The Spanish Travelogue 5: Madrid - The So(u)l of Spain

The Spanish Travelogue chronicles my journey through the explored and unexplored regions of the Spanish mainland (and the unexplored corners of the explored regions).

The rest of the country takes its afternoon Siesta. Madrid doesn't even sleep at night. Madrid is the big city where you can lose yourself, amidst the wide roads, the huge buildings and the vast Madrid population busy losing itself amidst the wide roads, the huge buildings....

I will begin with a wikipedia-esque introduction. Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. And Madrid makes one feels its enormity through not just the wide roads or the palatial buildings; the enormity is in the spirit of the city. Madrid is the kind of city you will want to get lost in - amidst the hordes of people walking on the wide side-walks, passing through the bustling squares, past the shops selling knick-knacks, the art museums containing various visions and more. Madrid makes you feel as alive as it itself is. 

Though geographically speaking, Madrid is a big city, all the attractions are situated quite close to each other. The easiest ways of commuting are by metro and by foot. It is advisable to take a day-pass for Zone 1, which makes you travel to all places there are to see in Madrid, except the football stadium. Get off at the convenient metro stations and walk on the boulevards of Madrid to reach your destination. 

The most popular meeting point in Madrid is the Puerta del Sol. The place is always abuzz with people going somewhere, coming from somewhere, just standing, playing music, making love (up to a certain base), protesting for human rights, every kind of activity. Take the metro to Vodafone Sol, and walk up to the point where there's a statue of a bear hugging a tree. This.

The bear above is the starting point of the Gran Via. We shall come to this in a while. But for now, take the opposite direction and head towards the Palacio Real (or the Royal Palace). A view of the grandiose palace from outside should suffice, unless you're one of those tourists who think everything should be covered. 

The Madrid Cathedral is adjacent to the Palace. Again, I would recommend that seeing the Cathedral from outside should do. 

From the Palacio Real, walk on to the Temple of Debod. An ancient Egyptian temple, the Temple of Debod was dismantled and rebuilt in Madrid. I would recommend visiting the Temple at sunset for breathtaking views of the Palacio Real and the city. 

Walk back to the Gran Via. If you are tired after all the walking (your author is always tired and hungry), take a small detour to visit the Plaza Mayor. As you sit at a cafeteria inside Madrid's central plaza to have your tapa and coffee (or your choice of drink), look around you. What seems today to be just an imposing square surrounded by residential buildings and teeming with cafeterias, used to be at one point of time a famous centre for bullfights and public executions. 

The Plaza has another interesting story about it. The statue inside the Plaza is that of King Philip the Third, mounted on a horse. The citizens of Madrid had once thought of building an underground parking lot, and thought it fit to temporarily remove the statue. Upon doing so, they discovered that the statue was hollow and was filled with dead sparrows, which had entered through the mouth of the horse and could not find their way out again. The citizens then thought it appropriate to seal the mouth of the horse so that no more sparrows would be trapped inside the King.

If you are still hungry (despite reading about these stories), walk a little from the Plaza to Sobrino de Botín, the oldest functional restaurant in the world. In fact, I'd say even if you aren't that hungry, do a bit of a pilgrimage by walking across to the restaurant established in 1725, where even Francisco de Goya worked as a waiter! (Okay this was BEFORE he was inducted into the Royal Academy of Fine Arts). And don't let Mr. Woody Allen convince you that you only come across Ernest Hemingway and Scott Fitzgerald in the Parisian midnights of the '20s; both of them have spent many an evening here, in Sobrino de Botín. (Hemingway preferred to be referred to as 'Ernesto' in Spain. Just by-the-way-trivia).

Now that the hunger is quenched, let us digest it by walking across to the Gran Via. Which reminds me. My suggestions to readers wanting to travel to European cities is, Always try to take a walking tour. That suggestion continues. 

Moving on, once you reach Sol and find the bear, walk on towards the Gran Via. Gran Via in Español means, "Grand View". True to its name, The Gran Via is the broadway of Madrid. The convergence of many streets lends it a grand view, and you should just take the evening stroll on this road to see the colours of Madrid come alive. The Gran Via is the go-to place for nightclubs, fine dining and shopping, if you have the money to splurge. Though I won't expound on this much, the debauchery dens are located close by, if you stick on till late. Go figure that bit out yourself. 

If you are walking along the Gran Via during the day, walk on till you reach the Plaza de Cibeles. Go inside, take the elevator, reach the top, admire the view of the square, take a photograph. Descend. There's nothing else to see there.

We next go to the Puerta de Alcalá. Located in the Plaza de la Independencia, or the Independence Square, the monument is a pleasant place to stand and stare, or be clicked. 

A couple of minutes away from the Puerta de Alcalá is the Retiro Park. Initially belonging to the Monarchy, the park is now open to the public. The park is surrounded by monuments and sculptures built in the Gothic style, that surround the lake in the centre. I would recommend lunch at  the eateries here. Thin-crust pizza and Sangria. 

Needless to say, Madrid has a bustling night life. The most popular night club here is the Kapital. Get off at Atocha station and walk on till you see Madrid's young population clustered around the seven-storey club. Make sure you find out about the dress code. If you find Kapital expensive (which it is, especially on Friday nights), you might hit the Velvet Disco, which has really amazing music, and a great crowd. 

I had kept the topic of museums for the end. Simply because museums are a matter of personal choice, and how much of time you would devote to visiting them depends on how much of a sucker for art you are. If so, then visit the museums in Madrid, and (firstly) read on.

Madrid is the art capital of the world. Of the twenty-odd museums, which you won't have time to visit unless you are staying in Madrid for a long duration, you must at least visit the Golden Triangle of Art - The Prado, Museo Reina Sofia and Thyssen-Bornemisza. I would suggest you visit in the aforesaid order of priority.

The sheer number of rooms containing paintings segregated according to time periods and countries makes it impossible to cover Museo del Prado in a day. Which is why it is advisable to spread your Prado visit over two or more days. Entry to the museum is free from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesdays to Saturdays. Reach the museum well in advance in order to avoid a huge line in front of you. If you are running short of time, make sure you don't miss out on the works of Velázquez, El Greco, Titian and Rubens. A personal favourite was the room displaying Venetian paintings during the 16th century.

The Museo Reina Sofia has a bigger name, but that's not important. What is important is that you do not miss the surrealist paintings. The connection demonstrated between the works of Dalí and Buñuel is a must-see, and so are the works of Picasso, Juan Miró, Juan Gris, Pablo Gargallo and Julio González. I didn't understand abstract expressionism and Neo-Dada though. 

The painting above is that of a Musician's Room. One of  the best depictions I have seen.

A baron and his wife were curators of art, and courtesy their cultivation of the interest, the Thyssen-Bornemisza now houses some of the rarest paintings and art works from across centuries and cultures. Thyssen is the third on the priority list of museums, but the art lover would just find it so much worth spending time roaming around the various rooms of the museum. Madrid is perhaps as much beautiful from within as it is from without.

Post Script:

It was my last day in Madrid (and also in Spain). I had gone to the Plaza Mayor for dinner after a day of Prado and Thyssen, and was sitting at one of the cafeterias. The server, Luis, overheard me speaking in Bengali with my friend and started chatting up. He even tried to greet me "Nomoshkaar" in Bengali, which got me curious. Luis then told me that his elder brother takes a road trip from Spain to India every year, to conduct business! I had ordered a vodka, and Luis kept pouring till it seemed to me that he'd poured about four pegs of Absolut Vodka. I mildly protested saying I will far overshoot my budget with this, to which he said, "You only pay for the one drink you'd ordered; I always pour a little extra." Luis winked, smiled and went away.

The Spanish Travelogue 4: Sevilla - Spain's Sunny Side Up

The Spanish Travelogue chronicles my journey through the explored and unexplored regions of the Spanish mainland (and the unexplored corners of the explored regions).

If you have ever wanted to go to Spain to see colours, to walk around the streets and bask in the sunshine, to witness bullfighting, to watch a flamenco dance or to do the Tango, you've probably been inspired by Sevilla. 

To start with the basics, the pronunciation is Seviya. Sevilla, or Seville, is the largest city in the autonomous province of Andalucia. But unlike its Andalucian counterpart Granada, Sevilla retains more of a Spanish flavour in a confluence of Spanish and Arabic cultures. 

Unlike the unpredictable weather in The Basque Region, Sevilla's climate is more stable. You won't be hindered in your expedition by that sudden incessant rain, and you can have your shades on. Whatever there is to see in Sevilla can be covered in a day by walking around the city. 

It is a good idea to make the most famous meeting point in Sevilla your starting point - the twin structures of the Cathedral and the Giralda. The Cathedral of St. Mary was built after the Reconquista, the re-conquering by the Christian kings of the Al-Andalus region from the Moors. The Sevilla Cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. The Cathedral stands on what was the former site of the city's mosque, and was built over a hundred years after the Reconquista. It is a World Heritage Site today. 

The Sevilla Cathedral is the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world. 

I must say that I did not find the interiors of the Cathedral having any awe-inspiring ability, unlike that of the Notre Dame in Paris. Perhaps the only attraction was the catafalque of Christopher Columbus. 

The Catafalque of Christopher Columbus inside the Sevilla Cathedral

I suggest you walk on, to what I think is the more picturesque attraction - La Giralda, the bell tower of the Sevilla Cathedral. 

La Giralda - The most important landmark of the city

The entrance to La Giralda is from inside the Sevilla Cathedral. La Giralda is a much older structure, and was built during the Moorish period as a minaret. After the Reconquista, the city's mosque was converted into a church, and the bell tower is therefore an instance of an architectural blend of the two styles. 

As you take the winding path leading to the top of the Giralda, you come across various drawings and instruments from that period which have been preserved in the bell tower. Keep a watch for them as you climb along.

The view of the Sevilla Cathedral as you walk up the Giralda Tower

Before coming to Sevilla, I had seen photos of the city and there was one photograph that was a recurrent. It was of an aerial view of a square, a view of a clear sky and of houses with bright colours splattered across the city. While climbing up the Giralda tower, I saw the photograph come alive in front of my eyes. It was this. 

Walk on from the square of the Cathedral towards the riverside. You will reach the bridge of Isabel II, known more popularly as the Triana bridge or Puente de Triana. This is because on the other side of the river is the neighbourhood of Triana. The bridge, hanging over the Guadalquivir river, separates the main city of Sevilla from the neighbourhood of Triana, and both sides maintain their distinctiveness in character even to this day I'm told.

Puente de Triana

Keep walking along the river bank on the city's side, and you will see Plaza de Toros to your left. Plaza de Toros is the location of the bullfighting museum, and is open only on days when such fights take place. I wasn't lucky enough to venture inside. I am told that traditionally, the king would appear at the entrance and signal for the game to begin, and only then would the gates be opened. Sevilla has such tales in every nook and corner; you only have to keep your ears out for them. We will move on to another. 

Entrance of the Plaza de Toros -  Bulls fight within.

Walking further on, you reach the Torre del Oro, which translated to English means 'Gold Tower'. It served as a watchtower for the Almohad dynasty, and a prison during the middle ages. It was used by King Pedro I to hide his treasures of gold and silver, and a woman he loved - Aldonza Coronel. Folklore has it that the enchanted king had imprisoned the woman whose love he could never get. Apparently she poured burning oil over herself in protest. Sevillian stories float about like the breeze, and there is no way to test their veracity. They are however as colourful as the houses.

Torre del Oro

You can revisit the riverside in the evening, since the dance performances usually happen around this side. And when in Sevilla, you have to watch Flamenco! Andalucia is where Flamenco was born, and Sevilla promises the best performances that you would see. The music is again a fine blend of Spanish and Arabic influences, as the architecture in Sevilla is. I would however suggest that it is better to catch a performance in smaller cafés, instead of extremely high-end commercialized performances designed to cater to the tourist. 

It is a better idea to catch Flamenco shows in the smaller cafés

Now we come to the other crucial aspect - food. Personally speaking, I have not had better food in Spain than in Sevilla. You come across narrow streets lined with cafés which serve the most delicious tapas. Only try tapas, so that you can walk on and experiment and eat more. Food in Sevilla is not really expensive, so it doesn't pinch the pocket even if you go on an eating overdrive. A personal recommendation is Café Eslava, which is on Calle Eslava. The squid cigaro here is.... Indescribably delicious, so you have to taste it for yourself. And I hope you get a chance to do so.  

Post Script:

Another Sevillian story. The official motto of Sevilla is a symbol - No8Do. The term stands for the Spanish "No me ha dejado", meaning "It has not abandoned me". Legend has it that when the son of King Alfonso X, Sancho IV tried to usurp him from his throne, the King took refuge in Sevilla, whose citizens refused to hand the old King over to his son. This title was given to Sevilla by the king as a mark of appreciation, and appears as a motif at many places in Sevilla. Perhaps I would be fair to say that Sevilla never abandons anyone who comes here; it stays on with the person long after he's gone. 

The Spanish Travelogue 3: Granada

The Spanish Travelogue chronicles my journey through the explored and unexplored regions of the Spanish mainland (and the unexplored corners of the explored regions).

If you are fond of cobbled streets, acoustic music, sunny weather and fusion food, Granada would probably become your favourite Spanish city. The confluence of Arabic and Spanish cultures, Granada is located in the province of Andalucia, at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Mediterranean has an influence on both the climate and cuisine of Granada. 

Exploring Granada invariably requires you to know a bit of history (don’t worry - I will keep this bit to a minimum). That is because the main tourist attraction in Granada, drawing thousands of tourists from all over the world, is the Alhambra palace, the blend of Muslim and Christian histories and architecture.

The Umayyad conquest of Hispania in the 8^th century A.D. established the Moorish control over the region which broadly comprises the present province of Andalucia. And therefore, it is not surprising that the epistemological origins of the word Granada find root in the Arabic Ġarnāṭah, which I was told loosely means ‘Hill of Strangers’. Now that’s a convenient name the Arabs used to explain their evident feelings about a completely different culture they witnessed when they established their rule here in the 8^th century.

In the 13^th century A.D., the Muslim Nasrid dynasty ruling over Granada prospered despite the Christian Reconquista by Ferdinand III of Castile. The region of Sevilla had already been taken over by the Christian king by this time, and Granada remained the central refuge of the Arabs in the Al-Andalus province. It took more than two centuries thereafter for the Christian kings to take over the complete control of Granada, thus marking the end of the Reconquista.

The Moors (loosely meaning, Muslims of Arabic descent) staying on in Granada were eventually forced to convert to Christianity, and over the years they came to become a separate ethnic group called the Moriscos.

The Alhambra palace, with a towering view of the entire city, evidences various periods of the history of Granada. The castle of Alhambra dates back to the 12^th century A.D., and consists of several zones, eminently, the Alcazaba (for purposes of defence), the Nasrid palaces and El Generalife. While most of the Moorish and Morisco architecture has been preserved, there have evidently been later Christian architectural interpolations. Views of the city from various quarters of the palace are beautiful, and if you are into both history and photography, then you ought to visit the palace with a lot of time on your hands. The Court of Lions and the fountain, and the Hall of the Ambassadors are prime attractions. 

The Alhambra offers a towering view of the city, with the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the distance

The Court of Lions at the Alhambra

El Generalife, adjacent to the palace, was the garden of the Nasrid kings

El Patio de la Acequia, or the Water Channel Courtyard, is an example of a medieval Persian garden

A special mention needs to be made here of the Hall of the Abencerrajes, with the roof bearing the honeycomb design, as can be seen in Gaudí’s works in Barcelona. Folklore has it that the last Sultan of Granada invited the chiefs of the line of Abencerrajes and massacred them in this hall. Palaces do have small histories hidden in their nooks and corners! I must say that I found the Generalife, or the palace gardens, a bit overhyped. I did not tour the palace at night, but it is said that the nightlife from the Alhambra is worth a visit. You could visit the Granada cathedral and the Royal Chapel which were superimposed over the Great Mosque of Granada, as it existed then.

The honeycomb design in the Hall of the Abencerrajes at Alhambra 

The Christian structures are a superimposition on the Muslim ones

A quick tip here: Book the tickets for Alhambra well in advance. The palace authorities have to invariably be a little inflexible about time, due to the heavy influx of tourists. It is therefore advisable to reach the entrance well on time to avoid hassles.

Moving on from the Alhambra, visit the Albayzín area of Granada. On the right bank of the river Darro, the Albayzín is the ancient Moorish quarter of the Granada. Having the best views of the Alhambra, the Albayzín has cobbled streets opening on to the main street, lined with cafeterias. Albayzín is also the popular shopping district of Granada, so make sure you bargain very well and do a lot of window shopping in order to get the best deals. This I write from impression and not from experience, since I spent most of my time around this region in the pursuit of food.

The Albayzín area has cobbled streets opening on to the main street, lined with cafeterias with the Alhambra towering above

If you have been roaming around other places in Spain and are tired (alright, blasphemously tired) of Spanish food, Granada offers you relief-restaurants, with an abundance of options in Arabian and Mediterranean cuisine. The beef couscous with caramelized onions is a personal recommendation. A lot of restaurants offer fusion food which is worth exploring.

Granada is a place you explore by just walking around. Your walk may take you to El Realejo, or the Jewish quarters. The cobbled alleys, the quiet walk by the river at night with the imposing Alhambra palace as the background, the musicians at every corner with their guitars, cajons and accordions, all add to the charm of the city. On one particular evening when a football match was on, it seemed like the entire city had poured out into the streets to watch the game from the cafés, and the enthusiasm in the celebrations was contagious.

Post Script:

It was a lazy, sunny day and I was sitting drinking Raki in one of those numerous open air cafeterias in the Albayzín area which have the Alhambra overlooking them. From the band of musicians playing nearby, the accordion player suddenly came up to me, smiled and said, “Raj Kapoor?” 

The Spanish Travelogue 2: Barcelona - The Palette City

The Spanish Travelogue chronicles my journey through the explored and unexplored regions of the Spanish mainland (and the unexplored corners of the explored regions).

Do not visit Barcelona with an agenda or a list of things you have to see. In other words, visit Barcelona with an open mind, to absorb the undirected and the unplanned.

To my mind, the reason behind Barcelona’s immense popularity is that it has something for every kind of traveller, be it the historian, the photographer, the night-lifer, the shopper, or the foodie. Thus, though Barcelona abounds in touristy flavours, I cannot vouch for the particular attraction in Barcelona that will become your inevitable favourite. In fact, you too shouldn't pre-judge as to what it could be. 

Exploring Barcelona in a couple of days may be slightly hectic, and it helps if you are a little generous with your holiday time. And you do not have to know Catalan in order to survive in Barcelona, though knowing a bit of Spanish always helps. And carry a sweatshirt, even in summer.

Barcelona is best seen walking. But I care for your legs and so cannot advise you to walk the length of the second largest city in Spain for purposes of better exploration. The metro and the bus are easy means of commuting. Barcelona has zones - and it is easier if you divide the attractions accordingly to cover them. 

A.    La Rambla – Since we are on the topic of walking, we start with a walk around Barcelona’s most popular avenue. Lined by trees on either side of the walk, La Rambla is bustling with crowds and cafés. On one end of La Rambla is the Plaça de Catalunya, Barcelona’s busiest square, and on the other end of it is the port, which again has a lovely walk by its side. La Rambla therefore serves as a beautiful connector between the various zones in Barcelona.

Lined with trees on either side of the walk, La Rambla is a beautiful connector between the various zones in Barcelona

Walk across the length of La Rambla to reach the Port 

The walk by the Port side is a virtual extension of La Rambla

B.     Barri Gothic – To the east of La Rambla lies the Gothic quarter of the city. The Gothic quarter was the centre of the Roman settlement, and has narrow cobbled streets opening into squares, housing some of the oldest monuments of the city. You may decide to walk to Barri Gothic from La Rambla, or take the metro to get off at Jaume I, the mouth of the quarter. Despite the history of Barcelona being rewritten several times, many of the grandiose monuments from the past have been preserved. Expect to find guitarists and painters on your way around the Gothic quarter, looking for inspiration and adding to the charm. I was told that one such painter in the old days frequenting this part of the city was Pablo Picasso. There are several walking tours taking you around the Gothic Quarter, and it isn’t a bad idea to book one for knowing more about the history of the place. Continue your walk from the Barri Gothic and El Born areas to reach the Arc de Triomf in Barcelona, a less grandiose but livelier replica of the one in Paris.   

Despite the history of Barcelona being rewritten several times, Barri Gothic and El Born have preserved many of the old buildings and monuments from the past which you come across as you walk along the winding cobbled streets  

Do not overlook random scribblings on the walls such as these in the Barri Gothic area. This one is by Pablo Picasso

The Arc de Triomf in Barcelona 

C.    Sagrada Familia – Popularly known as this, the Church of the Holy Family has a bigger name in Spanish which isn’t necessary to know. Sagrada Familia is a magnificent building, essentially because of the unique Art Nouveau style adopted in its design by Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí attempted to recreate various aspects of nature through architectural symbolism in the façades and the interior of the church. At the cost of sounding slightly blasphemous, my purpose for visiting the Sagrada Familia was more for reasons of modern art than religion. The church still remains under construction, though the same was started over a hundred years ago. Of course, what was not taken into account while deciding the amount of time required for construction of the church is that there is an afternoon siesta time in Spain for everybody.

Though its construction began well over a hundred years ago, the Sagrada Familia still remains an incomplete magnificence

D.    Parc Güell – We move on to yet another one of Gaudí’s impressive creations. Located on Carmel Hill in the Gracia district of Barcelona, Parc Güell is a public park interspersed with structures designed by Gaudi to reflect aspects of geometrical forms found in nature. This intermingling of art, nature and geometry lends a distinctive characteristic to Parc Güell. Parc Güell also provides excellent views of the district, and the sea can be seen in the horizon. You may also decide to walk around Gracia, which is the quieter part of the city. The walks lined with trees provide a break from the hustle-bustle of La Rambla and its surroundings.

The intermingling of art, nature and geometry lends a distinctive characteristic to Parc Güell. The sea can be seen in the horizon

E.     Plaça de Catalunya and Eixample – Travel from Gracia through Passeig de Gracia to Plaça de Catalunya, and for more glimpses of the contemporary sides of Barcelona, to Eixample. Plaça de Catalunya is the centre of activity in Barcelona, and has a number of streets originating from it. The plaza is thriving with restaurants and cafés, shopping malls, and monuments showcasing modernist architecture. It is also the central point for commuting to different parts of Barcelona.

Plaça de Catalunya, Barcelona's busiest square, is the focal point of the city and has a number of streets originating from it

F.     Camp Nou stadium – The first hit on Google when you type ‘Barcelona’ will probably be about the football club. That is exactly how passionate Barcelona is about the game. And the football stadium is worth a visit. Detailing the history of the famous football club, a visit to Camp Nou is an enriching experience for the sheer beauty of it. If you are lucky enough, you might just catch a game. This visit is recommended even if you are not a football fan.

A visit to Camp Nou is worth it even if you are not a football fan

G.    Barceloneta – Not just in Spain, but anywhere, a city having so many attractions AND a beach is bound to be a tourist hotspot. The long stretch of the sand and the sea is close enough to the centre of the city, and the easiest mode of communication is the metro. There are bars and restaurants lined along the way and on the Barceloneta beach, and the nightclubs are situated along the coastline. You may decide your own way and time to enjoy yourself at the beach.

The long stretch of the Barceloneta beach is conveniently located from the centre of the city

Post Script

Mornings on a tranquil beach call for beer. The men providing the same in Barceloneta, I discovered, are mostly from Punjab. However, in Barceloneta, Punjab remains undivided and borders become porous on people finding lingual similarities. Realizing that I was from India, one of the beer sellers quickly got chatting. He spoke of his home, his family and his brothers here. The brothers who shared the business and the apartment. Addressing me as ‘Dharminder paaji’ and offering me a discount, Abdur Rahim Khan told me, “When we are here in Barceloneta selling beer, we are all brothers. It doesn’t matter if you are from India or Pakistan if you speak Punjabi. We are only enemies when we reach our respective motherlands.”