Fall Colors

Retiro Park reminded me of the Luxembourg Gardens in the Autumn. Except more user friendly. People were welcome to walk or sit on the grass and everyone seemed relaxed and enjoying themselves in the warm weather. I took my time strolling around the park, soaking in the beauty of the trees with their leaves turning vibrant colors, the rowboats on the pond, the musicians, the kids running and playing and the relative peace of the park compared to the busyness of the streets. I had a book with me and I relaxed on the grass near the Crystal Palace while a talented violinist played nearby. After a little bit of wandering, I finally found the Cultural Center Reina Sofia which houses a large collection of modern art. I think I might be walking as much in Spain after the Camino as I did while on it! Just not up and down as many rocky hills in hiking boots.

If I thought the crowds of people on the streets couldn't get busier or crazier than last night, I was wrong. It's Halloween on a warm Saturday. The craziness is just beginning. Lots of young people are dressed up but not in recognizable costumes like at home. They mostly have part of an outfit or a mask or face paint to look scary. Between making my way through crowds of them and several huge groups of student protesters I was ready to try to find a relatively quiet spot for dinner. There is a nice restaurant with outside seating across the street from my hotel. I scored a table and enjoyed a good homemade squid ink fettuccine with shrimp for dinner. I won't be venturing out tonight again.

Royal Palace

I read that the Royal Palace in Madrid was on par with Versailles. After visiting it, I would have to agree. There is a large cobblestone square in front of the main entrance which you enter into after purchasing your ticket. There and the grand staircase are the only places you are allowed to photograph, unfortunately, because I really wanted to snap shots in some of the stunning rooms. 

The grand staircase was fabulous with a lovely painted ceiling. I wanted to lie down there and in a few of the other rooms so that I could see them better. I'm pretty sure I would have been escorted out had I done so, but it would have been a tribute to the wonderful artistry exhibited. The rooms were all lavishly decorated in similar styles to that of Versailles. Each room had its own theme and fitting over-the-top decor complete with fantastic chandeliers. One of my favorites was the grand dining room that had an enormous table set for about 100. 

There were separate gardens in front and more nearby, so I'm not sure what was originally part of the palace, unlike at Versailles where they seem to go on for miles all as part of the palace. I strolled through the gardens while enjoying the live music of accordion players, guitarists, singers and drummers. I passed by a bride doing a photo shoot on my way to Plaza de Espana. I ventured down into the metro to traverse over to Retiro Park next. 

Full Circle

Madrid is a pretty expensive city, so I followed Rick Steve's suggestion of a cheap place to stay. I'm back in the same building but a different hotel on a higher floor than I was my first night in Spain when we arrived on September 1st. That seems like ages ago! I've been in Spain for about 2 months now. I'm going to be here in Madrid for 6 nights then fly back to the Bay Area. It will be so wonderful to see all my family and friends!

My hotel is located on the Plaza Del Carmen not far from the bustling Puerta del Sol. When I went out to walk around this afternoon I couldn't believe how busy it was. Tons of people everywhere. I needed some lunch and I spotted a gal eating a fresh spinach salad and knew that I wanted one of those. As I was eating my lovely dark green spinach with goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts and raisins, I read a text from a friend who said one of the things she liked in Madrid was the Chocolate con churros at San Gines. And guess what was across the street from me? Yep, Chocolatier San Gines. I might be tempted later in the week by them, but I have already indulged in them in Spain. They bring you a hot chocolate that is almost as thick as hot fudge and then serve it up with some churros directly from the fryer. The proper way to eat them is too dunk the warm churro into the hot chocolate. A treat that is definitely worth a try but not too often...

After my tasty salad I walked to the nearby Plaza de Mayor. This is an enormous square enclosed by lovely brick buildings with a statue of a man on horseback in the center. All around the sides of the plaza are cafes with outside tables. Lots of people are trying to make a buck hawking trinkets or dressing up in crazy costumes and charging people to pose with them. There was a middle aged out of shape man dressed in a regrettable Spider-Man costume among other things. 

I decided to go to the Prado Museum which houses Fine Art. Along the way I stopped in at a bath shop and bought some grapefruit scented bath salts so that I can take advantage of the nice bath tub in my room. Seemed like a good way to treat myself!

The Prado Museum was great, but no photographing allowed so I have nothing to show you from there. I left a little before they closed at 8pm. If I thought there were a lot of people out earlier, now it was insane! It only got worse as I approached Puerta del Sol. The streets as well as the sidewalks were packed. I don't think there was anyone still in their apartments. It was like being in a packed parade route or Disneyland on its busiest day. I felt a little bit panicked from the crush of the crowd. I guess it is a beautiful Friday night in Madrid and people go out at night. I saw a Thai take out place and ordered some Pad Thai to go. I made it back to my hotel and enjoyed the Thai food in the peace and quiet of my room. I'm hoping the whole weekend won't be that busy and crowded with people. I will have to figure out where the quieter places in Madrid are and hang out there. 

Flamenco!

My first real experience of the Flamenco was shocking. I had no idea how loud and passionate it would be. About 20 of us from the city tour met up again with our tour guide. He walked us over to a little hotel where we climbed 5 flights of stairs to the rooftop terrace where we had a fantastic view of the huge cathedral beautifully lit up by golden hued  lights. We were given a glass of wine and then he did a half hour talk about the Flamenco which was really helpful since most of us knew next to nothing about it. There are about 40 styles of Flamenco and quite an interesting history behind it.  Afterwards we walked over to the Casa de la Guitarra which held at the most 50 people, the small venue key to a real experience so that you can see every expression on the performers' faces.

The "Spectacular " began with a guitar soloist by a very handsome guitar player. The next piece added a singer who didn't sing with the piece but simply added his own percussion by clapping his hands (very loudly) and tapping his feet. It was amazing how much was added to the music without adding any other instruments. 

Then Jennifer appeared. A vision in red, black and white. The guitar began, then the singer seemed to almost shout at Jennifer which made her scowl hideously and begin dancing. It was shocking and almost scary with the volume from her tap shoes, the singer and the guitarist.  Talk about passion! It felt like I was watching a very personal argument/discussion in a family that just lets it all out at full volume, both with voice and body. The performance certainly captured the intensity of the Gypsy/Spanish people with whom it originated. I kept thinking about how our guide said that they kept the Flamenco hidden for around 300 years because it wasn't legal to be a gypsy, so they kept their art to themselves. How was it possible to keep something that loud and passionate a secret??

The tapping (loud fast stomping) was a wonder to behold. Her feet moved so fast and furious that the section of the floor that she primarily stood on had no paint left on it. Her facial expressions as she danced and stomped and whirled around was so animated that I almost got the giggles. Talk about a performance!

All in all it was a fun experience. It was also nice to see all of the buildings lit up at night and the restaurants and streets filled with people.