (walking at night with a group of people is much more nicer than with two people alone constantly looking at a map to make sure they don't get lost !!!).

I hope Andres tours continue to develop its clientele because it would have been even more nicer to have been 5-6 people instead of 4... but hey, we had a nice time anyway.

On a more intellectual note, I also recommend Wellstours (a tour with a historic perspective of Madrid)... I'll tell you more another time.
Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/21/00 02:03 PM

Just for the record here, mimijac, how much did Andres charge per person for the tours?
His website says, "TAVERN-CRAWL: 2.500 pesetas per person paid at the beginning of the tour (Around 14$). Lots of "tapas" and many drinks included." Is this about right?

By the way, I too LOVED the Stephen Drake-Jones Welltours. I HIGHLY recommend it!!

Saludos, MadridMan
Posted by: nicholas

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/22/00 03:32 AM

hey madridman:
question about the wellstours. i very much want to joing mr. drake-jones for a tour. he alone sounds like an attraction to be experienced, and i'm sucker for anything that deals with history. especially when taught from what sounds like such a character. anyway, what i wanted to ask was how did you go about setting up your tour? did you become a member, then pay once you arrived?
Posted by: Puna

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/22/00 10:00 AM

Thanks for asking that question - I really would like to join that walking tour next trip - especially after MM raved about it so.
Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/22/00 10:14 AM

Hi Nicoleye! I really can't say enough of Welltours , historical nightime walking tours of Madrid with British expatriate Chairman Stephen Drake-Jones. I really had the time of my life.

Chairman, as he likes to be called, is SUCH a character, wonderful British sense of humor, distinguished, in his late 40s or early 50s, EXTREMELY knowledgeable about Madrid and Spanish history (don't test him on dates - HE KNOWS IT ALL backwards and frontwards), and takes his smallish groups (nor more than 8 or 10 I think he says) to little-known or unknown parts of old Madrid.

Along the way, you'll stop in to sample tapas and drinks in 2 or 3 out-of-the-way and UNtouristy bars.

Stephen is SO charismatic, so kind, funny, and makes the 2.5 to 3 hour tour go unfortunately TOO quickly. AND, if you're deserving and call him "Chairman", he just MIGHT let you hold his walking cane.

By the way, I'm getting THOSE photos developed after returning from Thanksgiving so look for them here.

To reserve your spot, you'll want to email "Chairman Drake-Jones" through his website. He'll likely pencil you in and then ask you to call him on his cell phone when you arrive in Madrid just to confirm. "You'll all pay for your memberships when I tell you and not before so don't ask," he says at the beginning of the tour with a smirk on his face. hehee.. You pay towards the end of the tour, but he gives you your official membership card at the beginning as he explains the great many benefits of becoming a Wellington Society member. Stephen is REALLY one of a kind and his tours are top-notch, memorable, and lots of fun. I'm looking forward to taking another tour with him already. You can read my account of the tour in the 10/16/2000 journal entry of MadridMan's Madrid 2000 .

Saludos, MadridMan

[This message has been edited by MadridMan (edited 11-22-2000).]
Posted by: Puna

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/22/00 10:22 AM

MM - I just pulled up the site and it looks as if there are a variety of tours - which was the one you went on?
Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/22/00 10:54 AM

[see above] Puna, I went on the " Walks of Old Madrid ". These are the most frequent/common tours, but he also schedules tours to Toledo, Segovia, and other places if the need arises. Tell Chairman that MadridMan says hello! We got along very well... he even let me hold his cane for a few minutes. hehehe.. Hope you get to go, Puna. You won't be sorry!

Saludos, MadridMan
Posted by: Puna

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/22/00 11:05 AM

I must be an idiot - I pulled up the site and it lisetd a variety of "walks" - Old Madrid ; Hemingway's Madrid; Madrid & Spanish Civil War; Tapas Hopping throug old Madrid - and so forth! Thanks for your clarrification -
Happy Thanksgiving - drive safe ....
Posted by: mimijac

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/22/00 12:31 PM

Hello,

Coming back to our original topic... tavern crawl ! ha!ha! I figured the price was ok (and i am Canadian so its about 18$ for me not 14$).

All our drinks were paid so were the tapas. In all, we went to five places - so five drinks (vermouth on tap, an old vino tinto tipical from Madrid, cider, ice wine and a drink with mint... at the salsa club). For tapas, we had clams, some kind of cold pain perdu. Of course, since we were only two paying people, I understand that Andres had little problem making his fees... So for the quality-price, i think it was great !

My boyfriend insist, however that i tell you he wished Andres knew a little more about the music scene of Madrid, he was looking for young, popular spanish music stuff (we latter found out about Kiko Veneno and Hevia) and maybe the historical caracter of places we went to... I for one thought it was ok for want we paid and what i expected.

[Corrected spelling mistake]

[This message has been edited by Antonio (edited 11-22-2000).]
Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/22/00 12:46 PM

Yeah. It's kind of a shame that there weren't more people in the group to make it even more interesting. As I understand it, he had a group of almost 20 the week before and that was just TOO many for this kind of "tavern tour".

I think we too went to that salsa club. In Huertas, right? Was it El Torero or something like that? We danced to salsa there for almost an hour. I guess it's one of Andres' favorite places. The people inside seemed to REALLY be enjoying themselves. As far as I could tell, it didn't have a dancefloor, but people were dancing ALL around the bar.

Yes. I agree. If you're not familiar with the city, this kind of paid service to escort you to these nice, less touristy bars is VERY useful. I wish Andres the best of luck with Walks Of Spain tavern crawl tours.

Saludos, MadridMan

[This message has been edited by Antonio (edited 11-22-2000).]
Posted by: Antonio

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/22/00 05:28 PM

MM,

Torero is at calle de la Cruz and it's not the Salsa club mimijac was talking about. They play Spanish music at Torero and that includes a few salsa / merengue ... hits. But it's mainly music from Spain.

The salsa club we are talking about is called "El Son" and it's one of Andres' favourite places.

Regards,

Antonio

------------------
The best tips from your favourite hostal in Madrid.
Hostal Chelo at http://www.chelo.com
Posted by: nicholas

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/24/00 08:24 PM

thanks for the info madridman. just e-mailed the chairman about when i arrive in madrid. hopefully we'll work something out. i'm really looking forward to meeting this chap. from what you describe, i'm going to love this guy's humour.
Posted by: nicholas

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/25/00 10:40 AM

by the way madridman, the chairman sends his warmest regards to you. he says that MAYBE i'll be as lucky as you and have the honour of not only holding his cane, but having my picture taken with it. =)

[This message has been edited by nicholeye (edited 11-26-2000).]
Posted by: laduque

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/26/00 01:21 PM

nicholeye, I may have missed it, but, if you don't mind me asking, what dates are you going to Madrid? I'm going from Dec. 29-Jan. 16 and would love to meet a fellow San Diegan!
Posted by: nicholas

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/26/00 03:34 PM

that would be great laduque. i arrive in madrid on the 6th of january. we'll have to try and meet up. by the way, which part of san diego are you from?
Posted by: missmadrid98

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/26/00 06:21 PM

hey laduque!!! I will be in town same time a nicholeye, we should all hook up and meet each other!!! i will landing the 6th or 7th!!

------------------
Spain Page!! Check it out! http://www.geocities.com/missmadrid98
Posted by: laduque

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/27/00 03:27 AM

nicholeye and missmadrid, (rgf, too). I think it would be so incredibly fun if we all got together there!!!! As the dates draw nearer, we will solidify plans. I would love to hook up...to meet you all and, (I have to admit), have a diversion from the in-laws
nicholeye, i grew up in the Kensington area, and have lived downtown/hillcrest/Kensington for the last 11 years. Where are you from?
Posted by: nicholas

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/27/00 05:38 AM

ah, one of my favorite parts of town laduque. spent quite a bit of of teenage years hanging around the hillcrest/kensignton area. always great clothes, shoes, books, and used music shopping back then.=) spent quite a bit of time at the foreign film theatre as well. i grew up in la costa/san marcos. lived in mira mesa and encinitas after high school. been up in san francisco for the last two years. don't really care for it up here.
..and sure, that would be pretty nifty to meet up. just let me know of the plan.

[This message has been edited by nicholeye (edited 11-27-2000).]

[This message has been edited by nicholeye (edited 11-27-2000).]
Posted by: nicholas

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/29/00 02:01 AM

bit of a change there laduque. i see i was a little over anxious and said i was arriving on the 6th of january. well, etcha-sketch that. i actually arrive on the 7th . i do apologize. getting a bit ahead of myself...you know how it is. =)

[This message has been edited by nicholeye (edited 11-29-2000).]
Posted by: Puna

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 11/29/00 09:28 AM

If memory serves me correctly, missmadrid is moving to Madrid - hopefully for as long as she can! - Nicholeye and Laduque - how long will you be in Madrid. Know the rgf is there a couple of weeks. Guess what I'm getting to is will anyone still be in Madrid late February through March? Would really love to meet some of the board members ...
Posted by: nicholas

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 12/01/00 05:13 AM

hi there puna. your memory did serve you well. missmadrid is moving to madrid (more specifically el escorial) in january. like you said, she'll be there for as long as possiblle. as for my situation, i'm taking somewhat the same course as her. i too am leaving in early january for madrid and hope to be there for as long as possible, doing whatever i can. we'll see how things fall. she and i are both jumping off a very high cliff. i know not to guarantee myself anything and to expect the worst. to answer your question, yes i hope to still be there in march. this of course is contingent on a million variables so i can't be too definite. if i am there, it would be great to meet up.

p.s i do apologize if i sounded as if i were speaking for missmadrid. unfortunetly her computer access these days is near non-existant. i just wanted to confirm your thought process. i certainly dodn't want to take anyone's place.

[This message has been edited by nicholeye (edited 12-01-2000).]
Posted by: Puna

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 12/01/00 09:17 AM

Nicholeye and missmadrid - please pass on to her - GOOD FOR BOTH OF YOU!!! . Lots of determination which you both obviously have and some luck - you'll both be there for a long time. Are you also planning on teaching? Just think - along with Kurt you guys might be laying the ground work for 600+ others ... or at least about 30 die-hards on this board. Will you both continue to have internet access at least on a part-time basis? A whole bunch of us are going to be excited to hear what's happening for/with both of you .... Yeah, please feel free to answer for missmadrid as well - seeing as I'm now asking you questions in the plural ... Are you planning on trying to stay in Madrid - if not - where?
Posted by: nicholas

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 12/02/00 03:16 AM

puna,
i so thank you for your wonderfully kind words. both missmadrid and i share the passion and determination to make things work. the unexpected or poor luck may occur... leaving one or the both of us staying for only a short while. more importantly, we know that we've done what's so inherent in who we are. to try and make a life for oursleves in spain. i'm certain the 30 die-hards you speak of understand. we're a very esoteric group i must say.

i too will be trying my hand at the esl market. i've taught esl privately for two years, worked as an in-class tutor to students for the american domestic peace corps(americorps)and in my spare time worked as an aid to european history instructors. all done while attending college. the experience and love of teaching is certainly there, i simply hope i have the ability to transcend this.

to answer your question, i will be in madrid. as i'm sure you're aware, missmadrid will be setting herself up in her TRUE home of el escorial. she'll be working on her tefl certificate in madrid and hopefully continuing her study of flamenco. all of this, and hopefully at least one of us will be granted the dream we hold so dear.

i know that she has promised to keep all of you updated on how her life goes. i certainly make the same promise. it would be inconceivable for either of us to lose contact with all of you. this little message board is like a second home...i would miss all of you too much.

p.s. i certainly will pass on what you say to missmadrid. she'll hopefully be on here again soon to check in and say hello to all of you. and no, i certainly cannot speak for her. i feel terribly uncomfortable doing so as it is. the last thing i could ever do is be the amazing contributor that she is. for now, i'm just her volunteer p.r. department while she's away.

[This message has been edited by nicholeye (edited 12-02-2000).]
Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 12/02/00 12:10 PM

Not to be a "stick in the mud", but let's remember this is the "Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !!" thread, eh? Thanks!
Posted by: nicholas

Re: Tavern crawl with walks of Madrid !! - 12/02/00 01:19 PM

you're right madridman, i apologize. we should be back to our tavern crawls of madrid topic. you know how it is my there friend...you begin chatting and off you go =) i suppose you have to earn your keep as dictator.

[This message has been edited by nicholeye (edited 12-02-2000).]