Madrid

Hola y bienvenidos a mi blog de Madrid!!

This weekend, I was back in Spanish mode as I traveled to Spain with a group of fellow Sussex students!  Madrid was the real deal -- and I do mean "real," as in the Spanish word for "royal" here, because I learned all about the Spanish Crown on this trip!  I also learned about the architecture of Madrid, the Spanish School of Art, and the oldest restaurant in the world (according to the Guinness Book of World Records, at least)!

We arrived late Friday evening and started exploring immediately.  Our first stop was Plaza Mayor in the middle of the city!

Plaza Mayor during the day and at night.  This modern art sculpture by American artist Janet Echelman represents the 2011 Tsunami that struck Japan.  The piece is on tour and was only in Madrid for 10 days -- really cool that we got to see it!

This Plaza dates back to Philip III's reign in the early Seventeenth century.  What's that?  

Seventeenth century you say?  ...but wasn't the Spanish Inquisition around back then??  "muted drum roll*  Yes!  They were!  And as it happens, they used to carry out executions in the center of Plaza Mayor using "garrote."  I won't go into details, but, yeah, pretty gruesome stuff.  

On Saturday morning, I took a walking tour that served as an ecellent introduction to all of the major sites downtown.  I wasn't really sure what to expect, but this tour was AWESOME!!  Our guide, a former history major, was a Spanish native named Dani.  Dani took our tour group on a three hour romp around the city that was one part sight-seeing advice, one part history lesson, and one part personal narrative.  I really enjoyed Dani's use of visual aids -- fold-out maps and historical timelines -- which he used to explain the different areas of the city.

Picture of me with our tour guide, Dani, in front of the Spanish Congress building

Perhaps the most interesting part of the walking tour was when we arrived at the Catedral de la Almudena -- the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Madrid.  As we approached the Cathedral, the bells started ringing, and continued to sound for some 10-15 minutes.  Our guide informed us that a service was taking place inside the church to name three new Catholic bishops -- how cool is that?!

Catedral de la Almudena

I spent Saturday afternoon at Museo Prado -- one of the largest and most celebrated collections of art in the world.  Founded in 1819 and specializing in early modern artwork, the Prado features the work of Spanish artists El Greco, Goya, and Velazquez.  I particularly enjoyed El Greco's work, as it is very bright, and he portrays human faces in a unique way.  I also enjoyed viewing the museum's collection of work by Rubens and Claudio de Loreno.  I bought a giant history book about the museum and the works that it houses, so I'm hoping to learn even more as I read through it!

Museo Prado 

I woke up on Sunday and thought, "why not go to church?"  So I went to two of them!  First, I stopped by the Basilica de San Franciso el Grande -- a very ornate neo-classical church that featured paintings by Goya.  Next, I went back to the Catedral de la Almudena (where the bells had been ringing during the walking tour).  It was interesting to see the contrast between the two churches.  Catedral de la Almudena is very new, having only recently been consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1994, and much less ornate, but equally as fascinating in its minimalist style.

My next stop on Sunday was the Royal Palace of Madrid -- an extravagant Royal Residence that was built in the mid-eighteenth century and is still used for State Ceremonies by the Spanish Royal family today.  I wasn't able to take pictures on the inside, but most of the rooms were decorated from floor to ceiling with tapestries and frescoes (many of which by the famous Spanish School of Artists).  Visiting the Royal Palace definitely inspired me to read more about the Spanish Crown and its relationship to the Spanish people.  I've read so much about the British Monarchy (not to mention that I've watched so much about it *cough* *The Crown*), and now I'd like to start learning about the other royal dynasties in Europe!

Royal Palace of Madrid

Following my visit to the Royal Palace, I met up with my friends from the University of Sussex to explore two different public markets.  The first market that we explored -- the "El Rastro" flea market -- was enormous.  It spanned some 10 city blocks and was by far the largest public market I've ever experienced (including the leather market in Florence and the large textile markets in Peru!)  Vendors at El Rastro were selling everything from scarves and leather to hardware and handicrafts.  I enjoyed walking up and down the market and just watching all of the interactions between sellers and buyers.

The lively "El Rastro" Market

The Sussex University crew!  Justin, Allison, Rachael, and myself.

The next market that we explored was called "San Miguel" -- a rather upscale indoor affair that featured wine and cheese vendors.  The Sangria here was delicious!

Outside of Mercado de San Miguel

We spent the afternoon walking around Parque del Retiro -- a spectacular public pleasure garden -- before watching the sunset from the top of Cybele Palace (the seat of the Madrid city council).

Buen Retiro Park

Sunset from the top of Cybele Palace

Our final stop was at a restaurant called Botin, which is apparently the oldest restaurant in the world!  I'm actually a little unsure about the history behind the restaurant (need to do more research), but the menu said it was founded in 1725!  Dinner was excellent, and I think my favorite part about the experience was dessert -- a slice of creamy layer cake!

Madrid was absolutely incredible.  Though it was short and sweet, this weekend visit not only allowed me to fulfill a life long dream (of visiting Spain), but it also allowed me to practice my Spanish.  In fact, this trip inspired me to continue working on my Spanish language skills and learning about the culture in Spain and its legacy in the New World.  But for now, I better get back to my homework -- lots of reading to do!

I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to not only come here to the United Kingdom, but also to explore other countries in the European Union while I'm here.  I'll never forget my experience in Madrid, and it's left me hungry for more.

Buenas!

-BD