Category Archives: Travel

Madrid Tours with MadridMan

Tour Madrid with MadridMan! MadridMan®, an American expatriate and Spanish resident, offers 2 to 2.5-hour walking tours of Old Madrid via MadridTours.com. Discover the hidden corners of Madrid and learn of Spain’s capital city’s colorful and often bloody past. We’ll … Continue reading

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Review: Hostal El Pilar near Puerta del Sol Madrid

A few weekends ago, early June 2013, I spent Friday and Saturday night in downtown Madrid while a friend was visiting. I’d reserved Hostal El Pilar on Calle de Carretas, 13, just about 80 meters from the Puerta del Sol’s … Continue reading

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15 Year Anniversary for MadridMan.com

Today, 20 July 2012, is MadridMan.com‘s 15-Year Anniversary. MadridMan.com is now a maturing teenager, but still has a lot of growing up to do. JUST WAIT until he gets into his 20s! The domain name was registered on this date … Continue reading

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BIG Price Raise in Madrid Public Transportation

Starting 1 May 2012, end-users of Madrid’s Public Transportation System will feel the sting of the sharpest price raises in 10-years. This raise takes place at the same time as the prices of gasoline, electricity and natural gas go up … Continue reading

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Spanish Holiday TV Tour of Huertas Madrid

Last September 2011 I had the true pleasure and privilege to escort television personality, Najip Ali through the Plaza Santa Ana and the Barrio de Huertas in Madrid – ON CAMERA!!! Najip is the host of “Makan Angin Sepanyol” (“Spanish … Continue reading

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Madrid Airport Express Shuttle Bus

Madrid’s Airport Express Shuttle Bus has been in operation for over a year and is an easy alternative – for many – to taxis, “cercanías” regional trains, and even the metro for getting into downtown Madrid cheaply and quickly. The … Continue reading

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Rick Steves Spain 2012 Recommends MadridMan

Imagine my thrill last November in a Columbus, Ohio Barnes & Noble bookstore during my annual USA visit, leafing through the “Rick Steves’ Spain 2012” book which recommended MadridMan.com!! He wrote: “Helpful Website: MadridMan.com is run with passion by American [MadridMan] … Continue reading

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Passport Renewal at Madrid’s US Embassy

The other day I had the pleasure of renewing my nearly-expired US Passport at the US Embassy in Madrid on Calle Serrano, 75. And it REALLY was a pleasure! I was surprised how fast, easy, and efficient it was. I’m … Continue reading

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Last Day of Summer in Spain 2011

Today is it, August 31st, the last day of Summer for Spaniards. For most students, summer lasts until school starts. But for adults it lasts until you have to go back to work – and in the case of Spaniards, … Continue reading

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New Madrid Tourist Bus – No More Madrid Vision

The 10-year old hop-on hop-off bus operated by “Madrid Vision” has become a horse of different color. Actually, it’s the same color but with a big metal sign covering the original name. As of today, 31 January 2011, the city … Continue reading

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Spanish Airports Closed for Strike

Wow. This is nearly unprecedented. There’s goes the holiday, folks. Spain is in TOTAL Travel Chaos in Spain!!! Spanish air traffic controllers have called a massive UNscheduled strike, a simultaneous walk-out, according to AENA, for not only today Friday but … Continue reading

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Granada: Hotel Palacio Mariana Pineda review

Over the “Puente del Pilar” (mid-October 2010) I spent two nights at the 4-star Hotel Palacio Mariana Pineda in Granada, Spain. I had tried first booking the adjacent Hotel Casa del Capitel Nazari but got bumped-up to the Hotel Palacio … Continue reading

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Europe Travel Alert

Since I’m on Madrid’s US Embassy‘s mailing list they send me these alerts every so often but I don’t usually pay much attention. Nothing has ever happened after receiving the travel alerts. Today’s alert regards …”the potential for terrorist attacks … Continue reading

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Barcelona Trip Preparations

BARCELONA, HERE I COME!!!! Follow along MadridMan’s… err… BarcelonaMan‘s travels to BARCELONA on the Barcelona Blog (on Blogger) spanning 6 nights in Barcelona from 19-25 March. Today has been a busy day in preparation for my 6-night trip to Barcelona; … Continue reading

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AVE Train Madrid-Barcelona

The high-speed AVE train between Madrid and Barcelona opened in 2008 and has been making travel between the two Spanish giant cities fast-and-easy ever since, creating real competition with the airlines. Or has it? Not so long ago, the trip … Continue reading

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Lack of European Travel from Spain

There’s a part of me which wonders WHY I’ve been here in Spain for 4 years and I’ve STILL not traveled throughout Europe. What the heck am I waiting for?? Really, when I moved here I was sure I’d have … Continue reading

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Madrid Travelthink 2009 Conference

On Friday, 11 December 2009, I attended the day-long Madrid Travelthink 2009 conference in one of the upstairs theater rooms at the Reina Sofia Museum, across from Madrid’s Atocha train station. The new addition to old museum is very nice, … Continue reading

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Last Day of July in Spain

Talk about your “FLUFF” topics!! Today’s Friday – and the last day in July. So technically, we’re about midway through the summer holiday season. What does that mean? It means that half of the Spanish population is returning home from … Continue reading

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Summer Vacation Exodus Begins in Spain

Although it’s already July 3rd, many workers finished out the week to start vacations this Friday afternoon. This fact is verified by 32 kilometers of traffic jams on all of Madrid’s (and in nearly all of Spain’s cities) out-going highways … Continue reading

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Grand Opening: New Cercanias Station in Puerta del Sol

Today, on its first day of operation, I made my maiden-visit to the brand-new Cercanías station in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol. The controversial entryway is in the shape, it is said, of a “Glass Fish” or “Pez de Cristal“, and … Continue reading

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