Two days in Madrid and it feels like I´ve been here for ages and know my way around. And yes, while sitting casually near a bus stop, I was approached by American tourists who spoke to me in Spanish and asked directions....
And here am I trying to forget all my French and recall all that Spanish I´ve just learnt....
So - the hostel is gorgeous - a former small palace with an enclosed courtyard with marble floor and fountain and mosaic tiled walls and a stained glass roof. Unfortunately all the rooms lead off the central courtyard so its quite noisy. But gorgeous!!!!
In two days I´ve been to both the Prado and the Reina Sofia galleries and seen some fabulous art - lots of Goya - including his picture of Satan eating a child - which appears to be based on a similar painting by Rubens (or is it the other way around - I forgot to check the dates), some amazing Renaiisance portraits, and all those paintings of war that Goya did. Have also seen Picasso´s Guernica - which surprised me coz its all monochrome - grey and black and white. All this time I´ve been assuming that I have been looking at black and white reproductions when really the painting itself is black and white! All the preparatory drawings and paintings for it were fascinating.
The security at all the galleries here and in Paris is pretty intense - bags scanned and checked and metal detectors etc before you even get to buy a ticket...
Met a great English girl - Hi Stella! - and we have been out and about exploring the city at night. We drank sangria and ate paella in Plaza Mayor one night (a bit like the Italian Forum in Leichhardt but way bigger and mroe expensive) and last night we went to Casa Patas and saw some amazing flamenco - 5 piece live band with 2 singers and 2 dancers - all power and intensity and drama - and the footwork was amazing - as was the flourishing & swish of the frilled skirt. And we ate tapas - olives stiffed with anchovies, chorizo, calamari, potatoes with garlic mayonaise - and more sangria! (and allow me to brag - I booked for the flamenco in Spanish! Very satisfying!)
Have also been to the Real Palace (ie Royal Palace) - which apparently has 2800 rooms - not all of which are on display but the ones that are, are pretty wild - chandeliers and Chinese ceramic ceilings and tapestries and silver platters and ceiling murals - and 4 Stradivarius violins!!!!! And seen the statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza and the bear kissing the strawberry tree - which is apparently the symbol of Madrid - but I have yet to figure out why!
Madrid has some great parks where I have been sitting and eating picnic lunches and watching the world go by.
Today I am off to the Thyssen museum to see the Impressionist and other modernists in their collections.
Susie - thanks for the post. I know I have to get you a gallery guide but I can´t remember which one. I think its the Thyssen... I´ll see how big they are - everything in my pack seems to have doubled in size!
Looking forward to hearing about the Biennale opening Sarah!
Thinking of seeing a movie tonight - after more tapas of course. Naomi - Las Vegas 21 here is called 21 Blackjack - and Sex in the City is Sex in New York!!!
Oh and did I mention that its like 30 C here and it stays daylight til about 10:30pm????? and 2.50 Euros buys a coffee and a croissant here!
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