We arrived in Madrid in the mid-afternoon and received a grand welcome as we entered the Puerta de Alcala, the famous gate built in 1778 and was the first arch built in honour of the triumph of Europe.
Madrid is Spain’s capital city, the seat of government, the residence of the Spanish monarchs, and the centre of politics, economy, and culture. Yet, despite the modern infrastructures, it has preserved the look and feel of its historic neighborhoods.
Like school children on a class field trip, we drove around Madrid's beautiful districts, a sort of an overview, before we proceeded to our hotel, which was located right outside the city centre. We were glad to be sitting comfortably in an air-conditioned bus as we coasted along the city's popular neighbourhoods. In the sweltering heat, I had no desire to take a walking tour at that time of the day. This was a good way to introduce the city to us, and in a span of almost two hours, we got a glimpse of what makes Madrid amazing:
Sol-Gran Via, the main tourist hub
Latin Quarter, known for the El Rastro flea market
Barrio de Salamanca, with its luxury stores on the Golden Mile
Castellana, the city’s financial district
Asturias, the oldest part of Madrid
Barrio de las Letras, which is literally the literature district
Casa de Campo, the largest urban park in Spain
Chamberi, known for its aristocratic architecture
Chueca, the fashionable district where one finds the latest trends in food and culture
Conde de Duque, the military district
Lavapies, known for its melting pot of cultures and traditions
Madrid Rio, along the banks of the Manzanares River where people go to for sports and leisure
Malasana-Triball, the bohemian and hipster district
Paseo del Arte, where the three important museums are situated
Prinsesa, which features an authentic Egyptian temple
Salesas, where indie meets modern
Aeropuerta-Feria de Madrid, the airport and tradeshow locale
There was so much to see. The streets are dotted with cultural landmarks, such as the Royal Palace of Madrid, The Royal Theatre with its restored Opera House, the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofia Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, the Cibeles Palace and Fountain, among others. But I was pleasantly surprised to see that it has huge parks and gardens in the downtown core such as the Buen Retiro Park and the Sabatini Gardens. Madrid also boasts of monuments, plazas, and sports stadiums, such as the Santiago Bernabeau Stadium, home of their football teams and the Las Ventas Bullring, where the famous bullfights are held. I also saw a lot of promising-looking restaurants and cafes.
Despite being cooped inside a bus, I could feel Madrid's welcoming vibe and I already felt right at home.
At the hotel, our Tour Director told us that we would be enjoying an evening of tapas and all-you-can-drink sangria at one of the popular restaurants in Plaza Mayor, Madrid’s central plaza. We had a little more than an hour to check in, settle in our rooms, and get a bit of rest.
The social night turned out wonderfully. We went to Gran Café de Madrid on Calle Mayor, which was a stone’s throw away from the plaza. The restaurant had the look and feel of an Irish pub with a wooden bar and bar stools, and wooden tables and chairs. The interior also featured an exposed brick wall and the decoration consisted of period photographs, antique pieces, red tiles, and low-hung ceiling lamps. But since it had cooled down, we elected to sit at the patio and watched musicians and tourists milling about the plaza as we munched on some appetizers.
Our Tour Director pre-ordered for us, so as soon as we sat down at our long table, a seemingly endless array of tapas arrived one by one – salads, hams, chorizos, cheese, seafood, potato omelets, toasted bread with toppings, paella, grilled meats. And as promised, the sangria was overflowing. The more we ate and drank, the happier and louder we became.
At this point of the tour, we had pretty much bonded with each other and were comfortable enough to tease people and do some matchmaking amongst the single and the widowed. How much of the jesting was remembered by the not-so-sober ones, only heaven would know. But I do recall that since the elderly gentleman widower was sitting beside my travel amigas and I, the American teacher was nudging him towards the American librarian, whom we knew to be single and looking. Both of them rode along with the joke and pretended they were going on a date and calling each other, "honey," much to everyone's entertainment. At the opposite end of the table, Ms. Lady Ringleader, who seemed to be taking full advantage of the all-you-can-drink sangria, was bantering with our driver, as her minions cajoled and cheered loudly.
We were not the only noisy group. In fact, the restaurant patios around Plaza Mayor abounded with boisterous diners and revelers. Everyone seemed to be celebrating something, or maybe just having a carefree summer evening in the middle of a vibrant square.
During dessert time, a band of street musicians approached our little party and performed for us. Armed with a double bass (yes, one of the guys was dragging around this huge instrument), a saxophone, a couple of accordions, and a triangle, they played a fusion of jazz and mariachi music (at least, that was what it sounded like to me). As we sang, clapped, and danced along, a couple of police officers drove by in their police car. We thought we were in trouble for having too much fun. But it turned out our exclusive band did not have the proper permit to perform at the plaza, so they had to pack up and leave. Too bad for them, and too bad for us, too. Party's over!
After dinner, we crossed the street to check out the Mercado de San Miguel, Madrid’s famous gourmet indoor market with over 30 different vendors selling Spanish culinary delights – tapas of every kind, fresh olives and olive oil, exotic seafood, local produce, baked goods, wine, beer, and others. We took a quick tour and made a mental note to go back. Coming from our tapas and sangria party, there was no more room in our tummies to accommodate all the delicious goodness that the market had to offer. A culinary adventure there would have to wait for another day.
Photo Credits:
spain.info, esmadrid.com, viendomadrid.com
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