September 2007 Archives
Wow! Another incredible weekend in Madrid. Question: "Am I Spanish Yet?!" When do I get my Merit Badge?
It all started Friday afternoon when I met my good Valencian friend Damián for a paella lunch at La Buganvilla. La Buganvilla is an "Arrocería"
- a restaurant which specializes in rice dishes. AND DO THEY
SPECIALIZE! Wow, what a great meal we had. VERY complete from beginning
to end.
It's located just off the Plaza Alonso Martinez (metro: Alonso Martinez) in a nice, clean, somewhat upscale neighborhood in an elegant building. We had reservations to try this place as it was purported to have "The Best Paella in Madrid". So I just had to try it!
We arrived and were first toured the restaurant and its many small rooms - each with about 5 tables - when we were seated. The restaurant had a mariner's "theme" and was exceptionally clean top to bottom. Many nicely-dressed people eating their rice dishes around us.
I'm so happy Damián went with me to this place because everyone knows that Valenciano's - as Damián is - are connoisseurs of rice dishes, paellas, and the like. Who better to advise me on the ins-and-outs of rice and to judge the quality of such? Damián was the right man for the job. Not only is he great company, intelligent, and a conversationalist (in both English and Spanish) but he also really knows his rice, something his mother makes very well, as he described in mouth-watering detail.
We started with croquetas de marisco (seafood croquets) on a bed of lettuce. Very good, hot, tasty. At the waiters suggestion, we ordered the "Arroz Mixta" served in a paella pan. This has rabbit, chicken, clams, shrimp, squid (I think) and rice cooked to near perfection. Damián said it was the best rice he'd had in Madrid so far. So there you go! If HE says it was good - it's good. The bread was very good as was the bottle of red wine, a Rioja which was suggested by the waiter - something we felt was odd with a paella meal as it's usually more appropriate to choose a white or rosé wine with rice dishes.
After the meal, I chose a berry sorbet and Damián had an elegantly "sculpted" chocolate affair with swirls of this and that across the plate. To top it all off we were offered "chupitos" (selection of liqueurs) to..."help aid digestion". I love this reason/excuse. We tried all 4 of the liquers; crema de orujo, liquer de hierbas, orujo, and another one I can't remember. Wow. That's some hard-yet-tasty alcohol! Sure warmed the digesting contents in my stomach!
After the delicious meal, we spoke at length with our host, Miguel Ángel, who had come to our table several times throughout the meal to see if everything was to our liking - IT WAS! Damián made some comments and observations of the likenesses and differences in this paella and the paellas he's had in Valencia.
What a positive experience. What a good meal. And what good company! Damián and I said our goodbyes, I got on the metro and went home for a few hours of work.
A little later I took the bus BACK downtown and met some friends who were going to a play in the Teatro Albéniz. We had a few beers at the "El Anciano rey de los vinos", a VERY old bar across the street from the theater on Calle de La Paz, 4. This place is small and SPANISH SPANISH. It was in this bar where I saw well-known veteran flamenco dancer "El Guito" just before watching him dance at the same Teatro Albéniz last spring. He was sitting right next to me with his flamenco colleagues.
The friends went to the play and I was on my way back home and decided to stop in the Plaza Mayor to have a "caña" (small glass of beer). I started in the corner bar of the Plaza Mayor nearest the Arco de Cuchilleros and had one beer in each of those three bars while making my way "left", each place giving a free tapa with the drink order. Two places gave a plate of olives and one place gave a kind of salad mixture of onion-octopus for the free tapa.
After the third place, I walked around the gallery of the Plaza Mayor to the far side where I stopped in at the "Bar La Torre del Oro". This place has bullfight memorabilia, framed photos, and STUFFED BULL'S HEADS adorning (??) the walls. This too is a VERY Spanish bar for its bartenders but the clientèle is mostly tourists but there are always a few Spaniards peppering this bar. They too ALWAYS give a free tapa with each drink. (a dish of white beans + small cup of gazpacho for me) The bartenders are always cheerful and friendly too. I had one beer and started talking to the traveling Australians to my left as they commented on the bullfight stuff surrounding them. The conversation was good so I ordered another beer - my last - before heading to my bus stop in the Plaza de Isabel Segundo and got home at about 11:30pm - STRAIGHT TO BED with a heavy head.
Saturday. Slept late. Wow. Whoaaa... Rollll slowly out of bed, have breakfast, and get to work until lunchtime. At about 4pm I leave the house for a bus+metro trip to meet my English buddy Steve at Plaza de Toros Las Ventas for the 5:30pm bullfights. This was a bullfight with younger bullfighters so the price was cheap (13€) for decent seats. After the "event" we made our way to the same nearby bullfight-themed bar we found at which we found ourselves the previous weekend after the bullfights; the Restaurante Los Clarines, just off the Calle de Alcalá as heading into the city.
This time we did not go for the Rabo de Toro but instead went all seafood, ordering a ración of the Gambas al Ajillo (olive-oil-cooked shrimp and garlic) AND, again, the lemon-juice-showered Chopitos (small, lightly breaded, fried squid) along with good bread ("¡para mojar!"). This time they served us 30% more chopitos than the last time! All this great food and we ordered a bottle of cold white Rueda wine. Wow, that goes down easily with seafood. Mmmm... The 50-something Spanish bartender now seemed to remember us from the previous weekend and give us a free tapas to start off, later another free tapa of salchichón (a kind of sliced sausage), AND FINALLY, a free glass of sorbete de cava for dessert. The all-Spanish wait-staff is always very nice with us, we, the ONLY NON SPANIARDS IN THE PLACE. We felt privileged to be there, in their company.
Full, heavy headed, and happy, Steve and I say our goodbyes and I make my way to the nearby metro station. Arrive home. Alka-Seltzer. A big glass of water with a couple aspirins just-in-case. Bed.
Sunday, today, is mostly uneventful, just doing some work by morning, had Chinese food for lunch (I know, NOT very "Spanish" - but give me a break once in awhile, eh?! hehehe...), and reading about yesterday's/Saturday's United States university football games. My Ohio State Buckeyes beat University of Minnesota and going UP in the POLLS!
So today is DEFINITELY "a day of rest" for me. I've been in Spanish-Overdrive for the last two days. Tomorrow begins a new week in Madrid! Autumn's here, it's obvious. Skies are more often cloudy, cooler temperatures, and the sunsets are earlier and further to the southern horizon. I'd rather be nowhere else in the world.
It all started Friday afternoon when I met my good Valencian friend Damián for a paella lunch at La Buganvilla. La Buganvilla is an "Arrocería"
- a restaurant which specializes in rice dishes. AND DO THEY
SPECIALIZE! Wow, what a great meal we had. VERY complete from beginning
to end.It's located just off the Plaza Alonso Martinez (metro: Alonso Martinez) in a nice, clean, somewhat upscale neighborhood in an elegant building. We had reservations to try this place as it was purported to have "The Best Paella in Madrid". So I just had to try it!
We arrived and were first toured the restaurant and its many small rooms - each with about 5 tables - when we were seated. The restaurant had a mariner's "theme" and was exceptionally clean top to bottom. Many nicely-dressed people eating their rice dishes around us.
I'm so happy Damián went with me to this place because everyone knows that Valenciano's - as Damián is - are connoisseurs of rice dishes, paellas, and the like. Who better to advise me on the ins-and-outs of rice and to judge the quality of such? Damián was the right man for the job. Not only is he great company, intelligent, and a conversationalist (in both English and Spanish) but he also really knows his rice, something his mother makes very well, as he described in mouth-watering detail.
We started with croquetas de marisco (seafood croquets) on a bed of lettuce. Very good, hot, tasty. At the waiters suggestion, we ordered the "Arroz Mixta" served in a paella pan. This has rabbit, chicken, clams, shrimp, squid (I think) and rice cooked to near perfection. Damián said it was the best rice he'd had in Madrid so far. So there you go! If HE says it was good - it's good. The bread was very good as was the bottle of red wine, a Rioja which was suggested by the waiter - something we felt was odd with a paella meal as it's usually more appropriate to choose a white or rosé wine with rice dishes.
After the meal, I chose a berry sorbet and Damián had an elegantly "sculpted" chocolate affair with swirls of this and that across the plate. To top it all off we were offered "chupitos" (selection of liqueurs) to..."help aid digestion". I love this reason/excuse. We tried all 4 of the liquers; crema de orujo, liquer de hierbas, orujo, and another one I can't remember. Wow. That's some hard-yet-tasty alcohol! Sure warmed the digesting contents in my stomach!
After the delicious meal, we spoke at length with our host, Miguel Ángel, who had come to our table several times throughout the meal to see if everything was to our liking - IT WAS! Damián made some comments and observations of the likenesses and differences in this paella and the paellas he's had in Valencia.
What a positive experience. What a good meal. And what good company! Damián and I said our goodbyes, I got on the metro and went home for a few hours of work.
A little later I took the bus BACK downtown and met some friends who were going to a play in the Teatro Albéniz. We had a few beers at the "El Anciano rey de los vinos", a VERY old bar across the street from the theater on Calle de La Paz, 4. This place is small and SPANISH SPANISH. It was in this bar where I saw well-known veteran flamenco dancer "El Guito" just before watching him dance at the same Teatro Albéniz last spring. He was sitting right next to me with his flamenco colleagues.
The friends went to the play and I was on my way back home and decided to stop in the Plaza Mayor to have a "caña" (small glass of beer). I started in the corner bar of the Plaza Mayor nearest the Arco de Cuchilleros and had one beer in each of those three bars while making my way "left", each place giving a free tapa with the drink order. Two places gave a plate of olives and one place gave a kind of salad mixture of onion-octopus for the free tapa.
After the third place, I walked around the gallery of the Plaza Mayor to the far side where I stopped in at the "Bar La Torre del Oro". This place has bullfight memorabilia, framed photos, and STUFFED BULL'S HEADS adorning (??) the walls. This too is a VERY Spanish bar for its bartenders but the clientèle is mostly tourists but there are always a few Spaniards peppering this bar. They too ALWAYS give a free tapa with each drink. (a dish of white beans + small cup of gazpacho for me) The bartenders are always cheerful and friendly too. I had one beer and started talking to the traveling Australians to my left as they commented on the bullfight stuff surrounding them. The conversation was good so I ordered another beer - my last - before heading to my bus stop in the Plaza de Isabel Segundo and got home at about 11:30pm - STRAIGHT TO BED with a heavy head.Saturday. Slept late. Wow. Whoaaa... Rollll slowly out of bed, have breakfast, and get to work until lunchtime. At about 4pm I leave the house for a bus+metro trip to meet my English buddy Steve at Plaza de Toros Las Ventas for the 5:30pm bullfights. This was a bullfight with younger bullfighters so the price was cheap (13€) for decent seats. After the "event" we made our way to the same nearby bullfight-themed bar we found at which we found ourselves the previous weekend after the bullfights; the Restaurante Los Clarines, just off the Calle de Alcalá as heading into the city.
This time we did not go for the Rabo de Toro but instead went all seafood, ordering a ración of the Gambas al Ajillo (olive-oil-cooked shrimp and garlic) AND, again, the lemon-juice-showered Chopitos (small, lightly breaded, fried squid) along with good bread ("¡para mojar!"). This time they served us 30% more chopitos than the last time! All this great food and we ordered a bottle of cold white Rueda wine. Wow, that goes down easily with seafood. Mmmm... The 50-something Spanish bartender now seemed to remember us from the previous weekend and give us a free tapas to start off, later another free tapa of salchichón (a kind of sliced sausage), AND FINALLY, a free glass of sorbete de cava for dessert. The all-Spanish wait-staff is always very nice with us, we, the ONLY NON SPANIARDS IN THE PLACE. We felt privileged to be there, in their company.
Full, heavy headed, and happy, Steve and I say our goodbyes and I make my way to the nearby metro station. Arrive home. Alka-Seltzer. A big glass of water with a couple aspirins just-in-case. Bed.
Sunday, today, is mostly uneventful, just doing some work by morning, had Chinese food for lunch (I know, NOT very "Spanish" - but give me a break once in awhile, eh?! hehehe...), and reading about yesterday's/Saturday's United States university football games. My Ohio State Buckeyes beat University of Minnesota and going UP in the POLLS!
So today is DEFINITELY "a day of rest" for me. I've been in Spanish-Overdrive for the last two days. Tomorrow begins a new week in Madrid! Autumn's here, it's obvious. Skies are more often cloudy, cooler temperatures, and the sunsets are earlier and further to the southern horizon. I'd rather be nowhere else in the world.
Supermarkets, or "grocery stores" as we call them often in the United States, are found in every Madrid neighborhood and also outside the city in the "Centros Comerciales". You have your Dia (cheap), PLUS (cheap), Lidl (cheap), Maxcoop (average), Carrefour (average), Alcampo (average), Mercadona (average), Caprabo (average), Champion (average), El Corte Inglés Supermarket (expensive), and a number of others. Here in my immediate neighborhood we have Dia and Maxcoop and a Caprabo farther away.
LOCAL SHOPPING:
First, you have WALK. The walking TO the supermarket doesn't bother me - it's the returning with heavy bags and then climbing 4 flights of stairs which bothers me. This is particularly difficult and uncomfortable in summertime when it's hot. Second, the lines in the supermarkets are often very long and few cash registers open to accommodate the public. Third, with all the people waiting behind you in line you STILL have to bag your own groceries. And fourth, neighborhood grocery stores in Madrid are small and so the selection is very limited.
OUT-OF-TOWN SHOPPING:
Going to the "Centros Comerciales" outside of the city, like to a Carrefour, is a different experience altogether. First, you need a car to get there - something I don't have - and traffic in these areas can be crazy. Second, on busy days/hours there can be long lines and difficulty parking in the underground parking garages. Third, these places are HUGE and so the lines at the cash registers can be SUPER LONG. Fourth, at busy times there's lots of shopping cart traffic with lots of left-or-right-looking drivers. They never look forward. Fifth, the selection IS GREAT and the prices are usually very good too. This is really the only positive to going to places like these. Six, on busy days there can be a shortage of shopping carts, causing you to wait for one to be returned - or go searching on different floors. And you'd better have the proper coin for the security lock. And seven, AFTER going back home, I have to carry up a dozen or so bags up four flights of stairs. Exhausting.
ON the UP-side, at Carrefour, customers have the option of requesting a "pedido", having the food sent to your home either the same day or the next day. There's a charge for this but when filling a shopping cart with food and spending 150€, the extra 5€ delivery charge doesn't bother me in the least. Luckily I work at home so this is very convenient - WHEN I can find someone to drive me to the shopping center in the first place. But UNluckily, almost without exception, I leave places like Carrefour with a throbbing headache from all the stress. These excursions can take up to 4 hours. A royal pain in the ARSE. Traffic, long lines, crashing carts, long lines, heavy carts with 4-wheel-independent-movement. ARGH! I really dislike shopping in supermarkets in Madrid as well as in places like El Corte Inglés for the same reasons - with the exception of the shopping carts.
What I DO like about shopping in the neighborhood are the individual, specialized stores - also found in markets. Specialized stores might sell ONLY meats, ONLY chicken products, ONLY fruits and vegetables, ONLY bread, or ONLY potato chips! Shopping like this takes more time but the quality of products is usually better and fresher than when bought in supermarkets. And the products aside, it's always a nice way to meet your neighborhood store owners, exchange some casual conversation about vacations, family, or weather. These store owners always recognize you, can sometimes guess your order, are quick to send a smile your way, and if you're short on cash they'll often allow you to pay the balance on your next visit. You can't get THAT kind of treatment at a supermarket.
I really dislike going to the supermarket for a number of reasons:
LOCAL SHOPPING:
First, you have WALK. The walking TO the supermarket doesn't bother me - it's the returning with heavy bags and then climbing 4 flights of stairs which bothers me. This is particularly difficult and uncomfortable in summertime when it's hot. Second, the lines in the supermarkets are often very long and few cash registers open to accommodate the public. Third, with all the people waiting behind you in line you STILL have to bag your own groceries. And fourth, neighborhood grocery stores in Madrid are small and so the selection is very limited.
OUT-OF-TOWN SHOPPING:
Going to the "Centros Comerciales" outside of the city, like to a Carrefour, is a different experience altogether. First, you need a car to get there - something I don't have - and traffic in these areas can be crazy. Second, on busy days/hours there can be long lines and difficulty parking in the underground parking garages. Third, these places are HUGE and so the lines at the cash registers can be SUPER LONG. Fourth, at busy times there's lots of shopping cart traffic with lots of left-or-right-looking drivers. They never look forward. Fifth, the selection IS GREAT and the prices are usually very good too. This is really the only positive to going to places like these. Six, on busy days there can be a shortage of shopping carts, causing you to wait for one to be returned - or go searching on different floors. And you'd better have the proper coin for the security lock. And seven, AFTER going back home, I have to carry up a dozen or so bags up four flights of stairs. Exhausting.
ON the UP-side, at Carrefour, customers have the option of requesting a "pedido", having the food sent to your home either the same day or the next day. There's a charge for this but when filling a shopping cart with food and spending 150€, the extra 5€ delivery charge doesn't bother me in the least. Luckily I work at home so this is very convenient - WHEN I can find someone to drive me to the shopping center in the first place. But UNluckily, almost without exception, I leave places like Carrefour with a throbbing headache from all the stress. These excursions can take up to 4 hours. A royal pain in the ARSE. Traffic, long lines, crashing carts, long lines, heavy carts with 4-wheel-independent-movement. ARGH! I really dislike shopping in supermarkets in Madrid as well as in places like El Corte Inglés for the same reasons - with the exception of the shopping carts.
What I DO like about shopping in the neighborhood are the individual, specialized stores - also found in markets. Specialized stores might sell ONLY meats, ONLY chicken products, ONLY fruits and vegetables, ONLY bread, or ONLY potato chips! Shopping like this takes more time but the quality of products is usually better and fresher than when bought in supermarkets. And the products aside, it's always a nice way to meet your neighborhood store owners, exchange some casual conversation about vacations, family, or weather. These store owners always recognize you, can sometimes guess your order, are quick to send a smile your way, and if you're short on cash they'll often allow you to pay the balance on your next visit. You can't get THAT kind of treatment at a supermarket.
Two weekends ago I went to a flamenco show at Corral de la Pacheca and last Saturday night I went to one at Las Tablas. Both were very different shows in very different places.
Corral de la Pacheca is obviously built for visitors (i.e. tourist), has a very large indoor space, and houses overhanging second-level above. The views are great from up there, easy to see the very large stage. It's all located near the Plaza Castilla and in a very nice neighborhood. Meals are served but we were there for just the show and the free-drink included. The show was good and included a large "cast". One of the dancers really impressed us and imagine she'll be famous someday soon - certainly she's well known already. I also heard this place, Corral de la Pacheca, was the location for a weekly 1980s program on Madrid television where they hosted different flamenco singers, many of already famous - or would-be famous. The clientèle was totally non-Spanish.
Las Tablas is well-located near the Plaza España on the second level of the building facing the Cuesta de San Vicente. To enter you must go around the back and up the stairs. The owners, Antonia (left in photo) y Marisol (right in photo), were also the dancers when the show started. They were both very obviously technicians in their art and we enjoyed watching the show. The stage is smaller, lower, and a bit more difficult to see the feet of the dancers. We were also very impressed with the singers. No smoking was allowed during the performance and no flash was allowed for photos either - making photo-taking nearly impossible. Still, the show was good and the price was cheaper (22€) than any flamenco tablao I'd visited. The place is smaller than most and does not have the typical rustic "tablao" look but I was told by one of the owners that the space is also used for theater, photo expositions, and other artistic events so this is why they decided to go with a more neutral decor. There's no kitchen so food cannot be ordered - which is probably why the entry prices are cheaper - but one drink is included in the entry price. The clientèle was mainly Spanish.
What a last week it's been for me. The more things like this I do the more I feel I'm becoming SPANISH! But surely no Spaniards live like me!
So first I go to Corral de la Pacheca on a Friday night (14 Sept.). Monday (17 Sept.) I go for a good Paella Valenciana lunch at Restaurante La Paella de la Reina (see photo at right), then after-lunch drinks in the Plaza de Chueca. Wednesday I get together with the guys for the movie, drinks on a terraza afterwards, and then dinner on the Plaza Mayor! Friday I'm downtown again taking late-afternoon and evening photos of the city, later getting together with friends for a tapas dinner near Puerta del Sol. Last Saturday night I'm having jamón serrano, lomo, y queso at a nearby bar before the flamenco show at Las Tablas. Sunday I'm at the bullfights in Las Ventas. After that we have rabo de toro (bull's tail stew) and chopitos (very small, fried squid) at a nearby bar/restaurant while watching a Real Madrid game on TV, getting home at 1am.
Is this the true "Spanish Life"? Doubt it. But I'm enjoying it nonetheless.
Corral de la Pacheca is obviously built for visitors (i.e. tourist), has a very large indoor space, and houses overhanging second-level above. The views are great from up there, easy to see the very large stage. It's all located near the Plaza Castilla and in a very nice neighborhood. Meals are served but we were there for just the show and the free-drink included. The show was good and included a large "cast". One of the dancers really impressed us and imagine she'll be famous someday soon - certainly she's well known already. I also heard this place, Corral de la Pacheca, was the location for a weekly 1980s program on Madrid television where they hosted different flamenco singers, many of already famous - or would-be famous. The clientèle was totally non-Spanish.Las Tablas is well-located near the Plaza España on the second level of the building facing the Cuesta de San Vicente. To enter you must go around the back and up the stairs. The owners, Antonia (left in photo) y Marisol (right in photo), were also the dancers when the show started. They were both very obviously technicians in their art and we enjoyed watching the show. The stage is smaller, lower, and a bit more difficult to see the feet of the dancers. We were also very impressed with the singers. No smoking was allowed during the performance and no flash was allowed for photos either - making photo-taking nearly impossible. Still, the show was good and the price was cheaper (22€) than any flamenco tablao I'd visited. The place is smaller than most and does not have the typical rustic "tablao" look but I was told by one of the owners that the space is also used for theater, photo expositions, and other artistic events so this is why they decided to go with a more neutral decor. There's no kitchen so food cannot be ordered - which is probably why the entry prices are cheaper - but one drink is included in the entry price. The clientèle was mainly Spanish.What a last week it's been for me. The more things like this I do the more I feel I'm becoming SPANISH! But surely no Spaniards live like me!
So first I go to Corral de la Pacheca on a Friday night (14 Sept.). Monday (17 Sept.) I go for a good Paella Valenciana lunch at Restaurante La Paella de la Reina (see photo at right), then after-lunch drinks in the Plaza de Chueca. Wednesday I get together with the guys for the movie, drinks on a terraza afterwards, and then dinner on the Plaza Mayor! Friday I'm downtown again taking late-afternoon and evening photos of the city, later getting together with friends for a tapas dinner near Puerta del Sol. Last Saturday night I'm having jamón serrano, lomo, y queso at a nearby bar before the flamenco show at Las Tablas. Sunday I'm at the bullfights in Las Ventas. After that we have rabo de toro (bull's tail stew) and chopitos (very small, fried squid) at a nearby bar/restaurant while watching a Real Madrid game on TV, getting home at 1am.
Is this the true "Spanish Life"? Doubt it. But I'm enjoying it nonetheless.
Bread. Milk. Eggs. These are definitely the staples of an average diet in the United States. But here in Spain it's bread.
"Si no hay pan, no hay comida" is a famous saying in Spain. It means, "Without bread it's not a meal." THAT'S how important bread is to the Spanish diet. There's something so basic, so natural, so necessary about going to buy the daily bread. Bread, which goes without saying, is required everyday.
Panaderías are bread bakeries and can usually be found on every street corner. In the USA you can find places which sell bread but the same places sell cakes, pies, pastries, and other baked goods. Here, pastelerías (pastry shops) also usually sell bread as well but not always.
Panaderías really only sell breads. But how can they stay open selling bread so cheaply? A long, average bar of bread costs about 60 eurocents - although the price has recently gone up due to the increase in the price of grains. So how can they stay open? VOLUME. VOLUME. VOLUME. Just about EVERYONE buys bread daily even though many actors, singers, and sports people have said they don't eat bread because it's generally fattening.
I know people who eat an entire bar of bread DAILY. When I first came to Spain I tried to adapt to this custom, going downstairs to the local bread shop to buy my bread and chit-chat with the owners. For me it was more of a social custom than the need for bread. Finally, about 9 months later I gave it up. I just couldn't eat so much bread and always ended up throwing away half or two-thirds of the bread so it wasn't worth it. I was wasting more than I was eating. Plus, it's fattening - and I don't need any help in this regard. Not that I'm fat (yet) but I'm certainly not doing myself any favors by eating bread!
What is enchanting is seeing people in the street with their bar of bread under their arm. Sometimes the bar in a brown paper bag or white plastic bag. Other times it's wrapped in a single sheet of brown paper, wrapped only around the middle so the top and bottom points of bread are exposed. Almost without fail you see people picking off the ends and eating the bread while walking home, crumbs falling to the ground. To me, for me, this is such a quaint scene. BREAD (and wine) is SO European! Seeing someone walking the streets of Columbus, Ohio USA with a bar of bread under his arm would look so...... STRANGE!
Although I rarely have it, my favorite breakfast is toasted bread with garlic and olive oil - and sometimes a tomato spread ontop of all that. Mmmm.. SO tasty and such a common breakfast meal in Spain. The same exists for "merienda" - which is the 6pm, midday snack with coffee. I mainly have this breakfast while traveling in Spain. And it's so easy to find in most all bars. It's easy to order, eat, digest, and oh-so-Spanish! What a better way to start each Spanish day?
"Si no hay pan, no hay comida" is a famous saying in Spain. It means, "Without bread it's not a meal." THAT'S how important bread is to the Spanish diet. There's something so basic, so natural, so necessary about going to buy the daily bread. Bread, which goes without saying, is required everyday.
Panaderías are bread bakeries and can usually be found on every street corner. In the USA you can find places which sell bread but the same places sell cakes, pies, pastries, and other baked goods. Here, pastelerías (pastry shops) also usually sell bread as well but not always.
Panaderías really only sell breads. But how can they stay open selling bread so cheaply? A long, average bar of bread costs about 60 eurocents - although the price has recently gone up due to the increase in the price of grains. So how can they stay open? VOLUME. VOLUME. VOLUME. Just about EVERYONE buys bread daily even though many actors, singers, and sports people have said they don't eat bread because it's generally fattening.
I know people who eat an entire bar of bread DAILY. When I first came to Spain I tried to adapt to this custom, going downstairs to the local bread shop to buy my bread and chit-chat with the owners. For me it was more of a social custom than the need for bread. Finally, about 9 months later I gave it up. I just couldn't eat so much bread and always ended up throwing away half or two-thirds of the bread so it wasn't worth it. I was wasting more than I was eating. Plus, it's fattening - and I don't need any help in this regard. Not that I'm fat (yet) but I'm certainly not doing myself any favors by eating bread!
What is enchanting is seeing people in the street with their bar of bread under their arm. Sometimes the bar in a brown paper bag or white plastic bag. Other times it's wrapped in a single sheet of brown paper, wrapped only around the middle so the top and bottom points of bread are exposed. Almost without fail you see people picking off the ends and eating the bread while walking home, crumbs falling to the ground. To me, for me, this is such a quaint scene. BREAD (and wine) is SO European! Seeing someone walking the streets of Columbus, Ohio USA with a bar of bread under his arm would look so...... STRANGE!
Although I rarely have it, my favorite breakfast is toasted bread with garlic and olive oil - and sometimes a tomato spread ontop of all that. Mmmm.. SO tasty and such a common breakfast meal in Spain. The same exists for "merienda" - which is the 6pm, midday snack with coffee. I mainly have this breakfast while traveling in Spain. And it's so easy to find in most all bars. It's easy to order, eat, digest, and oh-so-Spanish! What a better way to start each Spanish day?
Sometimes it's like that. Get-togethers with friends can be fine, good,
or leave you feeling really really fortunate to know such wonderful
people. (of course drinking lots of good beer helps too)
Yesterday, we had another Movie with MadridMan gathering as discussed on the message board. We went to see "La Jungla 4.0", or "Die Hard 4.0", or "Live Free or Die Hard" as it was named in the USA. Wow. What a movie. I REALLY enjoyed it - lots of rather unbelievable action as is the recipe for Hollywood movies of this type. It was MUCH better than "Die Hard 3". Bruce Willis can STILL be an action hero, I say.
Anyway, message board members Jamongris, Valenciano_en_Madrid, & I met at the Cine Ideal where they show (mainly) American movies in Versión Original with subtitles in Spanish. Got our tickets and chose middle-center seats in the theater which, by movie's start, housed about 10 person for the 4:30pm movie. I was NEVER bored during all the action, but exercised lots of eye-rolling with each inhuman action scene. Action, explosions, fights and falls but not very bloody and several tongue-in-cheek statements by Willis as is his "motus operandi" in these DIE HARD movies.
Yesterday, we had another Movie with MadridMan gathering as discussed on the message board. We went to see "La Jungla 4.0", or "Die Hard 4.0", or "Live Free or Die Hard" as it was named in the USA. Wow. What a movie. I REALLY enjoyed it - lots of rather unbelievable action as is the recipe for Hollywood movies of this type. It was MUCH better than "Die Hard 3". Bruce Willis can STILL be an action hero, I say.
Anyway, message board members Jamongris, Valenciano_en_Madrid, & I met at the Cine Ideal where they show (mainly) American movies in Versión Original with subtitles in Spanish. Got our tickets and chose middle-center seats in the theater which, by movie's start, housed about 10 person for the 4:30pm movie. I was NEVER bored during all the action, but exercised lots of eye-rolling with each inhuman action scene. Action, explosions, fights and falls but not very bloody and several tongue-in-cheek statements by Willis as is his "motus operandi" in these DIE HARD movies.
So enough about the movie. We nodded to each other with entertained facial expressions upon leaving the theater and headed out into the street. "Okay! Now what?" Valenciano_en_Madrid offered to take us to one of his favorite bars in Madrid. It's called CafeeKe and is located near the base of the steps of the Arco de Cuchilleros (just out of above photo to the right) on Plaza Mayor's southwestern corner. I called my buddy Steve and he joined us there soon after arriving. Got a nice 4-person table on the terrace with good views.
Time passed as fast as topics of conversation and consumption of delicious Belgian beer (called Chimay, I think). The generous waiters (from Morocco and Cuba) were great, friendly, talkative, and gave us good cheese cubes and nut-mixers for free tapas with our somewhat pricey beers. MAN, how time flies when you're enjoying yourself. Before we knew it it was about 10pm and TWO of us had to get make trains and buses to get home before it was too late.
Steve and I, having more flexible work (?) schedules, decided to walk
through the Plaza Mayor on the way to our respective homes. Steve says,
"Shall we have a last drink? And maybe something to eat? I'm hungry."
Eh! Why not. We look around the still-crowded Plaza Mayor and try to
decide on an overpriced, touristy terrazas. But which one? They're ALL
so wonderfully touristy! hehehe... How 'bout La Torre de Oro?
Sounds good to me. We sit down at the terrace near Plaza Mayor's
northwestern corner and the waiter approaches immediately. OKAY! Let's
go wild! We chose a high-priced Gambas al Ajillo and the Chopitos. All turned out to be fair-to-good. Wine for Steve and beer for me.
Chit chat, enjoy the view of the illuminated paintings of the northern side's "Casa de la Panaderia", drink, eat, more chit-chat. I notice a table of 3 American girls/women at the adjacent table and we all begin to talk. They're from Chicago and just off the boat (plane) in Madrid, arrived that day. They're staying for quite awhile it turns out, all English teachers.
Once again, time flies, the girls/women leave, the bar starts to turn off its lights, and Steve and I shake hands and say our goodbyes until next time. I walk towards OPERA where I usually catch my bus but I know it's already too late for that. It's shut down for the night and so I'm in no hurry to get there. Will take the metro at Opera instead.
What a walk. My head's full of memories and beer. I'm walking down one of Madrid's narrow streets in Old Town. It's after midnight. And then a smile crosses my face when it hits me. $%/*&! I'M IN MADRID!!!!! It happens like that sometimes. Joy washes over me like a summer rain - or maybe it's just the warm beer, or something, I spilled down my leg. JUST KIDDING! But regardless (or "irregardless" as a masters degree-educated former coworker used to constantly say, making me crazy!), I'm in heaven on earth. I'm in Madrid. Hope I never wake up from this dream come true.
Photo from left: Steve (UK), Jamongris (UK), Valenciano_en_Madrid (ESP), & MadridMan (USA)
Time passed as fast as topics of conversation and consumption of delicious Belgian beer (called Chimay, I think). The generous waiters (from Morocco and Cuba) were great, friendly, talkative, and gave us good cheese cubes and nut-mixers for free tapas with our somewhat pricey beers. MAN, how time flies when you're enjoying yourself. Before we knew it it was about 10pm and TWO of us had to get make trains and buses to get home before it was too late.
Steve and I, having more flexible work (?) schedules, decided to walk
through the Plaza Mayor on the way to our respective homes. Steve says,
"Shall we have a last drink? And maybe something to eat? I'm hungry."
Eh! Why not. We look around the still-crowded Plaza Mayor and try to
decide on an overpriced, touristy terrazas. But which one? They're ALL
so wonderfully touristy! hehehe... How 'bout La Torre de Oro?
Sounds good to me. We sit down at the terrace near Plaza Mayor's
northwestern corner and the waiter approaches immediately. OKAY! Let's
go wild! We chose a high-priced Gambas al Ajillo and the Chopitos. All turned out to be fair-to-good. Wine for Steve and beer for me.Chit chat, enjoy the view of the illuminated paintings of the northern side's "Casa de la Panaderia", drink, eat, more chit-chat. I notice a table of 3 American girls/women at the adjacent table and we all begin to talk. They're from Chicago and just off the boat (plane) in Madrid, arrived that day. They're staying for quite awhile it turns out, all English teachers.
Once again, time flies, the girls/women leave, the bar starts to turn off its lights, and Steve and I shake hands and say our goodbyes until next time. I walk towards OPERA where I usually catch my bus but I know it's already too late for that. It's shut down for the night and so I'm in no hurry to get there. Will take the metro at Opera instead.
What a walk. My head's full of memories and beer. I'm walking down one of Madrid's narrow streets in Old Town. It's after midnight. And then a smile crosses my face when it hits me. $%/*&! I'M IN MADRID!!!!! It happens like that sometimes. Joy washes over me like a summer rain - or maybe it's just the warm beer, or something, I spilled down my leg. JUST KIDDING! But regardless (or "irregardless" as a masters degree-educated former coworker used to constantly say, making me crazy!), I'm in heaven on earth. I'm in Madrid. Hope I never wake up from this dream come true.
¡De Madrid al Cielo!
One of the most common emails I receive (apart from the usual, "Can you recommend a incredibly wonderful, incredibly cheap place to stay in the heart of downtown Madrid?") is about Flamenco in Madrid.
Understandably, travelers want to see the best of the best, the most authentic flamenco which exists in Madrid and Spain. I've been to a number of Flamenco Tablaos in Madrid - places which feature flamenco singing & dancing - and have witnessed some very impressive flamenco dancing but also some very average flamenco dancing. As with anything, the more one experiences/witnesses the more one can discern, appreciate, distinguish one from another.
And since I haven't visited ALL of the tablaos in Madrid I can't very easily recommend one over another, I can only mention those which I've personally visited but can also give suggestions based on the reviews of others.
Last weekend I went to a show at the enormous Corral de la Pacheca up near the Plaza Castilla. This coming weekend I'm going to one at Las Tablas near the Plaza de España. A few months ago I saw another show at Café de Chintas and REALLY enjoyed that one - seemed very technically expert (as described by one flamenco friends who went with me). I also very much enjoyed last June's show at Corral de la Moreria, near Las Vistillas of the Viaducto. And was fortunate enough to attend bout 8 flamenco performances (mostly singing, jazz fusion, but some dancing too) at last May's Suma Flamenca 2007 flamenco festival. Wow. That was a GREAT series. I'm still waiting, looking forward to visiting the much famed - probably the most famous flamenco tablao in Madrid - Casa Patas. Can't believe this one has escaped me so long.
My list is experiences is growing but have far to go. There are something like 15 Madrid tablaos which have websites but probably 50 without websites. I'm focusing on those which have websites as those are the ones mostly likely the traveler will "trust". (i.e. does anyone, anymore, book hotels without seeing them online first?? I don't think so.)
Note about food: Generally speaking, flamenco tablaos are not known for their high quality or of food (usually just "average") - plus it's always very expensive. I always recommend people eat out elsewhere and then go to their 10pm or midnight flamenco show. Tablaos nearly always offer you a free (first) drink and some snack for sometimes half the price of a dinner+show entry. The service/servers/waiters I've seen at tablaos have always been very professional, well-dressed men (almost never women). And ALWAYS make reservations for shows - they're often sold out on the weekends.
It's my deduction that flamenco comes to you in many ways. Some appear more spontaneous. Others a appear very choreographed. Others make you shudder with disbelief. Sometimes they make you yawn and wonder how that dancer ever got a job - but this is pretty rare. Thing about flamenco shows is several individual dancers will dance at any given flamenco (usually about 6) show so you can kind of compare one dancer to the next within the same show.
Who dances flamenco? Anyone can DANCE flamenco in Spain but the flamenco shows are performed (nearly) exclusively by the Gypsy people. Many gypsy people - most often very poor - learn to dance, sing, clap, and play basic flamenco music from a very young age for their own entertainment, culture, and expression but I fear this is beginning to change. More and more gypsy families have OTHER outlets for entertainment and expression these days, big screen TVs, PlayStations, etcetera.
Here in my neighborhood there are many many gypsy families. It's very common to hear groups of young girls clapping their hands (as palmeras) in "flamenco rhythm" and singing saetas with already expert voices (to my UNexpert ears, that is). When I hear this on the street, in stores, or from my window I can't help but be impressed, honored, fortunate to hear it live and spontaneous. When I express my impression to SPANIARDS they simply shrug their shoulders and say, "That's just the way they are. They learn these things young. Everyone knows that!" One time I was in a local store and there was a toddler, maybe 5 years old, and she was singing a saeta with vocal patterns which just astonished me! There I was with my jaw hanging open in disbelief and no one else around me even noticed her.
People also are aware that in some Madrid bars flamenco will spontaneously "break out" and dancers will entertain the crowds. I've only seen this once so it's a hit-or-miss proposition. These anomalous occurrences have been mentioned on the internet and so people ask me WHERE they can see something Spontaneous! If I knew this and if I knew when it would happen then it wouldn't be very spontaneous, would it?? Travelers often have an image of Spain which is outdated or unrealistic or something the read about in a book. I'm sure that, particularly in the south of Spain, you could be seated at a bar and someone would start playing a guitar and then someone would become inspired, stand up, and dance around the room. Did this reallllly happen??? Maybe so. At leasts that's the way it happens in the 1950s black and white Spanish movies.
Flamenco tablaos in Madrid are places to see flamenco shows. And who pays for flamenco shows? The short and easy answer is TOURISTS. Gypsies, unless they're famous flamenco performers or aficionados, never go see other gypsies singing and dancing. They can get that at home! Tourists pay to see flamenco because, hey!, they're in Spain! And what do you DO in Spain on vacation? 1) See a flamenco show, 2) Drink Sangria, 3) See a bullfight, 4) Eat Paella, 5) sit on a terraza no matter the season. So don't think you're not getting the authentic Spanish experience since you're seated with dozens of other tourists. You're there to watch flamenco and in a Madrid tablao is where you're going to get it - the ONLY place you're going to get it.
Don't think gypsies walk out their doors and walk into the Madrid flamenco tablao clubs, go up on stage, and perform impressively. Nope. It doesn't work that way. The best flamenco dancers/performers undertake years and years of instruction in some of the finest dance academies in Spain before they're ready to perform professionally - and before the tablaos will even consider hiring them.
So WHERE are you going to get "authentic" flamenco in Madrid? At any one of the Madrid flamenco tablaos. That's as authentic as it gets, really. But generally speaking, some of the most enjoyable shows are in the smaller, more intimate clubs. The downside of this is that IF they're small, they're not making much money. And IF they're not making much money, they can't afford the best dancers. So if they're not the best dancers, you're not likely seeing a high quality performances. I've seen performances in small rooms with 5 tables placed around a very small dance floor (in Granada) and enjoyed the performance. The dancer was young, probably still studying her art, and gave a good show to the few onlookers. This was enjoyable but even I could tell she had a ways to go with her technique.
History/Geography Lesson: Flamenco is historically a southern-Spain art form, in Analucía like Sevilla and Granada, but Madrid is a common place to find it too. In recent years, Madrid has been pushing hard to be better known for high quality flamenco and they're slowly achieving "market share" on that front. If you go much further north in Spain it's more odd, rare, strange to find flamenco at all. Many cities, however, will have a few flamenco tablaos to please the tourists. In Barcelona, I remember seeing lines outside of a Barcelona flamenco tablao and also cold-weather outdoor terraces packed with paella-eating, sangria-drinking, winter-coat-wearing tourists. Barcelona IS HISTORICALLY NOT the place for any of these things - except the winter coats in colder weather - so it looks out of place to my now more educated eyes.
Special Note: Depending on the flamenco tablao, oftentimes if you go to the 10pm show they will not kick you out at the start of the midnight show so you can double your pleasure for the price of one show.
So bite the traveler's bullet and go see a flamenco show in one of the well-known, tourist-laden tablaos and try to overlook the tourists. They're there for the same reason you're there; to enjoy a flamenco show in Madrid.
Saludos, MadridMan
Understandably, travelers want to see the best of the best, the most authentic flamenco which exists in Madrid and Spain. I've been to a number of Flamenco Tablaos in Madrid - places which feature flamenco singing & dancing - and have witnessed some very impressive flamenco dancing but also some very average flamenco dancing. As with anything, the more one experiences/witnesses the more one can discern, appreciate, distinguish one from another.
And since I haven't visited ALL of the tablaos in Madrid I can't very easily recommend one over another, I can only mention those which I've personally visited but can also give suggestions based on the reviews of others.
Last weekend I went to a show at the enormous Corral de la Pacheca up near the Plaza Castilla. This coming weekend I'm going to one at Las Tablas near the Plaza de España. A few months ago I saw another show at Café de Chintas and REALLY enjoyed that one - seemed very technically expert (as described by one flamenco friends who went with me). I also very much enjoyed last June's show at Corral de la Moreria, near Las Vistillas of the Viaducto. And was fortunate enough to attend bout 8 flamenco performances (mostly singing, jazz fusion, but some dancing too) at last May's Suma Flamenca 2007 flamenco festival. Wow. That was a GREAT series. I'm still waiting, looking forward to visiting the much famed - probably the most famous flamenco tablao in Madrid - Casa Patas. Can't believe this one has escaped me so long.
My list is experiences is growing but have far to go. There are something like 15 Madrid tablaos which have websites but probably 50 without websites. I'm focusing on those which have websites as those are the ones mostly likely the traveler will "trust". (i.e. does anyone, anymore, book hotels without seeing them online first?? I don't think so.)Note about food: Generally speaking, flamenco tablaos are not known for their high quality or of food (usually just "average") - plus it's always very expensive. I always recommend people eat out elsewhere and then go to their 10pm or midnight flamenco show. Tablaos nearly always offer you a free (first) drink and some snack for sometimes half the price of a dinner+show entry. The service/servers/waiters I've seen at tablaos have always been very professional, well-dressed men (almost never women). And ALWAYS make reservations for shows - they're often sold out on the weekends.
It's my deduction that flamenco comes to you in many ways. Some appear more spontaneous. Others a appear very choreographed. Others make you shudder with disbelief. Sometimes they make you yawn and wonder how that dancer ever got a job - but this is pretty rare. Thing about flamenco shows is several individual dancers will dance at any given flamenco (usually about 6) show so you can kind of compare one dancer to the next within the same show.
Who dances flamenco? Anyone can DANCE flamenco in Spain but the flamenco shows are performed (nearly) exclusively by the Gypsy people. Many gypsy people - most often very poor - learn to dance, sing, clap, and play basic flamenco music from a very young age for their own entertainment, culture, and expression but I fear this is beginning to change. More and more gypsy families have OTHER outlets for entertainment and expression these days, big screen TVs, PlayStations, etcetera.Here in my neighborhood there are many many gypsy families. It's very common to hear groups of young girls clapping their hands (as palmeras) in "flamenco rhythm" and singing saetas with already expert voices (to my UNexpert ears, that is). When I hear this on the street, in stores, or from my window I can't help but be impressed, honored, fortunate to hear it live and spontaneous. When I express my impression to SPANIARDS they simply shrug their shoulders and say, "That's just the way they are. They learn these things young. Everyone knows that!" One time I was in a local store and there was a toddler, maybe 5 years old, and she was singing a saeta with vocal patterns which just astonished me! There I was with my jaw hanging open in disbelief and no one else around me even noticed her.
People also are aware that in some Madrid bars flamenco will spontaneously "break out" and dancers will entertain the crowds. I've only seen this once so it's a hit-or-miss proposition. These anomalous occurrences have been mentioned on the internet and so people ask me WHERE they can see something Spontaneous! If I knew this and if I knew when it would happen then it wouldn't be very spontaneous, would it?? Travelers often have an image of Spain which is outdated or unrealistic or something the read about in a book. I'm sure that, particularly in the south of Spain, you could be seated at a bar and someone would start playing a guitar and then someone would become inspired, stand up, and dance around the room. Did this reallllly happen??? Maybe so. At leasts that's the way it happens in the 1950s black and white Spanish movies.
Flamenco tablaos in Madrid are places to see flamenco shows. And who pays for flamenco shows? The short and easy answer is TOURISTS. Gypsies, unless they're famous flamenco performers or aficionados, never go see other gypsies singing and dancing. They can get that at home! Tourists pay to see flamenco because, hey!, they're in Spain! And what do you DO in Spain on vacation? 1) See a flamenco show, 2) Drink Sangria, 3) See a bullfight, 4) Eat Paella, 5) sit on a terraza no matter the season. So don't think you're not getting the authentic Spanish experience since you're seated with dozens of other tourists. You're there to watch flamenco and in a Madrid tablao is where you're going to get it - the ONLY place you're going to get it.
Don't think gypsies walk out their doors and walk into the Madrid flamenco tablao clubs, go up on stage, and perform impressively. Nope. It doesn't work that way. The best flamenco dancers/performers undertake years and years of instruction in some of the finest dance academies in Spain before they're ready to perform professionally - and before the tablaos will even consider hiring them.
So WHERE are you going to get "authentic" flamenco in Madrid? At any one of the Madrid flamenco tablaos. That's as authentic as it gets, really. But generally speaking, some of the most enjoyable shows are in the smaller, more intimate clubs. The downside of this is that IF they're small, they're not making much money. And IF they're not making much money, they can't afford the best dancers. So if they're not the best dancers, you're not likely seeing a high quality performances. I've seen performances in small rooms with 5 tables placed around a very small dance floor (in Granada) and enjoyed the performance. The dancer was young, probably still studying her art, and gave a good show to the few onlookers. This was enjoyable but even I could tell she had a ways to go with her technique.
History/Geography Lesson: Flamenco is historically a southern-Spain art form, in Analucía like Sevilla and Granada, but Madrid is a common place to find it too. In recent years, Madrid has been pushing hard to be better known for high quality flamenco and they're slowly achieving "market share" on that front. If you go much further north in Spain it's more odd, rare, strange to find flamenco at all. Many cities, however, will have a few flamenco tablaos to please the tourists. In Barcelona, I remember seeing lines outside of a Barcelona flamenco tablao and also cold-weather outdoor terraces packed with paella-eating, sangria-drinking, winter-coat-wearing tourists. Barcelona IS HISTORICALLY NOT the place for any of these things - except the winter coats in colder weather - so it looks out of place to my now more educated eyes.
Special Note: Depending on the flamenco tablao, oftentimes if you go to the 10pm show they will not kick you out at the start of the midnight show so you can double your pleasure for the price of one show.
So bite the traveler's bullet and go see a flamenco show in one of the well-known, tourist-laden tablaos and try to overlook the tourists. They're there for the same reason you're there; to enjoy a flamenco show in Madrid.
Saludos, MadridMan
WHAT?!?! Go figure!
Last night, "American-born Jon Robert Holden's jumper with 2.1 seconds left secured Russia their first-ever EuroBasket title with a thrilling 60-59 victory over reigning world champions and hosts Spain." - see EuroBasket2007 website HERE.
Let's get this straight. An AMERICAN on the 2007 Russian EuroBasket team WINS the championship game FOR RUSSIA!!? I can imagine a lot of United Statesens rolling their eyes (and their stomachs) with that notion - those who noticed, anyway. I can't find any mention of the game anywhere on USAToday. Maybe the story was gently misplaced. hehehe...
Spain loses to Russia in the 2007 EuroBasket final, 59-60. Catalán (and international) susperstar Pau Gasol literally had the game-winning ball in his hands with 2-seconds left on the clock. HE JUMPS! HE SHOOTS! It's In! It's Out! Time's up and Paul Gasol falls to the floor, no-doubt lamenting the, what, 7-missed free throws he had throughout the game. Visions of Shaquille O'Neal came to mind everytime I saw Gasol at the line. (Shaq is an equally horrible free-throw shooter)
This was not Spain's day. What a nail-biter in the last half of the game. The first half was dominated by Spain but only with very passive aggression, possibly due to Russia's inability to manage the ball. In the second half, Spain played with more nerves (not the good kind), made easy turnovers on lazy passes, MISSED free-throws, and a general appearance of anxiety and fear. The Russians played much better, much looser, much more relaxed and made nearly every free-throw. One person at the basketball party commented on game's MVP Andrei Kirilenko while at the free-throw line, "That guy must have ice in his veins. He NEVER misses!"
The second half was like that, nearly tied the entire time, but it appeared Spain was keeping their edge - until the end. More missed free-throws by Pau Gasol and more MADE free throws by Andrei Kirilenko essentially gave Russia the win over Spain - but it was the AMERICAN Jon Robert Holden's jumper which put them ahead - for good or for bad.
Spain won EuroBasket 2006. They were proud of that and they can be proud they reached the finals this year. Gotta work on those free-throws, though.
Sadly, MadridMan
Last night, "American-born Jon Robert Holden's jumper with 2.1 seconds left secured Russia their first-ever EuroBasket title with a thrilling 60-59 victory over reigning world champions and hosts Spain." - see EuroBasket2007 website HERE.
Let's get this straight. An AMERICAN on the 2007 Russian EuroBasket team WINS the championship game FOR RUSSIA!!? I can imagine a lot of United Statesens rolling their eyes (and their stomachs) with that notion - those who noticed, anyway. I can't find any mention of the game anywhere on USAToday. Maybe the story was gently misplaced. hehehe...
"There's an American playing in the Eurobasket tournament, and he's even wearing red, white and blue. But his passport is maroon with Cyrillic lettering, and he has spent more time recently in Red Square than he has in the land of red states and blue states. It's time for America to hear the story of J.R. Holden, a point guard who is bound to be branded a traitor in his homeland next summer if Russia qualifies for the Beijing Olympics." -Read article "Meet J.R. Holden, Russia's leading U.S. import" on the ESPN website HERE.
Spain loses to Russia in the 2007 EuroBasket final, 59-60. Catalán (and international) susperstar Pau Gasol literally had the game-winning ball in his hands with 2-seconds left on the clock. HE JUMPS! HE SHOOTS! It's In! It's Out! Time's up and Paul Gasol falls to the floor, no-doubt lamenting the, what, 7-missed free throws he had throughout the game. Visions of Shaquille O'Neal came to mind everytime I saw Gasol at the line. (Shaq is an equally horrible free-throw shooter)
"Gasol finished with 14 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots but the NBA superstar also missed five of eight foul shots in the fourth quarter (5-of-12 overall) and committed five turnovers."
This was not Spain's day. What a nail-biter in the last half of the game. The first half was dominated by Spain but only with very passive aggression, possibly due to Russia's inability to manage the ball. In the second half, Spain played with more nerves (not the good kind), made easy turnovers on lazy passes, MISSED free-throws, and a general appearance of anxiety and fear. The Russians played much better, much looser, much more relaxed and made nearly every free-throw. One person at the basketball party commented on game's MVP Andrei Kirilenko while at the free-throw line, "That guy must have ice in his veins. He NEVER misses!"
The second half was like that, nearly tied the entire time, but it appeared Spain was keeping their edge - until the end. More missed free-throws by Pau Gasol and more MADE free throws by Andrei Kirilenko essentially gave Russia the win over Spain - but it was the AMERICAN Jon Robert Holden's jumper which put them ahead - for good or for bad.
Spain won EuroBasket 2006. They were proud of that and they can be proud they reached the finals this year. Gotta work on those free-throws, though.
Sadly, MadridMan
Gypsy street musicians pass through my neighborhood from time to time - but less and less frequently. I always hear them playing their pasodobles before seeing them. They typically go from block corner to block corner trying to get the most "angle" for their performance.
Long ago, they usually consisted of a 3 or 4-person group; one trumpet, one tambourine, one accordion, and one woman who collects the money while spying half-hidden, entertained spectators in their windows above. The woman would always be keen of eye and with her body language would force you to pony-up a coin for having listened with lingering interest. Sometimes the group would have an animal who would do tricks while the music played.
Nowadays, the gypsy band is more like a 1-Man-Band, a single fellow who's wheeling around a kind of cart which holds a car battery, large speaker, and a synthesizer keyboard. The man hits a button which starts the rhythm and he then plays the melody by hand. Now THAT'S progress for you.
The last several days I've heard them in my neighborhood but they never came to my corner. Too bad. I had the camera and coin at hand, too! My afterthought was that the neighbors wouldn't be happy with my encouragement should they come because then the gypsy band would know they had an paying customer here and the "noise" might bother the neighbors.
Rarely on the streets will you see more than one or two people actually stopping to listen to the gypsy musicians. Most hurry along their way because they're truly in a hurry, are bored, bothered, don't want to pay, or don't trust the gypsies. Whatever the case, these street musicians don't make much money doing this, that's for sure.
These days, the street musicians you find in downtown Madrid are not gypsies anymore. They're most likely from Romania, Andean Latin American, or you might even catch the roving Mariachi band in the Puerta del Sol which makes frequent appearances and gains LARGE crowds. I often wonder about the latter band, wonder if the tourists think, "Ah yess... I'M IN SPAIN NOW!" - not realizing this is a MEXICAN band and has little or nothing to do with Spain itself. Along the same lines, how many times have I seen high school tour groups in Madrid (usually from the USA) and more than one of them is wearing a Mexican sombrero! Good Gawd.
Saludos, MadridMan
Long ago, they usually consisted of a 3 or 4-person group; one trumpet, one tambourine, one accordion, and one woman who collects the money while spying half-hidden, entertained spectators in their windows above. The woman would always be keen of eye and with her body language would force you to pony-up a coin for having listened with lingering interest. Sometimes the group would have an animal who would do tricks while the music played.
Nowadays, the gypsy band is more like a 1-Man-Band, a single fellow who's wheeling around a kind of cart which holds a car battery, large speaker, and a synthesizer keyboard. The man hits a button which starts the rhythm and he then plays the melody by hand. Now THAT'S progress for you.
The last several days I've heard them in my neighborhood but they never came to my corner. Too bad. I had the camera and coin at hand, too! My afterthought was that the neighbors wouldn't be happy with my encouragement should they come because then the gypsy band would know they had an paying customer here and the "noise" might bother the neighbors.
Rarely on the streets will you see more than one or two people actually stopping to listen to the gypsy musicians. Most hurry along their way because they're truly in a hurry, are bored, bothered, don't want to pay, or don't trust the gypsies. Whatever the case, these street musicians don't make much money doing this, that's for sure.
These days, the street musicians you find in downtown Madrid are not gypsies anymore. They're most likely from Romania, Andean Latin American, or you might even catch the roving Mariachi band in the Puerta del Sol which makes frequent appearances and gains LARGE crowds. I often wonder about the latter band, wonder if the tourists think, "Ah yess... I'M IN SPAIN NOW!" - not realizing this is a MEXICAN band and has little or nothing to do with Spain itself. Along the same lines, how many times have I seen high school tour groups in Madrid (usually from the USA) and more than one of them is wearing a Mexican sombrero! Good Gawd.
Saludos, MadridMan
No Kidding! They're Spanish, afterall!
This morning on TeleMadrid there was a report about Madrid's taxi drivers and their ability (or lack of ability) to speak English with their riders. My first thought was, "Of course they can't speak English! They're Spanish!" But then I imagined the difficulty, for example, my parents would have when they come visit me and take a taxi from the airport. The last time I went to Barajas to get them and we returned to the city in a taxi.
The report said the city/Community of Madrid was starting a program for persons in the service industry, offering a 2-month course on basic English. What a great idea!
Some of the taxi drivers TeleMadrid interviewed said they often get directions from passengers when they write down the address. Others said they spoke only a few words of English. Most, however, said they spoke nary a word of English. I can't say I'm surprised with this as the taxi drivers in Spain are often mature and driving taxis for years and years, rarely needing to learn English or any other language. But I'd imagine those whom line-up at Barajas Airport would/should have more knowledge of foreign languages.
I guess, as a last option, English-speaking passengers can simply tell the driver, "Plaza Mayor" or "Puerta del Sol" and then walk the rest of the way if their hotels are nearby. That is, IF the passengers KNOW their hotels are nearby these well-known areas. But imagine being dropped off in the middle of Bangkok, for example, and trying to find your hotel on foot while carrying your luggage and not speaking a word of the local language. That's why I always tell travelers to have the address of their hotel written down so they can SHOW the driver that address. But if that hotel's on a pedestrian street and the driver tries to tell you that - IN SPANISH - the passenger obviously won't understand. Frustrating for everyone.
Should basic English be a requirement for taxi drivers?
Saludos, MadridMan
This morning on TeleMadrid there was a report about Madrid's taxi drivers and their ability (or lack of ability) to speak English with their riders. My first thought was, "Of course they can't speak English! They're Spanish!" But then I imagined the difficulty, for example, my parents would have when they come visit me and take a taxi from the airport. The last time I went to Barajas to get them and we returned to the city in a taxi.
The report said the city/Community of Madrid was starting a program for persons in the service industry, offering a 2-month course on basic English. What a great idea!
Some of the taxi drivers TeleMadrid interviewed said they often get directions from passengers when they write down the address. Others said they spoke only a few words of English. Most, however, said they spoke nary a word of English. I can't say I'm surprised with this as the taxi drivers in Spain are often mature and driving taxis for years and years, rarely needing to learn English or any other language. But I'd imagine those whom line-up at Barajas Airport would/should have more knowledge of foreign languages.
I guess, as a last option, English-speaking passengers can simply tell the driver, "Plaza Mayor" or "Puerta del Sol" and then walk the rest of the way if their hotels are nearby. That is, IF the passengers KNOW their hotels are nearby these well-known areas. But imagine being dropped off in the middle of Bangkok, for example, and trying to find your hotel on foot while carrying your luggage and not speaking a word of the local language. That's why I always tell travelers to have the address of their hotel written down so they can SHOW the driver that address. But if that hotel's on a pedestrian street and the driver tries to tell you that - IN SPANISH - the passenger obviously won't understand. Frustrating for everyone.
Should basic English be a requirement for taxi drivers?
Saludos, MadridMan
For customer service, Spanish pharmacies are near the top!
Unlike in the USA, when you want to buy something like Alka-Seltzer, diarrhea medicine, ASPIRIN, or condoms, you MUST go to the pharmacy. For Spaniards, this is a common fact of life. For Americans, we say, "WHAT?! I have to ask a pharmacist for CONDOMS?!" or "WHAT?! I have to admit to the pharmacist that I have diarrhea?!" or "WHAT?! I have to pay 4 Euros for a pack of 20 aspirins??????!!!"
All these things for Americans is, to say the least, unusual and uncomfortable. We can semi-secretly put boxes of condoms and diarrhea medicine under our arms and face the teenager cashier at any grocery store, convenient start, or drug-store-super-store and we don't have to ask anyone to buy them. Walk up, take it off the hook, and carry it directly to the cash register.
We're also NOT accustomed to paying such prices for aspirin! This, for me, is the most shocking thing. We in the USA (can) pay about $1.50 for a bottle of 100+ aspirin! This is something so common! And store-brand Alka-Seltzer can cost $.200 for a box of 50. So what do I do, I stock up on all these things when I go to the USA and bring them back to Spain with me so I don't have to pay such prices or face such embarrassment at the pharmacies here in Spain.
All that said, wow, I'm beyond impressed with the professionalism of the pharmacies here. These people not only know their stuff (as any self-respecting pharmacist would), but they also take their take to understand your problem. They really tend to treat you like family, always very friendly, always very helpful.
And while the aspirin might be expensive the prescription drugs are DIRT-CHEAP!! WOW! There is one prescription I had filled for the last 10 years in the USA - nothing REALLY necessary but helpful - which cost me $20-per-unit. Here, it costs me 2.40€!!!! This fact reminds me of a number of scenes in the Michael Moore movie SICKO where he goes to Canada, England, and France and asks the people how much they pay for their prescription drugs - and the answer is always the same - IT'S CHEAP compared to the USA.
Don't get me started on the US Healthcare System but let me say this, when I go to the doctor I first ask for an appointment. When I show up for my appointment the doctor calls out 5 people's name for my particular time-slot and we take turns depending on the order of the names called. I've never waited more than 20 minutes for my name to be called and the care has always been professional.
Back to pharmacies: they do observe siesta-hours. But there is always a 24-hour pharmacy available in nearly every neighborhood for emergencies. And I've never walked away from a pharmacy without them giving me some kind of little freebie like a box of sugar-free throat lozenges, a pack of facial tissues, or something like that. What a nice detail which costs them little and strengthens the pharmacist-patient bond. Children always get sugar-free suckers too.
I've gone to a couple different pharmacies here in the neighborhood and so they know me by my face and my nationality. As I've said before, I'm CLEARLY the only United Statesen in THIS neighborhood. They always treat me so nicely, very friendly, asking about me and when I've visited home last, telling about how their daughter is now studying English or recently visited England or Boston.
I think Pharmacies are very similar across Europe so I doubt someone from Sweden would be surprised about what I'm writing because "that's the way it is". But for an American it's a true experience.
By the way, I'd imagine one could also buy condoms in a Sex Shop in Madrid, for example, but... I don't think I'm ready for that - YET.
Saludos, MadridMan
Unlike in the USA, when you want to buy something like Alka-Seltzer, diarrhea medicine, ASPIRIN, or condoms, you MUST go to the pharmacy. For Spaniards, this is a common fact of life. For Americans, we say, "WHAT?! I have to ask a pharmacist for CONDOMS?!" or "WHAT?! I have to admit to the pharmacist that I have diarrhea?!" or "WHAT?! I have to pay 4 Euros for a pack of 20 aspirins??????!!!"
All these things for Americans is, to say the least, unusual and uncomfortable. We can semi-secretly put boxes of condoms and diarrhea medicine under our arms and face the teenager cashier at any grocery store, convenient start, or drug-store-super-store and we don't have to ask anyone to buy them. Walk up, take it off the hook, and carry it directly to the cash register.
We're also NOT accustomed to paying such prices for aspirin! This, for me, is the most shocking thing. We in the USA (can) pay about $1.50 for a bottle of 100+ aspirin! This is something so common! And store-brand Alka-Seltzer can cost $.200 for a box of 50. So what do I do, I stock up on all these things when I go to the USA and bring them back to Spain with me so I don't have to pay such prices or face such embarrassment at the pharmacies here in Spain.
All that said, wow, I'm beyond impressed with the professionalism of the pharmacies here. These people not only know their stuff (as any self-respecting pharmacist would), but they also take their take to understand your problem. They really tend to treat you like family, always very friendly, always very helpful.
And while the aspirin might be expensive the prescription drugs are DIRT-CHEAP!! WOW! There is one prescription I had filled for the last 10 years in the USA - nothing REALLY necessary but helpful - which cost me $20-per-unit. Here, it costs me 2.40€!!!! This fact reminds me of a number of scenes in the Michael Moore movie SICKO where he goes to Canada, England, and France and asks the people how much they pay for their prescription drugs - and the answer is always the same - IT'S CHEAP compared to the USA.
Don't get me started on the US Healthcare System but let me say this, when I go to the doctor I first ask for an appointment. When I show up for my appointment the doctor calls out 5 people's name for my particular time-slot and we take turns depending on the order of the names called. I've never waited more than 20 minutes for my name to be called and the care has always been professional.
Back to pharmacies: they do observe siesta-hours. But there is always a 24-hour pharmacy available in nearly every neighborhood for emergencies. And I've never walked away from a pharmacy without them giving me some kind of little freebie like a box of sugar-free throat lozenges, a pack of facial tissues, or something like that. What a nice detail which costs them little and strengthens the pharmacist-patient bond. Children always get sugar-free suckers too.
I've gone to a couple different pharmacies here in the neighborhood and so they know me by my face and my nationality. As I've said before, I'm CLEARLY the only United Statesen in THIS neighborhood. They always treat me so nicely, very friendly, asking about me and when I've visited home last, telling about how their daughter is now studying English or recently visited England or Boston.
I think Pharmacies are very similar across Europe so I doubt someone from Sweden would be surprised about what I'm writing because "that's the way it is". But for an American it's a true experience.
By the way, I'd imagine one could also buy condoms in a Sex Shop in Madrid, for example, but... I don't think I'm ready for that - YET.
Saludos, MadridMan
The activist bug bit me early this morning. I was checking back-links (websites which link to MadridMan.com) and found one which has a link to it. It was the La Charla blog, written by an American woman in the United States whom has some connections to Spain.
While I've never been a fan of BLOGS before (I finally broke-down and created this one) I realize there is A LOT of personal information out there on the internet. And upon seeing THIS ONE I started reading and learning. There, they had a link to a 1h37m video about Wal-Mart. The video discusses the retail empire's questionable business practices and how it negatively affects the USA market economy. Wal-Mart is the world's largest retail establishment, the mother of all one-stop-shopping super stores, usually found on the outskirts of any US city or town.
I've been a Wal-Mart shopper and didn't know too much about it except that it was famous for low-prices and large selection of products. But I've also been hyper aware of the world's market and how more and more American products are bought in US Stores which are NOT made in the USA - but rather in China, Bangladesh, and other developing or underdeveloped countries.
Much in the same vein as Michael Moore's 2007 movie SICKO! about America's health care system, this video attempts to expose Wal-Mart's true objective; Make Money at the expense of the American economy and working Americans. The video will likely urge more questions but the purported answers in the video will surprise you - although I don't expect it will greatly change shopping practices as Americans search for cheaper and cheaper products "at all costs".
The same thing is occurring here in Spain with the super-centers outside of the big cities. Most products are made in China. Luckily, if it is luck, it's such a pain in the royal ARSE to get/drive to these shopping centers, find parking, get stuck in parking lot traffic jams, that it hasn't made a HUGE impact.... YET. But these parking lots are always FULL FULL FULL and so that alone tells you something. Slowly, one by one, small Spanish "Mom & Pop" stores in neighborhoods are closing. The ones which are newly opening are....(?)... often opened by Chinese families selling Chinese-made goods. This is a wonderful thing for these hard-working Chinese families. But it's a devastating thing for the Spanish economy as a whole.
Saludos, MadridMan
While I've never been a fan of BLOGS before (I finally broke-down and created this one) I realize there is A LOT of personal information out there on the internet. And upon seeing THIS ONE I started reading and learning. There, they had a link to a 1h37m video about Wal-Mart. The video discusses the retail empire's questionable business practices and how it negatively affects the USA market economy. Wal-Mart is the world's largest retail establishment, the mother of all one-stop-shopping super stores, usually found on the outskirts of any US city or town.
I've been a Wal-Mart shopper and didn't know too much about it except that it was famous for low-prices and large selection of products. But I've also been hyper aware of the world's market and how more and more American products are bought in US Stores which are NOT made in the USA - but rather in China, Bangladesh, and other developing or underdeveloped countries.
Much in the same vein as Michael Moore's 2007 movie SICKO! about America's health care system, this video attempts to expose Wal-Mart's true objective; Make Money at the expense of the American economy and working Americans. The video will likely urge more questions but the purported answers in the video will surprise you - although I don't expect it will greatly change shopping practices as Americans search for cheaper and cheaper products "at all costs".
The same thing is occurring here in Spain with the super-centers outside of the big cities. Most products are made in China. Luckily, if it is luck, it's such a pain in the royal ARSE to get/drive to these shopping centers, find parking, get stuck in parking lot traffic jams, that it hasn't made a HUGE impact.... YET. But these parking lots are always FULL FULL FULL and so that alone tells you something. Slowly, one by one, small Spanish "Mom & Pop" stores in neighborhoods are closing. The ones which are newly opening are....(?)... often opened by Chinese families selling Chinese-made goods. This is a wonderful thing for these hard-working Chinese families. But it's a devastating thing for the Spanish economy as a whole.
Saludos, MadridMan
Today is the 6-year anniversary of the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C..
Time helps to heal wounds but rarely helps us forget the events themselves. Violence is never the answer in resolving issues.
I had the radio turned at work on the morning of September 11th, 2001. The announcer broke in to say there was an explosion in one of the Twin Towers in New York City. One of the first report was that it was a small airplane so I didn't think TOO much of it at the time but the rest of the story would unfold over the next 2 hours.
The first tower fell and people were in shock. The office had setup a TV for us to watch and I walked in minutes before the second tower fell. "Wow. This is really BIG," I thought. All I could imagine was that 10s of thousands of people may have just died in this very moment - and I was a witness. This single event would change me forever in some way, I knew it.
The phone lines were flooded. All lines busy as people called family and friends, asking about their safety.
About an hour later they sent us all home. Some were seen running down the hall in a panic. Some were calm and chatting. But we all grabbed our stuff and walked outside to the downtown Columbus, Ohio gridlock. I'd never seen ANYTHING like this before in downtown Columbus. It was bumper to bumper traffic, no one was moving, cars lined up as far as you could see in all directions. By chance, I did NOT take the bus to work today - and it's a good thing too because the buses were not running for security concerns. By chance, that morning I'd parked my car just outside of the downtown in bohemian "The Short North" neighborhood and walked in from there. Making my way to the car that day, walking faster than the stopped traffic, I was careful to observe the blank, expressionless faces of people in shock. My car was parked far enough outside of downtown to be able to make my way home without too much problem.
Got home about an hour later at 1pm or so, turned on the computer to find the internet understandably a total BUZZ. I had CNN turn on behind me too. That's when I got the story about what had happened and who claimed responsibility. All airplanes were grounded. Looking out my BIG picture window up to the sky, not a plane in sight. I got dozens of emails from Spain-based friends and strangers expressing their sorrow, shock, horror.
Throughout the day and for the subsequent days I had frequent episodes of tears and anxiety. It was almost as if I could hear the screams in my head and the pain in my heart as the dead, grieving souls flew past me on their way to some other place - or no place - as well as the pain of all those people whom had lost family and friends in those moments. The world seemed so full of pain & fear.
So odd. So strange. So surreal was this day. The world would never be the same again.
Time helps to heal wounds but rarely helps us forget the events themselves. Violence is never the answer in resolving issues.
I had the radio turned at work on the morning of September 11th, 2001. The announcer broke in to say there was an explosion in one of the Twin Towers in New York City. One of the first report was that it was a small airplane so I didn't think TOO much of it at the time but the rest of the story would unfold over the next 2 hours.
The first tower fell and people were in shock. The office had setup a TV for us to watch and I walked in minutes before the second tower fell. "Wow. This is really BIG," I thought. All I could imagine was that 10s of thousands of people may have just died in this very moment - and I was a witness. This single event would change me forever in some way, I knew it.
The phone lines were flooded. All lines busy as people called family and friends, asking about their safety.
About an hour later they sent us all home. Some were seen running down the hall in a panic. Some were calm and chatting. But we all grabbed our stuff and walked outside to the downtown Columbus, Ohio gridlock. I'd never seen ANYTHING like this before in downtown Columbus. It was bumper to bumper traffic, no one was moving, cars lined up as far as you could see in all directions. By chance, I did NOT take the bus to work today - and it's a good thing too because the buses were not running for security concerns. By chance, that morning I'd parked my car just outside of the downtown in bohemian "The Short North" neighborhood and walked in from there. Making my way to the car that day, walking faster than the stopped traffic, I was careful to observe the blank, expressionless faces of people in shock. My car was parked far enough outside of downtown to be able to make my way home without too much problem.
Got home about an hour later at 1pm or so, turned on the computer to find the internet understandably a total BUZZ. I had CNN turn on behind me too. That's when I got the story about what had happened and who claimed responsibility. All airplanes were grounded. Looking out my BIG picture window up to the sky, not a plane in sight. I got dozens of emails from Spain-based friends and strangers expressing their sorrow, shock, horror.
Throughout the day and for the subsequent days I had frequent episodes of tears and anxiety. It was almost as if I could hear the screams in my head and the pain in my heart as the dead, grieving souls flew past me on their way to some other place - or no place - as well as the pain of all those people whom had lost family and friends in those moments. The world seemed so full of pain & fear.
So odd. So strange. So surreal was this day. The world would never be the same again.
Sometimes it's so nice to go down a local bar for breakfast - just as I did this morning. I really missed them during their one-month absence for August vacation.
The place was established in 1952 just as the neighborhood was being constructed. The bar itself doesn't appear to have changed - outside or inside - since then and that's just the way I like it.
It's a street-corner-bar on a not-so-busy one-way street and, luckily, I can see its green-glowing neon lights from my balcony. This line-of-sight has saved me many trips down/up down 5-flights of stairs, dejected, hungry, & morning-grumpy.
You walk into this place and are immediately greeted by the 70-something original owner and his 50-something son whom are CLEARLY a father-son team. The constantly wiped stainless steel bar follows the L-shape of its street-corner orientation.
I'm somewhat of a "regular" of this bar but only for morning porras and coffee. So when I walk in the owner asks somewhat gruffly and without smile, "¿Cuantas?" or "How many?" The answer is alway the same [3] and he assumes my "café con leche" order.
So what are porras? Since there's nothing like them in the USA I can only describe them as 10-inch long, 1-inch diameter, air-pocket-filled, deep fried dough. They don't have much flavor and are not sweet at all. They don't sound very appetizing, do they? No they don't. Churros, the more popular cousin to the porra, are smaller, rope-like strands of fried dough, usually with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. Generally speaking, I don't care much for sweet things so I prefer the blander porras.
Porras were first introduced to me for breakfast immediately upon arriving to the neighborhood, my first visit to Spain/Madrid in 1995. Upon seeing them I said, "I'm not eating that!" but was convinced to open-my-mind and try them. So after the first couple I felt like I had a brick in my stomach. BLAH! I though, "NEVER AGAIN!" Ha! Now I have them only once a month.
Here, about 40 meters away, the bar down the street is PURE, TYPICAL Spanish. There are always people having their coffee for breakfast, including the Spanish police, neighborhood people, and workers before starting their day. When I pay and leave the bartender gives me a smile. I say to them and to the rest of the bar with my voice raised a bit, "¡Hasta Luego!". The bartender, now with his back to me, replies with the same as do just a few of the coffee-drinkers. The rest of them, however, simply give me curious, cautious stares with eyes open wide. Hahaha... I can always imagine what they're thinking..., "Who's that? He doesn't belong here! And why's he wearing shorts and sandals in the morning??!" But I'm not offended in the least. This is how it is.
I don't KNOW the bartender or his son but they always greet me with a wave of the hand and a shout of "¡Hasta Luego!" when they see me passing by the bar on my way to who-knows-where. Little details like this always make a person feel at-home in the neighborhood. I get the same in-passing greetings from the "Chicken Lady" at the neighborhood Pollería, butchery, fruit-store, and convenience store owners.
This is MY neighborhood now. I feel AT HOME and sleep well at night.
Saludos, MadridMan
The place was established in 1952 just as the neighborhood was being constructed. The bar itself doesn't appear to have changed - outside or inside - since then and that's just the way I like it.
It's a street-corner-bar on a not-so-busy one-way street and, luckily, I can see its green-glowing neon lights from my balcony. This line-of-sight has saved me many trips down/up down 5-flights of stairs, dejected, hungry, & morning-grumpy.
You walk into this place and are immediately greeted by the 70-something original owner and his 50-something son whom are CLEARLY a father-son team. The constantly wiped stainless steel bar follows the L-shape of its street-corner orientation.
I'm somewhat of a "regular" of this bar but only for morning porras and coffee. So when I walk in the owner asks somewhat gruffly and without smile, "¿Cuantas?" or "How many?" The answer is alway the same [3] and he assumes my "café con leche" order.
So what are porras? Since there's nothing like them in the USA I can only describe them as 10-inch long, 1-inch diameter, air-pocket-filled, deep fried dough. They don't have much flavor and are not sweet at all. They don't sound very appetizing, do they? No they don't. Churros, the more popular cousin to the porra, are smaller, rope-like strands of fried dough, usually with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. Generally speaking, I don't care much for sweet things so I prefer the blander porras.
Porras were first introduced to me for breakfast immediately upon arriving to the neighborhood, my first visit to Spain/Madrid in 1995. Upon seeing them I said, "I'm not eating that!" but was convinced to open-my-mind and try them. So after the first couple I felt like I had a brick in my stomach. BLAH! I though, "NEVER AGAIN!" Ha! Now I have them only once a month.
Here, about 40 meters away, the bar down the street is PURE, TYPICAL Spanish. There are always people having their coffee for breakfast, including the Spanish police, neighborhood people, and workers before starting their day. When I pay and leave the bartender gives me a smile. I say to them and to the rest of the bar with my voice raised a bit, "¡Hasta Luego!". The bartender, now with his back to me, replies with the same as do just a few of the coffee-drinkers. The rest of them, however, simply give me curious, cautious stares with eyes open wide. Hahaha... I can always imagine what they're thinking..., "Who's that? He doesn't belong here! And why's he wearing shorts and sandals in the morning??!" But I'm not offended in the least. This is how it is.
I don't KNOW the bartender or his son but they always greet me with a wave of the hand and a shout of "¡Hasta Luego!" when they see me passing by the bar on my way to who-knows-where. Little details like this always make a person feel at-home in the neighborhood. I get the same in-passing greetings from the "Chicken Lady" at the neighborhood Pollería, butchery, fruit-store, and convenience store owners.
This is MY neighborhood now. I feel AT HOME and sleep well at night.
Saludos, MadridMan
How time flies. It passed almost without notice. MadridMan.com's 10 Year Anniversary passed me without fanfare, without parties, without cork-popping champagne bottles. The 10-year anniversary passed on July 20th, 2007 for the domain name registration (then $100 per year to buy/renew!). The previous year, 1996, "MadridMan's Yankee Home Page" was actually born.
On July 20th, 2007 I was in Ohio, USA visiting my parents and other family after a 1-year absence in the homeland. That day came and went and I didn't give it a thought. How does that happen? Something SO PROFOUND in my life, something that shaped my character, my focus, and my professional future, and it went unnoticed.
My sister recently told me the same thing with the passing of her 10-year wedding anniversary in that a friend had to remind them of the milestone reached. I guess it happens. We tend to take things for granted to a certain degree WHILE taking care of the day-to-day details of maintaining the organism; in this case, MadridMan.com.
Ideas are tossed around in my head about how to observe or commemorate the occasion, the 10-year anniversary of MadridMan.com, and I really can't decide if it even warrants such commemoration. Like any big birthday, 16th (you can drive in the USA), your 21st (you can legally drink alcohol in the USA), your 30th (you're 30, for God's sake! No more fooling around with your life. You're finally a real adult!), your 40th (oh gawd. You're halfway there!) your 50th (wow, you're really old now), your 75th birthday (wow, you're REALLY REALLY OLD now! Tick Tock. Don't buy a new car!) probably deserves at least some small cake and gathering of close friends, right? I'm not sure. Maybe it SHOULD be taken for granted.
Should press releases be sent? Should the local TV stations be called and potentially face video cameras in my home - and with my awful Spanish (which is improving) and face potential public humiliation? Should I call the local government and request a meeting? hehee.. Okay. No. Not that much. But a dinner, at least? A big, blow-out "Party With MadridMan in Madrid", maybe?? At the very least this last one, right? But how? Where? And would anyone attend? Wouldn't it be shameful and embarrassing if I rent out a large, elegant hall, invite a hundred people, and 15 show up only looking for free food and beer? AND THEN I have to report that!? The potential for disaster always exists, I know, but the potential BOOM could be great as well. Regardless, it's a risk.
But who needs it, right? I doubt USATODAY.com publicly celebrated their, what, 20th Anniversary. I don't know. I just don't know what to do. I welcome comments on this one. I'm sure the majority of comments will be supportive and positive, thank you for those, but I'll welcome the negative ones too.
Saludos, MadridMan (2 glasses of Rueda wine and I'm all nostalgic)
On July 20th, 2007 I was in Ohio, USA visiting my parents and other family after a 1-year absence in the homeland. That day came and went and I didn't give it a thought. How does that happen? Something SO PROFOUND in my life, something that shaped my character, my focus, and my professional future, and it went unnoticed.
My sister recently told me the same thing with the passing of her 10-year wedding anniversary in that a friend had to remind them of the milestone reached. I guess it happens. We tend to take things for granted to a certain degree WHILE taking care of the day-to-day details of maintaining the organism; in this case, MadridMan.com.
Ideas are tossed around in my head about how to observe or commemorate the occasion, the 10-year anniversary of MadridMan.com, and I really can't decide if it even warrants such commemoration. Like any big birthday, 16th (you can drive in the USA), your 21st (you can legally drink alcohol in the USA), your 30th (you're 30, for God's sake! No more fooling around with your life. You're finally a real adult!), your 40th (oh gawd. You're halfway there!) your 50th (wow, you're really old now), your 75th birthday (wow, you're REALLY REALLY OLD now! Tick Tock. Don't buy a new car!) probably deserves at least some small cake and gathering of close friends, right? I'm not sure. Maybe it SHOULD be taken for granted.
Should press releases be sent? Should the local TV stations be called and potentially face video cameras in my home - and with my awful Spanish (which is improving) and face potential public humiliation? Should I call the local government and request a meeting? hehee.. Okay. No. Not that much. But a dinner, at least? A big, blow-out "Party With MadridMan in Madrid", maybe?? At the very least this last one, right? But how? Where? And would anyone attend? Wouldn't it be shameful and embarrassing if I rent out a large, elegant hall, invite a hundred people, and 15 show up only looking for free food and beer? AND THEN I have to report that!? The potential for disaster always exists, I know, but the potential BOOM could be great as well. Regardless, it's a risk.
But who needs it, right? I doubt USATODAY.com publicly celebrated their, what, 20th Anniversary. I don't know. I just don't know what to do. I welcome comments on this one. I'm sure the majority of comments will be supportive and positive, thank you for those, but I'll welcome the negative ones too.
Saludos, MadridMan (2 glasses of Rueda wine and I'm all nostalgic)
I like to go to the movies. Usually I'll go to the Cine Ideal on the Plaza Jacinto Benavente en downtown Madrid to catch the latest, greatest Hollywood production shown in V.O. - "Versión Original". Or if it's a good Spanish movie with English subtitles, I'll go to one of the Renoir Princesa or Renoir Plaza de España cinemas on the Plaza de los Cubos near Plaza de España.
But last night I went to a new, more local theater to see a movie, a BRITISH movie, with a Spanish buddy whom I've known for years and years. I went with MUCH anticipation as I watched them build the entire commercial complex over the last year. Now it includes not only the cinema but also (my) gym, bowling alley (did that last night after the movie), an outside terrace bar, restaurants, and a Carlos Sainz Center where you drive miniature race cars around a circuit (10-minutes, 18€) - both inside and outside.
The new cinema, LUX Cinemas, promoting itself as the only cinema in Madrid where you can CHOOSE your language, was not ALL it "dubbed" itself to be. Their specialty is not only that they're the newest and most "LUXurious" (?) cinemas in Spain but also that they have the most modern audio system, inflated ticket prices include an obligatory snack-food choice which you can eat at your seat with armrest-hidden counters which flip-up and over ones lap. But the cool thing about this place was that you could actually CHOOSE your language with use of headphones.
We bought our tickets, took a few steps away from the window, then I went back and asked HOW I could "choose" my language. The ticket seller told me, "You can't choose a language with this movie." I said, "And in the future, how can I know what movies are available in different languages?" She said, "Well, you can't. You can only ask after arriving. We had ONE movie awhile back for which you could choose your language and we 'may' have more in the future." Hmmmmm... Sooooo... I was about to watch a BRITISH movie dubbed in Spanish. Okay. Well... fine. Let's see how this goes with my level of Spanish.
We walked into the VAST, empty cinema, pretty blue lighting system, seats sparkling new and fresh. The attendant took us directly to our ticket-numbered seats, smiled, nodded, and walked away. We were totally alone in our middle-center seats. A few minutes later another couple did come in and were seated behind us. We were 4 people for this 6pm movie on a Wednesday. Fine. I looked around for the audio jacks into which one could plug-in headphones. None. Hmmm... This was all a disappointment and an obvious mis-direction by the marketing department.
The lights dimmed. The coming attractions were shown. We started eating our popcorn. Then the British movie started, continued, and ended in just under two hours. To my amazement - I UNDERSTOOD ALMOST EVERYTHING!!!! WOWEE!! I'd have to say THIS movie was a kind of milestone for me. I always avoided Spanish movies or Spanish-dubbed movies for fear it would be a waste of time and money - and it usually is because I never understand enough of the move to make it enjoyable. But this movie was different. OR *I* was different. I'm not sure which it was. But I understood the, laughed at jokes, and even audibly "added" the next word in the actors' un-finished sentences.
I don't mean to pat myself on the back and shout, "LOOK HOW GREAT I AM!" because I'm certainly not. We whom learn other languages have a constant fear of saying the wrong thing or misunderstanding something told to us. We also have a great lack of confidence with ourselves with regards to the language with which we live but don't totally understand. But lately I've noticed, little by little, I'm understanding people more and more. Other recent examples include a visit to the doctor last week, talking to the Social Security agent today, and and old man at the bus stop today who was telling me about how he couldn't understand why his wife didn't want to buy the more economical month-long ABONO bus/metro tickets instead of the 10-trip tickets she does buy.
It would appear that learning a language occurs on a 3-part curve:
We hear people speaking to us in this foreign language and we finally understand nearly everything. BUT WHY CAN'T WE REPRODUCE WHAT WE'RE HEARING? That is to say, if I can understand the language why can't I SPEAK the language? That's more difficult. My speaking is now decent-to-good but I suppose that'll come more quickly in the latter half of the 2nd part of the aforementioned learning curve.
Someone once said, "The more I know the more I realize I don't know" or "The more I learn the stupider I feel."
Saludos, MadridMan
But last night I went to a new, more local theater to see a movie, a BRITISH movie, with a Spanish buddy whom I've known for years and years. I went with MUCH anticipation as I watched them build the entire commercial complex over the last year. Now it includes not only the cinema but also (my) gym, bowling alley (did that last night after the movie), an outside terrace bar, restaurants, and a Carlos Sainz Center where you drive miniature race cars around a circuit (10-minutes, 18€) - both inside and outside.
The new cinema, LUX Cinemas, promoting itself as the only cinema in Madrid where you can CHOOSE your language, was not ALL it "dubbed" itself to be. Their specialty is not only that they're the newest and most "LUXurious" (?) cinemas in Spain but also that they have the most modern audio system, inflated ticket prices include an obligatory snack-food choice which you can eat at your seat with armrest-hidden counters which flip-up and over ones lap. But the cool thing about this place was that you could actually CHOOSE your language with use of headphones.
We bought our tickets, took a few steps away from the window, then I went back and asked HOW I could "choose" my language. The ticket seller told me, "You can't choose a language with this movie." I said, "And in the future, how can I know what movies are available in different languages?" She said, "Well, you can't. You can only ask after arriving. We had ONE movie awhile back for which you could choose your language and we 'may' have more in the future." Hmmmmm... Sooooo... I was about to watch a BRITISH movie dubbed in Spanish. Okay. Well... fine. Let's see how this goes with my level of Spanish.
We walked into the VAST, empty cinema, pretty blue lighting system, seats sparkling new and fresh. The attendant took us directly to our ticket-numbered seats, smiled, nodded, and walked away. We were totally alone in our middle-center seats. A few minutes later another couple did come in and were seated behind us. We were 4 people for this 6pm movie on a Wednesday. Fine. I looked around for the audio jacks into which one could plug-in headphones. None. Hmmm... This was all a disappointment and an obvious mis-direction by the marketing department.
The lights dimmed. The coming attractions were shown. We started eating our popcorn. Then the British movie started, continued, and ended in just under two hours. To my amazement - I UNDERSTOOD ALMOST EVERYTHING!!!! WOWEE!! I'd have to say THIS movie was a kind of milestone for me. I always avoided Spanish movies or Spanish-dubbed movies for fear it would be a waste of time and money - and it usually is because I never understand enough of the move to make it enjoyable. But this movie was different. OR *I* was different. I'm not sure which it was. But I understood the, laughed at jokes, and even audibly "added" the next word in the actors' un-finished sentences.
I don't mean to pat myself on the back and shout, "LOOK HOW GREAT I AM!" because I'm certainly not. We whom learn other languages have a constant fear of saying the wrong thing or misunderstanding something told to us. We also have a great lack of confidence with ourselves with regards to the language with which we live but don't totally understand. But lately I've noticed, little by little, I'm understanding people more and more. Other recent examples include a visit to the doctor last week, talking to the Social Security agent today, and and old man at the bus stop today who was telling me about how he couldn't understand why his wife didn't want to buy the more economical month-long ABONO bus/metro tickets instead of the 10-trip tickets she does buy.
It would appear that learning a language occurs on a 3-part curve:
- The first 3rd is relatively flat yet very gently ascending. You become exposed to the basics of a language
- The second 3rd takes a sharp UP-turn. You know the
basics and these basics allow you to absorb the language's vocabulary
and real-life uses on a faster rate
- The last 3rd of the curve is much more level but still gently ascending. You know the basics, have a large mental vocabulary, but continue to learn the less commonly-used details of a language
We hear people speaking to us in this foreign language and we finally understand nearly everything. BUT WHY CAN'T WE REPRODUCE WHAT WE'RE HEARING? That is to say, if I can understand the language why can't I SPEAK the language? That's more difficult. My speaking is now decent-to-good but I suppose that'll come more quickly in the latter half of the 2nd part of the aforementioned learning curve.
Someone once said, "The more I know the more I realize I don't know" or "The more I learn the stupider I feel."
Saludos, MadridMan
Wow. It's official. I'm totally out-of-the-loop living here in Spain, having lost all touch with my homeland. Yesterday on Skype, Tuesday, my uncle was telling me all the WORK he had to do the previous day, Monday, LABOR DAY! I HAD NO IDEA it was Labor Day. Earlier this year I remember calling a few ex-workmates at their desk phones (using SkypeOUT) on Veteran's Day and no one answered. Again. NO idea. AND NOW THIS!!
Last Sunday morning rolls around, ta-da-da-da, just another gorgeous Sunday, I turn on the computer, go to USAToday.com, AND BLAMMO! There it is on the front page! OSU (THE Ohio State University for those not in-the-know) beats lowly state-local Youngstown State 38-6!
I didn't even realize they were playing! ARGH!!!! @#$%^&*! Gimme an L! Gimme an O! Gimme an S! Gimme an E! Gimme an R! What's that spell?? L-O-S-E-R!!! Yup. That's me. I CANNOT believe, NOR can I forgive myself, for not knowing, for not mentally preparing, for not listening to the game online!!! And now it's passed forever into the annuls of history. The game just blew by me like a wayward, wind-borne, empty hotdog wrapper swirling around the 106,000 seats of Ohio Stadium. And I missed wearing my bright red OSU T-Shirt on GameDay too! Man-Oh-Man! "What Would Woody Say?"
And to make matters worse - OR BETTER as the case may be.. (hehehe...) - I read that highly ranked, highly touted University of Michigan, OSU's arch enemies to the north, LOST to lowly Appalachian State 32-34. YOUCH! That's gotta hurt down deep. But it not only hurts UofM. It also hurts OSU since now, assuming the best, OSU will not likely be meeting UM as a regular-season-ending undefeated Big10/11 championship game. THAT'S ASSUMING, of course, IF OSU goes undefeated - which will be more of a challenge this year.
In a way, my forgetting the games from the United States is a good thing. It means, I hope, that I'm assimilating into life here in Spain, in Europe, outside of the USA, and adopting the lifestyle patterns of the local people. Now THAT holds some value, if you ask me.
Bet you didn't think THIS was the kind of Madrid-based-Blog you'd get today. Hope you're not disappointed. But don't worry. I promise I won't fill your eyes with non-Spanish topics here. It was just on my mind - cluttered as it is.
Now off to the gym to exercise my muscles, heart, lungs, ......and my eyes.
Saludos, MadridMan
Last Sunday morning rolls around, ta-da-da-da, just another gorgeous Sunday, I turn on the computer, go to USAToday.com, AND BLAMMO! There it is on the front page! OSU (THE Ohio State University for those not in-the-know) beats lowly state-local Youngstown State 38-6!
I didn't even realize they were playing! ARGH!!!! @#$%^&*! Gimme an L! Gimme an O! Gimme an S! Gimme an E! Gimme an R! What's that spell?? L-O-S-E-R!!! Yup. That's me. I CANNOT believe, NOR can I forgive myself, for not knowing, for not mentally preparing, for not listening to the game online!!! And now it's passed forever into the annuls of history. The game just blew by me like a wayward, wind-borne, empty hotdog wrapper swirling around the 106,000 seats of Ohio Stadium. And I missed wearing my bright red OSU T-Shirt on GameDay too! Man-Oh-Man! "What Would Woody Say?"
And to make matters worse - OR BETTER as the case may be.. (hehehe...) - I read that highly ranked, highly touted University of Michigan, OSU's arch enemies to the north, LOST to lowly Appalachian State 32-34. YOUCH! That's gotta hurt down deep. But it not only hurts UofM. It also hurts OSU since now, assuming the best, OSU will not likely be meeting UM as a regular-season-ending undefeated Big10/11 championship game. THAT'S ASSUMING, of course, IF OSU goes undefeated - which will be more of a challenge this year.
In a way, my forgetting the games from the United States is a good thing. It means, I hope, that I'm assimilating into life here in Spain, in Europe, outside of the USA, and adopting the lifestyle patterns of the local people. Now THAT holds some value, if you ask me.
Bet you didn't think THIS was the kind of Madrid-based-Blog you'd get today. Hope you're not disappointed. But don't worry. I promise I won't fill your eyes with non-Spanish topics here. It was just on my mind - cluttered as it is.
Now off to the gym to exercise my muscles, heart, lungs, ......and my eyes.
Saludos, MadridMan
Some evenings the mood will strike me to get away from the computer and go to downtown Madrid. Thank goodness there's a bus stop 20 meters away from my door and the ride only takes about 20 minutes.
The bus takes me directly to the Plaza de Isabel II (a.k.a. Plaza de Opera), just next to the Royal Opera House. Sometimes I'll get off 2 stops early, just to the edge of the Royal Palace in Madrid, and wander about the pedestrian area in front of the Palacio Real and the Plaza Oriente gardens which are between the Opera House and the Royal Palace. This is a particularly nice area around sunset as the sun sets over the horizon over the Casa de Campo park and Spaniards and tourists alike come in droves to enjoy it. Watch out for the skate punks practicing their craft, though.
Other times I'll walk directly towards the Puerta del Sol and join the hustle & bustle of the combined Spanish and tourist crowds, making my way up one of the many little streets towards the Plaza Jacinto Benavente or Plaza Santa Ana in the Huertas Neighborhood. My destination? None, really. It's just nice having Old Downtown Madrid at such easy access. I'll oftentimes just walk to walk and take in the sights, the sounds, and the smells until I stop at some little bar where I may well be the ONLY non-Spaniard in the place, order a 1.20€ beer, get a free tapa or order a pincho de tortilla or patatas bravas. I like ordering patatas bravas in many places, trying to find the best Patatas Bravas in Madrid. Next Stop? The next bar which catches my attention and/or if I'm still hungry. Sometimes the perfect dinner is a light one; a beer and a plate of olives in an authentic Spanish bar, listening to the conversations around me.
It's so nice having Madrid in my front yard, my back yard, and all around me.
Saludos, MadridMan
The bus takes me directly to the Plaza de Isabel II (a.k.a. Plaza de Opera), just next to the Royal Opera House. Sometimes I'll get off 2 stops early, just to the edge of the Royal Palace in Madrid, and wander about the pedestrian area in front of the Palacio Real and the Plaza Oriente gardens which are between the Opera House and the Royal Palace. This is a particularly nice area around sunset as the sun sets over the horizon over the Casa de Campo park and Spaniards and tourists alike come in droves to enjoy it. Watch out for the skate punks practicing their craft, though.
Other times I'll walk directly towards the Puerta del Sol and join the hustle & bustle of the combined Spanish and tourist crowds, making my way up one of the many little streets towards the Plaza Jacinto Benavente or Plaza Santa Ana in the Huertas Neighborhood. My destination? None, really. It's just nice having Old Downtown Madrid at such easy access. I'll oftentimes just walk to walk and take in the sights, the sounds, and the smells until I stop at some little bar where I may well be the ONLY non-Spaniard in the place, order a 1.20€ beer, get a free tapa or order a pincho de tortilla or patatas bravas. I like ordering patatas bravas in many places, trying to find the best Patatas Bravas in Madrid. Next Stop? The next bar which catches my attention and/or if I'm still hungry. Sometimes the perfect dinner is a light one; a beer and a plate of olives in an authentic Spanish bar, listening to the conversations around me.
It's so nice having Madrid in my front yard, my back yard, and all around me.
Saludos, MadridMan
Mmmm.. It's 10pm, it's still summer, everyone's windows are open, and some of the most amazing, most delicious smells are coming through my window now. Mmmm.. IF ONLY my own kitchen smelled THIS good - but it never does.
Cooking for me usually entails nothing more than opening a bag, pouring contents into a pan, adding water (or not), and heating for 15 minutes. That's a typical MadridMan meal for dinner - when I have dinner, that is. Pathetic, ain't it? Sure it is. Oftentimes I'll only have a light dinner consisting of nothing more than nuts or fruit or a yogurt, all depending on the size and the time I've had lunch. My lunches are usually LARGE, however, and often consisting of soup, or home-cooked pork or chicken fillets, "Cocido Madrileño" from a can, or even the same add-water-and-heat pasta or rice meals. My best lunches, obviously, take place in restaurants when meeting friends downtown. Oh how I long for these meetings to not only meet with good or new friends but also to have a decent meal!
Food in Spain is almost like a religion. And if that's true, I must be an atheist because I'm no cook! I try and sometimes I succeed with something unusual - or at least something good and totally home-made - but that's an irregularity, an anomaly. My effort usually comes when someone says, "Hey, I'm coming over for lunch/dinner" and then I have no excuse but to TRY to makes something fresh. Today's lunch consisted of an American-Style frozen pizza ("Arizona", it was called, "American Style Pizza") and Mexican-style rice from a bag (add water). It was very very tasty and made me a little homesick for REAL Mexican food (i.e. "real" from the United States - which isn't likely to be very similar to Mexican food in Mexico!). I've even eaten at Mexican restaurants here in Madrid and, well, it's just not the same, not as good to these taste buds.
Anyone want to invite MadridMan to lunch or dinner? Send me an email or post an OPEN INVITATION to our message board members HERE! We're frequently having lunchtime get-togethers in downtown Madrid - I LOVE THESE. And from time to time we schedule a nighttime gathering at some bar or terraza.
I think I love typical Spanish food even more than Spaniards themselves! But then, I've only been enjoying it for the last decade of my life. Right now I have an urge for Patatas Bravas! Mmmm.... Guess I'll settle for nuts, yogurt, and a glass of Rueda white wine.
Here's to Spanish food! Raise your glass, world! You're in for a treat!
Saludos, MadridMan
Cooking for me usually entails nothing more than opening a bag, pouring contents into a pan, adding water (or not), and heating for 15 minutes. That's a typical MadridMan meal for dinner - when I have dinner, that is. Pathetic, ain't it? Sure it is. Oftentimes I'll only have a light dinner consisting of nothing more than nuts or fruit or a yogurt, all depending on the size and the time I've had lunch. My lunches are usually LARGE, however, and often consisting of soup, or home-cooked pork or chicken fillets, "Cocido Madrileño" from a can, or even the same add-water-and-heat pasta or rice meals. My best lunches, obviously, take place in restaurants when meeting friends downtown. Oh how I long for these meetings to not only meet with good or new friends but also to have a decent meal!
Food in Spain is almost like a religion. And if that's true, I must be an atheist because I'm no cook! I try and sometimes I succeed with something unusual - or at least something good and totally home-made - but that's an irregularity, an anomaly. My effort usually comes when someone says, "Hey, I'm coming over for lunch/dinner" and then I have no excuse but to TRY to makes something fresh. Today's lunch consisted of an American-Style frozen pizza ("Arizona", it was called, "American Style Pizza") and Mexican-style rice from a bag (add water). It was very very tasty and made me a little homesick for REAL Mexican food (i.e. "real" from the United States - which isn't likely to be very similar to Mexican food in Mexico!). I've even eaten at Mexican restaurants here in Madrid and, well, it's just not the same, not as good to these taste buds.
Anyone want to invite MadridMan to lunch or dinner? Send me an email or post an OPEN INVITATION to our message board members HERE! We're frequently having lunchtime get-togethers in downtown Madrid - I LOVE THESE. And from time to time we schedule a nighttime gathering at some bar or terraza.
I think I love typical Spanish food even more than Spaniards themselves! But then, I've only been enjoying it for the last decade of my life. Right now I have an urge for Patatas Bravas! Mmmm.... Guess I'll settle for nuts, yogurt, and a glass of Rueda white wine.
Here's to Spanish food! Raise your glass, world! You're in for a treat!
Saludos, MadridMan
What a country, eh? Okay, I realize topless sunbathing is not exclusive to Madrid. But HERE is where I have most of my experience - with topless sunbathing!!
Most weekdays I go to the gym in hopes of staving off the effects of my sedentary existence in front of the computer. I spend a good 40 minutes of aerobic exercises on the treadmill and elliptical machine and then weight machines (I don't like free weights. I ain't no dumbbell. heheeh..). That's all well and good.
But my gym also has an grassy, private outdoor sunbathing area JUST outside the window of the exercise room. And here's the funny part... If this was Columbus, Ohio USA the window would be lined with men (and some women) trying to shoulder through the crowd to get a peek at the topless women below.
BUT NOOOOOOOO! This is Europe. Here, nary a man nor woman is against the window to gawk at the sights below - UNUSUAL SITES THEY ARE for my United Statesen eyes. Europeans, well, I know men admire the naked female form, and it no-doubt, gives them certain urges, but here seeing such things are nothing out of the ordinary.
Oh sure, occasionally a couple of young men will linger at the window, grinning, elbowing each other while gazing across the group of 5-20 women below, 50% of them topless, but the leering doesn't last very long. Sometimes I find myself near the window for some particular exercise machine and I too will look over the group. The phrases, "Wow. I can't believe my eyes" and "You chose wisely, Grasshopper" fill my Temporal Lobe - when they can get past the Frontal Lobe, that is. he he he... But after an "acceptable" amount of time I'll walk away, fearful the gym's attendant will approach me with a scolding.
At my gym they're doing some renovations both outside and inside. The outside work is being done conveniently just outside this particular window. Sometimes I see the workmen lingering as they pass by, sometimes tripping, sometimes stopping and pretending to make a phone call while staring. One particular workman, I'm ashamed to say it, appeared to be taking photos with his mobile camera phone. My presumption was that this particular workman was not from Spain - and maybe not even from western Europe - and so he wasn't as accustomed to seeing topless women in public. Well, they weren't out in the PUBLIC but they were within plain view of his workspace so imagine his reaction.
I always knew that topless sunbathing was common in Spain as I'd seen many of them on the beaches of San Sebastián-Donotia when visiting there for Semana Santa/Holy Week several years ago. But to have topless sunbathers outside my gym's window, so common and casual, and ON A DAILY BASIS in summer, is a REAL eye-opener.
Back in 1995, my first visit to Madrid, I VIVIDLY remember seeing TV advertisements for shampoo and body lotion, both using nearly-totally-nude models in the commercials, full-frontal nudity from the waist up and full back nudity too. WOWEE! But little by little, as has passed, fewer and fewer of these commercials are broadcast for whatever reason. Now, really, you never see nudity on TV commercials - although you do casually see it on TV news programs showing sunbathers on beaches during the summer vacation season. I IMAGINE men aren't jumping out of their couches when seeing topless sunbathers on the TV news!
It's also quite common to pass newsstands on the sidewalks and see, right on the front of the newsstand, a magazine with a topless, large-breasted woman on its cover. My first reaction is, "My God! What if the children see that?!" Then I realize that I'm in Europe where the female form is not something to be hidden nor for which to be ashamed. Afterall, BOTH men AND women have breasts, don'tcha know! THIS is equality at its definition.
Saludos, MadridMan
Most weekdays I go to the gym in hopes of staving off the effects of my sedentary existence in front of the computer. I spend a good 40 minutes of aerobic exercises on the treadmill and elliptical machine and then weight machines (I don't like free weights. I ain't no dumbbell. heheeh..). That's all well and good.
But my gym also has an grassy, private outdoor sunbathing area JUST outside the window of the exercise room. And here's the funny part... If this was Columbus, Ohio USA the window would be lined with men (and some women) trying to shoulder through the crowd to get a peek at the topless women below.
BUT NOOOOOOOO! This is Europe. Here, nary a man nor woman is against the window to gawk at the sights below - UNUSUAL SITES THEY ARE for my United Statesen eyes. Europeans, well, I know men admire the naked female form, and it no-doubt, gives them certain urges, but here seeing such things are nothing out of the ordinary.
Oh sure, occasionally a couple of young men will linger at the window, grinning, elbowing each other while gazing across the group of 5-20 women below, 50% of them topless, but the leering doesn't last very long. Sometimes I find myself near the window for some particular exercise machine and I too will look over the group. The phrases, "Wow. I can't believe my eyes" and "You chose wisely, Grasshopper" fill my Temporal Lobe - when they can get past the Frontal Lobe, that is. he he he... But after an "acceptable" amount of time I'll walk away, fearful the gym's attendant will approach me with a scolding.
At my gym they're doing some renovations both outside and inside. The outside work is being done conveniently just outside this particular window. Sometimes I see the workmen lingering as they pass by, sometimes tripping, sometimes stopping and pretending to make a phone call while staring. One particular workman, I'm ashamed to say it, appeared to be taking photos with his mobile camera phone. My presumption was that this particular workman was not from Spain - and maybe not even from western Europe - and so he wasn't as accustomed to seeing topless women in public. Well, they weren't out in the PUBLIC but they were within plain view of his workspace so imagine his reaction.
I always knew that topless sunbathing was common in Spain as I'd seen many of them on the beaches of San Sebastián-Donotia when visiting there for Semana Santa/Holy Week several years ago. But to have topless sunbathers outside my gym's window, so common and casual, and ON A DAILY BASIS in summer, is a REAL eye-opener.
Back in 1995, my first visit to Madrid, I VIVIDLY remember seeing TV advertisements for shampoo and body lotion, both using nearly-totally-nude models in the commercials, full-frontal nudity from the waist up and full back nudity too. WOWEE! But little by little, as has passed, fewer and fewer of these commercials are broadcast for whatever reason. Now, really, you never see nudity on TV commercials - although you do casually see it on TV news programs showing sunbathers on beaches during the summer vacation season. I IMAGINE men aren't jumping out of their couches when seeing topless sunbathers on the TV news!
It's also quite common to pass newsstands on the sidewalks and see, right on the front of the newsstand, a magazine with a topless, large-breasted woman on its cover. My first reaction is, "My God! What if the children see that?!" Then I realize that I'm in Europe where the female form is not something to be hidden nor for which to be ashamed. Afterall, BOTH men AND women have breasts, don'tcha know! THIS is equality at its definition.
Saludos, MadridMan
Today's Saturday. Most Saturday morning's of the year you'd typically find little activity in the streets. But not this morning!
I was walking back from the gym today at about noon and there was a definite buzz in the street; people were greeting others on the corners, everyone smiling, lots of waving, more traffic, bars were full, and there was a definite energy which didn't exist just one week ago.
The Spanish summer is officially over! Today's September 1 and everyone who was away for a monthlong vacation in August has returned - or those who were gone the entire month of July are just now meeting up with those whom were gone in August!
Monday, September 3rd, will be the day everyone will be back to work, all the stores, bars, and restaurants will be open once again, and life in Spain will essentially be back to normal. Thank goodness! There is a special soothing peacefulness in the neighborhoods in Madrid in summertime which is nice but it can be frustrating too if you're waiting for your favorite bar to reopen, your favorite "Fábrica de Patatas Fritas" (store which makes fresh potato chips on-site - imagine that! And delicious too!) to raise its storefront ceiling-to-floor metal shutter, your telephone calls to be answered more quickly by businesses (if they answer at all in summer), and your best buddies to come home.
I'm sure tonight, Saturday night before the official return to work, will be a BIGGG night in Madrid with lots of parties, everyone dining out or going to bars, the terrazas full, everyone enjoying the last valuable moments of freedom with friends and family before going back to stressful, tedious, monotonous day jobs, back to worrying about paying the [vacation] bills and getting back-to-school necessities, worrying about daycare or elder-care, and watching that suntan slowly fade day by day.
But for me, it means normalcy. I spent a total of 16 vacation days outside of Madrid this entire summer, visiting the USA and northern Spain. But while gone I'm always anxious to return to Madrid - my new home - and back to the job I truly love to do, passing another day and thinking (in the words of comedian/actor Steve Martin when he was only doing stand-up comedy) "And the MOST amazing thing to me is...... I... Get... Paid... For... Doing... This."
I'm a happy guy today. My friends are back from vacation (except for a special one who moved to San Francisco - permanently), my stores and bars are all open (except for one which closed just yesterday because it was "too cool" for the neighborhood), the autumn travel season is quickly approaching which means anxious tourists traveling to Madrid, and travel for me too! I hope to return to Barcelona, maybe Granada, and possibly to the Basque Country too (Bilbao, San Sebastián-Donostia). Also have to start thinking about planning an autumn "Party With MadridMan in Madrid" gathering once again. That should be fun.
Welcome Home, Madrid! I missed you!
Saludos, MadridMan
I was walking back from the gym today at about noon and there was a definite buzz in the street; people were greeting others on the corners, everyone smiling, lots of waving, more traffic, bars were full, and there was a definite energy which didn't exist just one week ago.
The Spanish summer is officially over! Today's September 1 and everyone who was away for a monthlong vacation in August has returned - or those who were gone the entire month of July are just now meeting up with those whom were gone in August!
Monday, September 3rd, will be the day everyone will be back to work, all the stores, bars, and restaurants will be open once again, and life in Spain will essentially be back to normal. Thank goodness! There is a special soothing peacefulness in the neighborhoods in Madrid in summertime which is nice but it can be frustrating too if you're waiting for your favorite bar to reopen, your favorite "Fábrica de Patatas Fritas" (store which makes fresh potato chips on-site - imagine that! And delicious too!) to raise its storefront ceiling-to-floor metal shutter, your telephone calls to be answered more quickly by businesses (if they answer at all in summer), and your best buddies to come home.
I'm sure tonight, Saturday night before the official return to work, will be a BIGGG night in Madrid with lots of parties, everyone dining out or going to bars, the terrazas full, everyone enjoying the last valuable moments of freedom with friends and family before going back to stressful, tedious, monotonous day jobs, back to worrying about paying the [vacation] bills and getting back-to-school necessities, worrying about daycare or elder-care, and watching that suntan slowly fade day by day.
But for me, it means normalcy. I spent a total of 16 vacation days outside of Madrid this entire summer, visiting the USA and northern Spain. But while gone I'm always anxious to return to Madrid - my new home - and back to the job I truly love to do, passing another day and thinking (in the words of comedian/actor Steve Martin when he was only doing stand-up comedy) "And the MOST amazing thing to me is...... I... Get... Paid... For... Doing... This."
I'm a happy guy today. My friends are back from vacation (except for a special one who moved to San Francisco - permanently), my stores and bars are all open (except for one which closed just yesterday because it was "too cool" for the neighborhood), the autumn travel season is quickly approaching which means anxious tourists traveling to Madrid, and travel for me too! I hope to return to Barcelona, maybe Granada, and possibly to the Basque Country too (Bilbao, San Sebastián-Donostia). Also have to start thinking about planning an autumn "Party With MadridMan in Madrid" gathering once again. That should be fun.
Welcome Home, Madrid! I missed you!
Saludos, MadridMan
Blogarama
