Te dejo Madrid
con tus avenidas amplias
tus edificios y palacios resplandecientes
Te dejo Madrid
con tus mil sabores
patatas bravas y albóndigas
queso manchego y aceite de oliva arbequina
escaparates luciendo la pata negra
cenando a media noche
las calles repletas de gente
Te dejo Madrid
con tus tesoros nacionales
el Prado con "Las Meninas" de Velázquez
las imágenes de la guerra en el "Guernica" de Picasso
"Muchacha en la Ventana" de Dalí
la poesía de Lorca
Te dejo Madrid
por las calles sinuosas del Rastro
las antigüedades del mercado de sellas y monedas
la pasión del flamenco
y con un brindis a Don Ernesto bajo la sombra
de los árboles que rodean la Plaza Santa Ana
Te dejo Madrid
pero tu no me dejas a mi
(Título prestado de la canción “Te Dejo Madrid” de Shakira).
Click on any image to view on a larger screen.
Edificio Metrópolis: The beaux-arts style Metropolis office building.
Plaza Mayor: Beautiful public square that has hosted bullfights, executions and trials during the Inquisition. The statue in the middle is of King Philip III.
Random window.
Congreso de los Diputados: Spanish Parliament.
Don’t forget to look up! Random beautiful buildings.
Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales: Doors to a monastery for widowed royalty. The plain exterior walls hide the many riches that the royals brought with them.
Apartments near the Royal Palace.
Doors at the Catedral de le Almudena: Madrid’s cathedral.
Muralla Árabe: Remains of Moorish and medieval city walls.
Outside the Palacio Real. The palace has 135,000 square meters of floorspace and 2800 rooms.
Catedral de la Almudena: Exterior is neo-classical; interior is neo-gothic.
Close up of relief at the Catedral de la Almudena.
Ceiling inside the Catedral de la Almudena.
Courtyard of the Palacio Real.
Exterior hallway at the Palacio Real.
I leave you Madrid
with your wide boulevards
and your resplendent buildings and palaces
I leave you Madrid
with your thousand flavors
spicy fried potates and meatballs
manchego cheese and olive oil
black hoofs on display in shop windows
dining at midnite
the streets bursting with people
I leave you Madrid
with your national treasures
“Las Meninas” by Velázquez at the Prado
the images of war in Picasso’s “Guernica”
Dalí's “Woman at the Window”
Lorca’s poetry
I leave you Madrid
through the circuitous streets of the Rastro
the antiquities at the stamp and coin market
the passion of flamenco
and a toast to Hemingway beneath the shade
of the trees that surround Plaza Santa Ana
I leave you Madrid
but you do not leave me
(Title borrowed from the song “Te Dejo Madrid” by Shakira).
I might be a country bumpkin but so many cities have soul, a vibrancy that only hundreds of years of thousands of people can bring together and I love that. But then give me some quiet fields and hills when I tire of the crowds and pollution and limits. 🙂
I probably lean towards being a city girl but I relish the view of mountains and being able to see the stars. So much natural beauty while the city gives us man-made skyscrapers and statues.
I loved it! And was so proud of myself for understanding most of the Spanish! I’ve been to Europe but not to Spain and this makes me want to head over there!
I spent most of the time in the city and want to go back and see the countryside. It was wonderful. They kept asking me where I was from because my Spanish is so different!
I was in Madrid in 2009 with my school to study Spanish and I did fall in love too with the city. This year I also went back but this time in Barcelona and the South of France. It always amazes me how happy and open the people are over there. I also visited the countryside and I think it is always the best part when visiting European countries. Don’t miss the countryside.
I adore Madrid! Thanks for this lovely post and great images. I’ve been three times in the last four years as my friend was living there, it was great to experience it like a local! It’s so pretty, I love the pace of life and sitting for hours drinking amazing coffee 🙂
I know! those two men were only one! amazing, one was a statue of the real man, if you know what I mean? we watched him for a while one day and he came out of the costume for a break.
Agujas 
I might be a country bumpkin but so many cities have soul, a vibrancy that only hundreds of years of thousands of people can bring together and I love that. But then give me some quiet fields and hills when I tire of the crowds and pollution and limits. 🙂
I probably lean towards being a city girl but I relish the view of mountains and being able to see the stars. So much natural beauty while the city gives us man-made skyscrapers and statues.
I loved it! And was so proud of myself for understanding most of the Spanish! I’ve been to Europe but not to Spain and this makes me want to head over there!
I spent most of the time in the city and want to go back and see the countryside. It was wonderful. They kept asking me where I was from because my Spanish is so different!
I was in Madrid in 2009 with my school to study Spanish and I did fall in love too with the city. This year I also went back but this time in Barcelona and the South of France. It always amazes me how happy and open the people are over there. I also visited the countryside and I think it is always the best part when visiting European countries. Don’t miss the countryside.
I do very much want to go back and see the countryside and perhaps also visit Portugal. One day …
Now, I really want to visit Madrid!
If you do, tell us all about it!
I have always wanted to go to Spain and this just makes me want to go there even more. I surprised myself by knowing some of the Spanish too!
It’s fun and I want to go back.
I adore Madrid! Thanks for this lovely post and great images. I’ve been three times in the last four years as my friend was living there, it was great to experience it like a local! It’s so pretty, I love the pace of life and sitting for hours drinking amazing coffee 🙂
That’s so great that you’ve been several times and with a local. You’ve probably gotten a much more authentic feel for the place!
p.s I also have a photo of the terracotta looking street busker statue man!
They are so creative! I wonder how long it takes them to get into their costumes.
I know! those two men were only one! amazing, one was a statue of the real man, if you know what I mean? we watched him for a while one day and he came out of the costume for a break.