Cheerio to England; Hola to Madrid

The Spaniards are said to be sleep deprived during the week, due to their traditional late nights which intersect now with the schedule necessary in the modern business world.  So they catch up on weekends.  While our Spanish 'hostess with the most-est' catches up on some sleep, I'll catch up with our blog!

We departed North Harton Farm last Sunday, amid farewell hugs & photos and one last visit to a high, windy tor with Robin and Wei-Wei, from which we could see the ocean. 

                          the Webb's, Jean-Philippe, Marlen, Lisa, and Robin

Then Bruce and I were off for a couple of nights in Bristol, England, exploring the city and watching the Queen’s heartwarming but soggy Jubilee festivities on the telly.   It was lovely to see the outpouring of affection for her and to feel that we were witnessing a small piece of history.   Bristol has many connections to America, including the fact that William Penn lived there and was given the land that is now Pennsylvania in payment for debts owed him by the king of England.  And that John Cabot left from Bristol on his voyage toward North America.

Model of John Cabot's ship, the Matthew -:), which he sailed from Bristol to America in 1497

                 Congratulatory messages to Queen Elizabeth could be seen everywhere 

Interesting as Bristol and the queen’s celebrations were, on Tuesday we flew away from the chilly rain and drizzle and into the sun and warmth that is Madrid.  Our friend, Andrea, whom we had met while we all volunteered at Safe Passage last fall, met us at the airport at 9:30pm and gave us a quick tour of the city by auto, followed by grazing, tapas-style, first at an art deco market with sophisticated folks standing and sitting and sipping and noshing.  We joined them with the delicious selection of olives that Andrea had picked out at one of the stalls.   No matter that it was 11pm, we moved on to an atmospheric little café in the old part of the city, where Andrea ordered a range of tapas delicacies which are typical of Madrid – and some vino tinto, of course.   What a fantastic way to begin our discovery of Madrid!  And, amazingly, these two old folks managed to stay awake and alert!

                                      Bruce and Andrea at San Miguel Marketplace

During the past week, we’ve been finding out how to use the metro - which is clean, safe, efficient, and easy  – and looking around this monumental (literally) city.  Its grandeur is very befitting the capital of an empire that once ruled much of the Americas.  The palaces and monuments have been preserved and lend a beauty and dignity to the city.  Among all the grandiose historic buildings, there is also a modern trendiness and energy that is exciting.   It all contributes to the quality of life that is so impressive in this city of 5 million people.  

The Royal Palace in Madrid which sports 2800 rooms - how to keep track of hubby and the kids?

 There seems to be an awareness of the importance of beauty in the life of the ordinary citizen.  Public gardens and squares are lit up with eye-popping hot pink geraniums.  Traffic intersections spurt forth with fountains surrounded by pale pink roses. 

                                           Love those yummy pink geraniums!

Street performers of every kind bring a lively sense of fun to the downtown area.  On the day that Bruce and I wandered around, these included a sax player in the metro, a young Asian opera singer filling the outdoor streets with a haunting melody, a clever fellow with a tray full of wine glasses from which he coaxed music, as well as all manner of  human “statues” dressed in outlandish outfits.

                             Street performers outside the Royal Botanical Gardens

One evening Andrea took us for a walk in her neighborhood.  Just outside her apartment are lots of other big apartment buildings, 5 -15 years old, that reach a height of only 5 – 6 stories, often topped with rooftop gardens.   Interspersed among them are playgrounds and outdoor eating places and small restos and grocery stores.   Not far away is the Matadero, a huge complex of 48 brick buildings that served as the slaughter houses for animals in the 19^th and 20^th century.  Instead of tearing down these cool industrial buildings, the city has converted them into art spaces and venues for the public to use free internet, for kids to ride bikes and play, for aspiring actors to do theater, etc.  It’s fantastico!  

Part of the Matadero, former slaughterhouses, now a cool arts & entertainment venue

Beyond the Matadero, there is a far-reaching park, converted from a super highway that was re-routed underground, at a cost of millions, no doubt.  The park stretches along a canal, dominated by a broad curving paved lane.  That evening we saw older folks strolling in the lingering warm evening light, kids in strollers, lots of dogs being walked, roller-bladers and bicyclists zooming along.   Bordering the walkway were zip-lines and skate board parks and big roller-blading areas and football fields, each one filled with activity – at 10pm.!  What a strong statement of governmental commitment to the well-being of its citizens. 

                        Rollerblader & dog... and skate boarders

                                        fun design for a pedestrian bridge

In addition to the metro, there are other means of public transportation that are reasonably priced (but not cheap).   As in England, the public buses are extremely punctual and clean and comfortable.  The trains are much preferable (for me) to airplanes for inter-city travel.  They are easier to get to, have lots of comfy leg room, and offer smooth rides, as well as a chance to see the countryside. We took a train to Toledo - next blog!

Madrid must be doing a good job at keeping down pollution, as the air seems clear and fresh, despite the size of the city.   Flying down from Bristol, we could see many wind turbines lining the tops of mountains in the western part of the country. From Andrea's living room, we can look across to another rooftop where a set of large sun-powered hot water heaters uses natural energy.

Of course, the culture of Spain is part of the quality of life here, too.  Lovely meals with traditional food, often eaten outdoors in small party groupings, and music and parks and beauty preserved in old buildings but incorporated into new buildings, too.  Having Andrea as our cultural ambassador has been a great gift.  Our rudimentary Spanish language skills have deteriorated pretty badly since last fall.  We feel like language slugs, having to depend upon Andrea for any sort of complicated transaction, but it sure is helpful, and so we’ll continue in our language slug-dom!

So, these are our first impressions of Spain.  We can understand why our pilot friend, Gary, is so busy shuttling back and forth between England and the Iberian peninsula.