Esta Loco!
Trip Start
Sep 01, 2009
1
8
14
Trip End
Nov 30, 2009
Madrid,
Madrid,
Spain and Canary Islands
Saturday, November 7, 2009
The six hour train to Madrid should of provided a long time for sleeping but alas the french/spanish speaking guy next to me wanted to talk the entire ride. He played french videos for me on his laptop and attempted speaking to me in half english, french and spanish. My head throbbed. I stared out the window watching the rolling hills and deep valleys engulfing us. Every time I tried to take a picture we entered a very long dark tunnel concealing all the beauty from my eyes. It got dark quickly and I was forced to entertain my seatmate or watch the french movie with spanish subtitles they were showing. I did a little of both.
At 10pm we exited the train to the chill and misty rain of Madrid. A long subway ride and several turns later and we arrived at the hostel. I say we because the french guy asked to join me to my hostel and I dont know the word no. He was safe though just a little clingy. The hostel was on the third floor and difficult to reach. The rooms were crowded and smelled like the sweat of a million bodies. I sucked it up because it was only one night. I went for dinner with the french guy at the only place still serving food because we were both starving then I went right to bed. The next morning I found my way to my homestay where I would remain for the next four days, or so I thought. After much confusion with the woman's address I finally arrived at Casa de Ana. She buzzed me in and I made it to her front door tired and sweaty from lugging my bags. She welcomed me in with a smile and a lot of fast Spanish, I barely understood. I was just happy to have my own bedroom and to take a shower. Then Ana came in and told me I must go out soon while the sun was still out (note anything I say she said is all in spanish she refused to speak english which is ok if i could only understand spanish so well). So her husband escorted me to the metro and gave me directions for getting to the city center.
Departing at Puerta de Sol, I found a busy square full of tourists snapping pictures of the center statues and locals shopping on the finger streets stretching out from the middle. Since I was without map I was forced to search for signs to find my intended destination. Luckily the signs were posted directing me to Plaza Mayor. At Plaza Mayor, I found an enormous spanish square in the middle of authentic spanish restaurants with al fresco seating filling the right side of the square. The border of the square was an authentic spanish design of red buildings atop tall stone arches. Underneath the buildings were shops, a tourist office and the Mayors office. A tall statue stood at the center on horse. Street entertainers decorated the square with saxophone playing, ghoulish faces atop a table, acrobatics, and bronze moving statues. Three men sat under the shade of the arches wearing disney character costumes with a cigerrette in one hand and their head resting next to the other. Hopefully the kids did not see Pooh and Mickey taking this break. I got a map at the tourist office and left the square. I found Plaza de Ville with the townhall and stayed only long enough to snap a photo.
At the end of the Calle Mayor, a cathedral large enough to give someone a heartattack stood. Its white dome and massive staircase intrigued me to enter. The Almudena Cathedral contained a unique interior. The modern stained glass windows had thick bright panels not hundreds of little pieces. They looked more like murals than windows. The tall wooden doors were carved with miniature bible stories in 3D. The crypt was dim and eerie with tombs stacked along the walls and some with the life-like marble replicas of them resting on top. Next to the Cathedral is an marble square and a long black gate guarding the Royal Palace. I did not want to pay 8 euros to go into the Palace though to see all the decadent gold and murals though so I just looked at the book in the gift shop. Instead I wandered through the gardens lined with marble statues and spurting fountains. I passed Plaza Espana as well with its large pool and fountain with a statue dedicated to Miguel de Cervantes. My feet then throbbed from all the walking and my stomach grumbled knowing that I would not eat dinner until 9:30 as Ana informed me. So I headed back to the metro de Sol. Along the way I discovered the staple cuisine of Spain or at least Madrid hanging in almost every restaurant window. Redish crusty pig legs dangled from hooks in almost all window displays. I immediately lost my appetite. One restaurant named Museo de Jamon displayed hundreds of dead pigs with their heads and everything on a platter at the entrance. Looked like a horrible place for a vegetarian to live aka Me.
I purchased a snack and returned to Casa de Ana. In my room I munched on bread and cheese and read my book. Then Ana entered found my mouth full of food and the main light on. She reprimanded me in Spanish- no you do not eat in the room dinner at 9:30, dont do this ever again Melissa. Also just to add dont use our main light you must use a lamp to not waste our electricity then she smiled and left. I did not feel like a wanted guest. Finally when dinner time arrived I sat down with the other woman staying there, a 60 year old Australian woman doing a thesis and a Spanish man. Ana did not join us. I asked the Australian woman a question in english and looked at me with a frightened look and responded in Spanish that she would not speak English with me. So I sat quietly through dinner eating my cold eggy soup and hard bread- not exactly the appetizing spanish cuisine my stomach was hoping for. I went to bed with a dizzy headache and unsatisfiable hunger.
The next morning Ana said to me again I must leave to catch the sun, it was only 11am. So I left, happy to get away from her anyway. I visited the Parc del Retiro, a marvelous and relaxing park that covers half of the eastern half of the city. It was perfect for a nice stroll with not only small cafes and nice benches amidst luscious green trees and garden beds but also for recreations like renting a row boat and floating along the manmade lake with the stone steps and statue at its background. Every path leads you to something spectacular whether it be fountain or statue. One intriguing building hidden within the thick forest is the Crystal Palace, a building made completely of crystal windows. Seated in front of a nice pond with trees growing from within the water and a geiser shooting water out of the center, this palace reflects full rainbow prisms when illuminated by the suns rays. Only a few people can enter at a time but inside is glorious with the sun shining through the crystal windows. I sat by the pond watching the ducks float by for a half an hour. I then bought some food at a cafe and people watched by the lake. If I lived in Madrid Id spend all my free afternoons relaxing with a nice book here. One man was so happy he roller bladed around a fountain dancing with his discman on for an hour- everyone watched him and took pictures.
I left eventually and walked along the Prado with the three famous art museums in Madrid- the Prado, the Thiessen and the Sofia. I only paid to go in the Sofia out of the three because it had an extensive collection of all of Dali and Picassos works. It most importantly had Picasso's original Guernica covering one full wall. Everyone crowded around it and observed the dramatic floating heads and bull expressing a deep drama noone will quite understand. Dali's pieces had me lost in a dream of melting body parts in desolate deserts and contorted bodies. I loved it! After this I had enough though and headed home but not before a quick pit stop for food since I would not eat for a long while. I found an indoor farmers market where fresh vegetables and fruits lined lettuce beds on display, mini bars served drinks and tapas with numerous customers leaning and eating with friends, as well as tables filled with appetizing cheeses, breads and deserts. I could not afford or understand the process of any of it though so I ate a fallafel at a place we have in philadelphia called Maoz Meal, and felt very happy.
That night for dinner we had more cold soup this time with small shrimp and some bread. Another guest in the homestay joined us- a german boy my age. He and the australian woman spoke spanish the whole time and I tried my best to understand and add a little of what I knew how to say to the conversation. Ana continually asked us if everything was bueno, it was not but I said so anyway. After dinner I requested of Ana to use her computer to check my mail she said sharply only for 10 mins no more. I was in the middle of emailing people and she said you are done and took it back. I went to my bedroom to avoid her. She came to the room with books on Spain and told me that tomorrow (sabado) I should go to Segovia and she planned it all for me finding the train times and everything. This was probably the only nice thing she did even though she did not ask me if I wanted to go or not she just told me I must. I should mention I am paying her 30 euros a night and this is supposed to include two authentic spanish meals a day. For breakfast she gives me tea and some cookies thats it and Ive mentioned how good dinner is already. I found this placement on Homestayfinder.com I hope no one has the misfortune of staying with her like I did. On my last night there she called me into the living room to show me her blog. On this blog everyone who has stayed with her wrote something nice about the experience. She then handed me the computer and insisted I add my nice comments about my experience and she proceeded to watch what I wrote. So I had to write something nice and then she left me to read the rest of the comments, which were all generic like mine so I know now why she got rave reviews. I was supposed to stay with her five days I left after three nights.
