One Week In Madrid

It’s only fitting that I write about Spain this month… as I just got returned from a fabulous trip!

Most of my previous trips to Europe could be categorized as “mad rushes” to visit many places and see multiple things on my list. However this visit was different in many ways. As I reflect back on the week, I have many “take-aways;” however one thing that sticks out is that there is so much beauty simply “remaining stationary.” When I told friends that we were going to spend 6 days in Madrid, the response I got was “Why?” And truthfully, you can understand that perspective… because for us Americans, there is so much to see in Europe and it seems as though we’re always rushing to visit cities and check off tourist highlights. But my reason for the “why” is simple- I wanted to absorb the city and culture without feeling rushed. I wanted to be able to go to the corner cafe for morning coffee and a croissant, and to figure out how to find my way to the gorgeous park in the city’s center without relying on my phone’s Maps app. I wanted to go for runs through the city… to run for 20 minutes in one direction before turning around and heading back to our adorable apartment. And although our “home base” was Madrid, we took a couple of day-trips… in a mixture of trains, busses, and Ubers… to nearby historic towns where we embraced the sites and let ChatGPT guide us though the “must dos.” 

I loved Madrid… the city was vibrant and sophisticated and we always felt safe. We felt completely safe leaving the Real Madrid vs. Mann City European Cup game at midnight. So safe that we walked over 2 miles back to our apartment… “taking in” the city at night. WOW, was that game a bucket list experience! As an American, I’ve never really understood the “world’s most popular sport,” but now I do.We were especially lucky because we got to see the world’s best soccer player, Mbappe, score a hat trick- apparently something quite rare in soccer matches. But what struck me the most was the patriotism within the stadium when La Marcia Real(The Royal March) played. Regal, melodic, and stately, the anthem fittingly reflected Spain’s royal heritage and historic grandeur. Being in the stadium amongst 85,000 strangers somehow felt familiar; and watching the Spaniards revel in their ceremonial anthem gave me chills.

Of course there are things you mustdo in Madrid, like visiting the Prado Museum and spending  time contemplating Hieronymus Bosch’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights.” If you don’t know what I am referring to, look it up… it is surely the most amazing painting I have ever seen.  Toledo, a historical town 45 minutes from Madrid, is known for many things; however what I loved the most was the tiny Church of Santo Tome. It’s a sharp contradiction to the majestic basilicas a stone’s throw away. This church is famous for El Greco’sThe Burial of the Count of Orgazwhich was painted by the master (and Toledo resident) more than 400 years ago. Another day, we visited Segovia which is known for having a Roman aqueduct that dates back to the 1st century A.D. It is amazingly well-preserved- and makes you wonder how this masterpiece in ancient engineering was built… without modern tools and equipment, and engineers with advanced degrees? 

Luckily, we have perfect weather for our mid-February trip; and it was so much fun to stroll through the beautiful city streets. We loved sampling literally every type of food imaginable at Mercado de San Miguel- a covered gastronomical marketplace circa 1916. Small nugget, go early because nearby is Monasterio del Corpus Christi, a working monastery where cloistered nuns make cookies on a daily basis. The nuns sell the cookies, until they sell out, to those who ring the doorbell and put money through the slot- all of this is done wordlessly.There are so many neighborhoods, however our favorite was Justica Barrio. Probably the best comparison is Soho; yet it is so much more quaint and authentic. We stumbled upon the cutest little boutiques that lined street after street, and it was nearly impossible to pick a restaurant for lunch. 

These days, I feel a special connection to Spain because of Trove and the two amazing artists- Alvar and Maria- that come from this special country. After my trip, I feel as though I understand their work a bit better. And I can't wait to find out even more...stay tuned!