joy-Travelogs: Spain,Part 1

Spain, Europe’s third largest country, is culturally, historically and geographically one of the most interesting countries in the world. Located over 85 percent of the Iberian Peninsula, it includes islands in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, the Canaries and the Balearics, and two regions in North Africa. The 8-mile Strait of Gibraltar separates it from Africa, making it easily accessible to the continent. As of 2014, Spain has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the greatest number of World Heritage Cities on the planet.

Cathedral Almudena near Royal Palace

We reached Madrid late evening and were soon on our way to Hostal Lido.The evening was cool and the driver chatty as he dropped us at our lodgings.He provided us with the map of the city and wished us well.Conversing with the lady at the Reception who knew no English proved to be one of the amusements even before our tour had begun.We got a clean twin bedroom with en suite bathroom and the use of the microwave in the common area.The night passed well albeit the noise made by the late late night revelers.Early morning was cold and the ready mix tea was welcome and so was the Uppumma later.We were in Echegaray,centrally located and at 8:30 when we departed the temp was a cold 10C. At this time of the day,on a Sunday,the city was just waking up and pedestrians were few.As we were taking pics a lady beckoned and when we approached,she advised us to keep the back pack slung upfront in order to avoid robbery. Mucho Gracias we said and she was gone. First stop was Puerto del Sol the centre of Madrid.There is a KM 0 stone slab to indicate that this is official point from where Spain's 6 national roads start.it is also home to the symbol of Spain,a statue of a 20 Ton bear feasting off a strawberry tree. It has a metro station and gets very busy as the day progresses. In the evenings there are many street shows and people hang out in many of the Cafes and restaurants in the vicinity. Walking further a wonderful aroma of a bakery was wafting in the cold air and induced us to look for it.They were serving Chocolate con Churros and we were up for it. Churros are fried dough pastry,bland to the taste but when dipped in hot chocolate it is Yummy!!No wonder the locals have it as a snack every now and then.Just 2 Euros each.After a brief chat with an Indian couple from London on a holiday we moved on.We located Plaza Mayor; Madrid's grand central square,one of the pretty open spaces,a winning combination of imposing architecture,history and a vibrant street life coursing across its cobblestones.It used to host bull fights often,in celebration of royal weddings or births with royalty watching from the balconies and 50,000 people crammed into the plaza until late 19th century.Far more notorious were the ritual condemnations of heretics during the Spanish inquisition followed by executions...burning at the Stake.These days,the plaza is an epicenter of Madrid life.The grandeur of the plaza is due in large part to the warm colours of the apartments, with wrought-iron balconies offset by the exquisite frescoes.

Chocolate con Churro

Being Sunday the market was on and we saw a number of specialist sellers of coins, stamps, magnets,key-chains and bottle crowns that had their stalls set out on high tables all around the perimeter of the square.One popular hobby in Spain (I think) is the collection of lottery tickets.The Spanish love a lottery and the colorful billetas are much sought after.At 9:30 we joined other tourists for a walking tour and the fast talking Joachim,an Argentinian import was affable and took us through the labyrinth of little streets leading off the Plaza.

It’s not every day that you can eat in Sobrino de Botin the oldest restaurant in the world (the Guinness Book of Records has recognised it as the oldest – established in 1725). The secret of its staying power is fine cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig; €25) and cordero asado (roast lamb; €25) cooked in wood-fired ovens.Among the famous,Goya was once a dish washer here before he realised his true potential.Hemingway and Fredrick Forsyth have frequented the restaurant and have referred to it in their Novels.
We are now in the La Latina quarter of the city.In and around this area are the origins of Madrid .It is the Islamic Citadel inside the city walls with narrow streets and large squares.The neighborhood is best known for its Tapas bars.There are also a number of attractive churches here.I found this church arch very pretty.On Sundays and major holidays the Rastro flea market is a great place for bargains.

The Origin of Tapas: If there is one aspect of Spanish cuisine that is best known around the world,it is Tapas.Slices of ham ,cheese ,tomato, pineapple,eggs etc skewered over a piece of bread.Today this tradition is replicated in bars and restaurants across the globe,be it traditional or avant-garde.

Wine served with a little bite to eat. There is certainly truth in the fact that small bites of food served with every glass of wine or beer absorbs alcohol.This appears to have been recognised by King Felipe III who over time noticed that the performance of his subjects was suffering as they were inebriated after consuming generous amount of alcohol. The king's problem became prominent in the winter months when more wine was consumed to warm up.The King declared that no Inn in Spain will serve wine unless accompanied by small plates of food such as bread and cured ham to help absorb the wine.Tapas was born.The above pic shows plates filled with skewered Tapas of various combinations as it has evolved since the days of yore and a customer has the option to choose.Oh Yes! a person can have a 100% veg tapas.Having dealt with the King's involvement

Joachim was now in the mood to share with us his knowledge of Spanish history dating back to 500 odd years.He chose 5 volunteers from the motely group and told the story in 20 minutes. It was very interesting.Afterwards,I suppose he felt thirsty as his bottle had run dry of water,and declared a break.Respite over,we walked across to Plaza Oriente;

In a city that never sleeps and and hustle and bustle is an integral part of life,this plaza is a haven of peace and tranquility.It is a leafy area with plants and trees beside broad walkways one of which is lined with 44 statues of Kings. There are many Cafes that line the area to relax and sip a glass of wine while absorbing the ambiance.Cafe de Oriente has a marvelous terrace to do this.

Our walking tour continued upto Teatro Royal.It is considered by many to be one of the finest stages for Opera and hosts talents such as Placido Domingo,the great Tenor and conductor.It also stages Ballets and Classical performances. Joachim brought us into Plaza de Isabel II adjacent to the Teatro and told us not to approach the Isabella II statue here for selfies and photos if we wished to have a nice day!Why?He read the following of the Queen who ruled from 1833-68.She is large in stature but rather bulky than stately and there is no dignity either in her face or figure and the graces of majesty are altogether wanting as the countenance is cold and expressionless with traces of an unchastened ,unrefined and impulsive character and the indifference it betrays is not redeemed by any regularity of beauty or feature.

Our tour ended on this note after 3 Hrs of walking and with our stomachs grumbling we headed back to Plaza Oriente,decided on a window seat at the terrace of Cafe Oriente to relax and watch the world go by as we sipped some excellent wine and munched our sandwiches.It was splendid.

We made our way back watching the tourists crowding Calle Arenal the street leading to Sol,with many restaurants waving menu cards seeking the attention of the hungry.The afternoon Sun was warm and called for an ice-cream which was enjoyed and then we saw a crowd gathered around a chess player.What is it exactly? a statue or elaborate make up.His eyes rolled.A street performer to catch the attention of tourists with his upturned Hat for a Euro every now and then.You might chance on one corner a motorcycle rider floating high,or on another,Edward Scissor hand and other characters from Disney.

It was a fun filled morning and we returned to our lodging at 3 PM for a much needed rest.After a refreshing cup of Chai we walked towards the famous Prado museum.The side walk was crowded with people making the best of their Sunday but the 20 min walk was effortless.The longish line for entry did deter us a bit but we kept our cool as we were to obtain free entry this evening.This museum is the crown jewel of Madrid's tourist spots:the Passeo del Arte(Art walk).Its walls are lined with masterpieces from the Spanish,Italian and Flemish

Las Meninas by Velazquez

schools; Las Meninas by Velazquez and Third of May 1808 by Goya.(depicting Massacre of Spanish troops by the French under Napoleon)This painting of Goya is acclaimed as one of the greats and a first among modern paintings.After an hour inside the crowded halls we were exhausted and could absorb no more.The weather was good at 6PM as we walked out seeing the statue of Goya and soon the facade of the Church of Bartholomew came into view, glistening in the late afternoon Sun,thus.We walked further and entered Park Retiro: Park of the pleasant retreat,is the first grand park of this city.It sprawls over 350 acres at the edge of the city centre and belonged to the monarchy till late 19th century when it became a public park.It's a magnificent park filled with beautiful sculpture,monuments,and a serene lake for boating.

After a relaxing half hour,during which the Sun set.swathing the sky in shades of crimson,bright yellow and grey we resumed our long walk to the hostal.

It was a long day,but the weather was lovely for walking and seeing Madrid's treasures.The sidewalks were wide and smooth and the folks were very helpful inspite of the language barrier.We entered Cafe La Rotterie,round the corner from our Hostal and helped ourselves to club sandwich and the classic spanish Gazpacho soup (Cold soup made with ripe fresh tomatoes,cucumber,bell pepper,celery and onions)The meal went well with the wine they served.Picked up a barra de pan equivelent to a french baguette to be had with Chai later.

Madrid ...Day 2

Another glorious day and the early morning walk in the cold weathertook us to Chocolateria San Gines,a famous Cafe estd. in 1894,specialising in Chocolate con Churro. We were lucky to be early to beat the crowd that was lining up as we finished.It's quite an experience just to be here since it maintains much of its original decor, marble topped bar and tables,wood paneling and the old wall clock. The walls are adorned with photos of celebrities that have dined here over the last century.
We decided to take a walk through Gran Via:This street is known as the Spanish "Broadway",full of activity with numerous hotels,shopping complexes and cinema halls and Restaurants lining the street.We continued to walk till the end till we reached Plaza Espanya:It is a plaza featuring a large fountain and a monument to Cervantes,regarded perhaps as the greatest writer in spanish literature and made famous by "Don Quixote".A sculpture of Cervantes overlooks the bronze statues of DQ and Sancho Panza in the square.

Crossing Plaza Espanya we walked to the other famous monument located in the vicinity,Temple Debod,an ancient Egyptian temple built circa 200 BC,that was donated by Egypt in 1968 and rebuilt in Madrid.It constitutes one of the few works of ancient Egyptian architecture that can be seen outside Egypt.It is located in yet another beautiful park near the Royal Palace.A long processional way leads to the stone-built enclosure wall,through three stone gateways and finally to the temple itself.Presently the inner sanctum is under renovation but that was of no consequence as we could take a stroll in the park,under bare trees,Spring is just around the corner,and obtain good views of the city from this elevation.

We walked down to the main road below and saw a stream of tourists making their way towards the Royal Palace,located about a KM away in front of Plaza Oriente,which I have covered elsewhere.We entered Jardines Sabatini, adjacent to the north facade of the palace and soon were at the Palace where we took a breather listening to street players belting out Lara's theme,Besame Moucho etc.The accordions added to the holiday spirit and we could see many tourists lining up for entry.The Royalty does not live here and the Palace is used only during State ceremonies.The architecture is mostly Baroque

Monument next to it in the same square is the Cathedral Almudena,see photo at the start of this blog, a very new cathedral by European standards.It was completed only in 1993 and consecrated by Pope John Paul II.We moved and turned left into Calle Mayor,the main street that would lead to Plaza Mayor and Sol which I have covered earlier.There is no end to Restaurants, cafes, chocolaterias and bakeries.Then there are a good many souvenir shops..We made our way to San Miguel Mercado or the San Miguel market,very near Plaza Mayor.

It is a,never-seen-before food market which offers a dazzling array of Spanish cuisine.A mind boggling number of stalls and carts offer the most famous recipes from Spain; Salads,Gazpachos,juices,pickles,the best olives and dressings.Not to mention bars dishing out beers, sangriyas, cocktails etc.The famous spanish tortilla and its thousand interpretations. Paellas,Tapas,Croquetas and of course Jamon,the exquisite and precious Iberian Ham.( I wished that I could stomach some of the delicacies ...but alas I was not adventurous!).Our heads were spinning as we got around the stalls to see such a display of food and the neat arrangement made for people to sit on bar stools and enjoy their picks.It was very clean inspite of all the food being consumed or taken away.Luckily we managed one vacant spot and ordered sangriyas, croquetas and some patata fritas to eat.It was amazing to say the least,and I could not but look at all that was happening around me...hunger lost out to excitement!Here we are:The picture was taken in the old fashioned way,a spanish neighbor offering to help when I started to contort my face in order to get inside a selfie.

We were pretty much exhausted with all that walking,but thankfully,San Miguel pepped us up to do a stroll back to our hotel and take a much needed R and R.

In the evening we walked the other way back to Retiro park via a road full of old books..all in Spanish of course and then to Sol the main centre to see a Mexican group doing a song and dance show in the plaza Our dinner completed we returned to our Lodge for rest as tomorrow was going to be an early start and our check-out from Madrid.We loved our stay. Asthalavista Madrid.We now proceed on our tour of Andalucia,south of Spain,traveling for 4 days,details of which I will narrate in my forthcoming blog.

Until Then Adios Amigos