Living like Madrileños am

Our new location is in the midst of old Madrid so we are able to just walk everywhere. Our hotel host told us this morning not to miss the market close by. Turned out to be huge, covering blocks in all directions. Mostly stalls of clothing and very crowded, it appeared to be mostly locals doing their shopping. We walked for blocks and loved the atmosphere but got thoroughly lost. The streets, all clearly marked on the corners, go in all directions and before long we were off our map!! It took a few false turns to get back on.

We decided to live like all Spaniards and have a siesta before taking a stroll around the historical centre of Madrid.

Spanish flamenco around the corner from our hotel

Street musicians around next corner

Market day

Museo del Prado

Today was the Museo del Prado. I’d been looking forward to this for months. With on-line passes in our hands, the biggest line was security and stowing of bags. We then followed a route that allowed us to hit all the fav’s. Unfortunately the Prado still follows the no-camera rule. I’ve been spoiled the last few years being allowed to get close-up photos of paintings so I can revisit the thrill. I’ll have to settle for the souvenir guide. We managed four hours of back-aching heaven and know it would take years to crack the surface but I felt happy to drink in the atmosphere and see five or six wish list items. The attached photos are from the museum website so not contraband. Maybe they don't like people waving cameras around. 

Hieronymus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights. - left side of triptych 

Centre panel- the life Bill and I are leading right now - won't show you the right panel - where, according to Hieronymus , we must be heading. 

The pride and joy of the Prado - part of Velasquez' Les minines

Outside of Prado draped with banners announcing its 200th anniversary

What is Spanish about Spain?

As we walk through the streets of Madrid we’ve both realized we are waiting to feel like we are in Spain. We are clearly in Europe, but Spain? We are not clear what we are looking for but on our walk home this evening, we found it in a sidewalk artist’s display. A painting of a matador and bull locked in a red-cape-dodging bull-fight. A second painting of a woman dancing the flamenco also “looked like Spain”.

We’ll try to look deeper as we spend our month here. The people who give such generous, friendly reactions to our awkward conversations gives us a place to start, 

Street with our hotel on right

One of the six squares we walked through on our way to the Prado. All full of people and street cafes. 

No bikes to speak of but thousands of motorcycles manoeuvre the narrow streets

Housekeeping and Guernica - from mundane to extraordinary

Housekeeping mostly today, sim cards booking a few nights, train tickets to Barcelona, tickets to Prado. But we still managed 10,000 steps and a trip to Spain’s national museum of 20th Century art (Reina Sofia) where we took in Guernica. It is startling and very moving to see and even more to think that it still applies - different dictators, same massacre of innocent civilians. The enormous painting stands alone in one room and a number of guards watch for cameras - none allowed in this room nor the adjoining hall. 

We seem to have given jet lag a miss and are getting in the groove. Ended our night with a sangria to celebrate the end of the warm weather (here in Central Spain anyway)

Courtyard outside Reina Sofia

Interior courtyard of museum

First Observations

So… the hotels are mostly booked solid. “It’s always like this.” So our idea of November being easy to find accommodation has be adjusted. We managed to get another night here (cancellation came in over breakfast) and will spend some of the day reconnoitering and making reservations for further ahead. Of course, if worse comes to worse, there is still the Presidential Suite at €1000.
All our warm layers have just been moved to the bottom of our suitcases. It is mid-20’s in Madrid and humid. Feels very warm. But it won’t be for long from the looks of the forecast. Cooler weather coming. There is a cooling breeze and it’s overcast. 

From our hotel window we could be anywhere but we knew we were in Spain with our first conversation - many people speak very little English starting with the airport bus drivers last night to the staff here at the hotel and in restaurants. Bill has given up trying to book places by phone - much Spanish to contend with then heavy accents and fast talking after that. On-line booking, big smiles and broken Spanish will get us through. 

Bedtime snack

Stopped in the hotel restaurant for a bedtime snack. Service was friendly but sloooooow!

Jamon and tomates tapa

Empanadillas de pollo y verduras

Ensalada Ibis

Why change now?

Bill reached a milestone going throught security in Vancouver with no altercations, interrogations, knives confiscated, contents wanded, reruns of the scanner minus shoes, belts or loose change! First time since 9/11. We celebrated the achievement as we boarded our jumbo jet for the first leg to Heathrow. 

But a second trip through security there and we’re back to “normal”. As we piled our computers, back packs and jackets into trays, Bill realized that our best travel water bottles were still full of water from our earlier flight. 

News flash. If there is any liquid in any container over 100 ml, you have to drink the liquid there on the spot or trash the container. We entreated the friendly group of officers to just let us dump the water but their resolve didn’t waver. “It’s a health and safety issue.” 

Not wanting to trash our metal bottles, Bill put his old beer-guzzling talents to work and while the  sympathetic employees watched, stood at the security station and gulped down first one full bottle, then the other. 

He is glad our seats to Madrid are only three rows from the toilets…. 

We arrived in Madrid after about 20 hours travelling and went straight to our one and only booking at a nearby airport hotel ready for a real bed.