Madrid Recap

I’ve been meaning to write about Madrid. I went last weekend with my American in Freiburg pal, Laura.

We booked our trip in January. Her oldest had recently broken his collar bone, and the break was partially blamed on lack of Vitamin D. We were desperate for sunshine. We thought Madrid could deliver.

One must remember when a destination is chosen entirely for its weather, disappointment is certain. Yes, it rained, but Madrid was still worthwhile.

Our first night was spent in Barajas. The airport is a good hour from the city center. Since we arrived after nine on Friday night, I decided we’d stay closeby where it’s a bit cheaper. I’m so happy we did.

Our hostel shuttle picked us up from the airport, and our driver recommended we supper in the town square. Laura and I dropped off our bags and headed up the hill. All the restaurants were open and busy despite it being almost eleven at night. The dining room was filled with people of all ages. I had squid, and Laura’s meat was served on top of her fries.

As we were leaving, we saw a charter bus unloading Catholic gear. Laura figured they were preparing for a midnight mass nearby.

In the morning we checked out of Hostal Viky and walked to Barajas station. On the way, we made a caffeine stop and were served our coffees in milk glasses. It’s the closest I’ll ever get to drinking a Guiness.

A couple trains later and learning that Madrid has more than one mass transit system, we arrived at The Hat. Before this trip, Laura had never stayed at a hostel. I was excited to show her how fun they could be. That Hat looked especially fun.

Our bunks were fancy and each bed had its own outlet and built-in shelf. The bathroom was shared, but each room of bunks had their own shower, toilet, and sink.This hostel also had a rooftop terrace and bar. We checked it out on Saturday night and enjoyed it even though a large group of British men on a Stag Night did their best to ruin the atmosphere.

Laura had read about a Sunday morning flea market called El Rastro. We walked there after breakfast, and I scored some very hilarious cardigans for the three littles. Thom, of course, wanted Real Madrid garbage.

When it rained, we sought refuge in restaurants and museums. We drank a lot of Cava, and I ate as much seafood as possible. We breezed through the Prado museum on Saturday night and took our time at the Reina Sofia the next morning. We walked through plazas, by the Palace, and, in general, thought that Madrid was incredibly beautiful.

Errol and I are taking the whole crew to Barcelona next month. I’m so happy because I wasn’t ready to leave Spain after just one weekend.

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