first exploration...

My first day “alone” in Madrid and I was already on Spanish time. I left the hotel at noon and wandered across the Plaza Santa Ana to have breakfast at a bar. Since there were no churros left, I had a donut with my café con leche, unmistakably one of my favorite drinks in Spain. Having no particular plans and all afternoon free I decided to do some sightseeing and to follow the Itineario 1 in the guide book which would take me from the Puerta del Sol- the first business area and true “center “ of Madrid and Spain- to the Palacio Real- the official residence of the Spanish king. The luxury of having what seemed like so much free time to roam the city at my own rhythm (after the past couple of days apartment searching) was more than appreciated and reminded me of previous travels where each day began with deciding what new direction was to be taken to explore uncharted territory.

I explored the Calle de Alcala, the social and merchant capital of the nineteenth century, that is still home to many famous architectural masterpieces like the Real Casa de la Aduana, la Real Academia de San Fernando, and the Banco Espanol de Credito. Unfortunately, as I crossed the street a man was closing and locking the doors to the Iglesia de las Calatraves, built beginning in 1670 by monks from the military order of los Caballeros de Calatrava. The reddish-pink façade was a welcome change from the other cement-grey colored buildings that lined the streets and I knew immediately I must come back to see the interior.

After crossing the Puerta del Sol I wandered down some of the best shopping streets in Madrid, so I had been told. I headed down the Calle Arenal, named after the sandy surroundings of medieval Madrid, or Mayarit “madre de aguas”, as the city was called by Arabs centuries ago. The majority of the buildings are characteristic of XIXth and early XXth Centuries, about four stories tall with large windows. A small used book store near the oldest church in the city, the Iglesia de San Ginés, reminded me of the fact that I was still in Europe. I soon arrived at the Teatro de la Opera, unpleasantly surprised to see yet another famous square under construction and I could only hope that by the end of my stay everything would be finished…but at the same time knew the unrealistic possibility of this happening. A short break sitting on a bench in the shade of the illustrious Plaza de Oriente, with a view of the Palacio Real and a few of the many statues in the distance, provided a relaxing moment among the hustle and bustle of city life…

A 10€ menu complete with Gazpacho, Spanish ham, tostadas, croquetas, eggs, potatoes and café con leche…wandering through what at the moment were deserted streets, as after all it was around 4 o’clock…leaving my hotel that had become home and saying goodbye to the mother and daughter who had offered advice and also done my laundry…a variety of tapas- Spanish olives and chorizo among other things…staying at a friend’s apartment that felt like being with family…leaving to go out at midnight…the Plaza 2 de mayo full of life and energy at all hours of the night…overall an excellent introduction to the city that would be my home for the next five months…