"Nobody goes to bed in Madrid until they have killed the night"
Thursday, June 8th, 2017 - Saturday, June 10th, 2017
Casablanca, MA, Madrid, ES, New York, NY & Minneapolis, MN
"Nobody goes to bed in Madrid until they have killed the night." - Ernest Hemingway. Even though we didn't stay out until the wee hours of the morning (Turns out, spending a week traipsing around mosques, medinas, and ruins tires you out), we did still appreciate the vibrancy and energy of the city. Madrid is a city that is very much awake and alive. In some cities, you look around for a place to go after 9 pm. But here, things are just getting started.
Before this trip, I'd never been to Spain, and when I went, I wanted to go to Barcelona. (I'll see you yet, Gaudí buildings!) I really underestimated Barcelona. We had a fun time, briefly getting to know this city.
Vlog Day 7, June 8th
We got to spend our only full day in Madrid, celebrating Mom's birthday! We hit up the Prado Museum, saw a fountain dedicated to the devil, engaging in turtle watching... All in a day's work.
Vlog Day 8, June 9th
Mercado de San Miguel
Plaza de San Miguel
San Miguel, 28005
Madrid, Spain
The Mercado de San Miguel is a covered market, selling anything from fresh fruit to fresh meat. The market actually reminded me a little of some of the markets we visited in South Africa. Grady took full advantage of the yummy food and bought some strawberries and creme. Although we didn't stay very long, a lot of people were sitting around on tables and bar stools, eating and drinking in the shade.
Catedral de Sta Maria la Real de la Almudena
Cale Bailen 10
28013 Madrid
Spain
The Catedral was impressively huge. Although it had all the expected features (nave, transepts, etc.) the building was not your classic basilica shape on the exterior. The inside was way more modern than I expected but still beautiful and full of color. The paintings were new but didn't look out of place, as they seemed to draw from earlier styles. It was a good blend of old and new. Worth the 1€ donation to enter. (Also funny side note: There was a sign next to the entrance that said "no shorts, tank tops, or phones" in pictograms, right next to a sign advertising their free WiFi. Ahhh technology.)
Casa Alberto
Calle Huertas 18
28012 Madrid
Spain
Casa Alberto was recommended to us by a friend. It was a nice place to sit and relax. The food and drinks were good, and the bartenders were friendly. There seemed to be a lot of locals there too, which we always enjoy. Added bonus, they had free WiFi!
Prado National Museum
Calle Ruiz de Alarcon 23
28014 Madrid
Spain
We stopped here and spent some time perusing their impressive Goya and Reubens collections. I really like the curatorial choices in this museum, the size of their collection, and that as teachers and students, our family got in for free (with IDs.) What I didn't like about this museum is that you cannot take any photos or videos inside. Which bothered me on principle more than I care to admit. The only redemption to this rule is that their collection is all digitized on their website.
Also, check out this painting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Venus,_Adonis_y_Cupido_(Carracci).jpg
It's Venus, Adonis, and Cupid by Annibale Caracci. You know what the plaque said? That Cupid "accidentally grazed" Venus, causing her to fall in love with Adonis. Which, you know, does align with the myth as told in Ovid's Metamorphoses. Except, look at Caracci's painting.
Look at Cupid's smile. Look at that wound, centered right on her chest. He's even pointing at it. I think Cupid knew exactly what he was doing. That's not even a graze. That is a DELIBERATE STAB! You don't accidentally stab someone in the middle of their chest, Cupid.
Between C. Alfonso XII and Avenida de Menendez Pelayo
28010 Madrid
Spain
This park is HUGE and we didn't cover nearly all of it. We enjoyed turtle watching at the Palacio De Cristal and the Monumento del Angel Caido fountain. Also, they sell little Ben & Jerry's ice cream cups at all the ice cream stands. Sure, they were 3,50€ a piece. But it was worth it. Also, there was a weirdly high ratio of couples making out on the grass.
Monumento del Angel Caido
Parque del Retiro
Madrid, Spain
So this (allegedly) the only public monument to the Devil and urban legend says it's 666m above sea level. Hmmmm... Seems legit. I'm fairly certain it was built for the Paris World's Fair, purchase by the Prado, and then later donated to the city. It's a pretty fountain, and it was fun to hunt down in the middle of the massive park. Plus, it was walking distance from both the Prado and the city center.
Palacio De Cristal
Parque Del Retiro
Paseo Republica de Cuba, 4
28009 Madrid
Spain
This is where you have to go if you want to get is some good turtle watching. Or if you're into sunbathing, or bird watching, this is also a good place to visit. But the turtles were my favorite. The Palacio De Cristal is now used for art exhibits but was originally built as a greenhouse to showcase plants from the Philipines.
Madrid Marriott Auditorium Hotel & Conference Center
Avenida Aragon 400
28022 Madrid
Spain
We chose this hotel because it was close to the airport. Convenience. The rooms were beautiful and clean and the staff was nice. The executive lounge had food all day, which was awesome, even though they lacked hot food on the weekends and at breakfast. It was busy, but I always like that in a hotel. They had a free shuttle to the airport for our early flight too.
We've just landed in New York, and will soon be headed back home. (Hopefully!) It's been a crazy and amazing trip. Thanks for joining me.
Cristiana
P.S. Do you think Caracci's Cupid stabbing was an accident?
