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Another city, another blog, this time its our el classico! Madrid vs Barcelona. I don't have time to edit these or even read them through - so if there are mistakes or bits that dont make sense forgive me! 😊
We were sad to leave Seville, it is a really amazing place.
It was a easy bus trip up to Madrid, one thing that shocked me about the spanish countryside is how devoid of towns it is. I expected to see so many more on a 5 hours bus ride but there was so much open space, mountains and farming fields. Suprising for europe - great views.
Ariving in Madrid was a bit of a shock to the system, after Kent, Rural Portugal and Seville stepping into a crowded Madrid took us by suprise. Its a funny thing when you arrive in a city and instantly feel overwhelmed or unsafe, Madrid was a bit like that, still it makes it even better when you arrive somewhere and fall in love with it instantly, Barca was like that for Dan.
Madrid was crazy packed when we got there but checked in and went out to see some Flamenco
the first night. This was in a seedy little arts co-operative which was soooo cool. It was just a basement with a bar that artists can hire out for shows. Wasn't the most 'traditional' flamenco experience but was really different to see some young people putting their spin on it - great guitar work, vocals and dancing. The atmosphere was great (from a backpackers point of view) and didn't feel sanitised or really 'staged' which we loved. The next day we took advantage of the hostels free walking tour and a bloke named Pablo showed us around for a good 3 hours. Lots to learn about the place considering it's the capital and houses the royal family. It was a good way to see the city and the place started to grow on us a little. Considering the scale of the terrorist attack here I was surpised there was little mention of it.
That afternoon by chance I found out that my friend from manchester, now living in Toronto, was in madrid for the week! Aizaz and Shez (who I'd caught up with briefly in manchester) were there for a cousins stag do. They were staying in a pretty
schmick hotel so Dan and I got to masquerade as rich tourists sitting on the terrace of their hotel and enjoying views over Madrid. For a large city there is a huge amount of park space and green belts, a bit like Welly, from up high it really looks spectacular.
We spent the next two days with the boys and their cousins and mates taking it easy, enjoying a drink or two and checking out the palace and sights of the city.
Madrid houses an egyptian Temple, nuts hey?, when the egyptians dammed the nile they had to relocate a lot of temples to avoid the rising water. This was an impressive feat that I've witnessed first hand in egypt in 2005. You really cant tell that they've moved them the job is that good. Spain had helped them out with this and as a thankyou they gave them a 2200 year old temple to put in madrid. A really cool place to hang out and nice that Dan could see a bit of egypt on this trip too!!
On our last night Dan and I snuck ourselves up onto the terrace of the boys hotel while they were out and watched the sunset while sharing sangria and chatting, it was an amazing evening that I'll never forget and in a hectic fast paced city it was great to just chill together watching it all from a birds eye view. One of the little gems you stumble across when travelling that reminds you why you go through the months of saving and planning.
Big shout out to the lads we got to hang out with, complete gentlemen and We cant wait to see you in England, Canada, Aus or NZ sometime in the future.
The next day we had an 8hr bus trip from Madrid to Barca, that turned into 9 hours with the traffic, Athletic Madrid were playing that night in Barca so the motorways were full of cars and buses with flags and scarfs making the pilgramige east. It all made for good fun. Atletico were playing Seville (who we were stoked to see win 2-0 given our new found affection for the city!) in Spains domestic final.
Our first day in Barca we rose early and got stuck into the sights of Anton Gaudi, Sagrada Familia and his Park Guell are really special places that feel like you've stepped into a dream world. Completely different architecture to anywhere else in Europe, or the world for that matter, and good fun too. That night we went to a bar called Tapa Tapa and feasted on some Tapas, what an amazing way to eat! Mushrooms , Grillec Vegetables, Cheese Croquets, Sesame Chicken Skewers and potato's in garlic and tomato sauce, yum yum yum yum yum! The waiter was a champ too who indulged me in a good conversation on Marvel comics after seeing my marvel shirt - always fun.
Today we walked to the bus station to inquire about the lost and found because I left a shirt on the bus when we got here (idiot!) haha but no luck, we looped around from the bus station to the beaches of Barca with a little stop for some tacos. A good day, the sun is blazing here, a pleasant 29'c. The meditteranean was freezing but a good dip, I've now swam in this sea from 3 different countries - France, Spain and Italy - that gives me a buzz, It gets my imagination going (especially because of the European history I studied at Uni, a lot centred on the med.)
This arvo has involved laying about and reading a bit. A good 3 weeks on the road, an even better 9 to come.
Thanks for reading folks.
BG
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Jeff
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Tacos
I want some Spanish tacos! Sounds like you're having a blast. Keep up the good work!