I love having local foods whenever traveling.  Especially of the sweet variety!  And there is nothing like having churros in Spain!

The history of the churro isn't completely certain.  It's thought that it was invented by Spanish shepherds having named the pastry after the navajo-churro sheep, the pastry looking like the horn of the sheep.  The other thought is that Portuguese sailors learned of something similar in China.  After bringing it back, the Spaniards learned of the pastry, putting their own spin on it.

Either way churros have been eaten by Spaniards as breakfast or an afternoon snack for many years.

There are two chocolateria's in Madrid that stand out as the oldest and best.  Valor, a chocolateria starting in 1881 and San Gines is the oldest churreria, established in 1894.  If you find yourself in Madrid, you'll have to give one or both a try!

We asked around as to which one was the best and were encouraged to try Valor.  We should have tried out San Gines too, but we didn't live in the city and ran out of time before moving.  Just means we have to go back to give it a proper and thorough test!







You don't have to go too far to try churros though.  Street festivals and touristy areas in Spain always seem to have some close by.



In many different varieties too!



My favorite is actually with cinnamon and sugar, but when in Spain....



Have you had churros or been to a chocolateria in Spain?  I highly recommend it if you haven't!

Speaking of food.......next week is our travel theme and we'll be talking about, you guessed it, food!!!  What's been the food(s) that have stuck out to you the most in your travels?  It could be your best, your worst, your strangest, favorite restaurant or all of the above.  So get your travel foodie posts ready!
Each week we're featuring a post from the previous week's link up.  I tell you, it is so hard featuring only one!!  I love looking through all of your travel posts!
This week I'm featuring Amy from Creatrice Mondial and her post on the 6 Best Mediterranean views.  I've seen parts of both Greece and Italy, but oh, these views!!  My favorite is Cinque Terre, Italy.  Take me there, stat!
Be sure to see who Bonnie and Melanie featured.  We'd love for you to visit around and get to know others in the link up.

Want to join in our Travel Tuesday link up?

<div align="center">
</p>
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
</p>
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
</p>
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
<p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p>
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
</p>
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
<p>
<a href="http://bonnieroseblog.co.uk/category/traveltuesday" title="Travel Tuesday"><img src="http://bonnieroseblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/traveltuesday.png" alt="Travel Tuesday" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
</p>
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
</p>
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
</p>
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
<p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
</p>
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
</p>
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
<p>
<p class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</p>
<p>

 Getting the girls in on the action!

 Bye Spiderman!  We had SO much fun!

 The girls could not be left out.  They had to visit Minnie.

 She wasn't quite as entertaining, but oh well.

A couple of weeks before leaving Spain we took one last trip down to the center of Madrid. I wanted to pick up a tiled name plate like we got Jerry's parents for Christmas. And we just wanted to see downtown one last time. We had to include a stop at one of the famous Churro cafes. We chose Chocolaterias Valor.  I love Churros! My favorite way is to sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, but the traditional way is with a pot of chocolate. thicker than hot chocolate, but thinner than chocolate syrup. Still yummy!

Sure!  Why NOT a sugar packet!

First time to order Coke.

Karis took these pictures of us.  She did a pretty good job!

Our little photographer did great on this one!

I loved seeing this draped through the street to help keep it cool!

Trying on some Spanish gear!

Next up, Plaza Mayor!  Stay tuned!!

After that, graduation began!

A kiss from her teacher!  Awww!!

The graduating class!

Silly girl with diploma in hand!

Her teacher, Marta.  We loved her!!

Family!
and friends!!

 My hubby is actually contributing to the blog!!  He told me he wanted to write something about his experience this weekend and he gave me first dibs on putting it out on the world wide web.  I feel so special.  Ha!

“It’s the economy, stupid.”

These words changed the political landscape in an American presidential campaign when I was growing up. I couldn’t help but recall this when, on election day in Spain, I rode the escalators out of the metro onto the crowded square at Puerto del Sol in Madrid where thousands had camped out the past week to protest the economy. I strolled around the make-shift, tent town that had been built on this tourist location, complete with mess hall, sleeping quarters, lounging areas, sign-making station, and even a place for childcare.

Every inch was taken up by placards and signs promoting any and every cause that might be important to a nation facing 21 percent unemployment (45% among youth).

 As I looked into the eyes of many, I could see anger, disillusionment and what I can only describe as apathetic rebellion. I don’t believe many truly understood why they were there. They just simply knew something was wrong, and they wanted to stand up against it.

Just a few days before, I experienced a totally different reality in another Spanish city, Seville. Granted, the economy is just as bad, maybe worse. I lost count of the number of “walled off” retail spaces that I saw. And, I was told, many youth stood in protest in the main square as well. But, I spent time with others who were discovering something that penetrated deeper than the effects of the economy. They were wrestling with truths that were beginning to shake their entire world view. They were encountering the Gospel, the good news of grace and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

My entrance into this world was quite different. I didn’t step into an open square where strangers were brought together by problems that they couldn’t solve. I walked into a two-bedroom apartment where young people were drawn in by changed lives, by truths they saw lived out at the university, at work, and at play.

 A town wasn’t being built in that small space, but a community was, a community of believers in Jesus Christ letting their faith, peace and assurances in God protest against the problems brought on by a faltering world, not just a bad economy.

 They shared this community with any and all who sought answers. Questions weren’t being averted. Truth wasn’t being defended. It didn’t have to be. Simply put, the Gospel was on display and allowed to stand on its own through the transformed and transparent lives of a few young people that have put their trust in God, not the economy.

So, as it turns out, it’s not the economy that changes lives. It’s the Gospel.