Marvelous Madrid!

After an overnight flight, I arrived at Madrid-Barajas airport at 8am without my luggage. I then spent an hour trying to explain to the lost luggage staff that I was only in Madrid for 2 nights before going on to Gredos, while completing forms that didn’t have anywhere near all the spaces that were needed to explain my schedule and various contacts. It only had to get better but because I was given a 1-800 number to track my suitcase, which I knew wouldn’t work from outside the US; I was beginning to get skeptical.

Upon exiting arrivals, my first quest was a Spanish sim card for my phone and after being given wrong directions, part in Spanish and part very broken English, for a shop where I could purchase my Spanish sim, I went from place to place and finally managed to get my “free card” at the cost of 10 Euros. I couldn’t quite understand the clerk’s explanation in Spanish but I kind of figured that my little sim was free; it was the pre-loading of the minutes that my 10 Euros was covering.  On Saturday morning, my Spanish sim later was invaluable as I was still trying to track my bag most of the morning, only to find that it was in Heathrow airport and “might be with me before I left for Gredos on Sunday morning”.

Being free from cumbersome luggage, I decided to take the Metro into Madrid. Following the easy to identify signs, I finally found the ticket machines and entrance a full 3 terminals away. Their subway system is remarkably easy to use and very inexpensive. I only had to change lines once (underground signs are so easy to follow to connecting lines) on my way to the stop just outside my hotel. Combined with my walk through the airport and the rides on two different lines, it did take me over an hour to get to my destination but it was well worth the savings of 25 Euros.

My first priority was getting some breakfast and then to get acclimated to my immediate area of the city and again, the metro system, I spent my time wandering the best sights by foot, thanks to an incredibly good guide book. On one of my first excursions on the Metro besides my run in from the airport, I went way beyond my stop because I’d forgotten the station where I had to change but I realized my error and backtracked. I had 1 ½ days before the VaughanTown program and 4 days after the program to explore the city and I accomplished this by mostly walking.

Madrid is an amazing city of ancient buildings and the feeling everywhere I went was vibrant and exciting. My explorations took me from Plaza del Sol (where you can find the exact center of Spain) to the Plaza Major, a most magnificent plaza surrounded by cafes and shops. Next to that, I found the Mercado de San Miguel, although an elegant glass and steel market, it’s almost a hundred years old. It’s filled with streaming light focused on stalls and customers who all share various tables. It’s one of Madrid’s gastronomic hot spots -- filled with scrumptious food and drink vendors and very satisfied customers! On Saturday, it was almost impossible to make my way down the aisles so I made a point to go back on a Tuesday. It was still buzzing but I could at least walk down the aisles and see the stunning food on display (both cooked and uncooked).

On the Sunday following the VaughanTown program, I met with 2 Spanish women and another Anglo from our program for a day of exploring a huge flea market. Three of us met up at the respectful hour of 11.00am, and while waiting for the other Spaniard who was running late, we three had a rich, strong and short coffee in a typical little bar/restaurant and then we all proceeded to amble towards the market while talking the whole time. Spending a few hours walking through what was the biggest and most crowded market I’ve ever seen, we stopped at a little place that served sandwiches. There wasn’t anywhere to sit but it must be one of the most popular sandwich places at the market because the line to order snaked up the street. We then went to an antiques market and wandered through it for a while before stopping at a terrace café and sat outside to talk over drinks.

After stopping off at little local bar to purchase jamón, queso, pan and vino, my new Anglo friend and I ended up at our new Spanish friend’s flat (apartment) for a good talk, gossip and some music. It couldn’t have been a more fantastic Spanish day with good friends, good food and good wine.

My last two days were filled with more walking tours in the historic sections seeing sights such as lavish squares like the Plaza de España and a half day touring the Palacio Real, the Palace Royal, and within that, the Apothecary Museum and the Royal Armory. It had been 8 years since I’d been to the Palace Royal and it was every bit as wonderful as I’d remembered. I’m especially fascinated by the armory – some human and horse armors date back as far as the 1400’s.  They even have full-sized statues of horses to display their full armor. It’s just so incredibly impressive.

I then went back to Mercado de San Miguel for a superb tortilla (a taste offered to me in Spanish by one of the vendors – although he spoke English he was delighted with my efforts in Spanish!) and a glass of vino tinto. It couldn’t have been a more perfect final day for me.

Madrid – I fell in love with the city all over again (as well as loving all of the local Spaniards that I met) and I’ll be back! I always felt completely comfortable, not as if I was an outsider or tourist but as if I’d lived there for a while and was just exploring my own city on a day out.

 

Even the rain couldn't dampen my love for Madrid!