When initially planning this trip, I had expected to be in Madrid for about 2 weeks. The reality was that I was only there for about 2 days because I had enjoyed my time and flexibility up until then. In order to meet Gabe in Rome, I had purchased a flight for about $80 from the Madrid airport, so as time grew near to meet him, I made my way by train from Cordoba.
The Spanish podcasts I had studied in preparation for the trip had warned me that Madrid was a big, noisy city—an assessment I found to be fairly accurate. My hostel was a long walk from the train station and difficult to get to. I fought my way through crowded sidewalks and past honking, yelling cab drivers with my heavy backpack. Good food was not in the cards for me and was shocked by the prices in comparison to the smaller cities I had enjoyed previously.
Lots of traffic, lots of tourists, crowded and expensive with a lack of historical sites… the Prado was on my list of places to go and when I learned that it was free for an hour on certain days of the week I stood in a very long line that wrapped around the building and went down the block for a brief visit.
The Prado in Two Hours
Doing the Prado in 2 hours is not advisable. The layout is confusing and the map doesn’t help to explain. My original plan was to understand the layout so I could come back and spend time in the sections that interested me, but I got lost instead. Lucky enough I was able to find the originals of a few paintings I had studied in college and in retrospect felt the short visit was worth while in the end. The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch is a twisted hedonist landscape that is not to be missed. I also enjoyed masterpieces by Kandinsky and Van Gogh along with cubist and futurist pieces that all blurred together in the whirlwind visit.
Kandinsky painting at the Prado Museum in Madrid
In the end, it was a good day to visit a museum. Outside was rainy and cold. My feet hurt, I was tired, and the crowds were annoying me. It was nice to check the backpack into a cubby for a while and not have to carry it. Lucky enough, I even found a card for a 15% discount on the bag storage.
Madrid is expensive.
My coffee in the morning was 2 euro. The double espresso I drank at the time of writing this was 3 euro. My small plate of shrimp was 7.50 and I was still hungry after eating it. The papas bravas were 5 euros and I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. The sauce they came with reminded me of the German Currywurst sauce, similar to ketchup with a little bit of paprika or mild chili powder. The portions are small and prices are high. Madrid leaves your wallet empty and you still hungry after you eat.
Jambon shops are all over Southern Spain. Cured pork is a regional specialty. However I didn’t try any—the smell is strong, distinct, and I found it fairly offensive.
For the second time that day, my feet were soaked. After the museum I went to see the gates and got something to eat at the Mercado. To avoid the rain I decided to take the subway. However parts of it were shut down, and I was rerouted on a 20-minute walk to go on a 5-minute subway ride.
After going back to the hostel to change my socks, I hit some of the major sights. Royal Palace, Arab Walls, Plaza Mayor, Templo Diabold, and Plaza Del Sol.
On the way back to check out some gardens, the dark sky opened up and pea-sized hail poured down. Everyone on the street ran for cover, and I ducked under a bridge. At a nearby cafe the waiters were all standing at the door watching the spectacle and take photos. The ground turned white as the hail accumulated.
Once the storm broke, I tool an alternate route back to Plaza del Sol, where my hostel was located. I stopped at Corte Ingles to check it out, and found out it’s basically a department store. I purchased a pair of dry socks that fit my requirements. The cheapest pair was 4 euros. Cha-ching! Expensive Madrid again! At least I could trash the shitty pair that I was wearing that morning. They kept falling down and ripped when I pulled them back up.
I don’t think I can count this as a real trip, since I spent most of the day dodging raindrops and hail. Madrid seems like a wonderful hub to explore all the medieval towns around its perimeter (Avila, Toledo, Cuenca, and so many more…) maybe I need to go back and shouldn’t judge this one experience.
Next stop… ROME.
The Basics: Madrid, Spain
Currency: Euro
Thank you: “Gracias”
Water: Tap water is ok to drink, bottled water tastes better.
Local Coffee: “Cafe con leche” is espresso with milk, served in a small glass.
Restaurant Customs: A wonderful way to try new food is to experience a tapas bar.
Tipping: Rounding up is common. Tips are not expected.
Accommodations: Barbari Sol Hostel