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This entry comes two weeks late. It is the last (hopefully) batch of photos from Spain which I did not process. One of the last days in Madrid I spent going on a day trip to Aranjuez.

This is a lovely small town, one hour away by train, where one can really get lost in the huge gardens. The main attraction of the town is Palacio Real de Aranjuez (Royal Palace). Unfortunately, the decorations are made in a dazzling Roccoco style, which I find slightly nauseating. However, the lovely royal gardens more than make up for it.

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Last Wednesday, after returning from Lisbon, I took the train and visited the El Escorial town / monastery complex. El Escorial was for a long time the residence of the Spanish monarchy and it is located in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

To go there I took the local train (Cercania) from Atocha train station in Madrid. About one hour later I found myself in the beautiful, green and cool town of El Escorial.

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I uploaded a few photos from the last days in Madrid, without any particular theme. They are mostly from the walk I took in the western part of Madrid – going from Plaza del Sol on Gran Via.

There is also one food pic inside, which is a new thing for me.

The day before coming home – so on Saturday – I went to the Parque Warner (Warner Park) in San Martin de la Vega near Madrid.

Because a lot of people asked me how it was, and also to post a description about the different rides, I’ll try to tell here how my day went. First, the arrival from Madrid is pretty straightforward: come by metro to Atocha Renfe and you can take a short-distance train which is called Cercanias (for 5.10 euro return) on line C3 toward Aranjuez. Change in Pinto for to the C3a line and descend at Parque de Ocio. The journey takes about 40 minutes.

The entry to the park costs 35 euros (for adults), and if coming with children you should try and steal ask for a notebook of promotions given to the users of the tourist bus going around Madrid. The entry ticket also allows entering free of charge the second day, so if you really think you will enjoy it this is a thing to keep in mind.

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After 6 days spent in Lisbon and around I returned to Madrid. It was interesting to re-familiarize myself with the city… From the familiar metro stations – nuevos ministerios, tribunal, sol, tirso de molina…. – to the language which I definitelly understand better than Portuguese. Feels a bit like home.

The hostel in which I’m staying right now definitelly is the best I saw – I really should post some pics to do it justice. Suffice to say it is located in a building in the national patrimony (almost like a paradores), with a common area resembling a mosque cloister or hi-tech key access. Oh, and it also has a bar. And a beer vending machine (from which I had the pleasure of drinking a dark voll damm). Lovely.

Now I will go visit Thiessen Bornemisza museum, and find something to eat – as I am starving.

Finally I managed to select and prepare some of the photos from Toldeo. These you can enjoy here – photos from the streets of Toledo.

This small town really impressed me – it is so full of personality and charm, while at the same time still has the majesty of an old Spanish capital. The monuments are pretty impressive – the cathedral of Toledo, the Alcazar, etc – but most did not allow photography. Therefore, in this photo album there are pictures mostly from the outside.

See the photos from the streets of Toledo.

Toledo is the first town where I felt the influence of the arab world (the Moors) in Spain. The architectural style, which has a lot of moorish elements, is called mudejar. Because of this, in Toledon one can find pretty interesting buldings – like a church that was part-time synagogue and it looks like a mosque.

Enjoy the photos, more should come soon.

Today there won’t be any new pictures. I was too busy travelling, but I promise to upload some asap.

Here are some of the main events of yesterday and today:

• I went yesterday the full day to Toledo. I immediately fell in love with this small, medieval town perched on a pretty high hill.
• I met with Alex for a beer, two, three….was really fun
• I found a way to get to the airport at 6am
• went to El Prado – El Greco and Goya are amazing! Other than that – too many religious paintings.
• visited the botanic garden – Im a bit dissapointed that the carnivorous plants didn’t fancy my finger…
• so many things to do, so little time….

and now off I go! I promise that I will upload some new photos

HAPPY ST PATRICK’S DAY!!!

weather in Madrid

I think I didn’t get the occasion to talk about the weather here. Yes, lovely weather – sunny and warm. Incredibly nice!

The view from hostel

Spring in Madrid

I went to the weekend flea market – full of useless stuff, pretty interesting nonetheless.  Lots of people browsing / shopping but the items for sale were mostly the classic tshirts, purses, belts. There were a few …. more exotic items, but those I will post about tomorrow.

After the flea maerket I decided to stroll toward El Prado and La Reina Sofia. However, I decided to visit the Prado later, as after 5pm the entrance was free.

Also found the nice Retiro park, with it’s Velasquez and Crystal palaces.

The queue to El Prado

The Rodin exhibition at Caixa Forum

Later, after running to the hostel to change some batteries  for the camera I went back to El Prado. And at that moment I realized my folly. Just as I thought to take advantage of the free entrance, so did a few hundred other people. The queue was I’d say longer than the one at San Pietro in ROme – and that is an achievemnt!

However, things changed for the better as leaving the Prado I found in the vicinity a temporary Rodin exhibition at Caixa. The 4 or 5 statues were outside the building, which itself was housing a fauvist painting exhibition. Too bad photography was not permitted inside, as there were a few nice paintings.

There was also a modern art exhibition, and I really enjoyed some of the exhibits. And for me, modern art doesn’t always make sense.

Before ending this post and going to sleep, I post a few more pictures. Enjoy!

Hostel living room

Waiting for a mocha frap

Starbucks grande mocha frappucino - the fuel I run on

Cervantes building

I must say that Madrid is amazing in the evening / at night. There are so many people strolling, drinking at cafes or bars, preparing for clubbing – it’s really incredible. At times the streets or plazas were crowded!

You can see some first photos in this album: http://andreinicoara.com/blog/photos/madrid/

delicious-looking freshmade bread

yummy

I found a small open-air market selling local products – some kind of peasants’ market.

Pretty interesting, and even though I am not into healthy food I could not resist a glass of cider.

After this, I continued my way toward Plaza Mayor and Palacio Real, which were my first targets for the evening.

As the evening progressed my camera started to have problems with the low-light levels. And oh, the photo oportunities were at every step.

I finished the evening in Plaza del Sol, which is in a way the heart of Madrid. There was a huge crowd – amazing how life here seems to start after 8 or 9 pm.

I ate a kebab on the move, as I was too tired to enjoy staying at a cafe, but I could not resist going to the mothership of icecream. Yes, Haagen Dasz. Umm, delicious – however this morning my throat is a bit sore. Hope it passes soon.

Speaking of party life here, I sort of met my room-mates. Actually I found them sound asleep at 9 pm, but later they left for drinks and clubbing.

And now I leave, probably for Prado. In the meantime, enjoy the first Madrid photo-album.

From the airport I took the metro to Madrid proper. Pretty simple layout, I love cities where the metro is extensive and useful My hostel – Las Musas Residence – is centrally located, very near the “Porta del Sol” (which is the center of Madrid).

Pretty nice area – no more Chinatown around me (like it happened in Rome).  The hostel seems nice, can’t wait to meet the roomies. Now I will go to find  something to gobble. Why not start the evening with some tapas?

Visit often as soon I will post new stuff, right as it happens!

Madrid metro cow

Airport metro station

Tirso de Molina metro

Street view with the hostel

My room

The lovely living room - sofas, huge tv, free WIFI