Many people whom I have spoken to have told me that Madrid is a pathetically boring place and you will just need 1 day to see what all there is to offer. To a certain extent, this is true. I can’t help to think that Madrid is the smallest capital in Europe. Some of the more interesting aspects in Madrid, or Spain in general
-it's the place where we saw lots of gay couples, probably because there was a party event going on, and we saw with our own eyes that they’re behaving very blatantly.
-the shops tend to open till 10pm which is wonderful when you compare it to Germany when by 8pm the streets will be empty although the sun is still shining bright
-there seems to be a great-spain-sale going on. I got myself the German National Team jersey for 39€, original price being 65€ (and 70€ in Germany itself). Pretty ironic that the German jersey actually costs much cheaper in Spain, the country that beat Germany in the Euro 2008. But maybe that’s why its so cheap.
-there was this guy who tried to cook some story, claiming he was from Iran (he had a Iranian bill in his wallet) and he wanted to see how a Euro look like cos he “never seen it before” – we did not want to take out our wallets cos we did not know what would happen. Not that I had money in my wallet cos I have used up all my Euros, but the cards in my wallet are impt. I had some Czech crowns though, and would be happy to show him that and tell him that’s Euro and see his reaction.
-there’s this chio gal from Belgium who slept in our room and she’s real friendly! Maybe Y or PY will write something bout her.
-binito
I realized I have less and less things to write as the trip goes on. And it’s not just lethargy but the spain part of the trip was disappointing other than the shopping part. The shops are like having big slashes off their prices and I’ve gotten a new dress for work at just 40 odd bucks sing dollars. And it’s pretty good quality and has a nice formal cut like those you see in probably zara. Even bs was tempted by the sale. Actually only cos it was the germany jersey. Never seen him so happy to buy something. Ha! Py and I are planning to do more shopping at Barcelona. Hope the sales are as good. Best thing is they close later than shops in other cities. Other than that I am simply not as impressed.
I thought the buildings in paris was better. I thought the history of germany was more moving. I thought the traffic at italy was less disturbing. This place is a bustling old town with nothing much I can be stunned with. I blame it on myself though. For not knowing more about the history of this place. Maybe then I would understand the place and sights better. But I do also think everything I’ve seen here has been seen somewhere else. And it’s probably not spain’s fault. But yeah. And the thyssen borhemisza museum was impressive but… it’s just a museum. Not that museums are boring but that museum can be anywhere else you know what I mean? Ok maybe not. But I just wouldn’t recommend paying for it.
Other than the funny Iranian that bs mentioned I shall elaborate on the Belgium girl which I just can’t keep my eyes off! I thought she was gorgeous and I told py in Chinese that I bet she was a supermodel. And she turned out to be it! Or rather something like that. When py and bs were busy updating this blog I went back to my room to read a book I bought in Thyssen museum. More about it later. I chatted with her and she was apparently called to Madrid to work! She seemed a little reluctant to tell me what she was working as at first but I just kept asking cos I was curious. And she’s some promoter girl who’s supposed to be here to give out pamphlets. I regret not talking more to her after she told me her job cos in retrospect I came across as someone who looked down on her and her job. But I did not! I wanted to tell her I expected her to be some model or something. I wanted to tell her she was beautiful. But I held back and I think I shouldn’t have! But oh well… we didn’t even get her name! sigh. I wish I could go back to Madrid and tell her now I’m so envious of her cos she’s so pretty!!! L first big regret of the trip.
Anyway I bought a book called “life with Picasso” written by francoise gillot, picasso’s third and last wife (not including the mistresses he had). She was 21 when she met him and he was 61. they fell in love and got married. I admit the old-men fetish attracted me to the book but there was also the allure of a relationship between a man and a woman both with quick wit. I always enjoyed quick witty exchanges like that in Gilmore girls. Part of the book is about explaining picasso’s art through his character but it’s also about how their relationship is like. Two people attracted to each other’s brains instead of lust and beauty. You can borrow the book after I’ve finished! I enjoyed it so far. More about the love story than the interpretation of art. The book is translated from French so it can be a bit hard to read and there are a lot of references to other famous French and English authors that can be a bit hard to digest. But I’ve learnt to ignore and just skim through those parts without trying too hard to understand. I hope to finish it by the end of the trip cos once work starts I’ll have tons to read!
Sigh. That reminds me. When I get back I have to work! Apprehensive about the challenges that’ll come but i hope I can perform. At the same time I wish teresa darling all the best in getting that new job. I love you and I wish all things best for you. Everytime I enter one of those churches I think of you and I hope you will be blessed with good things to come. If you don’t deserve it I don’t know who does. The same goes for all of my dearest friends including the 2 guys with me now. I look forward to my wish at the trevi fountain coming true.
Yingnez
Madrid is really an easy place to cover. Not just that there was a shortage of monuments and interesting places to visit, the city center is just small. The original plan was to cover Madrid proper on the second day since we arrived in the evening. However, by the end of the night, we covered half of the thing we were supposed to see as a part of them can be found along a road! It was a slack second day and that gave us some time to shop. It was a great time because the discounts were fantastic – a lot of prices were slashed by 50%!! I didn’t really see anything that I liked but was trying to hold out till Barcelona, hoping that there will be sales there too, especially we are going to spend more time there.
The only interesting thing is our “visit” to a major street party along Gran Via. It seemed like a gay party too. Actually, we wanted to go to a place there for tapas but coincidentally, the party was held there. So we had to maneuver our way through and headed out to the main street. Not bad for an experience.
As you can see, there’s really nothing much to write about Madrid. Therefore, so long till we meet again in Barcelona!
-it's the place where we saw lots of gay couples, probably because there was a party event going on, and we saw with our own eyes that they’re behaving very blatantly.
-the shops tend to open till 10pm which is wonderful when you compare it to Germany when by 8pm the streets will be empty although the sun is still shining bright
-there seems to be a great-spain-sale going on. I got myself the German National Team jersey for 39€, original price being 65€ (and 70€ in Germany itself). Pretty ironic that the German jersey actually costs much cheaper in Spain, the country that beat Germany in the Euro 2008. But maybe that’s why its so cheap.
-there was this guy who tried to cook some story, claiming he was from Iran (he had a Iranian bill in his wallet) and he wanted to see how a Euro look like cos he “never seen it before” – we did not want to take out our wallets cos we did not know what would happen. Not that I had money in my wallet cos I have used up all my Euros, but the cards in my wallet are impt. I had some Czech crowns though, and would be happy to show him that and tell him that’s Euro and see his reaction.
-there’s this chio gal from Belgium who slept in our room and she’s real friendly! Maybe Y or PY will write something bout her.
-binito
I realized I have less and less things to write as the trip goes on. And it’s not just lethargy but the spain part of the trip was disappointing other than the shopping part. The shops are like having big slashes off their prices and I’ve gotten a new dress for work at just 40 odd bucks sing dollars. And it’s pretty good quality and has a nice formal cut like those you see in probably zara. Even bs was tempted by the sale. Actually only cos it was the germany jersey. Never seen him so happy to buy something. Ha! Py and I are planning to do more shopping at Barcelona. Hope the sales are as good. Best thing is they close later than shops in other cities. Other than that I am simply not as impressed.
I thought the buildings in paris was better. I thought the history of germany was more moving. I thought the traffic at italy was less disturbing. This place is a bustling old town with nothing much I can be stunned with. I blame it on myself though. For not knowing more about the history of this place. Maybe then I would understand the place and sights better. But I do also think everything I’ve seen here has been seen somewhere else. And it’s probably not spain’s fault. But yeah. And the thyssen borhemisza museum was impressive but… it’s just a museum. Not that museums are boring but that museum can be anywhere else you know what I mean? Ok maybe not. But I just wouldn’t recommend paying for it.
Other than the funny Iranian that bs mentioned I shall elaborate on the Belgium girl which I just can’t keep my eyes off! I thought she was gorgeous and I told py in Chinese that I bet she was a supermodel. And she turned out to be it! Or rather something like that. When py and bs were busy updating this blog I went back to my room to read a book I bought in Thyssen museum. More about it later. I chatted with her and she was apparently called to Madrid to work! She seemed a little reluctant to tell me what she was working as at first but I just kept asking cos I was curious. And she’s some promoter girl who’s supposed to be here to give out pamphlets. I regret not talking more to her after she told me her job cos in retrospect I came across as someone who looked down on her and her job. But I did not! I wanted to tell her I expected her to be some model or something. I wanted to tell her she was beautiful. But I held back and I think I shouldn’t have! But oh well… we didn’t even get her name! sigh. I wish I could go back to Madrid and tell her now I’m so envious of her cos she’s so pretty!!! L first big regret of the trip.
Anyway I bought a book called “life with Picasso” written by francoise gillot, picasso’s third and last wife (not including the mistresses he had). She was 21 when she met him and he was 61. they fell in love and got married. I admit the old-men fetish attracted me to the book but there was also the allure of a relationship between a man and a woman both with quick wit. I always enjoyed quick witty exchanges like that in Gilmore girls. Part of the book is about explaining picasso’s art through his character but it’s also about how their relationship is like. Two people attracted to each other’s brains instead of lust and beauty. You can borrow the book after I’ve finished! I enjoyed it so far. More about the love story than the interpretation of art. The book is translated from French so it can be a bit hard to read and there are a lot of references to other famous French and English authors that can be a bit hard to digest. But I’ve learnt to ignore and just skim through those parts without trying too hard to understand. I hope to finish it by the end of the trip cos once work starts I’ll have tons to read!
Sigh. That reminds me. When I get back I have to work! Apprehensive about the challenges that’ll come but i hope I can perform. At the same time I wish teresa darling all the best in getting that new job. I love you and I wish all things best for you. Everytime I enter one of those churches I think of you and I hope you will be blessed with good things to come. If you don’t deserve it I don’t know who does. The same goes for all of my dearest friends including the 2 guys with me now. I look forward to my wish at the trevi fountain coming true.
Yingnez
Madrid is really an easy place to cover. Not just that there was a shortage of monuments and interesting places to visit, the city center is just small. The original plan was to cover Madrid proper on the second day since we arrived in the evening. However, by the end of the night, we covered half of the thing we were supposed to see as a part of them can be found along a road! It was a slack second day and that gave us some time to shop. It was a great time because the discounts were fantastic – a lot of prices were slashed by 50%!! I didn’t really see anything that I liked but was trying to hold out till Barcelona, hoping that there will be sales there too, especially we are going to spend more time there.
The only interesting thing is our “visit” to a major street party along Gran Via. It seemed like a gay party too. Actually, we wanted to go to a place there for tapas but coincidentally, the party was held there. So we had to maneuver our way through and headed out to the main street. Not bad for an experience.
As you can see, there’s really nothing much to write about Madrid. Therefore, so long till we meet again in Barcelona!
Plaza Mayor
Sol - the main shopping area in Madrid, where I got my German jersey for only 39€
'Still' statues, this one is covered with mud, keep seeing them in Spain
Crystal Palace built in the late 1800s
'Still' statues, this one is covered with mud, keep seeing them in Spain
Crystal Palace built in the late 1800s
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