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Thank you Kimhe for a fabulous flamenco night in Madrid!

Thank you Kimhe for a fabulous flamenco night in Madrid!

Old Jun 11th, 2011, 02:36 PM
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Thank you Kimhe for a fabulous flamenco night in Madrid!

I just got back from an overnight in Madrid arranged because I had read here via a post by Kihme that Rocio Molina http://www.rociomolina.com/

would be performing June 10th during Suma Flamenca, the HUGE Madrid Flamenco festival that takes place every June.

http://www.madrid.org/sumaflamenca/2011/index.html

So, last month I went online, bought tickets, booked out hotel, got webfare Renfe tickets and anxiously waited for the day to come.

As the time approached, Kihme, in another post, suggested to someone not to miss the star appearance of Israel Galván at Casa Patas June 10th.

http://www.israelgalvan.com/

Well, gee, why not? That show started at midnight, giving us plenty of time to have a quick dinner and still get there on time after the Rocio show.

http://www.casapatas.com/

So, made an other reservation on internet for that.

Our AVE train was 75 minutes late due to some problem on the tracks. Take note if you are every thinking of making a plane connection. There were several people on our train who were ready to burst out the closed doors and climb over the high security cyclone fence to call a taxi for the meager last 10 kms where three trains were frustratedly detained while the track was repaired.

As soon as we got in, we took a taxi to the Palacio Real to see the Treasures of Poland where many private collection paintings and objects are being seen in Spain for the first time.

I had made our reservations online so we walked right in only a few minutes late for our timed entrance.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-of-poland.cfm

This was an exquisite exhibit.

We then took the metro to a pleasant Salamanca neighborhood restaurant I have posted many times here about, only because I USED to find their food correctly priced and VERY reliable and TASTY. In fact, I couldn't wait to have dessert there again as i haven't been in more than a year. However I now REMOVE this recommendation FOREVER.

They have a new person in the kitchen, have raised their prices, and make nothing resembling anything from before. My FAVORITE mango tartine is now HORRIBLE.. The salads were not even the same and I will NEVER waste my time there again. I was very sorry to have dragged my friend there when we certainly could have tried any of many places well recommended here.

El Séptimo has gone DOWNhill.

After lunch we went to our hotel and took a well deserved rest. An hour or so before the show started we went to the theater to get our tickets from the kiosk ( pre-ordered on internet) and I stood outside to try to sell an extra one I had bought for a Madrid friend who couldn't join us at the last minute.

About 20 minutes before showtime, I was lucky and a single person bought the ticket.

We thoroughly enjoyed this unique, personalized presentation. If you have the opportunity to see this woman dance, do so.

Funnily enough, the person I sold the ticket to never showed up in her seat. We assumed she was able to get a seat closer or something, but it remained a mystery, even so.

After the production we went by metro to the Casa Patas area to have something to eat. We finally decided to just eat in their lively restaurant, as the ambiance was very electrifying.

Suddenly I see the girl I sold my ticket to at a nearby table with three good looking guys. Ummm," they look familiar", I thought. I look at her again and make a questioning motion, and finally get up and approach her table and smiling say " hey,.. what happened?" .

She then tells me that see knows the singer, the dancer and guitarist ( from the Rocio show), introduces me to them, and says they saw her and gave her a ticket down in front.

It was nice to be able to congratulate these fellows after just having seen them.

This young woman then also reconfirmed that tonight at Casa Patas was an EXCELLENT choice, of which I gave total credit and thanks to an internet "friend".

The food was tasty and after dinner we were escorted to our reserved table in the dark tablao. Reserving days ahead of time seems to get you a very nice table either front or second row. This is my second time there and we have had these good seats both times.

We took a taxi home after a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Thank you Kihme for all the indirect suggestions. I took advantage of every one I could and am looking forward to your many future flamenco insights, so please keep them coming.

This morning after checking out we took the bus to Cibeles to try to see the new Centro Centro Madrid Cultural center at the Palacio de Cibeles. Unfortunately, a protest group dissolved all hopes of getting in there at any point so we went to a couple exhibits at the Mapfre Foundation and Caixa Forum.

We were able to leave our small luggage in the cloak room at each of these museums with no problem, as well as the Palacio Real the previous day.

After a late snack at Cervercería Cervantes ( Behind the Westin Palace Hotel) we were off again to Atocha and back to Valencia in a snap.

When we post suggestions here we never know who else is reading them and taking advantage! Thanks again, Kihme! You enticed me to have a great flamenco experience last night!

Madrid is always exciting! But last night was special.
lincasanova is offline  
Old Jun 11th, 2011, 07:05 PM
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Thank you Lin for your wholehearted Madrid flamenco report, such nights are never to be forgotten!

Your "ticket girl" obviously knew what she was talking about. You know that something is perfectly right when you meet upon a person you have never met before for the second time in one night two miles apart in a city like Madrid.

Israel Galván is the best of them all, I've seen him in Oslo, of all places, two times in the past two years.

By the way, Molina used to dance at Casa Patas when she moved to Madrid at age 15 to be even more dead serious about what she was doing. The girl then lived in a small flat where she could wake up at night just to explore some choreographic moves in front of her video-recorder.

For me, she is three thousand years of female Mediterranen dance/baile in one person. Living far north, I have only seen here six times since she blew my mind off in Antequera in "Por el decir de la gente" in 2007. I'm seeing her in "your" performance in Córdoba in a few weeks time, and two days later in "Danzaora" in the Nerja caves.

This might remind you of how she went from "niña a mujer" in twenty seconds (and some of your Casa Patas-buddies): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nr0jDYh0WQ

Here's a review from the first time I saw her, and Miguel Poveda rounded it all up. Nothing will ever be the same: http://www.deflamenco.com/especiales...ndex070908.jsp

Sorry to all you Fodorites for once being so personal...
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Old Jun 12th, 2011, 01:57 AM
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It sounds like Oslo has quite the flamenco scene if you have been able to see Galván already a couple times there!

Enjoy your Córdoba holiday! I hope we will see a post about that performance.

Thanks again!
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Old Jun 12th, 2011, 03:04 AM
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Oslo isn't bad for flamenco. During the past few years and - apart from Galván visiting and revisiting - we've had Sara Baras, Paco de Lucía, Estrella Morente, Miguel Poveda and Diego el Cígala in town, just to mention some.

At the 20th anniversary of our peña, we had Rosario Toledo, David Palomar and Dani de Morón to perform in the new Opera house. One of those nights!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TnE_UQ2qGY
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Old Jun 15th, 2011, 11:51 AM
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Terrific thread, many thanks! I am decided on taking family to Las Carboneras. Will I need to make reservations for 4 far in advance of our mid-week, late July visit to Madrid? Are 2-3 days enough? Can one walk in?
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Old Jun 15th, 2011, 05:32 PM
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I would recommend to make a reservation at Las Carboneras a couple of weeks in advance.

There are a few tablaos of this calibre in town, but it very much depends on who are performing whether you'll just have a perfectly fine experience or a night to never forget. Programs for the top tablaos are not yet set for late July, but if you come back to me, I would be more than happy to make suggestions on where to go. The fabulous dancer Manuel Liñán performed at Las Carboneras for a week in the beginning of June, but there are several other tablaos that also every now and then stages some of the finest flamenco artists in the world.
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Old Aug 1st, 2011, 01:03 PM
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Lin,

Just a quick report from this years flamenco expedition, one of my best. We did Madrid, Córdoba and Nerja in six days. No stress whatsoever, thanks to good planning and the fabulous AVE trains.

Saw Concha Jareño in Casa Patas on the first night. She's a great dancer, but she didn't live up to my expecatations after having seen her huge performances in the outdoor premiere of Flamenco Hoy by Carlos Saura in Madrid two years ago. However, seeing the video of "our session" everything seems just excellent, so maybe it was just me that wasn't up to it this night. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95ORMp_E2AY

The rest of the trip was first and foremost about Rocío Molina. I'm now more or less out of words when it comes to her. "Vinática" in Gran Teatro de Córdoba will never leave my mind, it was almost as strong as when we "discovered" her in Antequera four years ago. The final could have killed me, and the whole theater was close to extatic (vinatic) for several minutes after the performance. I know you saw it in Madrid, but here are two small fragments from the Córdoba night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfSclwEVzGk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqRyx31U2xA

The "other" Córdoba around Plaza las Tendillas, the Plaza Mayor-like Plaza de la Corredera, the Roman ruins etc can be highly recommended. All very close to the main tourist attractions, but a totally different and more local atmosphere. Bustling outdoor cafés long into the small hours.

Molina's performance down in the Nerja Caves two days later was also brilliant, but a totally different and more adventurous experience with a totally different audience. She definitely made new friends.
http://www.diarioaxarquia.com/notici...a-ida4382.html
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Old Aug 1st, 2011, 01:16 PM
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I am so glad to read your detailed post, as usual.

I also hope that your friends and family are all safe after the tragic attack your city suffered. I send all of you my very best wishes.

I have to admit, I was quite worried not seeing you post here for so long.
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Old Aug 1st, 2011, 01:46 PM
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Hi Lin!!
So sorry for the bad news about El Septimo;fortunately we didn't go in our recent stay in Madrid,and I will remove from my list of "to visit2 in future trips.Nice you enjoyed the shows.We also inmensely liked the exhibition of art from Poland.
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Old Aug 1st, 2011, 02:28 PM
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jelopez.. sooo glad you didn't go to Séptimo. I enjoyed finishing your report. I hope you come back to Spain soon.
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Old Aug 1st, 2011, 02:57 PM
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I will regret forever not having the mango Tartine!!!!!
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Old Aug 1st, 2011, 03:18 PM
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be glad you didn't have it this trip. you would have wondered what I was talking about. it was very ordinary.
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Old Aug 1st, 2011, 03:27 PM
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Lin,

Thanks for your concerns. Have been some strange days. Apart from the "normal mode" terrorist attack in the center of Oslo, the same guy massacre at the Labour party youth camp at the tiny Utøya island carries details that go beyond horror.

Nordahl Grieg's "Til ungdommen" (To the youth), written in August 1936 for the opening of the academic year of the then Royal Frederick University (University of Oslo from 1939) as a response to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, has become a sort of a national hymn during the past week. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiyW5-Jp6uI
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