Entering Madrid

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High Speed Trains and Rain in Madrid

Leaving Cordoba

Today we checked out of our hotel and started yet another new adventure. We were not only heading to a new city, Madrid, but we were taking a long distance train for the first time in Europe. I realize this must seem crazy since everyone travels by train in Europe. Short distance travel really is cheaper by bus and in some cases is actually faster because of the number of stops on a train.

But, for the trip from Cordoba to Madrid the AVE high speed train is definitely faster. On the AVE you can travel the equivalent of a 6 hour drive in under 2 hours. The only real challenge is that everyone and their grandmother seems to be heading to Madrid and therefore space on the train is limited, specially luggage room. With our two grande packs, this could have been a huge challenge. We were lucky and found some space in the luggage area and the trip was amazingly smooth.

Back in Cordoba, while waiting to enter the train we met two ladies from Texas who we talked to for about 15 minutes prior to the train arriving. They were incredibly nice and seemed more than slightly amazed about us traveling for so long. They actually both kissed Kel before we got on the train. Its so cool to meet people in your travels...it makes an incredibly unique experience even more fun!

Madrid…colder, rainier, bigger city

The weather forecast for Madrid for the next 6 days is rain almost everyday, so we best get used to rain. Thankfully the cities metro is very close to our hotel, so we took the metro from the train station to Puerta del Sol where out hotel is located. The walk from the metro station is less than a block.

As seems to be obligatory in Spain, there is construction everywhere in Madrid, but this time we got some new construction…construction on our hotel. The whole lobby of the hotel is completely torn up which makes for an incredibly loud entrance and exit to the hotel but doesn’t see to disturb our room a couple of floors away.

Exploring Madrid

After dropping the packs off we went off to walk around the city a bit. This is the first place that actually feels Christmasy. The overhead Christmas Street lights are lit here. It’s a little chillier, which always adds to a Christmas feel. Also, everywhere people are bustling about doing Christmas shopping. Its nice for a change to actually feel in the spirit.

We walked around Puerta del Sol and saw the famous Bear and Tree statue which is the symbol of the city. We then walked on to Plaza mayor where there is the Spanish variety of Christmas market going on. They are selling all sorts of things including nativity scenes and Christmas trees. Strangely enough they also seem to sell Halloween masks for Christmas. One of the pictures attached has stuffed Santa Clauses right next to Halloween masks…strange!!

We walked around a little more and then went to El Cortes Ingles (The English Court) which is Spain’s biggest and most prevalent department store. Here we bought a couple of books…actual English books…YAY! And then went to the supermarket and stocked up on our favorite snacks and Pepsi.

Now…we rest. Later, it’s off to dinner and an evening stroll which hopefully won’t be too rainy. Hope you’re all well!

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Photos

Atocha Station
Madrid's train station has a huge tropical garden in the middle of it which is pretty cool.

Christmas Lights
These lights have been up all over Spain but this is the first time we've actually seen them on.

Street Band
Another fun street band...this time playing Christmas songs

Comments

[Brad McNamara]

So close
Hey Guys, It's been great following your adventure - sounds like you're building a few memories. I'm actuallly in Milan until Dec 10 (and Zurich until Dec 14). Too bad you weren't just a little closer and we'd get together for some Xmas nog. Regardless, have a great journey and keep the updates comin' in. Brad

[Don Juan de Reeshmonde]

Shutter Drag!!
Mikey...your picture of the street band...excellent example of shutter drag. You had the principle subject of the band standing relatively still compared to the walker to the left of the frame. In daylight like that you need a shutter speed of around 1/100th to stop most normal motion. It looks like you were at about 1/30th here. So...you get the blurry walker which is a really cool effect. Another way to do this would be to actually follow the walker with your lens as they moved in front of the band. Then you're walker would have been relatively sharp and the band/background would be blurred. Your friendly neighborhood photographer and his unasked for tutorials ;)

[Leigh]

Meat Tiara?
I'm a little behind in reading your blogs but in the window display picture, it really looks like a meat tiara. What is that????