Trip to Madrid and Velencia – 2013 – Page 2 – The Bald Heretic

Arrival Valencia

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We have made our way to Valencia via the high speed AVE train. The train reached speeds of over 180 mph so it took about 1 hour and 40 minutes.

We’re still not feeling great. I have a sore throat as does Cynthia and we’re both hacking and wheezing. The Madrid air is pretty dirty and it was colder than we expected so we think those things contributed to our ill-health.

But remain undaunted. After checking in to the hotel we took a walk and picked up some supplies. We then retuned to the hotel and enjoyed a siesta. When we awoke we were feeling much better and set out to see some sites.

It is the day before what is known as La Planta. La Planta is when all of the falla sculptures are finally put in place. Still, there are some already up and many others being built.

Our favorite falla so far is one that depicts the Garden of Eden

The interesting detail is Steve Jobs sitting atop the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, complete with Apple products like a Macbook and an iPad.

We’re calling it an early night as we continue to recuperate. Hopefully tomorrow we’ll be closer to full strength.

Madrid – Day 6

I think we have pushed ourselves a little too hard. Both Cynthia and I are both under the weather. Coughing, congested and fatigued. I have the tell tale body aches of a mild flue.

We went out this morning to take in a few sites, but our physical condition combined with the 35 degree temperatures had us retreating back to the hotel after only a few hours out and about.

We took a nice siesta and then ventured out for some lunch and came back to the hotel for another siesta.

When we woke up we just stayed in the room watching TV and waited to see who the next Pope would be.

Later in the evening we found a restaurant to have some dinner. Hot soup and some grilled chicken for me and a bean soup and some grilled eggplant for Cynthia.

This has greatly lifted our spirits. We’re going to stay in the hotel tonight and relax. Tomorrow we take the train to Valencia for the Las Fallas Festival. This is going to be one giant party and we’ll be up all hours of the night and day so I think it is good we conserve our strength.

It seems to me that this was a lot less strenuous in years past. They say you are only as old as you feel. Today I feel as old as Methuselah.

Madrid – Day 5

We’ve expended a lot of energy over the last few days. And we still have Las Fallas in Valencia to look forward to. With that in mind we took it rather easy today. We decided to catch the subway to go see the monument to Miguel de Cervantes, writer of the world famous story of Don Quixote de la Mancha and his trusty squire, Sancho Panza.

http://baldheretic.tumblr.com/post/45180258084/tilting-at-windmills-at-plaza-de-españa

From there we made our way to the Naval Museum for a nice dose of Spanish naval history. The museum is very nice and well laid out. I was especially fascinated by the models and miniatures featured in the museum.

After visiting the Naval Museum we found our way to the Barrio de las letras (the literary district) to take a walking tour of the neighborhood which is filled with wonderful old bars, restaurants and shops decorated with ornate tile work.

While we were there we stopped for lunch at a restaurant called Miau where I discovered that I really like grilled pulpo (octopus).

We wandered the area at a leisurely pace and once we had our fill we headed back to the hotel and had a nice, long siesta.

When we awoke from our siesta we relaxed in the hotel room before heading out to find some dinner.

All in all, a very nice day and a chance to regain our strength as we get ready to wrap things up here in Madrid.

Best Travel Companion Ever

Cynthia has been a real trooper on this trip. And she always manages to look great.

Madrid – Day 4

Today is March 11 and is the 9th anniversary of the terrorist bombing of the Atocha Train Station in Madrid. The explosions killed 191 people and wounded 1,800. The official investigation by the Spanish judiciary found that the attacks were directed by an al-Qaeda-inspired terrorist cell.

At the Atocha station there is a memorial dedicated to the victims of the explosion.

From Wikipedia:

The Atocha station memorial is a memorial monument located at Atocha station in Madrid, Spain, that commemorates the 191 victims of the 11 March 2004 Madrid train bombings and the special forces agent who died when seven suicide bombers blew themselves up on 3 April 2004.

The 11 m tall (36 ft) cylinder stands above Atocha station, the destination of the four trains that were attacked. Thousands of messages of condolence made in the days after the attacks are inscribed on the inside of the tower. The messages of grief can be seen from a chamber beneath the hollow monument.

It was a somber experience visiting this memorial on the anniversary. Something akin to visiting Ground Zero in New York, I would imagine.

From there we walked over to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum to view some more art. Because when you are travelling in Europe, you can’t see enough art. Visiting the Thyssen completed our Madrid Museum trifecta.

After this we were fairly tired and headed back to the hotel to readjust and then get some lunch. After lunch it was back to the hotel for a nice siesta.

When we woke up we made our way west to watch the sunset and take some night shots of the Temple de Debod, an ancient Egyptian temple that was rebuilt in Madrid.

It was cold and windy and we were anxious to get back to town where it might be a little less breezy.

Having had a rather substantial lunch, we were not all the keen on a large dinner. So we opted for some Churros con Chocolate at the famous Chocolatería San Ginés which first opened its doors in 1894.

chocoalte2

It was delicious, in case you were wondering.

After that I wanted to stop by the La Torre del Oro which is a bar dedicated to bull fighting. Many bull heads on the walls and photos of fighters getting gored quite gruesomely. It’s an interesting experience to say the least.

torro2

After that we we’re pretty much spent. Tomorrow is another day.

Madrid – Day 3

Today, to our surprise, the sun came out again. There was still enough cloud cover to indicate that rain was still a possibility, but we ventured out without our raincoats or an umbrella anyway.

We decided to go to the Reina Sofia to see Picasso’s “Guernica” painting. This was our second opportunity to see this painting and it always moves me. Sadly, no photos allowed.

From the Reina Sofia we made our way to The Prado to see even more masterpieces.

This museum contains the definitive Goya collection. It is also home to Las Meninas by Velázquez which is always worth seeing in person. Sadly, no photos allowed in this museum.

We walked down Paseo del Prado taking in the sites. We stopped and had some lunch and the went off in search of the Caixa Forum to see the living art wall which is an outdoor vertical garden green designed by French botanist Patrick Blanc. This wall of green has 15,000 plants of 250 species covering a 460 meter square wall.

While we were admiring the wall it started to rain a bit so we made our way to the subway to go back to the hotel and have a siesta. I have to say, the siesta is now my favorite Spanish tradition.

After sleeping for a few hours we made our way to the Metropolis for some night photography.

(thanks to Cynthia for this photo!)

It was cold, but we had a great time shooting the Metropolis and the Plaza de Cibeles

After the photo session Cynthia and I found our way to a lovely tapas restaurant and had a fantastic dinner and a bottle of wine. We sat down around 9:30 and left around 11:30. Dinner comes late in Madrid.

Madrid – Day 2

We woke up to rain this morning. We decided we would go to Atoche Station and get our train tickets to Valencia. As we made our way there the sun came out and blue skies were punctuated with moody clouds.

We walked around the train station and wanted to see the Atocha station memorial which is a monument that commemorates the 191 victims of the 11 March 2004 Madrid train bombings and the special forces agent who died when seven suicide bombers blew themselves up on 3 April 2004, but it was closed for maintenance. We hope to get back and see it. The 11 March 2004 bombing is the equivalent of the 9/11 attack in the U.s. and the anniversary is coming up on Monday so they are making ready for that.

Since the sun was out we headed over to Retiro Park to take in the sights. We visited the Fallen Angel Fountain, possibly the only monument to The Devil in the world.

After the fountain we visited the Crystal Palace which is a spectacular glass structure in Retiro Park.

We wandered over to the Monumento Alfonso XII after that.

After touring Retiro Park we took the subway to Puerto Del Sol and walked over to Plaza Mayor.

Right off the main square of Plaza Mayor is a restaurant called Casa Rua which serves the best squid sandwich you can imagine.

After Plaza Mayor we walked west to the Royal Palace, but by now we were getting pretty tired. We turned around and headed back to Puerto Del Sol and caught the subway back to the hotel where we enjoyed a 2 hour mid-afternoon siesta.

When we woke up we walked over to El Corte Ingles to pick up some soft drinks and toiletries.

For the evening we met up with some friends for a leisurely dinner and a few bottles of wine.

All in all, a very good and very productive day. But now we’re beat. It’s near midnight and we’re turning in. Tomorrow is open, but we may try to hit up the museums.

Arrival Madrid

We’ve made it, safe and sound, to Madrid. Let me say that flying British Airways first class is an experience unto itself. Access to the VIP lounge at the airport with free food and beverages and having a seat on the plane that lets you fully recline is something that can’t be beat. The flight attendants bring you champagne and the food is actually quite good.

I was able to sleep for about 6 hours our of the 9 hour flight so I ended up in Madrid in a lot better shape than I had anticipated…even with a 5 hour layover in London.

The hotel we booked is fantastic. We have a balcony with a fantastic view of the Gran Via.

We set off to El Corte Ingles to lay in some supplies like water, cookies, cokes and the like. I was also able to buy a SIM car for my iPhone so I have data and a local phone number while I am here.

We had dinner at an Italian restaurant called Da Nicola which is right of the Gran Via and came recommended by the hotel. It was very good.

It’s now 10:15 pm local time and we’re beat. It’s been a long couple of days and we are ready to get some sleep.

It is raining and that’s kind of a drag, but we can deal with it. Tomorrow we’re off to the Atocha station to get our train ticket to Valencia for next week and then off to see some museums.