Today, I pedaled and watched a group of guys play soccer (futbol).
My next accommodations in Madrid will not be in areas as residential as this one. I'll miss the local colour, I think.
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Monday, December 29, 2014
Day 5: December 29 ... pedaling in the park
This evening, as every evening, I sat in the lovely park across the street from this apartment.
Today, I pedaled and watched a group of guys play soccer (futbol).
My next accommodations in Madrid will not be in areas as residential as this one. I'll miss the local colour, I think.
Today, I pedaled and watched a group of guys play soccer (futbol).
My next accommodations in Madrid will not be in areas as residential as this one. I'll miss the local colour, I think.
Day 5: December 29 ... what's for lunch on the bus?
Provisions for my 5-hour bus trip to Granada ... juice, a chicken sandwich, tabboule (Arabic: تبولة tabūlah; also tabouleh) and mandarins.
Did you know? The Levantine Arabic tabbūle is derived from the Arabic word taabil, meaning seasoning.
Did you know? The Levantine Arabic tabbūle is derived from the Arabic word taabil, meaning seasoning.
Day 5: December 29 ... Spanish saffron and white asparagus
Many years ago, when I first traveled to Spain on business, I habitually ordered an appetizer that was simply white asparagus with mayonnaise and a lemon on the side. This, to me, is a delicacy. I bought a tin to take back to Toronto as a reminder (see photo below).
At 925 Bay, we use a LOT of saffron. We normally get it at Kensington Market where a tiny container of .100g costs CAD 6 or 7. It's good, but not top quality. When Fred and I traveled to Spain 3 years ago to visit old friends of mine in Santiago de Compostela, Rosa insisted on sending us home with enough saffron to last 2 years, and it did. There is no comparison in quality of the Kensington Market variety vs the local saffron. Today I picked up 5 packs of ground saffron (more intense in flavour than the traditional threads).
Did you know? Saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world. It comes from the dried stigmas of a particular type of crocus flower. Each crocus flower contains only three saffron threads. It takes roughly 190 flowers to make one gram of dried saffron. Kashmiri saffron comes from India and is considered the very best saffron in the world. Most of it is consumed in India, and very little is exported to the rest of the world. Spanish saffron is the most common type of saffron, and the easiest to find. Spanish saffron is typically red and yellow and is less expensive than other varieties of saffron.
At the Carrefour down the street, 5 packs, each containing .375g, cost roughly CAD 13.50, approximately 1/6 of the price in Toronto. I'll continue to search for better quality and cheaper saffron in points south (assuming the cost in Madrid is inflated).
While we're on the topic of food and prices, high quality olive oil sells for EUR 10 to 13 for a 5-litre jug. This is an OMG price, as I consider Spanish olive oil the very best, far exceeding the quality of Italian and Greek versions. As I eyeballed the wine aisle, a good many Rioja wines are available for EUR 3 to 6, making them an exceptional bargain by Canadian standards.
At 925 Bay, we use a LOT of saffron. We normally get it at Kensington Market where a tiny container of .100g costs CAD 6 or 7. It's good, but not top quality. When Fred and I traveled to Spain 3 years ago to visit old friends of mine in Santiago de Compostela, Rosa insisted on sending us home with enough saffron to last 2 years, and it did. There is no comparison in quality of the Kensington Market variety vs the local saffron. Today I picked up 5 packs of ground saffron (more intense in flavour than the traditional threads).
Did you know? Saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world. It comes from the dried stigmas of a particular type of crocus flower. Each crocus flower contains only three saffron threads. It takes roughly 190 flowers to make one gram of dried saffron. Kashmiri saffron comes from India and is considered the very best saffron in the world. Most of it is consumed in India, and very little is exported to the rest of the world. Spanish saffron is the most common type of saffron, and the easiest to find. Spanish saffron is typically red and yellow and is less expensive than other varieties of saffron.
At the Carrefour down the street, 5 packs, each containing .375g, cost roughly CAD 13.50, approximately 1/6 of the price in Toronto. I'll continue to search for better quality and cheaper saffron in points south (assuming the cost in Madrid is inflated).
While we're on the topic of food and prices, high quality olive oil sells for EUR 10 to 13 for a 5-litre jug. This is an OMG price, as I consider Spanish olive oil the very best, far exceeding the quality of Italian and Greek versions. As I eyeballed the wine aisle, a good many Rioja wines are available for EUR 3 to 6, making them an exceptional bargain by Canadian standards.
Day 5: December 29 ... laundry day
I have this thing for a appliances, especially European washing machines. I remember when my washing machine arrived (for my Buenos Aires apartment). I loved its hum. I especially loved the way it washed clothes. Being able to set the water temperature for whites to 90 degrees c (almost boiling) was a luxury. (Cold water enters and is first heated to the temperature set before the wash cycle begins.) And it was a dual washer/dryer, just like the machine here.
A wash cycle may take one and a half hours, but clothes come out super clean (unlike the crappy stackable unit we have in Toronto that takes 30 minutes on the "heavy dirt" cycle).
So today, I did laundry.
My next washing machine experience awaits me in the airbnb apartment in Seville ;)
Simple things eh.
Day 5: December 29 ... another nap day and travel plans to Granada
I think I'm still a little jet lagged, or ... I'm blogging too late in the evening ... or I'm just going with the flow without any agenda or deadline after 2 years of work that kept me on a rigid schedule. But I fell into such a deep sleep this afternoon that when I woke up, I felt transfixed, motionless.
Tomorrow is a travel day. I'll leave this apartment at 7 am to catch a 9 am bus to Granada. As I had time to kill and wanting to ensure I have the connections all worked out, I did a trial run this morning. I'll walk 2 blocks to the Embajadores station that connects with the local train routes. I'll catch a local train (line 5) to the Méndez Álvaro station that connects to the Estación Sur de Autobuses, the bus station in Madrid that serves destinations in the south of Spain.
The trip to Granada will take 5 hours. There, Fred I will meet up (he's flying from Marseilles) for a New Years extravaganza that includes a stay in an old monastery, a gastronomic experience in a restaurant that serves 14 people at a sitting, and an escorted tour of the Alhambra (his Christmas gift to us!),
Tomorrow is a travel day. I'll leave this apartment at 7 am to catch a 9 am bus to Granada. As I had time to kill and wanting to ensure I have the connections all worked out, I did a trial run this morning. I'll walk 2 blocks to the Embajadores station that connects with the local train routes. I'll catch a local train (line 5) to the Méndez Álvaro station that connects to the Estación Sur de Autobuses, the bus station in Madrid that serves destinations in the south of Spain.
The trip to Granada will take 5 hours. There, Fred I will meet up (he's flying from Marseilles) for a New Years extravaganza that includes a stay in an old monastery, a gastronomic experience in a restaurant that serves 14 people at a sitting, and an escorted tour of the Alhambra (his Christmas gift to us!),
Day 4: December 28 ... city of lights
On Sunday evening, I took a long walk ... striking out around 4 pm, just as night was about to fall (see sun in first photo below) ... I took these pics along the way ... finally returning to my apartment at 9 pm. All of Madrid was out strolling on a clear, chilly winter evening. The light show was spectacular.
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| calle Hortaleza in the Chueca neighbourhood click on photo to enlarge |
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| calle Hortalez in the Chueca neighbourhood click on photo to enlarge |
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| a confectionery shop on calle Hortaleza in Chueca click on photo to enlarge |
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| Gran Via click on photo to enlarge |
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| Metropolis Building where the Gran Via intersects with calle de Alcalá click on photo to enlarge |
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| calle de Alcalá, people everywhere click on photo to enlarge |
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| Plaza Cibeles click on photo to enlarge |
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| calle de Alcalá, looking in the direction of Retiro Park click on photo to enlarge |
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| Puerta de Alcalá click on photo to enlargee |
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| Puerta de Alcalá click on photo to enlarge |
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| Paseo del Prado abuzz with people click on photo to enlarge |
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| Paseo del Prado street scene, cafe click on photo to enlarge |
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| the Prado Museum click on photo to enlarge |
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| along the Paseo del Prado click on photo to enlarge |
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| Hotel ME Madrid (ME by Melia), Plaza Sta. Ana click on photo to enlarge |
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| Hotel ME Madrid (ME by Melia), Plaza Sta. Ana click on photo to enlarge |
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| panorama of Plaza Sta. Ana click on photo to enlarge |
Day 4: December 28 ... the sense, cents and scents of Madrid
If we're talking about sense, as in feeling ... I think I've begun to capture the essence of this place. I'd call Madrid smug, but not in an arrogant sense. It is without any doubt a city that has its proverbial ?!>} together ... and seems to know it!
If we're talking about sense as in good sense, there are abundant examples. I'll speak to 4. (1) The Prado, one of the world's most prestigious art museums, offers free admission on weekdays between 6 and 8 pm, traditionally, a slow period. Art lovers across all economic strata now have every reason to stop by any day of the week after work. (2) The ubiquitous public transportation system (initially published as "pubic" until Fred brought it to my attention) is second to none, and seniors have unlimited network access for a nominal monthly sum according to an elderly man in the Atocha Station (site of the 2004 train bombing) who asked ME for directions (big laugh). The airport and all bus, train and subway stations are interconnected and incredibly well signed/indicated. In 4 days of heavy use, I've not experienced the first inconvenience or disruption of service. (3) In the grocery store, clients are responsible for weighing produce before check-out. At a weigh station, the client places the item of produce on a scale and enters the number that corresponds to that item; a ticket is printed and scanned at the register. (4) Even the uniformity of trash pick throughout the city is remarkable; every building or store has a grey and orange receptacle that is wheeled to the curb on designated days; no piles of cardboard boxes and bags littering city streets.
If we're talking good cents ... the cost of living and quality of life equation makes Madrid my #1 choice in the world. To be honest, I never expected that. Granted, quality of life considerations differ from one person to the next, but one can live very well here without breaking the bank.
If we're talking good scents, I'd have to say people just smell good here, and the fragrances are light and fresh. I remember this from my first trip to Spain many years ago, and I'm reminded of this again. No other place appeals to my olfactory sense quite like this. And after spending a good hour in a perfume shop today, I'm traveling back with one of those scents. Next time you see me, cozy up and check it out. (And when you're in Madrid, go see Juanma at Equivalenza, calle Hortaleza, 27, and check out as many scents as your nose will permit.)
If we're talking about sense as in good sense, there are abundant examples. I'll speak to 4. (1) The Prado, one of the world's most prestigious art museums, offers free admission on weekdays between 6 and 8 pm, traditionally, a slow period. Art lovers across all economic strata now have every reason to stop by any day of the week after work. (2) The ubiquitous public transportation system (initially published as "pubic" until Fred brought it to my attention) is second to none, and seniors have unlimited network access for a nominal monthly sum according to an elderly man in the Atocha Station (site of the 2004 train bombing) who asked ME for directions (big laugh). The airport and all bus, train and subway stations are interconnected and incredibly well signed/indicated. In 4 days of heavy use, I've not experienced the first inconvenience or disruption of service. (3) In the grocery store, clients are responsible for weighing produce before check-out. At a weigh station, the client places the item of produce on a scale and enters the number that corresponds to that item; a ticket is printed and scanned at the register. (4) Even the uniformity of trash pick throughout the city is remarkable; every building or store has a grey and orange receptacle that is wheeled to the curb on designated days; no piles of cardboard boxes and bags littering city streets.
If we're talking good cents ... the cost of living and quality of life equation makes Madrid my #1 choice in the world. To be honest, I never expected that. Granted, quality of life considerations differ from one person to the next, but one can live very well here without breaking the bank.
If we're talking good scents, I'd have to say people just smell good here, and the fragrances are light and fresh. I remember this from my first trip to Spain many years ago, and I'm reminded of this again. No other place appeals to my olfactory sense quite like this. And after spending a good hour in a perfume shop today, I'm traveling back with one of those scents. Next time you see me, cozy up and check it out. (And when you're in Madrid, go see Juanma at Equivalenza, calle Hortaleza, 27, and check out as many scents as your nose will permit.)
Day 4: December 28 ... if shoes could talk
If these shoes could talk, there would be an explosion of profanity. Together, we walked 5 hours today.
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Day 4: December 28 ... peaceful morning sky
... as seen from my apartment's balcony at 8 am.
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Day 3: December 27 ... a day in still life
After a marathon day on December 26, and still feeling a bit jet lagged, I decided a day of rest was in order.
This was breakfast.
The breads are good here, and the mandarins are plentiful ... and mouth-watering sweet.
I took a long walk in the afternoon and explored the neighbourhood. I could best describe it as a healthy mix of people from all walks of life, including North African and Middle Eastern immigrants and students. There is a university within blocks, so it is alive, yet calm. There are lots of halal stores selling meats and middle eastern sweets. There are doner kebob shops and cafes and small produce retailers and barber shops where EUR 7 will get you a haircut.
The park across the street is always active with people ... walking their dogs (within the park, dogs are allowed to run without a leash) ... exercising and strolling about. There's a ping pong table within view of my apartment, and today it was active.
Click here to view ping pong video
My impression of Madrid, if one can truly have an impression after only a few days, is quite positive. It is organized, clean, orderly and safe. People are friendly, but not too much so. In many ways, Madrid reminds me of Toronto ... except for one important asset. I only wish Toronto had a public transportation system to rival Madrid's, which is vast, multi-modal (subway, train, bus) and very efficient.
To my surprise, I stumbled upon a Carrefour supermarket 3 blocks away. There's much you can tell about a society by the food they eat and how that food is marketed. Carrefour pretty much sets a high standard here, as it does in many places around the globe. There's an entire section dedicated to cured hams. The selection of cheese and yogurt is enormous and reasonably priced. The produce is meticulously displayed, and it is of the highest quality, as are the meats.
Frederic was mentioning that French farmers are complaining because the French market is being flooded by produce from Spain. I guess that makes Spain the Florida, California or Mexico of the EU.
I bought a sandwich in the carry-out area ... a mini baguette with tomato and goat cheese. I couldn't wait to get back to the apartment to bite into it. First bite ... mmm mmm good. Second bite ... hmmm ... didn't think goat cheese tasted like that. Third bite, what is that salty fishy flavour? I wish a camera had captured the expressions of doubt as I progressed bite by bite. I opened the sandwich up and found anchovies which I surgically removed and flushed down the commode. A little bit of anchovy goes an awfully long way ... but I'm keeping an open mind ... one day, my taste buds may crave them.
I shopped. A litre of orange juice ... a slab of cheese (similar to swiss) ... 8 mandarins ... a baguette ... a jar of plum preserves ... instant coffee (no coffee maker in this apartment) ... a healthy serving of couscous with chicken ... a 4-pack of yogurt. EUR 11.74. Et voilà ... the proof.
A day in still life.
This was breakfast.
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| click on photo to enlarge |
The breads are good here, and the mandarins are plentiful ... and mouth-watering sweet.
I took a long walk in the afternoon and explored the neighbourhood. I could best describe it as a healthy mix of people from all walks of life, including North African and Middle Eastern immigrants and students. There is a university within blocks, so it is alive, yet calm. There are lots of halal stores selling meats and middle eastern sweets. There are doner kebob shops and cafes and small produce retailers and barber shops where EUR 7 will get you a haircut.
The park across the street is always active with people ... walking their dogs (within the park, dogs are allowed to run without a leash) ... exercising and strolling about. There's a ping pong table within view of my apartment, and today it was active.
Click here to view ping pong video
My impression of Madrid, if one can truly have an impression after only a few days, is quite positive. It is organized, clean, orderly and safe. People are friendly, but not too much so. In many ways, Madrid reminds me of Toronto ... except for one important asset. I only wish Toronto had a public transportation system to rival Madrid's, which is vast, multi-modal (subway, train, bus) and very efficient.
To my surprise, I stumbled upon a Carrefour supermarket 3 blocks away. There's much you can tell about a society by the food they eat and how that food is marketed. Carrefour pretty much sets a high standard here, as it does in many places around the globe. There's an entire section dedicated to cured hams. The selection of cheese and yogurt is enormous and reasonably priced. The produce is meticulously displayed, and it is of the highest quality, as are the meats.
Frederic was mentioning that French farmers are complaining because the French market is being flooded by produce from Spain. I guess that makes Spain the Florida, California or Mexico of the EU.
I bought a sandwich in the carry-out area ... a mini baguette with tomato and goat cheese. I couldn't wait to get back to the apartment to bite into it. First bite ... mmm mmm good. Second bite ... hmmm ... didn't think goat cheese tasted like that. Third bite, what is that salty fishy flavour? I wish a camera had captured the expressions of doubt as I progressed bite by bite. I opened the sandwich up and found anchovies which I surgically removed and flushed down the commode. A little bit of anchovy goes an awfully long way ... but I'm keeping an open mind ... one day, my taste buds may crave them.
I shopped. A litre of orange juice ... a slab of cheese (similar to swiss) ... 8 mandarins ... a baguette ... a jar of plum preserves ... instant coffee (no coffee maker in this apartment) ... a healthy serving of couscous with chicken ... a 4-pack of yogurt. EUR 11.74. Et voilà ... the proof.
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| click on photo to enlarge |
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Day 2: December 26 ... the flamenco event
If flamenco is seduction, I was seduced. Don't fail to watch the videos at the end of this blog.
Here's the venue, Cafetin La Quimera.
Isolated moments.
The following videos don't quite capture the energy of the moment, but watch them nonetheless. The first is 1.5 minutes, the second 8 minutes.
Click here to watch first video (1.5 min)
Click here to watch second video (8 min)
Here's the venue, Cafetin La Quimera.
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The following videos don't quite capture the energy of the moment, but watch them nonetheless. The first is 1.5 minutes, the second 8 minutes.
Click here to watch first video (1.5 min)
Click here to watch second video (8 min)
Day 2: December 26 ... Puerta del Sol and a teen with a soccer ball
My last stop in central Madrid during the late afternoon was the Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun), one of the best known and busiest places in Madrid. This is the centre (Km 0) of the radial network of Spanish roads. The square also contains the famous clock whose bells mark the traditional eating of the Twelve Grapes and the beginning of a new year.
There is much more to explore here, and I will return over the coming days.
Somewhere in this immense plaza there was a teen entertaining crowds with his dominion over a soccer ball.
Click here to watch soccer ball video
There is much more to explore here, and I will return over the coming days.
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Click here to watch soccer ball video
Day 2: December 26 ... Plaza de Toros de las Ventas and a Spanish tortilla
Before leaving Toronto, I did some research on flamenco venues ... I wanted something local and authentic. I chose one that required a bit of travel away from the city center. A 40-minute subway trek put me at the Ventas metro station, just outside an important building in Madrid, the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas. It was inaugurated in 1931 and is now officially classified as a Spanish building of cultural interest.
Passing through the "Puerta Grande" (Big Door), especially during the Fiesta of San Isidro (Madrid's patron saint, May 15), is every bullfighter's ambition. This building includes a chapel and a small sick bay with two operating rooms. It also serves as a concert venue, and Coldplay performed here in their Amex Unstaged concert on October 28, 2011.
For more anecdotal information, consult Wikipedia at the link below.
With time to kill before the flamenco event, I happened upon a bar (diner) on a very busy avenue and indulged myself ... a Spanish tortilla ... so delicious it lingers with me still.
Passing through the "Puerta Grande" (Big Door), especially during the Fiesta of San Isidro (Madrid's patron saint, May 15), is every bullfighter's ambition. This building includes a chapel and a small sick bay with two operating rooms. It also serves as a concert venue, and Coldplay performed here in their Amex Unstaged concert on October 28, 2011.
For more anecdotal information, consult Wikipedia at the link below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Ventas
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With time to kill before the flamenco event, I happened upon a bar (diner) on a very busy avenue and indulged myself ... a Spanish tortilla ... so delicious it lingers with me still.
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| click on photo to enlarge |
Day 2: December 26 ... last rays of sun
After my long stroll, I stopped by a park across the street from my apartment to catch the last rays of sun.
And it is here where I saw people sitting on park benches and peddaling.
And it is here where I saw people sitting on park benches and peddaling.
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Day 2: December 26 ... soul is all you need
During my long walk, I discovered these words of wisdom scribbled on a wall ... maybe it's what I needed to see?
Day 2: December 26 ... the majestic avenues and architecture of Madrid
I snapped these photos along the Calle de Alcalá and the Gran Via. These photos say more than any words I could find.
Calle de Alcalá is the longest street in Madrid. It starts at the Puerta del Sol and goes on for 10.5 km, to the northeastern outskirts of the city. Henry David Inglis, a Scottish travel writer and journalist, described it in 1837 as "long, of superb width, and flanked by a splendid range of unequal buildings".
Gran Vía (literally "Great Way") is an ornate and upscale shopping street located in central Madrid. Now, commonly known as the Spanish Broadway, it is one of the streets with the most nightlife in Europe. It leads from Calle de Alcalá, close to Plaza de Cibeles, to Plaza de España.
(photo below, building to right) The Banco de España (Bank of Spain) is the national central bank of Spain.
(photo below) The Plaza de Cibeles is a square with a neo-classical complex of marble sculptures with fountains that has become an iconic symbol for the city of Madrid.
The Edificio Metrópolis (Metropolis Building) is an office building located at the corner of the Calle de Alcalá and Gran Vía. Inaugurated in 1911, it was designed by Jules and Raymond Février for the insurance company La Unión y el Fénix.
(photo below) Buildings along the Gran Via.
Calle de Alcalá is the longest street in Madrid. It starts at the Puerta del Sol and goes on for 10.5 km, to the northeastern outskirts of the city. Henry David Inglis, a Scottish travel writer and journalist, described it in 1837 as "long, of superb width, and flanked by a splendid range of unequal buildings".
Gran Vía (literally "Great Way") is an ornate and upscale shopping street located in central Madrid. Now, commonly known as the Spanish Broadway, it is one of the streets with the most nightlife in Europe. It leads from Calle de Alcalá, close to Plaza de Cibeles, to Plaza de España.
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(photo below, building to right) The Banco de España (Bank of Spain) is the national central bank of Spain.
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| click on photo to enlarge |
(photo below) The Plaza de Cibeles is a square with a neo-classical complex of marble sculptures with fountains that has become an iconic symbol for the city of Madrid.
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| click on photo to enlarge |
The Edificio Metrópolis (Metropolis Building) is an office building located at the corner of the Calle de Alcalá and Gran Vía. Inaugurated in 1911, it was designed by Jules and Raymond Février for the insurance company La Unión y el Fénix.
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(photo below) Buildings along the Gran Via.
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Day 2: December 26 ... a traditional pastry shop window (this isn't Dunkin)
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Day 2: December 26 ... Juntos es mejor
Juntos es mejor ... "better together" if we're talking donuts and coffee.
Call me crazy. All the wonderful food here ... and I stop for a coffee and donut at Dunkin. It was just a feel-good moment, a pause that refreshed. What else is there to say?
Call me crazy. All the wonderful food here ... and I stop for a coffee and donut at Dunkin. It was just a feel-good moment, a pause that refreshed. What else is there to say?
Day 2: December 27 ... Chueca and Mercado de San Antón (San Anton's Market)
A plaza in the Chueca neighbourhood.
Photos from Mercado de San Antón.
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Photos from Mercado de San Antón.
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Tapas.
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And more tapas.
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Olive oils.
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No market would be complete without beans!
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Spain is famous for its cured ham ... on par with Italy's prosciutto.
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