Remember the Belgian churro I had at the Christmas market in Bruges? It was more like a sweet snack. In Spain, however, the churro is a bland pastry to be dunked in your breakfast hot chocolate, like what he’s doing here…you might say it’s a Spanish dunkin’ donut.
On my first full morning in Madrid I have to go find a train ticket for the next day’s side trip. The weather has soured from sunny/cold to bone-chilling rain. So much for my decision to go to Madrid for its milder winter! Anyway, on the way to the Atocha train station, which btw seems to have a rain forest growing in the middle of its courtyard,
I spy tons of locals darting into their neighborhood cafes for a quick bite and drink–and by quick I mean they are all standing around the bar area for a hit of that expresso, white wine (why not!), or zumo (orange juice) and a small piece of toast or pastry before blowing out of there to go to work. I decide on a large pastelería with a busy bar in the back. I elbow my way to a small spot at the bar and am tempted by the goodies…
but when in Spain…
The fresh-squeezed OJ is quite wonderful actually. BTW that’s my favorite Chanel 05A cardigan over a Tory Burch shirt. I always wish for the four seasons in LA so I could wear winter clothes but the truth is, when it’s below freezing outside I can sortof understand why so many snuggies have been sold. OK I don’t, but I could use one right now. It’s hard to look cute in sleet. But where were we? Oh yes, the place is packed so I also rush out of there like those who hurried before me. It’s raining harder now and I really want to get to the train station, but I have to pop into this church for a looksie–plus it’s warm inside:
It’s now well past 11 am and there’s no train station in sight. But I do get to make another pit stop at the Panteón de Hombres Ilustres, a Neo-Byzantine style building
with some of the most amazing marble sculptures I’ve ever seen. They commemorate the lives and deaths of Spanish political powerhouses, most of whom were assassinated for their beliefs.
As I leave this beautiful pantheon it is snowing! Definitely a rarity for Madrid. It’s not quite cold enough for the snow to stick to the ground but the flakes are huge. Flurries give way to pouring rain by the time I reach the train station. My soaked map now looks like this but at least I have the train ticket I wanted:
From Atocha I wander toward the Reina Sofia Museum, which I plan on visiting later...but I definitely have to stop for a shot of the huge Lichtenstein in the courtyard:
I mean it is HUGE:
It’s probably 2pm by the time I reach this gate,
and I no longer care for the four seasons. Sunny LA sounds pretty good right about now, but this very moment is the best time to be in Spain. Because the mediodía (after 1 and till 4ish) means it’s time to eat! The mid-day meal is typically the biggest of the day for the Spanish, followed by a more haphazard, lighter dinner (tapas hopping, for instance). Everywhere you go you can find a solid 3-course meal for around 10 euros. Madrid is also full of wonderful, upscale restaurants should you wish to splurge on your taste buds. I just want to find a place to dry out right now and this restaurant is right across from the gate which I can’t identify for the moment. My waiter doesn’t speak English but he’s patient enough with my Spanish to sort out an all seafood meal for me, including seafood soup, gambas paella, and a local fish dish as my entree–he offers a tart as dessert but I only want the clementines to cleanse my palate:
I think I’ve eaten enough for five people but I’m going to need the calories for the day I’ve yet to finish on my feet. Tags: Atocha train station, Chanel, churro, Lichtenstein, Madrid, paella, Panteón de Hombres Ilustres, Reina Sofia Museum, Spain, Tory Burch, zumo
Behind the arch in yesterday’s last photo is the famous Plaza Mayor, a large public square in the shape of a rectangle, measuring 129m x 94m, in the middle of Madrid’s historic center:
Surrounding the square are three-story residences with some 237 balconies facing the square. There are 9 entrances into the square:
The first photo in today’s entry is of the facade of the Casa de la Panadería (bakery), which has survived all 3 of the Plaza’s fires and numerous reconstructions. It now serves as a municipal office. The Plaza itself has hosted everything from public executions to bullfights. But today, during my visit, all I see are kids being entertained by street vendors:
Through one of the Plaza Mayor’s gateways, I run into the trendy Mercardo de San Miguel,
which turns out to be the perfect place to warm my hands and tempt my senses:
Cozy, long bars make the perfect place for snacks and drinks with friends:
Speaking of bars…
…so I stumble, ahem, walk down Calle Mayor from the market,
soaking up beautiful Spanish real estate at every turn:
But the nicest digs of all are still to come–I’ll show you tomorrow.
Tags: Casa de la Panadería, Madrid, Mercardo de San Miguel, Plaza Mayor, Spain
It’s a new day and another continent! My original plan was to chase down Budapest and Vienna, but with my fat fingers syndrome (FFS) still raging since the New Year’s Eve dinner in Belgium, I detour to warmer climates in the hopes that the inflammation will subside if I can avoid the really cold parts of Europe. So Madrid it is.
Barajas International Airport is not sparkling new like the one in Barcelona, but it is just as efficient. In fact, as I will come to realize in the next few days, Spain’s public transportation is quite fabulous. Especially by train.
From the airport I hop a few metro stops then walk a couple of blocks to my hotel, a large business hotel located by the famed Retiro Park:
The sun is out, and it is definitely warmer than Belgium. I’m going to see if I can grab a bocadillo somewhere for a quick late lunch, and then let’s go check out Madrid!
