All Things Madrid!

Thanks to Allison’s generosity, I have had a good reason to continue visiting Madrid (and not living in my Camino clothes when not hiking!). My most recent visit to Madrid was to meet Vinny prior to our trip to Pamplona (see prior post), and then for a few days afterwards to get myself sorted before resuming the Camino. I have now stayed in a hotel (Emperador) and Airbnb near Santo Domingo/Callao, an Airbnb near Sol/Plaza Mayor, and a 3rd Airbnb near(ish) to Plaza de Castilla. The latter isn’t really recommended unless you’re on a tight budget or taking a train from Chamartín (God help you) and want to be walking distance, like me. (But really, if you have to get a train from Chamartín, book online and arrive early so as to not miss the train. Buying a ticket at the station is nearly impossible and you can easily get stuck in a line 1.5+ hours long for customer service.) I also discovered Madrid’s Central Park on my walk to the Hospital (international vaccination clinic), and had one of my best nights learning to make THE MOST traditional Spanish tapa: the yummy tortilla.

While Vinny was in Madrid we made a visit to one of my favorite places in Madrid, Mercado San Miguel. We also found a much more “local” version, Mercado San Fernando (Vinny approves of Tinto de Verano), and ate at two different vegetarian (one with meat options) restaurants in different parts of the city. One I will highly recommend is Viva Chapata; their veggie burger is off the chain! Walking around Madrid also meant spotting lots of awesome street art. We had dinner at another place, Restaurante Vegetariano Artemisma Sol- Gran Vía, which had the biggest menu I’ve ever seen in a veg restaurant! But I wasn’t starving and was craving veggies so we ordered the salad for two that was basically a mountain of vegetables. Yay!

Madrid during PRIDE was the best! There wasn’t a single part of the city (that I saw) that didn’t have flags out ❤️

Mercado San Fernando

Just a little bookshop, across from a bar. My heart swoons.

At all hours of the day you can find the Spanish in bars. My people!

PRIDE all around! I ❤️ You Madrid.

Loved this mural.

So had to capture from both angles.

Hell yes! I am all about this mural for women, and all of the fruit vaginas 😂🙌

Madrid’s main train station, Atoche. It is a gorgeous building and a great transportation hub (for instance, if you screw up and miss your train, customer service line was non-existent AND plenty of rental car options without leaving the station). Also, Ministry of Agriculture building (white building) is stunning!

The face you make when you’re the only people in the restaurant.

Parque del Oeste. I immediately thought of Central Park- huge park in the middle of the city, beautiful sky rises surrounding the park, people laying out (and some, making out) throughout the park, and plenty of lakes and water features to be found. So beautiful, and I only discovered because I had to go to a nearby hospital for vaccinations!

I love water. And nature.

Puerta de San Vincente

Arco de la Victoria

Near the last neighborhood I visited (and stayed in) while in Madrid- Plaza de Castilla

I was far more impressed with this sculpture of the woman across the street though.

About 2 blocks from Allison’s apartment I came upon Cervantes home! Whoa!

How I spent my last evening in Madrid. Perfection.

Saw this on my walk to Chamartín my last morning in Madrid. This museum is having an exhibit on Auschwitz, and has one of the rail cars sitting out front. What a sobering sight. My heart aches.

And another one of my favorite nights in Madrid came from an Airbnb experience (if you haven’t figured it out yet, I LOVE these!): learning to make a traditional Spanish tortilla. It was the first time Lola had hosted this experience and she did an amazing job. Added bonus: I met some incredible new friends from China (who are super international, living in China, Montreal, and Cambridge). Made for such a wonderful night! We cooked, ate, and Yanray, Felicia, and I shared in our love of wine. I look forward to seeing Yanray and hopefully the Fang family again! Yanray, I expect you to show me all the good food and wine places in Cambridge when I visit 😊

Our hostess, Lola (far left), Yanray Rozier, and Peiqi Fang. And the back of lovely Felicia and Li Hua’s heads! So sad I did not get a photo with their faces!! Step 1: peel potatoes and slice into thin pieces. Dice an onion.

Step 3: add onions. Cook until soft/done.

Step 4: remove from oil.

Step 5: find the cutest cooking assistant possible to crack and scramble eggs. Thanks Rainbow!!

And always keep your glass full while cooking!

Tah-dah!! They were soooo good! One of the most simple dishes to cook, also one of the yummiest to eat.

For anyone traveling abroad and making making plans as you go (as I am): don’t forget about vaccinations! This reality hit me hard during my last trip to Madrid; I learned that some of the vaccinations I need must be administered over a period of days/weeks, some at least one month in advance of travel. Because of timing AND I no longer have health insurance in the US (plus, medical care always costs more in the US), I have to take care of my vaccinations for upcoming trips to India and Nepal while in Europe. Thanks to the interwebs, I made my way to Hospital Moncloa in Madrid and one day (and only 135€) later I had seen a doctor and had the first round of one of the vaccinations I need.