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Published: January 28th 2008
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Jessie at the Park
This was in the park behind the Prado in Madrid. The trees are an evergreen Our last day in Madrid was probably the most memorable. We decided to say goodbye to the city the same way we said hello: a spanish-Irish pub named El Léon de Oro (the Gold Lion ). We found it on our first day of walking through the streets, while Jessie was patiently saying "where do you want to try" while I was nervously looking into smoke filled Spanish bars packed shoulder to shoulder with older locals that I saw the a dusty selection of beer and whiskey bottles decorating the front windows of this inviting place. The bar was a cocktail of two countries, with Morrocan style tiles and a collectional of Irish whiskeys and St Patty´s Day Guiness decorations. On our last night, we stode in, ordered a beer and cidra (cider, tangy and not to sweet), and quickly met a gentlemen from Brazil. After he left our attention was drawn to a ruckus coming from the basement. Hesitantly, we went down the stairs and peeked around a tight corner into a small brick basement with a low arched ceiling full of Japanese Kareoke singers!!! They waved us down and we took the only two (recently vacated) seats. I shouted
Grande Via
A random Madrid building on the "Grand Street" introductions in Spanish, and we were soon passed trays of tempura fried chicken and sushi! We soon discovered it was someone´s birthday. Not wanting to be a party crasher (not that anyone was noticing, Jessie was blending in well enough), I asked who´s birthday it was so i could buy them a drink. The Japanese host (i never caught his name, although he did a HILARIOUS Jacky Chan impersonation) pointed to the girl who sat across from us at our own table!!!
Natalia was her name and Violetta was her friend (they were the only other non-Japanese in the smoky basement) and although we had met and talked in Spanish, we soon learned they were Russian (according to them, the only 2 living in Madrid haha). We drank and sang the night away, and when we couldn´t follow the Japanese lyrics (which was most of the time) we just cheered, laughed, and applauded.
Around midnight, we went out for fresh air and a snack. It's funny, but Saturday night was so busy with Madreleños revelers that we couldn't find a single place quit enough to dine. But tonight was sunday, the same street that had been an explosion
Jámon!
These are hams hanging on a ceiling in a SMALL restaurant in toledo. Why cant we have ham shops like these back home??? of bars spilling people onto the street was a ghost town! The entire place had taken the day off! So, after some fresh air we called it a night and returned to our hostel (did we mention the stained glass roof of that place?)
A little bit about the architecture:
While our plane was landing outside the city of Madrid, I noticed on two sides what at first looked like dusty and barren plateaus with steep cliffs but what i soon relized were some sort of (strip?) mining. Later i figured out that these are the stone quarries of Madrid. The city is under much contruction, but everything, buildings and sidewalks, is made of large carved bricks of dark gray and brown stone. But it didn't feel that old per se, many buildings, the newer ones, looked like the nicer old buildings in Soho (19th century or so, lots of fires through the years). But there is definately a pride and craftsmanship missing from most "modern" (american) buildings.
It wasn´t until we went to Toledo that we really saw old (1000 year old!) stuff.
We took a high speed traing from Madrid to Seville today. The
Go to Church!
A church behind the Prado Museum. ride was pleasent. We passed grassy plains with cattle and sheep grazing in the distance and hills, then whizzed past olive and orange groves. When we arrived in Seville, the area surrounding the train station was rather bland. The whole place seemed very midwestern to me, even the people dress differently. But our opion has quickly changed, and we already want to extend our visit here. Its fantastic! Our bus dropped us off and within a few blocks the city went from 1970´s to New Orleans french quarter Spanish style. The buildings in the older pedestrian city center (where we´ve been) are brick with stucco. We´ll post some pictures tomorrow, it´s really terrific. Until then, caio!
ps Oasis Backpacker Hostel is A++
pps we had lunch at Cafe Alfonso (on the main street of the same name) A+ as well (we has two paellas, grilled tuna with salsa verde and Jessie had a fried pork chop with garlicky mustard and french fries)
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Cara
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That tree!!
That tree is fantastic!! it lookes like it should have windows and a front porch!