Fountain in Parque Retiro
Museo del Prado
Friday afternoon after my Spanish course’s final exam, 3 of my Deusto pals and I hopped a bus to Madrid for the weekend. The bus ride to Madrid may have been one of my favorite parts because we got to see a few other cities in the Basque Country at the different bus stops as well as taken in all the mountainous views.
The bus ride was 6 hours and we arrived at the station at around 7p.m. We check in at our hostel. It was a very nice Hostel in downtown Madrid right across from a theater where the Spanish version of the Producers was playing; it was also located next to a Starbucks. The 4 of us had bunks in a room which we shared with 2 other Italian girls.
Soon after we met up with one of my sorority sisters, Alison, who is studying in Madrid this semester and we all went to VIPS for dinner. (VIPS is an old fave of mine from Mexico). After that we wandered a bit at Puerta del Sol had some sangria and called it a night.
Saturday was a day of sightseeing. First, we visited Parque Retiro, a large “Central Park-like” place with pretty fountains, statues, ponds..etc. Then we headed over to the Museo del Prado to view masterpieces by the Spanish greats-El Greco, Velazquez, Goya, as well as paintings by Rembrandt among many others.
After looking at many a naked and religious painting we went to lunch at Cafeteria Bar Atocha for some traditional Spanish cuisine. I had Paella, Bacalao al horno, and flan…can’t really get any more Spanish than that meal. Delicious.
After lunch, we went to the Reina Sofia art museum which was my personal favorite of the weekend. It houses more modern art such as sculptures, cubism, and bizarre interpretive exhibits…etc. It is probably most famous for having much of the art work of Picasso, including the humungous and tragic, Guernica, as well as works of the typically insane Salvador Dali. Much of the art is very tragic, perverse, psychological, emotional interpretations of events-but, nonetheless cool.
After much needed Siesta we went to dinner right downstairs and around the corner from our hostel at an Asian restaurant called The Wok. I got a very good Indonesian dish. Then we went out to explore the Madrid nightlife which is not much more than over priced food and drinks and overly crowded bars. The night ended rather early because a) the aforementioned reasons and b) we had to wake up early on Sunday.
Sunday, we woke up early to go to El Rastro, the market. It is supposedly a Must-Do in Madrid, but its pretty much all knock-off or pirated junk. Yep, I said it..junk. Xalapa, Mexico has way better junk sales than you, Madrid. So next time I need junk, I’ll just go to Mexico because it’s the same stuff for cheaper-and personally, I liked the stuff in Mexico better. I know people like the Rastro, but those people don’t know better. Anyways, all I bought were some earrings and a nose stud just because I need some cheap ones temporarily.
We checked out of our hostel at 11 a.m. on Sunday and went to Starbucks. Pacifico and I wandered around Plaza de Espana and took pictures with the giant Don Quixote and Sancho Panza statues.
Then we all went to explore the outside of Palacio Real. It has pretty gardens and fun to look at. It is 9 euro to go inside the palace, so we passed on going inside because that is way too expensive. Then we ate and that pretty much concludes the Madrid weekend.
Things I Noticed about Madrid:
1) Madrid reminds me of Chicago, basically Madrid is your average modern international city.
2) Madrid had many immigrants from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
3) Most everyone in any touristy place or restaurant all speak English.
4) There are many British tourists.
5) I saw tons of American students.
6) People in Madrid look average. They are no where near as rich and fancy and gorgeous and thin as people in San Sebastian.
7) There are countless Starbucks, KFC’s, Burger Kings, McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts..list goes on…in Madrid.
8) No water-no lake, no river, no ocean.
9) Great Metro system-very fast and efficient.
10) Slightly different foods are eaten than here in San Sebastian-San Sebastian is better though.
11) Madrid is home to every sub culture imaginable.
In conclusion, I’m glad I am studying in San Sebastian and not Madrid. The 4 of us were extremely happy to be “home” in San Sebastian on Sunday night especially since we came home to 72 degree weather and our beatiful beaches and lovely people.
