The View From The Top

Especially now that the countdown back to the States is fast approaching, more than ever not a day in Madrid is going to waste! I'm determined to continue to make the most of the time I have left, and even made a final bucket list of the things I hadn't yet accomplished or seen in Madrid, but was pleased to see that the list was relatively short - I have already done so much! But I am convinced that I could live in Madrid forever and still discover new secrets and places and fun things to do each and every day, and that's one of the things I love most about this incredible and vibrant city. And what's more, the things that I have already seen never fail to impress me. I can't walk down Grand Via, or past Nuevos Ministerios, or even by any one of the millions of "glorietas" (or roundabouts) without stopping to appreciate how breathtaking it all is. Even the seemingly most simple or ordinary streets and neighborhoods in Madrid are unlike anything I've ever seen before in the states, and have such a character and a history to them that I love so much! For example, I know for absolute certain that I would never get sick of this:

And the best part is that I am FINALLY (it only took 3 months) starting to (starting being the key word, not making any false claims to expertise) be familiar with the streets and the neighborhoods, and can find my way around pretty easily. I know my favorite spots and the biggest calles and haven't for awhile found myself completely lost in the city. I think I'm starting to feel like a real part of the city, because big monuments and historic buildings are starting to seem like welcome, familiar faces. It was a surprising, but extremely gratifying, discovery to really feel like Madrid is home rather than playing host to a guest.

Even with all that being said, I made some more great discoveries and had some extremely fun new adventures this week, just the same as every other! On Monday, Ian and I decided to take a break from the beloved balcony after work and go on a walk behind Tetuán, and ended up discovering some beautiful streets right behind our neighborhood, bordering on a huge green park/reserve area. We stopped for a glass of wine on a lovely outdoor terrace overlooking the park, and had a fantastic afternoon getting better acquainted with our own backyard. I've always said that the only somewhat "negative" for lack of a more optimistic reference, was my neighborhood of Tetuán, basically the undisputed ghetto of Madrid (literally we tell people we live there and they give that kindof knowing chuckle/raised eyebrow type of thing), but even now I've come to appreciate it's...let's say it's "unique charm." The phrase "that's so Tetuán" resonates in our apartment whenever cooking with dented pans or microwaving pizzas due to the lack of an oven or listening to the serenade of people and cats and dogs and kids all trying to out-loud each other at 2 am. It may not be much, but for 3 months it was home, and I am proud of myself for being able to find the charm and the beauty in things that when I first arrived seemed frighteningly and unprecedentedly crude. For example, you will be hard pressed to find a sunset in Spain that will rival the view from 51 Calle Algodonales over the mountains (but when you're looking up admiring it, careful of the dog poop peppering the sidewalk), and making friends with Xia and Yasia, the couple that owns our favorite/live-saving LoJapan, or the Columbian family that runs the Locutorio, the frutería, and the peluquería on Algodonales turns every (daily) shopping stop or stroll down the almost 1/4 mile long walk from Bravo Murillo to our apartment into a smile and a friendly neighborhood greeting. It's like no living situation I've ever experienced before, and it took awhile to get used to, but now I'm fully living and loving la vida Tetuán.

On Tuesday after work I made another venture over to "Taste of America," the small and extremely over-priced store that specializes in American brands. Before you judge me (thank you very much, one solitary latte from Starbucks is the only pilgrimage to the homeland I surrendered to), it was to put together a package for my friend Bárbara who was finally making her trip to the states - the reason for our English/Spanish intercambios and the start of our friendship! Included was some barbeque sauce and bbq flavored pretzels and a giant blow pop (a friend's wedding is in Dallas), kettle corn, marshmellows, and my favorite American candy of Reeses, as well as a mini tourist guide to San Francisco and Los Angeles, the other 2 stops on her trip with her dad. Bon voyage y buena suerte!

Wednesday was of course 100 Mondadito's day, at one of our favorite locations in Plaza Santa Ana. Afterwards, Élan and I decided to head back to the Tribunal area, where Libro y Vinos is, to check out a new internet café called "Lolita" and to continue a new tradition we're starting of "Spanish Power Hour" (which turned into the whole evening!) where we only speak in Spanish to each other to practice for our last few weeks here! I didn't think it possible, but Lolita rivaled Libro y Vinos on the impossibly adorable scale. It's in the Malasana area, right between Tribunal and Chueca, and is a precious little café in a perfected American 50's era style. Everything was beyond charming, with flowers at every table, old lamps and armchairs that don't match at little tables, with delicious drinks enjoyed amid authentic 50's style music. It was the most lovely hour, and I think from now on work should never have to be completed in any less of a cute environment, especially without a fresh strawberry daquiri, it just seems wrong. After that, we decided to wander around the Malasana area and I absolutely and instantaneously fell in love. It feels like Disneyland! It's an extremely creative and welcoming area, and every small curving street is packed with independent bookstores, unique and one-of-a-kind restaurants, small cozy cafés, more vintage stores than I've ever seen, art shops, and people with their own craft stores of every size, shape and color. We had the best time meandering around and window-shopping, and ended up walking into a hand-made paper and paper crafts store, where the 3 employees have worked faithfully and happily for 12 years. We ended up chatting with one of the women who worked there for almost half an hour (in Spanish of course!) who ended up giving us a free pen and handmade journal "para escribir todos sus deseos y sueños que tengas para el futuro." Everyone in the area was so welcoming, open-minded, and genuine, and it was so much fun getting to talk to them!

On Thursday, Lauren Rosenfield finally arrived in Madrid! After a much delayed nightmare of a voyage over here and an anxiously awaited arrival on my end, she finally made it! Élan, Lauren and I went out for lunch at Lateral in the Salamanca area of Madrid, an absolutely beautiful and the most upscale area of the city (where last week's Fashion Night Out was held), and enjoyed a delicious meal introducing Lauren to a few of Spain's most famous tapas - croquetas, tinto de verano, albondigas and tortilla absolutely included! We headed back to Tetuán to take care of some business grocery shopping (welcome to Mercadona and the ridiculous shopping carts) and phone data plans, and then enjoyed a Spanish late night snack of wine, cheese, jamón and the tomato spread Bárbara's mom made in Palomares that I loved so much! Best of luck continuing the apartment hunt Lauren!! (sidebar, so glad I didn't have to go through this stressful process myself!)

Friday started out beautifully with a morning run on my favorite route in Madrid, starting in Tetuán and going all the way down Paseo de la Castellana, past Nuevos Ministerios, Salamanca, Plaza de Cibeles, up Calle Alcalá (parallel to Gran Via) and ending in Sol, all along a beautiful tree lined path in the middle of the busy street. Definitely one of my top 3 favorite runs of all time, and so unique with all of the big city buildings and people watching! Then I went back to Malasana to re-visit my friend at the handmade paper store to get a gift for my roommate - HAPPY BIRTHDAY BETH!! :) - and treated myself to a delicious lunch at this adorable café, spent a little while window shopping and loving every little bit of the area, and then met my friends at their apartment in Sol while I was waiting for Uncle Andy and his American Airlines friends to meet me in Chueca for his third (and sadly final!) layover in Madrid while I'm still here! We had so much fun, I had the best time spending the evening on the rooftop  terrace of the Chueca market, and then the rooftop terrace of Hotel Oscar in Chueca - another thing crossed off the bucket list - with Uncle Andy, Auntie Regina, Auntie Karen, and Uncle Jeff! They absolutely spoiled me, and it was so amazing getting to finally meet them and hear all of their stories!  After that, I met up with Ian and Lauren in Plaza de Chueca to give Lauren a brief introduction to none other than the one and only El Tigre!

View from the top of Hotel Óscar

On Saturday morning, I crossed off another one of my final bucket list items with a tour of the Plaza de Toros de las Ventas, the bullfighting ring in Madrid and the most famous of the world! It was beautiful, an enormous and incredibly impressive building, famous for the terraces all around the circumference of the building, and for being the model for all subsequent bull fighting stadiums. It took 7 years to construct and was finished in 1929. We were able to enter through the Puerta Grande, which is the biggest and most impressive gate to/from the stadium. Only torreros ("bull fighters") who received 2 bulls ears in one bullfight as a prize awarded by the President of the Bullfight for a particularly excellent show can exit through this gate and have their name inscribed on a beautiful tile mosaic. Members of the crowd bring white pañuelos, or handkerchiefs, and wave them to signal to the President that they believe the torrero deserves a bull ear, and if enough people agree the President will signal with his own handkerchief and the prize is awarded. We also got to see the walls up close, constructed by bricks, each made one-by-one by hand with a significant Arab influence, like many of the other major buildings in Spain, including shields for each of the 50 Spanish provinces represented around the building. We then got to go into the stadium, both in the stands and on the actual arena sand, it was so cool to be standing where the actual bullfights take place, but minus the actual fight. I debated attending a bullfight, but discovered after several friends' testimonies that I am actually way too squeamish to witness something like that. I got to see the stadium and learn about the cultural history and significance behind the bullfight, and in fact as a cultural practice the bullfight is currently a very controversial and contested issue, with half of the population wanting to preserve its traditional importance and the other half trying to end its supposed inhumane treatment of the animals. Afterwards was a perfect example of being able to find my way around Madrid, I just started walking in the general direction of my house, and although I initially had no idea where I was on the other side of the city, I eventually found some main streets that I knew and found my way all the way back to Tetuán!

The Royal and President's boxes

The mosaic of all the torreros who have won the 2 pigs ears

Outside of Plaza de Toros de las Ventas

That afternoon, I was lucky enough to be invited by a new friend from work to go shopping! Alejandra is one of the nicest girls at Alcandora, and has lived in Madrid her whole life, and I always feel like I greet her in the morning with the Spanish equivalent of "good morning, I love your outfit!" We discovered that we take the same train to work in the morning, so it's been so much fun getting to know her! My Spanish friends have all been so incredibly generous, warm, and welcoming, and always more than willing to offer to be a personal tour guide or their great advice on fun, local things to do and see in Madrid. The opportunity to see Madrid as they see it and the fact that they are so open to sharing what they love with me has made everything about my trip and experience of Madrid and Spain, as well the culture, so much more real and meaningful. She met me that afternoon and took me around to all of her favorite stores, the popular chains as well as little unique and one-of-a-kind boutiques, and even remembered that I had said I wished I had gotten more familiar with the bus system so we took the bus inbetween stores instead of the metro! Some of the highlights were Compañía Fantástica, Pull and Bear, Zara, Kiko, MiSaKo, and Marypaz throughout Calle del Orense and Calle Fuencarral. Then, her boyfriend Francisco (nickname Paco, how does that make sense?) met us and we went out for drinks and tapas, including a typical and absolutely delicious Spanish sidra (cider) that they are famous for pouring above their heads at arms length into cups almost at the floor, as well as croquetas and morcilla (looks intimidating, but one of those "don't ask just taste" kind of things).

The place where we went for sidra - so good!

the damage done...close your eyes dad. but bring an empty suitcase when you come :)

Mercado Fuencarral, full of lots of modern and kindof goth places, very famous for its "interesting" puertas!

After that, Ian and I met Olivia and Aline in their apartment at Sol for some drinks, all dressed up, before heading over to Plaza Santa Ana to try to get to the top of the really fancy hotel to the famous rooftop bar that's up there - unfortunately we were too late and they had already closed entry for the night! So instead we found ourselves a booth at the very adult and fancy bar on the ground level, and I ordered my first martini! Sadly, the best part about it were the olives and the pretty glass, not as tasty as they make them look in the movies. We headed back to their apartment for some late night (early morning?) pizza, not getting back to Tetuán until around 6:30 am. I'm going to miss these kind of nights!

Aline, me, Olivia and Ian in the hotel bar in Plaza Santa Ana

Three hours of sleep later, I took Rachel and Sarah to their first experience of churros con chocolate at the famous San Gines! Another thing I am definitely going to miss! We walked around Sol a little bit and enjoyed the perfect morning - it really is starting to feel like fall I think this time! At least, this is the first week the forecast hasn't had a single number in the 90's! They had to go back to get some work done for their intensive teaching English course, and I went for my last trip to El Rastro to get some final souvineers and such, and then walked all the way back through Sol, Gran Via and up Calle Fuencarral to re-visit a few of the stores that Ale had shown me for things that I thought of to pick up there, and then walked almost all the way back to Tetuán, just taking in the sights as many times as I can throughout these next few weeks.

Sarah, Rachel and I in San Gines Chocolatería

That sums up my last full weekend in Madrid, believe it or not! (I definitely can´t!) Next weekend will see the adventures of Oktoberfest in Munich, and then my parents come the following Thursday (the 29th) to Madrid for stop #1 of Eurotrip - Burr family style. There are still so many fun things in store it´s hard to focus on/accept/be sad about the fact that I´ll really be leaving Spain...maybe for now that´s a good thing!