Moments in Madrid

Is it possible to ‘do a city’ in four days?

The Lonely Planet told me I was practically a local if I stayed that long. 

Certainly it was a longer stay  than that of our friends from ‘across the pond’ whom we found stood in line for the Museo del Prado.

A whistle stop tour of the whole country.

City per day for a week, before moving on to another European ‘state’.

Madrid lacks the dreamy quality that wrapped round me in Andalusia.  Northern Europe geometry of buildings, wider streets.  Less mañana, more efficacy.

A deal of planning required to cover the galleries, museums and gardens festooned around the city.  The quantity and quality out number other places I have travelled to. Five days and I merely dented the surface.

Museo del Prado is the ‘must do’ for those on truly whistle stop tours. Pick up a list of pictures to tick off and see.  A sprinkling of a  thousand or so, selected for display from thousands.  If you’re into cherubs and voluptuous maidens then this really is the place for you.  Renaissance art, from when artists daubed church ceilings, in abundance. 

Such is not really to my taste, so finding some cats by Goya kind of made my day.

Centro d’Arte Reina Sofia was a little more broad stroked.   Modern juxtaposed old, from the outside to the interior. 

Sorolla, and his house, did bring in that southern softness of light.   With his memories of family days in Andalusia. A favourite place to kill an hour or two. 

Broad boulevards, rather than the tiny cloistered calle of southern Spain, lead you from palace to plaza.   Tables tumble out to wide pavements enabling the masquerade of aspirational tiny restaurants to fulfil their larger ideas.

Look up to see colourfully painted walls and Romeo’s balcony.   Gentrified and  grandiose in the smarter parts of town. 

Food is eaten at time as in southern Spain.  Late. Lunch at 2pm, dinner beyond 9pm.   Vegetables and meat generally served separately .  Liberally accompanied by local wine.  Bravely wander away from the central plazas, to the edges of Latina, away from names mentioned in guides or cyberspace and you’ll find a three course dinner for 10€, including wine and coffee.  On the second visit you’ll most likely receive tapas ‘gratis’ for your loyalty, no matter how brief.

I had, as ever, a longing for green spaces. Eight acres can be found in the Real Jardin Botanico  an almost exploding display of early climbing roses. 

Parque del Buen Retiro, an intentional imitation of Versailles.  A vast garden with its open acres oscillating from manicured box and clipped cyprus to shaded corners of tangled trees and untidy undergrowth. 

Down to the river and find El Parque Rio an odd relic of times when money flowed from governments to infrastructure projects. Grand designs never quite finished.

I stayed here on the edge of Latina.  A barrio close to Punto de Toledo on Segovia Street.  Quietly residential with small bars and restaurants hidden behind austere façades, where the local families spilled out to eat, drink and play as the sun disappeared.