Madrid

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).

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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).

When I travel, I always try to bring back something that will remind me of the place I visited. Something a little more meaningful than a key chain but not too excessive (and that will fit in my luggage).

I brought back this mantón bordado (embroidered shawl) from Madrid. They told me it was hand embroidered (although I have some doubts). Nonetheless, the vibrant flowers and flirtatious tassels remind me of Spain.

I also picked up this set of toallas bordadas (embroidered towels) with a crocheted border. I like their simplicity and elegance.

Here are a few other images captured on the streets of Madrid.

This 20 ton bronze statue of a bear under a strawberry tree (el oso y el madroño) is located at the Puerta del Sol. The symbol of the bear (which apparently used to roam in the forests outside the city) and the strawberry tree are emblematic of Madrid.

A shop window with traditional flamenco dresses.

I couldn’t help but snap a photo of this storefront. Why can’t we all just get along?!

Los Petrificados (the petrified ones), one of many street performers in Madrid. At first glance, I thought it was a statue until someone dropped a coin in a box in front of them. The woman’s eyes moved and the man looked up while he poured the water.