Madrid trip report
Apr 1st, 2018 | 01:49 AM
#1
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 88
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Madrid trip report
Having travelled alone, with a friend, with my husband and parents, it was high time for a 'Jolly Girls Outing'. So in early March, three of us girls flew from Liverpool and two from London to meet in the vast Madrid airport. Some of the party had only met once or twice, necessitating a two-hour 'getting to know you' session in the Terminal One bar, before successully negotiating a 6-seater cab for the reasonable fare of 35€; no mean feat after a 6am start, two glasses of prosecco and a few beers.
We arrived at our rather palatial appartment on Calle Mayor in driving rain. We picked bedrooms, unpacked and found a little supermarket a few doors up the hill, where we stocked up on breakfast essentials and snacks. We were to navigate from our appartment using two directions - down the hill to the palace and cathedral, up the hill to everything else. Everything in Madrid is on a hill; bring crampons and ropes.
Shopping and female bonding done, we headed out for food. The rain was still driving and the wind had begun blowing but the storminess couldn't disguise the beauty and grandeur of the architecture and I looked forward to seeing more of Madrid in the light after a good sleep. At 9pm, the city was just starting to gear up for the night, and the restaurants were all quite empty. Being too tired and hungry to consult guidebooks for the best eateries, we just headed into the nearest place.
Being accustomed as we were to 'tapas' being tiny plates of food of which one ordered three or four, we all ordered a patatas bravas each plus two other dishes from a bemused waiter. At 8€ per dish it seemed expensive but hey, we were in Madrid, baby, so I awaited my 35€ potatoes, croquettes and grilled vegetables with glee. Rookie mistake #1 - the portions were meant to be shared and 3 or 4 plates would have done us ALL. As it was, we had a whole table laden with mounds of potatoes, croquettes, fried squid, vegetables, enough to feed 5000. This seemwd to be a quirk of this restaurant rather than a Madrid Thing. We ate what we could and asked for the rest to be packed up, where it lasted until the flight home. My friends squid stuffed with asparagus looked excellent but we were all rather tired and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of potato. We tipped our amused waiter and made our way home, chatting for a bit before bed.
I had managed to secure us a 6-bedroom appartmemt and settled down in my huge double bed for a good night's sleep. Rookie mistake #2: don't be daft. You don't get a city-centre appartment 10 minutes from everything in one of the great party cities of the world AND a good night's sleep! Just as i was winding down, Madrid was gearing up. I lay awake, listening to the tapas joint next door welcoming customers, cars on Calle Mayor, revellers in the street. Eventually at 2am, I used psychologically advanced survivalist techniques such as 'Don't fight the noise. Harness it, use it as a friend, a companion, a sleep aid'. It worked and I slept, waking early for our first real day as Madrillenios.
to be continued
We arrived at our rather palatial appartment on Calle Mayor in driving rain. We picked bedrooms, unpacked and found a little supermarket a few doors up the hill, where we stocked up on breakfast essentials and snacks. We were to navigate from our appartment using two directions - down the hill to the palace and cathedral, up the hill to everything else. Everything in Madrid is on a hill; bring crampons and ropes.
Shopping and female bonding done, we headed out for food. The rain was still driving and the wind had begun blowing but the storminess couldn't disguise the beauty and grandeur of the architecture and I looked forward to seeing more of Madrid in the light after a good sleep. At 9pm, the city was just starting to gear up for the night, and the restaurants were all quite empty. Being too tired and hungry to consult guidebooks for the best eateries, we just headed into the nearest place.
Being accustomed as we were to 'tapas' being tiny plates of food of which one ordered three or four, we all ordered a patatas bravas each plus two other dishes from a bemused waiter. At 8€ per dish it seemed expensive but hey, we were in Madrid, baby, so I awaited my 35€ potatoes, croquettes and grilled vegetables with glee. Rookie mistake #1 - the portions were meant to be shared and 3 or 4 plates would have done us ALL. As it was, we had a whole table laden with mounds of potatoes, croquettes, fried squid, vegetables, enough to feed 5000. This seemwd to be a quirk of this restaurant rather than a Madrid Thing. We ate what we could and asked for the rest to be packed up, where it lasted until the flight home. My friends squid stuffed with asparagus looked excellent but we were all rather tired and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of potato. We tipped our amused waiter and made our way home, chatting for a bit before bed.
I had managed to secure us a 6-bedroom appartmemt and settled down in my huge double bed for a good night's sleep. Rookie mistake #2: don't be daft. You don't get a city-centre appartment 10 minutes from everything in one of the great party cities of the world AND a good night's sleep! Just as i was winding down, Madrid was gearing up. I lay awake, listening to the tapas joint next door welcoming customers, cars on Calle Mayor, revellers in the street. Eventually at 2am, I used psychologically advanced survivalist techniques such as 'Don't fight the noise. Harness it, use it as a friend, a companion, a sleep aid'. It worked and I slept, waking early for our first real day as Madrillenios.
to be continued
Last edited by Lamorna; Apr 1st, 2018 at 01:52 AM.
Apr 1st, 2018 | 07:56 AM
#3
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Joined: Jul 2016
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Day 2 - slightly refreshed after a couple of hours quality sleep in a very comfortable bed and a lovely omelette breakfast, we ventured out to Palacio Real, the royal palace only 5 minutes from our fantastically central appartment.
The palace was superb, with the Royal Armoury being of particular note, especially the displays of 500 year old shields and helmets adorned with freizes of Samson and Odysseus as harbingers of strength. The palace is incredibly lavish and I wanted to take photos of everything but photography in most places inside the palace is prohibited, and the Spanish, although the friendliest people in Europe, are very shouty. I braved 5 illicit photos and was punished all 5 times by having 'no photo!!!' screamed at me from 30 foot away whilst everyone in the vicinity turned to stare - my own fault for flouting the rules.
The kitchen tour is worth doing, to see the 'downstairs' counterpoint to the lavish upstairs, but be aware you have to book on to a timed tour and you can't re-join the main palace afterwards, at the place where you left off - we were too foot-sore to start the whole thing from the beginning after seeing the kitchens so missed out on the crown jewels and some beautiful rooms. We did attempt to flout the rules again but the docents were on to us and more shouting ensued (patently, I'm a rebel in Madrid).
We were in the palace all morning and emerged into more rain at lunchtime (well, noon, the period I class as lunchtime, which the Spanish class as a lull between breakfast and lunch). Nothing was open for food so we hid from the rain in the nearest bar, which was an Irish bar staffed by a lovely young barman who brought us a heater and fed us crisps and nuts with our beers. He must have sensed (somehow) that we'd be lucrative customers.
When the need to eat overrode the need to stay dry and drink beer, we ventured out to find the rain had stopped. The guidebook directed us to a nearby Andalucian fish restaurant which looked incredible but there were no seats. We made our way instead to a small Mexican place and are lots (and lots) of melted cheese with nachos. While there, we booked a table as Las Tablas for the 10pm flamenco show.
We went on an afternoon wander through Madrid, and it struck me what a beautiful and imposing city it was but also how relaxed and friendly. We passed through the chilled afternoon drinkers of La Latina and the milling crowds at Puerta de la Sol. The buildings were ornate and beautiful and the streets clean, devoid of grafitti, litter or dog mess. At Sol, the the gathering clouds, late afternoon sun and Tio Pepe sign made for a great photo opportunity. Madrid was impressive, all the more so as to me it lacked the rush and bustle of London, the seriousness or Paris or the imperiousness of Rome. Here is a European capital that knows how great it is and doesn't need to shout about it.
We stopped off at Plaza Mayor for 10 minutes to watch a great outdoor stage being erected for a music event that evening. It seemed clear that Madrillenios enjoyed a good time and that they looked forward to food, drink and music in the evenings.
Some of the party stopped for a quick visit to Mercado San Miguel, and to admire the intricate glass and wrought iron of the market building and the enticing aromas a.d colourful displays of fish, cakes, pastries and tapas. Others went to Costa for a taste of the British high street, or to a bar for a taste of Margarita. After a quick disco nap at the appartmemt, we went off out to flamenco. Huzzah!
tbc
The palace was superb, with the Royal Armoury being of particular note, especially the displays of 500 year old shields and helmets adorned with freizes of Samson and Odysseus as harbingers of strength. The palace is incredibly lavish and I wanted to take photos of everything but photography in most places inside the palace is prohibited, and the Spanish, although the friendliest people in Europe, are very shouty. I braved 5 illicit photos and was punished all 5 times by having 'no photo!!!' screamed at me from 30 foot away whilst everyone in the vicinity turned to stare - my own fault for flouting the rules.
The kitchen tour is worth doing, to see the 'downstairs' counterpoint to the lavish upstairs, but be aware you have to book on to a timed tour and you can't re-join the main palace afterwards, at the place where you left off - we were too foot-sore to start the whole thing from the beginning after seeing the kitchens so missed out on the crown jewels and some beautiful rooms. We did attempt to flout the rules again but the docents were on to us and more shouting ensued (patently, I'm a rebel in Madrid).
We were in the palace all morning and emerged into more rain at lunchtime (well, noon, the period I class as lunchtime, which the Spanish class as a lull between breakfast and lunch). Nothing was open for food so we hid from the rain in the nearest bar, which was an Irish bar staffed by a lovely young barman who brought us a heater and fed us crisps and nuts with our beers. He must have sensed (somehow) that we'd be lucrative customers.
When the need to eat overrode the need to stay dry and drink beer, we ventured out to find the rain had stopped. The guidebook directed us to a nearby Andalucian fish restaurant which looked incredible but there were no seats. We made our way instead to a small Mexican place and are lots (and lots) of melted cheese with nachos. While there, we booked a table as Las Tablas for the 10pm flamenco show.
We went on an afternoon wander through Madrid, and it struck me what a beautiful and imposing city it was but also how relaxed and friendly. We passed through the chilled afternoon drinkers of La Latina and the milling crowds at Puerta de la Sol. The buildings were ornate and beautiful and the streets clean, devoid of grafitti, litter or dog mess. At Sol, the the gathering clouds, late afternoon sun and Tio Pepe sign made for a great photo opportunity. Madrid was impressive, all the more so as to me it lacked the rush and bustle of London, the seriousness or Paris or the imperiousness of Rome. Here is a European capital that knows how great it is and doesn't need to shout about it.
We stopped off at Plaza Mayor for 10 minutes to watch a great outdoor stage being erected for a music event that evening. It seemed clear that Madrillenios enjoyed a good time and that they looked forward to food, drink and music in the evenings.
Some of the party stopped for a quick visit to Mercado San Miguel, and to admire the intricate glass and wrought iron of the market building and the enticing aromas a.d colourful displays of fish, cakes, pastries and tapas. Others went to Costa for a taste of the British high street, or to a bar for a taste of Margarita. After a quick disco nap at the appartmemt, we went off out to flamenco. Huzzah!
tbc
Last edited by Lamorna; Apr 1st, 2018 at 08:07 AM.
Apr 1st, 2018 | 09:49 AM
#5
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 16,282
Likes: 0
“Madrid was impressive, all the more so as to me it lacked the rush and bustle of London, the seriousness or Paris or the imperiousness of Rome. Here is a European capital that knows how great it is and doesn't need to shout about it.”
I like your assessment of one of my favorite European cities.
In the last ten years a yearly visit has become a “must “.
I like your assessment of one of my favorite European cities.
In the last ten years a yearly visit has become a “must “.
Apr 1st, 2018 | 10:34 AM
#7
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 88
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We put our glad rags on and walked for 10 minutes 'behind' the palace, through the gardens, down a hill and across a busy road under an underpass to the recommended flamenco tablao, Las Tablas. We were greeted with a glass of sangria (or wine) and showed to a table at the back of the small venue. There were only about 15 other tables so the view was still decent but I think those that had booked earlier and eaten at the venue were given better tables. We paid 24€ for the show and a drink.
The show started and I was in love: with the fast-footed dancing but mostly with the plaintive guitar and sad, soulful singing and the encouraging way the performers clapped and nodded to each other as they performed, rewarding a good step or phrase with a respectful 'ole, huzzah'. Oh ok, happily married woman that I am, I also fell in lust with Raoul, the throaty flamenco singer. Everyone else in the room was Spanish and knew how to cheer flamenco appropriately, but you can't take the Liverpool out of the girl and I was all 'go 'ead Raoul, give it some welly, lad'
There were 2 women dancers, a singer, a guitar player and a male dancer who, to be quite honest, we first thought was just a bit fat and drunk. But he was neither and oh my word, could that man move. The intensity of flamenco took me by surprise and the seriousness. The singing sounds like a cry of pain, and the dancing and guitar had a very sensual, intense quality.
90 minutes later, we were sweaty and a bit giddy and the whole thing felt a bit bacchanalian as if we'd been entranced and hypnotized by the ancient rhythms. On the way back, we cooled down in the ever-present drizzle and enjoyed seeing the palace illuminated bone-white against the night sky.
more to follow
The show started and I was in love: with the fast-footed dancing but mostly with the plaintive guitar and sad, soulful singing and the encouraging way the performers clapped and nodded to each other as they performed, rewarding a good step or phrase with a respectful 'ole, huzzah'. Oh ok, happily married woman that I am, I also fell in lust with Raoul, the throaty flamenco singer. Everyone else in the room was Spanish and knew how to cheer flamenco appropriately, but you can't take the Liverpool out of the girl and I was all 'go 'ead Raoul, give it some welly, lad'
There were 2 women dancers, a singer, a guitar player and a male dancer who, to be quite honest, we first thought was just a bit fat and drunk. But he was neither and oh my word, could that man move. The intensity of flamenco took me by surprise and the seriousness. The singing sounds like a cry of pain, and the dancing and guitar had a very sensual, intense quality.
90 minutes later, we were sweaty and a bit giddy and the whole thing felt a bit bacchanalian as if we'd been entranced and hypnotized by the ancient rhythms. On the way back, we cooled down in the ever-present drizzle and enjoyed seeing the palace illuminated bone-white against the night sky.
more to follow
Last edited by Lamorna; Apr 1st, 2018 at 10:44 AM.
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Apr 2nd, 2018 | 12:02 PM
#10
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 6,476
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We are presently in Madrid. A SIL has moved here from the States and now lives in Las Letras. Like us, she has visited Spain and Madrid many times since the early 1970's. The main difference this trip are the profusion of Spanish flags hung as a silent protest againt the Catalan separtists movement. This rivalry has been going on for years and takes many forms. An American friend describes the difference of the two as Madrid is a Spanish city and Barcelona is an international city. I always thought of Madrid as a company town (the government) with world class museums, and an excellent base to visit the many worthwhile towns nearby. The biggest surprise from our last visit 18 months ago and it continues in full force is how the madrilenos dress casually. They did not even dress for Easter and the older people no longer wear better clothes for the Paseo. This time we are going to neighborhoods way off the tourist agenda, so we might have a different view by the time we leave.
We are all native NY'ers, and I think madrilenos feel the same about the observations of others. Unless it is exceedingly bizarre, they could care less. Unless you are Catalan.
We are all native NY'ers, and I think madrilenos feel the same about the observations of others. Unless it is exceedingly bizarre, they could care less. Unless you are Catalan.
Apr 4th, 2018 | 06:22 PM
#12
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 6,476
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Here are a few tapas places
near Puerto del Sol
Taberna del Chat
Some traditional and some wonderful variations. Try the crispy chicken and the cartridge pate. On Calle de la Cruz
In Chueca
Bocaito
Celso y Manolo both on Calle Libertad
near Puerto del Sol
Taberna del Chat
Some traditional and some wonderful variations. Try the crispy chicken and the cartridge pate. On Calle de la Cruz
In Chueca
Bocaito
Celso y Manolo both on Calle Libertad
Apr 15th, 2018 | 12:25 AM
#14
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 0
Tapas for first-timers in Madrid
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AK...D8&usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AK...D8&usp=sharing
