Madness in Madrid

I´m now in the capital city of Madrid. When I first travelled to Europe, Madrid was the Spanish city I least liked. I think this was due to three main reasons: First, the traffic was horrendous and the cars clogged the streets honking away. Second, I got pick-pocketed on the subway en route to the airport. Consequently, I needed to cash a traveller´s cheque at the Amex office and by the time I got enough pesetas to get to the airport, I missed my flight to Tel Aviv. Standing at the airport with my backpack as the plane taxied onto the runway was not a good feeling. Third, to top it off, a bird shitted on me that day.

It´s odd how when I re-visit a place slightly older, I tend to appreciate different things. It´s sort of like looking at a painting. I think that is one of the great things about traveling. You can travel at any age... your lens just changes, and you look for (and find) other things. A college kid wanting to party all night, a retiree visiting the places he had only read about or some thirty-six year old guy taking a break.

When I was younger, I wanted to see every site and do everything for the shortest and cheapest possible way. I would blow in and out of one city and onto the next one. Now it´s a bit more ¨poco a poco¨ (little by little). I don´t feel the need to have to see everything and realize, sometimes savoring a bite is just as important as eating the whole meal.

Take Madrid for instance, sure there´s the famous Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Museums and the ornate Palacio Real, which are all impressive but sitting on the city steps enjoying the warmth of a summer sun is good too. Or... watching the play of daily life as old friends sit at an outdoor cafe at Plaza Mayor and laugh at a joke, the homeless setting up their nightly card board tents, tourists looking at maps getting lost and unlost, or a couple walking hand in hand at Parque del Buen Retiro.

Whereas Barcelona is known for its´modernisme movement and art, Madrid is akin to a more classical approach and it´s splendors were built during the Spanish empire. Also, the tap water in Madrid is probably the best in all of Spain. I think coming to Madrid in August is different this time around as half the city´s citizens have left and gone on vacation, leaving many of the shops and resturants closed and the streets quieter. I like the Latina and Malasaña districts in Madrid where the lanes twist and turn and there are plenty of cafes, restaurants and funky shops. I was surprised the Spaniards really like British Pop and Retro Music which in style here. They were singing to the lyrics of Iggy Pop, The Smiths and old Cure and REM songs at the bar. I still prefer Barcelona over Madrid but my views of Madrid have soften and yes, no bird shit this time.