Dirty and Very Old. Everything was perfect.

 We are in Guadalajara. It is a name that quickens the pulse of those interested in the Spanish Civil War and so we will go there first.

Unlike Germany, which committed specialists and equipment, the Italian Army itself took part in the War. On 8th March 1937 four divisions of the ‘Corpo Truppe Volontarie. Attacked Republican positions around the town. It was meant to be a diversion to support the Fasc attack at Jarama.  After four days of cautious advance in rainy weather Republican aircraft shot up the Italian columns . The deployment of Soviet made armour and Italian anti-fascist troops saw the Fascists defeated, with heavy losses of men and material.



Guadalajara was founded in the 9th century, when a castle was built there. It was annexed by Alfonso VI in 1085 and in 1133 it got its first charter. The Mendozas dominated the town from the late Middle Ages and who hung around till 1657.   The town grew from about 5000 in 1842 to 19000 in 1950.  Cars and population growth assisted so that today about 85,000 people live here.





Las 3D Churreria Chocolateria looks intriguing so lets go in. It opens from 6am to 2pm.  A message to us comes from Rudy.  ‘Simply the best. It is always crowded, but be patient. Super efficient staff, excellent choice of food and quick lunches and breakfast. And of course: super Churros. Strongly recommend the entire chain (there are in total 3 of these in Guadalajara), all family owned and excellent, though this one is the biggest by far .’  Lu added ‘The crispy, crunchy churros dipped in rich but not overly sweet chocolate sauce were simply amazing! The restaurant was packed with customers, and the staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming. Although I don't speak Spanish, I managed to order using gestures and basic English. If I have the chance, I'll definitely come back to try the thick churros, lattes, and ham sandwiches that locals always order! ‘



Ralarsa is a LGBTQ+ friendly, woman owned windscreen repair service. https://www.ralarsa.com/es/?origin=gmbl0all   ‘Moon Change’ appears three times review tags and Toni said ‘Excellent service, fast and efficient. They replaced our windshield quickly and even straightened the door at no extra cost. It's a pleasure doing business like this.’



We are heading to a round about and we have a McDonald - Burger King face off.


MacDonalds gets 3.9 stars.

Burger King gets 3.8 stars



MacDonalds opens 11am to 1am.

Burger King opens from Noon to 2am, 1.30am on Thursdays, 3.30am on Fridays and 4.00am on Saturday.



MacDonalds latest review is 9 hours ago.  Lucia wrote ‘A terrible experience. While we were having dinner, a cockroach fell on my sister from a vent. Having cockroaches in an establishment where food is handled and served is completely unacceptable. They should investigate and fix this problem. ‘


Burger King’s most recent worded review was from Daniel. He said ‘Everything was perfect!!’



MacDonalds best review is by Andy ‘I was pleasantly surprised. You can't ask for more. McDonald = Quality 😊😊😊 … ‘

BurgerKings best review was by 2B who said ‘Very good service. And some staff speak very good English ‘



Round we go and by the Plaza Estaccion Ff.Cc.  The rail station is here. According to Google the station generally gets busier through the day until 6-8pm then declines. The commuter line from Clara Campoamor to Madrid seems to provide most business, although a regional service to Zaragoza also does its thing.  15 hours ago Nicolle had a thing to convey. ‘There should be more security and surveillance, as in some areas there are people, and not just immigrants, who make it difficult to live there. It's a good place to live, but it has room for improvement.’  Tomas, likewise, two days ago, felt ‘The Guadalajara commuter train station has facilities in a deplorable state—dirty and very old. It also lacks a café where you can get something to eat or drink while waiting for your train. There is currently construction work underway at the station 🚉, so we hope that this will address these shortcomings. ‘



A memorial to the victims of the 11M bombings is approved of by the three reviewers.




Onwards, across the Puente Arabe de Guadalajara.  https://www.guadalajara.es/es/ciudad/monumentos/puente-califal-sobre-el-henares  It seems to have been the site of several bridges from the 10th century. The current is from the 18th.  James took his bridge review brief a little broadly. ‘Spent a couple of hours running around this great old city.  The Puente Árabe de Guadalajara is a historic stone bridge crossing the Henares River in Guadalajara, Spain. Built originally in the 10th–11th centuries during the Islamic (Caliphal) period, it is the oldest surviving structure in the city.  Plenty more to see. Fun place! No matter where you are, there is ALWAYS somewhere to explore. ‘






So we head across and out of town.
























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