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La Latina

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    • Día 4

      3. Tag in Madrid - Geschichte der Stadt

      18 de septiembre de 2019, España ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

      Mein 3. Tag in Madrid bricht an...und ich habe zum 2. Mal das Frühstück verpasst 😅. Naja aller guten Dinge sind drei...

      Das Hostelzimmer ist mittlerweile auch voll international geworden...mit Menschen aus Argentinien, USA, China und Russland. Aber irgendwie klappt die Verständigung trotzdem gut.

      Am Nachmittag beschließe ich an einer „Free Walking Tour“ durch Madrid teilzunehmen. Diese Touren finden in vielen Großstädten kostenlos auf Spendenbasis statt. Wir starten wieder am „Plaza Mayor“ und ich erfahre viel über die Geschichte Spaniens und Madrid auf sehr unterhaltsame Art. Vor der Gründung Spaniens gab es mehrere Königreiche, unter anderem Aragón und Kastilien. Madrid war nur ein Dorf und wurde wegen seiner politischen Unwichtigkeit zur Hauptstadt - hier gab es noch keine Intrigen oder Verbindungen 🧐. Es ist immer weiter gewachsen und es wurden immer neue Stadtmauern als Ring um die nun mit Stadtrecht ausgestattete neue Hauptstadt errichtet, um Steuern von den Händlern innerhalb der Mauern verlangen zu können ... mittelalterlicher Kapitalismus🤪.

      Es gab viele weitere tolle Geschichten zu hören, z.B. über das älteste Restaurant in Madrid, das „Botín“, (&das älteste aktive der Welt), indem der Maler Goya einst als Küchenhilfe arbeitete und Ernest Hemingway die Prohibition in den USA saufend umging 😅.

      Und über den Robin Hood Spaniens „Luis Candelas“, der reichen adligen Damen die Häuser ausräumte nach einem gemeinsamen Schäferstündchen, während deren Ehemänner auf Reisen waren (so das die betrogenen und gleichzeitig betrügenden Frauen nichts verraten konnten über den Raub) - ein lange gut laufendes Geschäftsmodell, das aber am Ende mit seiner Hinrichtung endete 😱!
      Ich erfuhr außerdem, dass Tapas ursprünglich erfunden wurden als kostenlose Beilage zu alkoholischen Getränken, um zu verhindern, dass Arbeiter auf nüchternen Magen trinken müssen und damit nicht mehr effizient arbeiten können 😉. Und das man in spanischen Klostern von unsichtbaren Nonnen (sie dürfen sich nicht zeigen) mit Klopfzeichen und über Drehtische zum Geldaustausch Plätzchen kaufen kann - echt verrückt! Die Tour war auf jeden Fall spannend!

      Überhaupt gibt es in Madrid allerhand Kurioses und Geschichtsträchtiges zu entdecken, weil die Spanier ihre Kultur und Traditionen lieben - vom klassischen Tangokleid, über “Don Quijote“ T-Shirts für die Kleinsten bis zu „tanzenden“ Warnmännchen in der Metro war alles dabei 😂.
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    • Día 60

      Tag 60 - plötzlich in Schottland?

      2 de noviembre de 2022, España ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

      Wieder mal ausgeschlafen bin ich heute knapp vor Mittagszeit aufgestanden und hatte gemütlich gefrühstückt. Um 13:30 Uhr war dann bereits mein Onkel da und nachdem er sich eingerichtet hat, gingen wir raus. Das Wetter war der Hammer, im T-Shirt kamen wir ins Schwitzen. Mit dem Metro fuhren wir bis zum Bahnhof Atocha und von dort aus liefen wir ein gutes Stück ins Zentrum. Bereits im Zentrum ist mir aufgefallen, dass ziemlich viele Celtic Fans da waren, denn am Abend spielte Real das letzte Champions League Gruppenspiel gegen die Schotten. Als wir zur Plaza Mayor liefen erschreckte ich mich. Noch nie habe ich so viele Personen dort gesehen und es waren alles Celtic Fans, die friedlich ihr Bier tranken und für gute Stimmung sorgten, auch der Polizeieinsatz dort war riesig. Direkt an der Plaza Mayor gingen wir in eine Bar und assen beide ein Bocadillo, mein Onkel mit Calamares und ich mit Lomo, es war herrlich. Als nächstes gingen wir zum Mercado San Miguel, wo wir eigentlich noch ein Dessert essen wollten, doch wir fanden nichts auf was wir Lust hatten. Wir liefen noch weiter durchs Zentrum und mein Onkel kaufte sich ein Parfüm und ein neues Portemonnaie. Eigentlich wollten wir das heutige Fussballspiel anschauen gehen, doch leider hatten wir wieder keine Tickets gefunden. Ein Besuch beim Stadion durfte aber trotzdem nicht fehlen. So begaben wir uns mit dem Metro zum Santiago Bernabeu. Anders als sonst, war der Metro nicht mit weiss gekleideten Menschen, sondern mit grün gekleideten Menschen voll und auch vor dem Stadion hatte es gefühlt mehr Celtic Fans als Real Fans. Auch der Mannschaftsbus wurde praktisch von Celtic Fans und nicht Real Fans begrüsst. Ich hatte kein gutes Gefühl für das Spiel und war zu diesem Zeitpunkt ziemlich froh, dass ich keine Tickets hatte. So machten wir uns auf den Weg Richtung nach Hause. Bevor wir aber nach Hause gingen, besuchten wir unsere Tante und gingen noch zum Supermarkt einkaufen. Zuhause schauten wir im Fernsehen das Real Spiel an und als ich das Spiel sah, war ich wieder enttäuscht das ich keine Tickets fand. Real Spiele einen wunderschönen Fussball und die Stimmung hörte sich auch gut an, schlussendlich hatten sie sogar 5:1 gewonnen. Nach dem Spiel sind wir in unserem Viertel nochmals Essen gegangen und dann bereits wieder nach Hause, da wir schon wieder ziemlich müde waren, weil wir knapp 20'000 Schritte zurücklegten.Leer más

    • Día 55

      Tag 55 - weiterer Besuch ist da

      28 de octubre de 2022, España ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

      Nachdem wir heute Morgen wieder alle gemeinsam frühstückten, verbrachten wir einen sehr ruhigen und gemütlichen Tag in unserem Quartier in Madrid. Dabei erledigten wir noch ein paar Kleinigkeiten, die nicht wichtig sind, doch auch noch gemacht werden mussten. Gegen 18:00 Uhr gingen mein Vater und ich zum Flughafen nach Madrid, nicht weil er zurück in die Schweiz flog, sondern weil wir dort mein Gotti und Götti abholten. Bevor sie aber landeten, holten wir am Flughafen noch das Mietauto ab, welches wir dann morgen brauchen werden. Da wir auf dem Weg zum Flughafen überraschenderweise keinen Stau hatten, waren wir wieder mal zu früh am Flughafen und auch beim Autovermieter ging es sehr rasch zu und her, so verbrachten wir noch ein wenig Zeit am Flughafen zu zweit bis dann mein Gotti und Götti landeten. Mit dem Mietauto fuhren wir dann zuerst zurück nach Hause und liessen mein Gotti und Götti vor der Wohnung raus, mein Vater und ich machten uns auf die Suche nach einem Parkplatz. Die Strassen hier sind alle nur Einbahnstrassen und voll mit parkierten Autos, es ist also ziemlich schwierig ein Parkplatz zu finden. Nachdem wir ein paar Runden ums Quartier fuhren, hatten wir aber Glück und sahen gerade wie jemand einen Parkplatz, ziemlich in der Nähe unserer Wohnung, verliess. In der Zeit als wir am Flughafen waren, bereitete meine Mutter ein kleines Apero zu und nachdem wir dieses verspeist hatten, erkundigten wir Madrid im Dunkeln. Mit dem Taxi fuhren wir ins Zentrum und als wir dort ankamen, fragte ich mich, von wo alle diese Personen kommen. Denn durch den Tag durch, hatte es nicht all zu viele Personen im Zentrum, doch vorhin war es voll, ich muss auch sagen, dass ich das Zentrum von Madrid in den Abendstunden noch nie erlebte. Gemeinsam liefen wir durch die Strassen, bis wir beim Mercado de San Miguel angelangten, einen alten Markt der auch als Sehenswürdigkeit von Madrid gilt, mit verschiedenen Essständen. So gab es dort als Abendessen, von der Zeit her wieder richtig spanisch, ein wenig spanische Tapas von den verschiedenen Ständen und einen leckeren Weisswein.Leer más

    • Día 13

      Madrid #01

      28 de abril, España ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

      Unser erster Halbtag in Madrid. Wir haben am Campingplatz Osuna eingecheckt, ein typischer Stadtcampingplatz eben. Aber die Metro ist fußläufig erreichbar. So sind wir am Nachmittag gleich in die City gedüst und haben uns einen ersten Eindruck verschafft. Nach der Durchquerung des Plaza Major mussten wir uns im Mercado stärken, mhhh war das gut!
      Zum Königspalast sind wir auch noch spaziert. Dort wollten wir uns eigentlich auch noch die dazugehörigen Gärten anschauen, sind dann aber bei einer akrobatischen Vorführung regelrecht hängen geblieben. Naja, morgen ist ja auch noch ein Tag.
      Zufrieden mit den ersten Eindrücken sind wir wieder zur Metro geschlendert.
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    • Arriving in Madrid

      25 de agosto de 2023, España ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

      I arrived at OK hostel in Madrid at 3pm after being awake for 26 hours and two delayed flights. I think I have now become one of “those people” who cannot sleep on planes. I was exhausted and hungry, so I went in search for quick food, and I found it, McDonald’s. I know I will have lots of opportunities for authentic Spanish food so I don’t feel any guilt (ok obviously I have a smidge of guilt or I wouldn’t have mentioned it!)
      I then went back to the hostel for a nap.

      I woke up around 8:30pm so decided to join the community dinner. Met a very nice couple from Quebec and they persuaded me to go on an organized bar crawl with the hostel. There were about 25 of us and it started at 11:15pm. We went to three different bars and got free tequila shots at each. They were dance clubs, and it was a stark reminder that I am no longer in my 20s. I embraced the atmosphere at first, moving around the club, needing to brush against everyone just to move closer to the bar to get our free shot. It wasn’t until 2:00am that we got into our third club (which is open until 6am of which my guide informed me enthusiastically). Just after 3:00am, it was time for me to call it quits and leave my new friends to close out the bar. I had a good time, but the crowds and the noise was just way too much by that time. I was back and in bed around 4am. You would think I would sleep through the day, but I was wide awake at 6am, so have decided to try and stay up for the day as 6-7am will be my normal waking hours on the Camino.

      When I was on the plane, I thought about Jörg quite a bit. The most consistent thought is that he should be here with me. I know most would say he is here in spirit with me, but it is absolutely not the same. We had a tradition of holding hands whenever we took off and landed, so I made a fist and held his hand.

      During dinner, I was telling my new friends (Max and Laura) all about Jörg. He is obviously integrated into most of my memories and conversations. I love talking about him and sharing his stories. Max is a kite surfer and did some surfing in Tofino. At one point Max asked me where is my husband. I decided to tell them he had passed. This will be a daily decision I need to make and I am not entirely sure I know how I am going to handle it. On one hand, I don’t need to tell everyone, especially if they are just a passing acquaintance. Later in the evening I was talking to a couple from Austria and I mentioned Jörg was from Germany. They asked where do we live, and I just said we live in Canada. There was no need to go into more, especially in the middle of a club. I know there will become a time I will start saying “my late husband” when telling the stories but I am not ready for that yet. Not sure I will ever be ready, but not my worry for today.

      After typing this out, I am now ready for a nap … so much for staying up.

      TTYL (Talk to you later)
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    • A Day in Madrid

      26 de agosto de 2023, España ⋅ 🌬 30 °C

      Survived another day in Madrid. I had breakfast at 8am and afterwards I was ready to crash again. Slept until 11:00am. Some of you may know this but there is another route to Santiago de Compestela that starts in Madrid. I posted online in my Facebook Camiga group asking if I should get a stamp from Madrid even though I was starting in SJPDP. The answer was a resounding yes and one person even replied that they live in Madrid and looked up the hours of the church that gives the stamp and it was open from 10-1 so off I went. I got my stamp.

      I will admit that going in the Santiago Church here in Madrid had an impact on me. God and I are not on good terms right now and I told him that. In spite of my feelings, when I sat in the church alone I still felt an overpowering feeling of love.

      I then did a walk about. Hit all the tourist spots like Plaza Mayor, Puerta del sol (the middle of Madrid and Spain), Parque de el Retiro and Decathlon. Ok, Decathlon isn’t a tourist destination, but I was on the hunt for a few items. One was some hiking sticks. I decided at the last minute to not take my hiking poles with me as I was taking my backpack as carry on and there were mixed reviews as to whether the airport security would allow it. I didn’t want the hassle. I decided I would buy them here. I know they sell them in SJPDP, but thought I would try to get them sooner. The Decathlon store was very small and they only had a couple types and I didn’t like them.

      I was also on the hunt for some socks for my sandals. GASP! I am becoming one of “those people”, socks with sandals. It is painful just typing these words. I am so dead set against this, but when you need it, fashion goes out the window. I wore my sandals out during my 4 hours of clubbing last night and then after about 5km today I could feel blisters starting to form. I tried to put bandages on the spots to prevent them but my sandals are so tight fitting that they would rip off when I put my sandal on. I then thought that perhaps if I put bandages on the spot and then put socks over them, that may help keep them in place. So I bought some short running socks that were subtle and matched my sandals. Problem solved, but I will need to try and evade the fashion police.

      After the walk, I came back for another nap, then down for dinner again at the hostel. I have now had my first traditional Spanish dish, Paella so the guilt of yesterday’s McDonalds is now absolved. TTYL
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    • Another Day in Madrid

      27 de agosto de 2023, España ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

      I stayed in bed all night, the first step to conquering my jet lag. I went to bed at about 11pm and stayed in bed until 7am. Staying in bed is different than sleeping though. I woke up quite a bit through the night but forced myself to stay in bed and try to get back to sleep. Baby steps.

      I had two things on my agenda to do today; the world famous Sunday El Rastro Open Air Market and a walking tour of Madrid.

      The market is literally 10 metres from my hostel so just had to fall out of bed for that one. It opened at 9am so I was a bit early so popped into a local bakery and had a ham and cheese quiche sort of thing and some pig’s ears . The Spanish call them Palmeras / Palmiers, but as soon as I saw them, I knew I had to have a Schweinsoerchen for Jörg.

      I then ventured into the market at 9am where quite a few were still setting up. I wandered and thought, oh yeah, this is big, but only a little bigger than the Duncan Farmers Market, but then I wandered a little further and saw that there were branches off on each block. I read on Wiki there are hundreds of vendors. It had all the typical flea market stuff like clothes, bags, art, jewellery etc. There were quite a few vendors that had tables of clothes that were just in a heap for 1-5 Euros. I would have loved to dig through the piles but I was too scared I would find something (and add weight to my already heavy backpack).

      As I was wandering the market, I started to not feel so good, like I wanted to throw up. I headed back to the hostel and slept for 45 mins before getting up for the walking tour starting at 11am. I felt better, was it the pig’s ear?

      The walking tour was good, not great, but good. There was more standing than walking for the 3 hours. We went to some of the same places I already wandered to yesterday but I did hear about some of the history. One place I didn’t get to yesterday was the palace and cathedral and they were quite nice. There was a lookout in between looking over part of the city. I just realized today how much more I like nature over architecture. I do like both of them, but I felt a type of excitement bubble inside me as soon as I saw a hint of green at the distant lookout. The view itself wasn’t any more spectacular than I have seen in other parts of the world, but the joy inside was clear. I assume that is why I am so drawn to hiking and living in BC.

      After the tour I decided I would just go back to the hostel, do some laundry and spend some me time, reading, stretching, rubbing my feet with cream etc. At 4:30pm I finished my laundry and started to pack away the clothes when ... zzzzzzzzzzzz. I woke up at 7:30pm with clothes all around me.

      I really wanted to go back to sleep but I needed to finish packing up my backpack tonight as I will be getting up early in the morning to leave. Well, really not early, 8am, but to people in Madrid, that is early. They have their afternoon siesta so they stay up into the early morning. I just want to minimize the disturbance in the morning.

      Ok, well, it is 10:00pm now and I am going to try and get back to sleep, I have a 3 hour train ride tomorrow to Pamplona. Two days until take off! TTYL
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    • Día 3

      Lunch in Madrid

      19 de septiembre de 2019, España ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

      As with all cities lunch is best found off the beaten track. Retrogusto in Plaza del Biombo is our stop for today. Sitting in the courtyard under the shade of a tree eating beautifully prepared and reasonably priced food. Lunch plus a glass of wine is about €9Leer más

    • Día 2

      Plaza Mayor 2

      13 de septiembre de 2023, España ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

      》Our Airbnb

      "Feel like a King, experience the thrill to sleep in an historical, magical & modern place with best views to Plaza Mayor. With 400 years of history - host of some of famous people as Calderon De La Barca or Marizaoalos - you could visit Madrid , dream about Spain's Old Empire, Legends or simply indulge yourself at this magical place: enjoying the best views of Plaza Mayor, learning about our culture in our home cinema & balconies or simply enjoying with a glass of wine! "Life is a Dream"!

      With four balconies to the Plaza Mayor and the best view to Plaza Mayor and the Panadería Building, this luxury apartment is at the heart of the Plaza Mayor. With a direct access to the home from the square and a modern elevator you could visit the heart of Spanish historical part and most beautiful parts of Madrid easily.

      From this apartment you can live Madrid fully, living the life of the square from each of the rooms, waking up watching the sun raising over the best view of the Plaza Mayor and the Edificio Panadería."
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    • Día 62

      Madrid’s Historic Centre - Plaza Major

      4 de marzo, España ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

      Yesterday, we booked 2 pm starting time tickets for the Royal Palace so we had the morning to explore the historic Plaza Major.

      This large, cobblestoned plaza dates back to Madrid’s glory days in the 1600s when it was the main square, and not the Puerta de Sol. In 1619, the king made Madrid the capital of Spain and soon afterwards a former market place was transformed into this plaza.

      The four-storey buildings around the square are all symmetrical with windows, balconies, slate roofs and steepled towers all the same.

      In the 17th century, this plaza was where all the important things happened - bullfights, Carnaval activities, Royal pageantry and even the trials and gruesome punishments of the Inquisition. Up to 50,000 people could crowd into this square for such spectacles.

      Before entering one of the arcades of the plaza, we happened to see several people looking up above a clockmaker’s store. And what were they looking at? The Salt Street Watchmaker.

      He’s an automaton, perched on a balcony over an old clock and watch store. Every half-hour this mechanical man comes to life to work on his timepiece. The music that plays for him is “Madrid” from a traditional Madrid zarzuela (operetta), with lyrics that literally sing the praises of the city.

      The streets in this area are named after the important buildings or trades that were found on each street. So there is a Salt Street, an Embroiderer’s Street, the Mail Street, etc. Medieval street signs posted on the corners of the buildings included pictures so the illiterate could read them.

      We entered the square where lots of activities were going on while being watched by mounted police. All around the square, tables with big umbrellas with heaters were set up and of course people socializing and drinking coffee or beer/wine.

      Walking under the arcade, we came to a fascinating bar called La Torre del Oro Bar Andalu. The interior is a temple to bullfighting with walls totally covered in photos (some very glory) of famous bullfighting moments. The photos showed matadors having both very good and bad days. Above the bar are stuffed bull heads with their names, weight, birth date, owner, date of death and the matador that killed him and the location. We may have nightmares tonight!

      A lot of the men, and some women, wear a very traditional tweed hat with a brim called a parpusa. It looks similar to a Peaky Blinders hat. We saw an old shop (from 1894) that was selling these hats. They were a range of prices but many in this shop were selling for over 100 euros, or around $150 Cdn!

      We saw that several people were eating churros and dipping them in hot chocolate. We have ate churros in Mexico but haven’t tried a Spanish one so we had a break, sat at one of the tables in the square and sampled one while people watching. They taste similar to the ones we are used to but are not coated in as much sugar.

      Leaving the square, we came to a street with underground bars. Plaza Major was built on a slope and the underground vaults are part of the structure that braces the levelled plaza.

      Right beside this area, is the Mercado de San Miguel (1916). It is the oldest surviving market hall and has about 30 vendors . It is different than other markets that we have seen as you can buy and eat a variety of tapas here along with a glass of wine, Sherry or vermouth. It would be a good place for a quick lunch.

      Around the corner, there was a brick, not stone, church and convent built in 1607. A dozen steps away, there is a big brown door and a sign that says Venta de Dulces (Sweets for Sale). We walked in and went down a dark hallway to another sign that said Torno . This is a lazy Susan that lets nuns sell their baked goods without being seen. We checked the price list and what was being offered. The quantities were large so we didn’t buy anything but another lady did and we watched. You tell the hidden nun what you wanted, the lazy Susan turns and your goods appear. Then you put your money on the torno and if you need change it will appear in another turn. Lol. The other lady got a big box of almond shortbread cookies covered in icing sugar. She offered them to us to sample and they were good but oh so many!

      The oldest square in Madrid, Plaza de La Villa, was right around the corner and in this plaza the oldest building/tower (1494) in Madrid is located. The door is in the shape of Arabic doors, a keyhole shape. This building was also used as a prison at one time.

      Then on we went past the former town hall, and a memorial to a 1906 assassination attempt on kIng Alfonso and his bride on their wedding day. They weren’t killed but twenty eight onlookers were. The king and queen lived on to a ripe old age.

      It was an excellent morning for us, filled with interesting things to see. And now, we were close to the Royal Palace and the wonders it held.
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