Today we are leaving Madrid for Sevilla via the AVE high speed train. It's a 2 1/2 hour ride, and I'm writing right now from the train. The high speed train is awesome, and I read that California is in the midst of a battle for implementing a high speed line from SF to LA., to be completed by 2028. At this moment I'm very biased, and I hope our lawmakers get this done. It would be great.
After 17 days in Madrid, I think we have a good feel for the city. I'm not sure it's the best place for kids, but if you're in your twenties, it would be an awesome place to live. However, I think if we were to commit to living here, we would be able to find more families and other cool activities for the kids. Madrid is a big, big place, and we really only scratched the surface.
Showing posts with label Madrid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Madrid. Show all posts
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Our Neighborhood
In the last couple of days, we've discovered more treasures in our neighborhood. It all started when I went in search of an ATM in the OTHER direction from where we normally walk. Just two blocks from our flat was Plaza 2 Mayo, a full city block of open square, with some decent playground space for the kids and some cute outdoor cafes. The kids especially enjoyed getting big air off of the swings.
The other thing we discovered was that we didn't have to go far to get a great meal. Restaurante 2 Velos is directly across the street, and after walking past it a few times, we decided to check it out for dinner - and it was delicious! So much so that Bryce and I returned again for a second time the next night. Bryce enjoyed a Pollo Indio - an Indian style dish, Laurel had a yummy steak and couscous combo, and I tried a cod with mussel sauce one night and a fried egg over potato chips with mushrooms and truffle oil.
And... I found a cute little place that makes fresh squeezed juice for me, and I've been there the last three mornings. What a great way to start the day!
The lesson is that next time we'll take a little more time to explore the neighborhood.
Now: off to Sevilla!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Playground Day - Téleferico and Templo Debod
Another late wake up (11 AM or so), and another late start (2 PM). But what the heck - it's Spain! Today's goal was to ride the Téleferico, a gondola ride that rises above Madrid, and through the Casa de Campo. When we left, we first went to the Plaza 2 Mayo near our house, and the kids enjoyed the playground. After a quick lunch and Metro ride, we arrived at the Téleferico, and got a great view of some of the places we have been, and some we hadn't. The mid-point of the ride has another playground - in the middle of the Casa de Campo - which the kids enjoyed.
Upon our return, we set out to find the Templo Debod - an Egyptian temple moved from Egypt brick-by-brick and rebuilt in Madrid. Templo Debod is in a beautiful area, with yet another great playground. (it seems like we finally found all the great playgrounds in our last two days in Madrid.) The temple is free to enter, and they have a great exhibit inside. You can see many of the original carvings too. The whole place had a magical feel to it, and the whole family spent 20 minutes inside enjoying the entire experience.
Sue took some great pictures of the grounds too.
Riding in the Téleferico gondola
The view from the Téleferico
Upon our return, we set out to find the Templo Debod - an Egyptian temple moved from Egypt brick-by-brick and rebuilt in Madrid. Templo Debod is in a beautiful area, with yet another great playground. (it seems like we finally found all the great playgrounds in our last two days in Madrid.) The temple is free to enter, and they have a great exhibit inside. You can see many of the original carvings too. The whole place had a magical feel to it, and the whole family spent 20 minutes inside enjoying the entire experience.
Sue took some great pictures of the grounds too.
Temple of Debod
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Fire Jam
Thursday night is the gathering night for the Malabaristas (jugglers), and last week "H" said they were going to do a fire jam. Sarah wanted to come too, so I met her and Ricardo - a friend of hers - and we went to the juggle jam together. As before, there were 40 or 50 jugglers, acrobats, etc. and a handful of poi people. I met some new folks, including a French guy who was very good, and a Spanish woman to whom I was able to teach some contact tricks.
Towards the end of the evening, we went outside, and the French guy and I did a little fire show for about twenty onlookers. "H" played drums, and Sarah and her friend seemed to enjoy themselves. She even took a video:
Afterwards, Sarah, Ricardo and I went out for a late tapas dinner to her favorite place off of Plaza Mayor. I walked home at 1:15 AM, and since there were so many people still out and about I felt perfectly safe.
Towards the end of the evening, we went outside, and the French guy and I did a little fire show for about twenty onlookers. "H" played drums, and Sarah and her friend seemed to enjoy themselves. She even took a video:
Afterwards, Sarah, Ricardo and I went out for a late tapas dinner to her favorite place off of Plaza Mayor. I walked home at 1:15 AM, and since there were so many people still out and about I felt perfectly safe.
Reina Sofia
Once again, we got a really late start. But it's not really phasing us so much, since all the daytime businesses are open until 8 PM. Today, we moseyed out around 3 PM to the Reina Sofia, one of the other must-see museums in Madrid.
The Reina Sofia's claim-to-fame is a great collection of Picassos, including the famous Guernica painting. Guernica was painted in the time leading up to World War II, during the Spanish Civil War. it depicts the bombing of the city of Guernica by the Nationalistas - the eventual winners of the war and the party of Franco. It's a huge mural in black and white, and it was banned from Spain while Franco was in power. It's also powerful, and in spite of the cubist style, it really showcases the horrors of war. It may be the most important art piece in all of Spain.
World War II is a constant theme in the Reina Sofia. Especially cool were some of the war propaganda posters on display. I suggested to the kids that they make their own propaganda posters, and here's what they came up with:
The museum had some famous Dali paintings as well. including the one called the Great Master Baiter. Fortunately, the kids didn't ask too many questions.
In the Glass Elevator at the Reina Sophia
The Reina Sofia's claim-to-fame is a great collection of Picassos, including the famous Guernica painting. Guernica was painted in the time leading up to World War II, during the Spanish Civil War. it depicts the bombing of the city of Guernica by the Nationalistas - the eventual winners of the war and the party of Franco. It's a huge mural in black and white, and it was banned from Spain while Franco was in power. It's also powerful, and in spite of the cubist style, it really showcases the horrors of war. It may be the most important art piece in all of Spain.
World War II is a constant theme in the Reina Sofia. Especially cool were some of the war propaganda posters on display. I suggested to the kids that they make their own propaganda posters, and here's what they came up with:
Bryce thinks he needs more time playing on the iPad
Laurel just wants something to protest. Note the bloody knife.
The museum had some famous Dali paintings as well. including the one called the Great Master Baiter. Fortunately, the kids didn't ask too many questions.
A 2nd day with Dana
by Bryce
Well....... here is our 2nd day with Dana....... pronounced Day-na and I know that this time we'll be busy. "Today we'll go to Chagall exhibit" says Dana in a loud, proud voice. No nude people please, I thought while making my face expressionless so no one suspected a thing. Dana, Laurel, and I silently sped across the rough cobblestone one way streets of Madrid to the near metro station called Tribunal. "Warmth!" we all yelled once we were deep underground on the speeding metro train going at a countless number of mph. The metro car took a sharp turn sideways, almost throwing me into Dana but Dana was thrown back too. Lucky Laurel. She was on a seat so her head just tilted back slightly. After a long time of being thrown back by metro cars we finally reached the Atocha station. "Cold!"we all yelled and raced to the Chagall exhibit. Dana and Laurel easily fell behind as I sped across the sidewalk saying things like "pardon' or "cuidado". I finished at the museum in no time while I could hear the girls shouts like "wait up!" or "come back". I waited for a long time for the girls to come, Then we walked into the museum and Dana gave us a shading lesson. The painter Marc Chagall had a wild imagination. Turns out there was many naked people, which was freaky enough for me to flip out. We left the museum saying"Cold" and went into the metro station screaming "Warmth" and got pushed around cars until we reached Tribunal and once we got out of Tribunal we screamed "Cold" and so on and that was the great 2nd day with Dana.
Well....... here is our 2nd day with Dana....... pronounced Day-na and I know that this time we'll be busy. "Today we'll go to Chagall exhibit" says Dana in a loud, proud voice. No nude people please, I thought while making my face expressionless so no one suspected a thing. Dana, Laurel, and I silently sped across the rough cobblestone one way streets of Madrid to the near metro station called Tribunal. "Warmth!" we all yelled once we were deep underground on the speeding metro train going at a countless number of mph. The metro car took a sharp turn sideways, almost throwing me into Dana but Dana was thrown back too. Lucky Laurel. She was on a seat so her head just tilted back slightly. After a long time of being thrown back by metro cars we finally reached the Atocha station. "Cold!"we all yelled and raced to the Chagall exhibit. Dana and Laurel easily fell behind as I sped across the sidewalk saying things like "pardon' or "cuidado". I finished at the museum in no time while I could hear the girls shouts like "wait up!" or "come back". I waited for a long time for the girls to come, Then we walked into the museum and Dana gave us a shading lesson. The painter Marc Chagall had a wild imagination. Turns out there was many naked people, which was freaky enough for me to flip out. We left the museum saying"Cold" and went into the metro station screaming "Warmth" and got pushed around cars until we reached Tribunal and once we got out of Tribunal we screamed "Cold" and so on and that was the great 2nd day with Dana.
A Day with Dana
As my Dad might have said, we have a new artsy-tour guide named Dana. We have been with her once before and we were really excited yesterday for another visit to some unexpected place. My mom directed her to Museo Reina Sofia. We got lost a little, but with the help of the metro, we got there. Dana was instructed to give us a little art lesson, so we headed over to a wide metal bench and opened never-used-before sketchbooks. Dana taught us about shading, trees, value scales, tints and shades, and reviewed color wheels, primary colors, secondary colors, and tertiary colors. We set out toward the Chagall exhibit. I sketched anything interesting in my sketchbook, but my sketching skills need work, so old men looked like angry owls. Bryce kept on freaking out about nudes.
"Psst, Laurel, look over there. It's a naked person!"
"Ewww..... He's naked!"
"Look, two naked people in the same room! Gross!"
"They actually think this painting is good? There's naked people in it!"
The only thing Bryce was inspired by was a pigeon.
So, when we finished touring and sketching, we headed out to a cervezeria to get a snack. After a chilled potato tortilla sandwich, we took the metro from Atocha station to the Tribunal station, which is a block away from our house. Did I mention that it started pouring as soon as we set off from the cervezeria? We accidentally tried the wrong door in our haste to get inside. When we found the right door, I shrugged off my soaking jacket and sat on a swivel stool near the counter. We were supposed to draw something that inspired us. I was inspired by one painting about a wall that no one could see over. I drew a bird's eye view of a wall. On the other side was nothing. I drew two men carrying a ladder to the wall. Bryce, unsurprisingly, drew cars. You know the pigeon he was inspired by? He drew it on the roof of a car. Typical. Not really creative, sadly. Just something already invented and used in everyday life. We had a great day with Dana, but sadly, that was our last.
Stay tuned for another Laurel post
Champions League
Soccer here is big - no surprise. We heard that Real Madrid, the New York Yankees of soccer, was playing a German team on TV, so last night Bryce and I went out to the Red Bar across the street to catch the last part of the game. It turns out that Real Madrid, along with their rivals FC Barcelona (the Boston Red Sox of soccer), are contending for the Champions League title. Bayern Munich and Chelsea are the other two teams left.
Watching in the bar is a great way to enjoy the game, and Bryce and I have now been out twice - tonight we saw the end of the FC Barcelona and Chelsea match. Watching in a public place is definitely more fun, and since kids are allowed in bars here, Bryce gets to enjoy the action too. This bar was relatively unpacked, and we order food/drinks while we watch. It's a lot of fun for us, and I get to explain soccer to Bryce, who hasn't played much and doesn't know a lot of the rules. He enjoys watching the games though, and he's particularly keen on asking why players get yellow cards.
I researched the Champions League, and it's pretty interesting in how it works. After a World Cup style round robin group of four, the top two teams in each division advance to elimination rounds. Two games are played, one in each teams home stadium, and the scores of both games are combined to determine the winner. If it's tied, the team with the most "away goals" - goals scored while playing as a visitor - is the winner. If there is still a tie, they go to a penalty kick playoff. The final two teams play a single game on May 19, and this is apparently the single most watched sporting event in the world. The tournament starts in November.
Watching in the bar is a great way to enjoy the game, and Bryce and I have now been out twice - tonight we saw the end of the FC Barcelona and Chelsea match. Watching in a public place is definitely more fun, and since kids are allowed in bars here, Bryce gets to enjoy the action too. This bar was relatively unpacked, and we order food/drinks while we watch. It's a lot of fun for us, and I get to explain soccer to Bryce, who hasn't played much and doesn't know a lot of the rules. He enjoys watching the games though, and he's particularly keen on asking why players get yellow cards.
I researched the Champions League, and it's pretty interesting in how it works. After a World Cup style round robin group of four, the top two teams in each division advance to elimination rounds. Two games are played, one in each teams home stadium, and the scores of both games are combined to determine the winner. If it's tied, the team with the most "away goals" - goals scored while playing as a visitor - is the winner. If there is still a tie, they go to a penalty kick playoff. The final two teams play a single game on May 19, and this is apparently the single most watched sporting event in the world. The tournament starts in November.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Caixa Forum
We still haven't adjusted to our normal time, and today we got yet another late start - like 1:30 PM. Madrid was freezing cold today (probably upper 40s), and we made the mistake of getting lunch at an outdoor restaurant nearby. We weren't the only people eating outdoors, but it was so cold that we hurriedly finished our lunch and went about our day.
The kids seem to be good for one big adventure per day, and since Bryce is on an architecture binge, we decided to visit a placed in Madrid called the Caixa Forum. The Caixa Forum is an old electrical station, converted into an art gallery of sorts. It has some really interesting design, including a vertical garden, a cool cafeteria, and lots of interesting triangles throughout the building. It's hard to describe without showing some pictures:
The kids seem to be good for one big adventure per day, and since Bryce is on an architecture binge, we decided to visit a placed in Madrid called the Caixa Forum. The Caixa Forum is an old electrical station, converted into an art gallery of sorts. It has some really interesting design, including a vertical garden, a cool cafeteria, and lots of interesting triangles throughout the building. It's hard to describe without showing some pictures:
The fountain underneath the building
The vertical garden
The cafeteria (notice the cool, swimming lights)
The interior staircase
The front entry steps
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Dinner with Juan and Elode
Sue met Juan, a man who has a mutual friend of ours, several years ago, and we arranged to meet him and his fiancee(?) Elode for dinner in the Centro, at a place called La Trucha (the trout). Juan is a native Spaniard who speaks good English, and Elode is French, but she speaks great Spanish and decent English. This was perfect for me, as I was able to carry on in 99% Spanish with Elode (with some failed attempts to resurrect my grade school French), and switching between English and Spanish with Juan (usually he'd speak English and I'd answer in Spanish). Even the kids got into it, as they really understood a lot of the Spanish, and were responding on occasion in Spanish. I think having them see us using Spanish made them want to try harder, and I was very proud of how well they were able to carry on.
The meal was very good. Juan had been there before, and made some great choices for us. Surprisingly, the kids were more adventurous than I expected, and in particular loved a dish of fried green peppers coated in Parmesan cheese. This dish had a particular Russian roulette attraction for them, since you never knew if you were getting a sweet pepper, or a hot one. Laurel - who never eats anything green - had six or seven, as did Bryce. A few times, they encountered the hot peppers, but after a few gulps of water they were ready to go again. Bryce tried some smoked trout (which I think he liked), and Laurel tried a caviar crostini, which also was a success.
La Trucha
As with our meal with Sarah, it seems like any night out with Madrilleños requires a minimum of two restaurant stops. After dinner, Juan took us for a walk to the La Latina neighborhood, where we had dessert at a yummy ice cream place. The kids were especially good, and they were rewarded with massive Sundaes.
Aside: Madrilleño is what people from Madrid call themselves. We were told that Madrid has the most restaurants per capita than any other place in the world. And lleño is the Spanish word for full. So with so many restaurants in Madrid, and going to a minimum of two per night, I can see why they are always full.
Here's a photo of our happy group:
We finally got home just before midnight, after starting at 8 PM. It's hard to believe we were out so long.
I really feel like my Spanish is finally coming back, as I spent most of the evening using Spanish, and was able to switch into past and future tenses, although I'm still making a lot of mistakes. But it's becoming more instinctual, and I feel like I'm thinking in Spanish at times, which is a good sign. I see the kids progressing as well.
The meal was very good. Juan had been there before, and made some great choices for us. Surprisingly, the kids were more adventurous than I expected, and in particular loved a dish of fried green peppers coated in Parmesan cheese. This dish had a particular Russian roulette attraction for them, since you never knew if you were getting a sweet pepper, or a hot one. Laurel - who never eats anything green - had six or seven, as did Bryce. A few times, they encountered the hot peppers, but after a few gulps of water they were ready to go again. Bryce tried some smoked trout (which I think he liked), and Laurel tried a caviar crostini, which also was a success.
La Trucha
As with our meal with Sarah, it seems like any night out with Madrilleños requires a minimum of two restaurant stops. After dinner, Juan took us for a walk to the La Latina neighborhood, where we had dessert at a yummy ice cream place. The kids were especially good, and they were rewarded with massive Sundaes.
Aside: Madrilleño is what people from Madrid call themselves. We were told that Madrid has the most restaurants per capita than any other place in the world. And lleño is the Spanish word for full. So with so many restaurants in Madrid, and going to a minimum of two per night, I can see why they are always full.
Here's a photo of our happy group:
We finally got home just before midnight, after starting at 8 PM. It's hard to believe we were out so long.
I really feel like my Spanish is finally coming back, as I spent most of the evening using Spanish, and was able to switch into past and future tenses, although I'm still making a lot of mistakes. But it's becoming more instinctual, and I feel like I'm thinking in Spanish at times, which is a good sign. I see the kids progressing as well.
Museo de Jamon
On our way back from the museum today, Sue and I finally mustered the courage to try the one of the ubiquitous Museo de Jamon (Museum of Ham) restaurants. We ordered a couple of ham sandwiches (a slice of Iberian ham on a french roll), a sangria and a beer - all for about $12 US.
It was nothing extraordinary, but the decor was over the top, and the ham sandwiches were decent. (Tip: order the bocadillo mixto [ham and cheese] if you go).
Bill enjoying an Iberian Ham Sandwich
It was nothing extraordinary, but the decor was over the top, and the ham sandwiches were decent. (Tip: order the bocadillo mixto [ham and cheese] if you go).
Inside the Museo de Jamon - Ham everywhere!
Bill enjoying an Iberian Ham Sandwich
Adult Sunday with Marc Chagall
Sue and I arranged for Dana, a friend of Sarah's, to be the tour guide for the kids this Sunday. This gave the two of us an entire afternoon to enjoy Madrid on our schedule, and have two less people to worry about.
Our first stop was the Thyssen museum, which had a Marc Chagall exhibit. I had heard of Marc Chagall, but knew nothing of his works, but now I'm a fan. He created a lot of interesting paintings with intense colors, animal motifs, and unusual perspectives, and was fluent in a variety of styles.
Here's some of the paintings I enjoyed:
After about as much museuming as our senses could tolerate, we walked off to find a bite to eat. The first option that appeared before us was the Museo de Jamon, and we got a couple of Iberian ham sandwiches and drinks.
After a little necessity shopping, we settled into an outside table at a plaza near our house, and finally sat down to rest our feet. We were walking or standing for four straight hours, and as such it felt good to sit and rest. The outdoor cafes are a great way to people-watch too.
On the way home, we encountered this scene of art imitating life:
Our first stop was the Thyssen museum, which had a Marc Chagall exhibit. I had heard of Marc Chagall, but knew nothing of his works, but now I'm a fan. He created a lot of interesting paintings with intense colors, animal motifs, and unusual perspectives, and was fluent in a variety of styles.
Here's some of the paintings I enjoyed:
After about as much museuming as our senses could tolerate, we walked off to find a bite to eat. The first option that appeared before us was the Museo de Jamon, and we got a couple of Iberian ham sandwiches and drinks.
After a little necessity shopping, we settled into an outside table at a plaza near our house, and finally sat down to rest our feet. We were walking or standing for four straight hours, and as such it felt good to sit and rest. The outdoor cafes are a great way to people-watch too.
On the way home, we encountered this scene of art imitating life:
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Dinner at Zuric
Since the kids looked so awesome after shopping, I figured I would treat them to a nice meal in a finer restaurant. After a little research, I chose Zuric, which was relatively close by and had good reviews. I reserved online, and we were getting ready to go when they called me and said they had no tables. Disappointment. Then they called back three minutes later and said they had a table for us if we could be there in the next 15 minutes. Done! So off we went.
The food was actually pretty good - some dishes were outstanding, and some were just OK. By unanimous opinion, the kids ordered the best meals. The decor was pretty nice too.
Here's a little food blogging to show what we had:
The food was actually pretty good - some dishes were outstanding, and some were just OK. By unanimous opinion, the kids ordered the best meals. The decor was pretty nice too.
Here's a little food blogging to show what we had:
Bryce's Salmon croquettes with mashed potatoes and mayo dip.
Bill's bacalao (cod) with clams and mussels.
Laurel's burger de ternera with onion rings (delicious!)
Fashionistas
Bryce blogged about the family's Saturday shopping trip previously. Here's a video I put together showing what the kids came back looking like:
Shopping at Spain's H&M
by Bryce
Our clothes shopping day was full of those moments that you could only find at Spain's crazy capital in one of the nearest overflowing H&M's. Our day started normally with me thinking, wake up, get up, eat up, dress up, and once I heard about the shopping adventure, I thought , the day is looking up. As normal, the whole darn family geared up except Dad, who said that he wanted a work day, but I thought he needed some quiet time without some crazy distraction like "Look what I made on Minecraft!". That's the new video game Laurel and I are obsessed with. Back to the subject. So we ran hectically across the apartment saying things like "Where are my clothes?" or "Someone knocked my contacts over!". After the chaos we trotted out the door saying our farewells to Daddy. We waited a LONNNNNNG time for our elevator to come to the 4th floor and then a LONNNNNNG time for it to go to the bottom floor...... which was incredibly annoying ( or maybe I'm impatient with elevators....... I don't know). Then we walked a LONNNNNNG way to all these clothing stores where practically everything in the boys section was too small and everything in the mens area was too big to fit on me. Finally we found a great place to buy new clothes called H&M. Laurel and I zoomed ahead, glad that we found a clothing store that finally thought about our sizes. It took a while for me to get in my comfort zone and find the right outfits. After that we had to find the nearest fitting rooms, or probadores, as the Spaniards call it. A woman said that there were "probadores" upstairs. Just to make sure, we asked someone else the same question. Relieved that we didn't have to go upstairs, we walked past the check-out counter and to the probadores. After making sure the clothes fit just right we bought them and headed to Starbucks. We took Spain's great Metro home after finishing two scrumptious muffins and a chai tea latte. On my way home I tore through my tags like they were butter as I knew that I wanted to wear this new hat pronto. Dad freaked once we slammed our rental homes door saying "You shopped for four hours!". We looked at each other for some silent seconds..... then laughed.
Stay tuned for Bryce's next article.
Our clothes shopping day was full of those moments that you could only find at Spain's crazy capital in one of the nearest overflowing H&M's. Our day started normally with me thinking, wake up, get up, eat up, dress up, and once I heard about the shopping adventure, I thought , the day is looking up. As normal, the whole darn family geared up except Dad, who said that he wanted a work day, but I thought he needed some quiet time without some crazy distraction like "Look what I made on Minecraft!". That's the new video game Laurel and I are obsessed with. Back to the subject. So we ran hectically across the apartment saying things like "Where are my clothes?" or "Someone knocked my contacts over!". After the chaos we trotted out the door saying our farewells to Daddy. We waited a LONNNNNNG time for our elevator to come to the 4th floor and then a LONNNNNNG time for it to go to the bottom floor...... which was incredibly annoying ( or maybe I'm impatient with elevators....... I don't know). Then we walked a LONNNNNNG way to all these clothing stores where practically everything in the boys section was too small and everything in the mens area was too big to fit on me. Finally we found a great place to buy new clothes called H&M. Laurel and I zoomed ahead, glad that we found a clothing store that finally thought about our sizes. It took a while for me to get in my comfort zone and find the right outfits. After that we had to find the nearest fitting rooms, or probadores, as the Spaniards call it. A woman said that there were "probadores" upstairs. Just to make sure, we asked someone else the same question. Relieved that we didn't have to go upstairs, we walked past the check-out counter and to the probadores. After making sure the clothes fit just right we bought them and headed to Starbucks. We took Spain's great Metro home after finishing two scrumptious muffins and a chai tea latte. On my way home I tore through my tags like they were butter as I knew that I wanted to wear this new hat pronto. Dad freaked once we slammed our rental homes door saying "You shopped for four hours!". We looked at each other for some silent seconds..... then laughed.
Stay tuned for Bryce's next article.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Casa De Campo
After our long lunch, we were ready for a little adventure. The goal was to locate a tram ride that offers great views of Madrid - the Téleferico. Without too much direction, we took the Metro to the Casa de Campo, a HUGE park area outside of the city center. This contains an immense park, which was used originally as the King's hunting grounds, but has since been converted into a park and preserved. It's probably the size of San Francisco's Presidio - maybe bigger, and is interlaced with lots of dirt paths for biking and hiking. It also contains the Zoo, and an amusement park.
We arrived at 4:30 or so, and the zoo was closing in an hour, so we opted not to go in, and instead walked through the park. The kids found a cool play structure, and we all enjoyed the hike. We could see some of the amusement park rides in the distance.
Hopefully we'll be better planned next time, and be able to visit the Zoo and aquarium. The Zoo apparently has one of the few pairs of pandas in captivity.
And we never did find the téleferico, but I looked it up later, and we now know where it is for later this week.
We arrived at 4:30 or so, and the zoo was closing in an hour, so we opted not to go in, and instead walked through the park. The kids found a cool play structure, and we all enjoyed the hike. We could see some of the amusement park rides in the distance.
Playground at Casa de Campo
Hopefully we'll be better planned next time, and be able to visit the Zoo and aquarium. The Zoo apparently has one of the few pairs of pandas in captivity.
And we never did find the téleferico, but I looked it up later, and we now know where it is for later this week.
Madrid Style Lunch with Sarah
Sue's brother put us in contact with Sarah, a friend of his and vivacious 20-something American living here in Madrid. She has been here several months, and has gotten into the groove of how things work here, and agreed to meet us for lunch and take us to her favorite spots.
First stop was an outdoor cafe right outside the Plaza Mayor. The maitre'd knew her right away, and we got a great table, and ordered sangria and a tapas sampler.
Next, we meandered over to San Miguel market so the kids could get dessert, and then to a second place across from Palacio Real, where we ordered a really good stuffed ox tail dish.
Apparently, this is how you roll in Madrid: long, slow, leisurely lunches between 1:30 and 4 PM. And you walk everywhere to work it off.
First stop was an outdoor cafe right outside the Plaza Mayor. The maitre'd knew her right away, and we got a great table, and ordered sangria and a tapas sampler.
Apparently, this is how you roll in Madrid: long, slow, leisurely lunches between 1:30 and 4 PM. And you walk everywhere to work it off.
Malabaristas
Last Sunday in Retiro park, I met a South-American guy named Atche ("H"), who invited me to a get-together of jugglers (malabaristas) and other circus artists, and wanted me to share some of my poi knowledge. They meet every Thursday from 7:30 to 11:00 at a place called La Tabacalera.
So after dinner with the family, I went in search of La Tabacalera, which was the meeting place. I located the Metro stop, and after circling for a bit I eventually found the place, which resembled a run-down recreation center. After little more searching, and asking for directions, I located the room, and "H" was there to greet me.
There were probably 40 people doing various circusy things, including the aerial fabric thing, juggling, and a few poi spinners. I wound up teaching a few tricks to a pair of Spanish people, and one woman in particular was quite good. There was also a group of American students, one of whom was learning, and I chatted with her for a while. She was part of an exchange program from George Washington University, and was really enjoying her stay in Madrid.
A few people had fire gear, and "H" asked me if I had mine. I told him I did, but not with me. He said that next Thursday they would be doing a fire jam at the Tabacalera, and asked if I'd come. "Por supesto" (of course), I said. So, until next Thursday...
So after dinner with the family, I went in search of La Tabacalera, which was the meeting place. I located the Metro stop, and after circling for a bit I eventually found the place, which resembled a run-down recreation center. After little more searching, and asking for directions, I located the room, and "H" was there to greet me.
There were probably 40 people doing various circusy things, including the aerial fabric thing, juggling, and a few poi spinners. I wound up teaching a few tricks to a pair of Spanish people, and one woman in particular was quite good. There was also a group of American students, one of whom was learning, and I chatted with her for a while. She was part of an exchange program from George Washington University, and was really enjoying her stay in Madrid.
A few people had fire gear, and "H" asked me if I had mine. I told him I did, but not with me. He said that next Thursday they would be doing a fire jam at the Tabacalera, and asked if I'd come. "Por supesto" (of course), I said. So, until next Thursday...
Moving to Malasaña
Our week's lease ended today, and so we moved to our new flat in a different neighborhood. We picked the "Cervantes Apartment", in a artsy bohemian neighborhood called Malasaña.
The flat has two lofts, accessible by ladders, which thrilled the kids, as they each laid claim to their own private space.
The biggest change in venues is the neighborhood. Malasaña is comparable to the East Village in New York (so I'm told), with lots of small, designer clothes stores, avant-garde eateries, and a sizable gay population. The streets are very narrow, and inhospitable to cars, so the streets are pedestrian friendly 95% of the time, except for the occasional taxi or motor scooter. And since this is an older part of town, many of the intersections are at angles other than 90 degrees. In spite of a lot of graffiti (including on our front door), it's a really charming area.
Our first adventure was to find lunch. We settled on this charming little bakery, where Bryce got a delicious slice of stuffed pizza, and the rest of us got empanadas. They were top-notch, comparable or better than anything we might find in SF.
Exploring further, the area is full of really cool looking eateries, including a couple of sushi places, several burger joints (Laurel loves hamburgers), take out pizza places, traditional Spanish fare, and more.
After lunch, the kids needed to chill, so Sue and I went exploring Fuencarril, a trendy street in our area. Most of the shops are clothes stores, and we realized how un-hip we are as we walked through a few of them. (Hopefully that will change the longer we are here.) I encouraged Sue to take Laurel and Bryce shopping later on this week, since our kids can more easily pull off being fashionistas. Having been freed from wearing a school uniform for the rest of the year, I can see Laurel is already evolving her look, so it will be interesting to see how she transforms.
That night, we chose an Italian outdoor restaurant for dinner, and the food was superb. The kids had some amazing pasta dishes - Laurel's bolognese sauce was some of the best I ever ate. Since we're close to Italy, you would expect good Italian food, but the style was definitely different than San Francisco (which also has great Italian food).
The flat has two lofts, accessible by ladders, which thrilled the kids, as they each laid claim to their own private space.
The biggest change in venues is the neighborhood. Malasaña is comparable to the East Village in New York (so I'm told), with lots of small, designer clothes stores, avant-garde eateries, and a sizable gay population. The streets are very narrow, and inhospitable to cars, so the streets are pedestrian friendly 95% of the time, except for the occasional taxi or motor scooter. And since this is an older part of town, many of the intersections are at angles other than 90 degrees. In spite of a lot of graffiti (including on our front door), it's a really charming area.
Our first adventure was to find lunch. We settled on this charming little bakery, where Bryce got a delicious slice of stuffed pizza, and the rest of us got empanadas. They were top-notch, comparable or better than anything we might find in SF.
Exploring further, the area is full of really cool looking eateries, including a couple of sushi places, several burger joints (Laurel loves hamburgers), take out pizza places, traditional Spanish fare, and more.
After lunch, the kids needed to chill, so Sue and I went exploring Fuencarril, a trendy street in our area. Most of the shops are clothes stores, and we realized how un-hip we are as we walked through a few of them. (Hopefully that will change the longer we are here.) I encouraged Sue to take Laurel and Bryce shopping later on this week, since our kids can more easily pull off being fashionistas. Having been freed from wearing a school uniform for the rest of the year, I can see Laurel is already evolving her look, so it will be interesting to see how she transforms.
That night, we chose an Italian outdoor restaurant for dinner, and the food was superb. The kids had some amazing pasta dishes - Laurel's bolognese sauce was some of the best I ever ate. Since we're close to Italy, you would expect good Italian food, but the style was definitely different than San Francisco (which also has great Italian food).
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Back to San Miguel Market and Retiro Park
We've been in Madrid for long enough to come up with some favorite things that we want to do again, only doing them better. First stop on the days activities was a return to San Miguel Market - on an empty stomach. Bryce - being a mostly-vegetarian - opted for Pizza across the street, but he did enjoy some fresh mango in the market. Laurel discovered mini Waygu burgers, a mini gourmet hot dog (shared with Sue) and some empanadas. I had some awesome crostinis, a burrata and bread appetizer, some yummy tandoori skewers, a fresh carrot and orange juice, and a couple of other things - only scratching the surface of what was available. The kids finished with hot chocolate, and Sue and I had a "drunken poundcake".
Next stop - back to Retiro park. Sue needed a nap, so she headed back to the flat and I took the kids to the park. We rented a rowboat this time, and Bryce and Laurel took turns navigating us around the lake. (Bryce is really into rowing.)
Afterwards, we went to the playground, and my kids assimilated into a larger group of boys playing several versions of "King of the mountain" on a merry-go-round style apparatus. I was thrilled to see my kids mixing it up with the locals, only to find out the family was from Southern California - but they were still very nice.
Burrata
Yummy meat skewers
Amazing Hot Dogs
Sumptuous Crostinis
Next stop - back to Retiro park. Sue needed a nap, so she headed back to the flat and I took the kids to the park. We rented a rowboat this time, and Bryce and Laurel took turns navigating us around the lake. (Bryce is really into rowing.)
Afterwards, we went to the playground, and my kids assimilated into a larger group of boys playing several versions of "King of the mountain" on a merry-go-round style apparatus. I was thrilled to see my kids mixing it up with the locals, only to find out the family was from Southern California - but they were still very nice.
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