My Sizzlin' Siesta

After spending four months in a country that considers 18 degrees summer, it was beautiful to get to Madrid and be bathed in warmth. Literally. I almost forgot what that kind of heat is like (It's awesome, just for the record). Madrid is gorgeous. The best word to describe it is opulent. Everything was bigger and more impressive: architecture, squares, parks and museums.

My hostel was beautifully located off Gran Via, Madrid’s version of Broadway and appropriately lined with various theaters and shows. One I was a little more shocked to see than others.

I was also a ten minute walk from the three big areas. Puerto del Sol is the heart of Madrid and really busy. It’s located at the center of a few shopping streets packed with stores—Spanish stores are pretty awesome, Sfera being only one example—and merchants selling boot-legged movies. (Note: El Corte Inglés is awesome. A Spanish department store, it has everything you could need, from shampoo to fruit to Gucci if you're so inclined). Then there is the square. It’s mostly known for Kilometer Zero, the beginning of the national highway. There’s a plaque to commemorate it. There’s also a statue of a bear, climbing the madroño tree, which is the symbol of Madrid.

The shopping promenade

Puerto del Sol

Plaza Mayor was really fun. It’s a giant square, complete with arched gates at the entrance. The day I was there they were setting up for a Run for the Cure (what is it about me that I seem to attract them?—same thing happened in Cologne). My favourite part of the square was the paintings. One side of the buildings has paintings of various scenes. From what I could make out, they were bullfighting scenes.

Plaza Mayor

But what was really interesting was the Palacio Real, or Royal Palace. Directly in front of it there are gardens with statues of various Spanish monarchs, which made me think that these were the gardens. Then I found the actual gardens beside it were even bigger! Although I went when I first arrived, I came back on my last day to get a tour of the palace (for free because I’m a European citizen, thank you Portugal). The castle is still actually used by the Spanish royal family. The rooms we saw were all opulently decorated and it really reminded you that Spain used to be a big deal in the world at one point. There were rooms from Spanish monarchs and 200-year-old Stradivarius violins. A personal highlight was when I stood in the room where Spain signed the document that brought them into the European Union.

Royal Gardens

It was a great tour but it put me in a foul mood that they didn’t allow pictures. Being crafty as I am, I sneaked one in. Too bad I didn’t realize my flash was on and the security guard immediately admonished people for taking pictures. Luckily, I have great reflexes and so he thought it was the girls in front of me. Here are the highlights.

The Royal Palace

The illegal photo

Inside the Royal Palace