ungkler: ¡Viva Madrid!

Madrid
Autumn 2011

In the grounds of the Royal Palace at Madrid
(Oct-2011)

Journal Entry... It was in Madrid where I felt that I am in Spain. Atmosphere in the capital was distinctly Spain as I had pictured it to be. It may be centuries old, but the mood in the city is vibrant and energetic as ever.

31-oct: Arrived Madrid...

Flamenco show poster
at El Rastro

via #Renfe high speed rail, from Barcelona. Check-in: #FuencarralApartment. Street down to the apartment was abuzz for Holloween, like those Sephora ladies in a Holloween get up at the cosmetics counter who did not escape a photo-op with me. Streets of Madrid do come alive at sundown, when happy hours start for the usual fare of Spanish-style tapas and sangria combo. Locals fill the streets, after a business day or siesta break. Walking the streets of Madrid became a daily routine our entire stay in Madrid... and it was truly enjoyable.

Striking colors of the Casa de la Panaderia in Plaza Mayor

"Jamon Iberico"
at Museo del Jamon

Hubby had his foodie moment at #MuseodelJamon for Madrid's version of the Spanish delicacy of jamon iberico de bellota, while mine was at #ChocolateriaSanGines for Madrid's version of the Spanish treat of churros con chocolate. Eating it in the country of its origin was possibly the secret ingredient to their delectable goodness. Trivia: Jamon iberico de bellota comes from pigs which are left to freely roam the forests between Spain and Portugal, to feed on wild acorns. Fatty part of the pig is then cured, and aged for three years. So, just imagine those thinly-sliced jamon gracing the tongue and melting away, like butter, in the mouth... o-la-lah!

"Churros"
at Chocolateria San Gines

Hubby went ahead to buy a sampling of 100-grams of ham for takeaway, and had managed to inject his broken-Spanish ordering it and getting the fun out of putting what he had learned in college to good use at the same time. Meanwhile, in #ChocolateriaSanGines, a flour-based dough was being piped out of the churrera tool to deep-fry in oil, until they get golden brown in color. Pairing it with the rich dark chocolate sauce-slash-drink served in a cup, is when those churros become seriously addicting to the bite. Want more of the churros? Try the larger version of the churros, called "porras".

Military parade happening outside the Palacio Real on a visit

Military parade
at Palacio Real

Madrid is home to the Spanish royals. Quite timely, when hubby and I returned to enter Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace) that morning (Nov 2), there was a military parade for visiting dignitaries at the Palace; the military parade was elaborate and took all mid-morning. Because photography was prohibited inside the Palace, my photos were on the military parade, including those Spanish-mestizo troops*wink;) Did you know? Citizens of Spanish colonies were free to enter the Palace, except for the Philippines (which had been a colony of Spain for at least 300 years.) Hubby asked why, but the Spanish lady at the counter did not have an answer to it, so we paid the entrance fee to the Palace, sigh.

Steps to Royal Palace

Out in the streets of Madrid were a fair share of statues. I was interested in two statues... Off to Plaza de España past the royal palace stood the bronze statues of Miguel de Cervantes' crazy duo, Don Quixote and his sidekick, Sancho Panza. I would have wanted to see the real windmills that Don Quixote, in the novel, mistook for giants and fought with. But we had been discouraged to go Consuegra, where the windmills are, which rarely had access to public transport.

Don Quixote and Sancho Panza off to an adventure, in Plaza de España

"Big Bear"
at Puerta del Sol

Off to the central square of Puerta del Sol past the many shops along Gran Via stood the bear statue, El Oso y El Madroño ("The Bear and the Hackberry Tree"). Bears allegedly had once roamed in Puerta del Sol and there fed on red berry fruit. The Big Bear statue is back on its original spot, which is in front of the building with a Tio Pepe sign. At the time of our visit, Tio Pepe sign was missing from the building which was being renovated at the time.

"Kilometer Zero"
at Puerto del Sol

There, I located the Kilometre Zero marker - starting point for six national roads in Madrid; I had hard time looking for it at first and kept searching the square back and forth, until I crossed the street from the square was when I finally saw the marker on the sidewalk in front of a post office. Last but not the least, Madrid is home to one of the world's greatest art galleries - the Prado Museum meant to rival the Musee du Louvre in Paris (France).

Complimentary entrance
to Prado Museum

Hubby did not believe me when I told him there was no entrance fee to the museum between 6PM-8PM. Given a limited time of two hours, I headed straight to the must-see romantic depiction of nudity in Goya's painting of "The Naked Maja".
Most definitely, Madrid had stayed true to form in keeping with centuries-old traditions. Still best to experience it first hand, as I did. The first day I arrived in Madrid, I was instantly at home with the city. Viva! Madrid!