Madrid

Statue of the Fallen Angel, at 666m above sea level
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Finally, after months of sticky Mediterranean heat, we had some respite in Madrid which is about 700 metres above sea level. The temperature was a very comfortable mid-twenties during the day and Imelda had the trusty cardigan out in the evenings as it got down to about 15 degrees. The sky was a beautiful deep blue and the air was noticeably clearer than on the southern Spanish coast. Also, the city itself was not the imposing, crowded metropolis that we expected. It had a relaxed, easy going feel that reminded us of New Zealand.

Viva paella!!!
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We spent a few hours checking out the Royal Palace which includes a huge paved parade ground, an armoury and a spectacular throne room. The palace is bigger than Buckingham Palace and still used for official receptions, though the Spanish royal family do not use it as a permanent residence.

a relaxed, easy going feel that reminded us of New Zealand

The city was in all out party mode when we arrived as the triple festivals of La Paloma, San Cayetano and San Lorenzo were in full swing. Temporary bars and food stalls are set up along the Centro district streets and they soon become jam-packed with sangria and beer swilling crowds. DJs provide plenty of noise and the party carries on well into the early hours. It reminded us of the Notting Hill Carnival in London.

The impressive facade of the Palacio Real
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That night we also saw a good example of why you have to be wary of thieves and pickpockets. A group of drunken tourists were having a great time dancing in the street next to the bar where we were having a sangria. Foolishly, they piled up their bags against the wall behind them. Another group of young boys and girls came up to watch. One of the boys came up to us, pointing and asking in Spanish about the bar we were at. Once we told him we only spoke English, he shrugged and disappeared into the crowd along with the rest of his group. That’s when we realised he had been distracting us while two of his friends stood between the dancers and their bags. Sure enough, one of the handbags was gone. The drunken dancers carried on oblivious. We finished our drinks and left before they realised they had been robbed, they might have had a go at us for not doing anything.

Street party in the central city. The bars and DJ desks are all moved out into the street
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There were some great parks and gardens in central Madrid. Parque del Retiro was once the private hunting grounds of the Spanish king and is now a huge network of paths and cycleways, lakes and gardens. It also features the only known statue dedicated to the Devil, oddly enough it’s positioned at exactly 666 metres above sea level!

We also went along to see a Spanish Ballet or flamenco dancing. You just can’t help but start tapping your feet and nodding in time to the energetic music and dancers tapping and spinning their way across the stage. The colourful traditional costumes were fantastic. For a truly Spanish experience, this has to be recommended.