The sights and sounds of Madrid

We traveled briefly to Cuenca, then made a long road trip to Madrid, the last stop in our Spanish adventure. Madrid lies at the very heart of Spain, beside the region of Castilla y León. Located 650 meters or 2100 ft above sea level, it is one of the highest cities in Europe.

Since we only had two days to explore Madrid, we didn’t waste time. Upon reaching the city, we went sightseeing at once. I took a lot of pictures and went agog over the sites. We spent a lot of time at the Museo Nacional del Prado or the Prado Museum. This is the world’s largest art gallery, housing 8,600 paintings. However, they only exhibit 2,000 pieces because the display area is small. They say that the Prado Museum has more important works in storage then most museums have in their display halls. It houses masterpieces by Velasquez, Goya, Picasso, Sorolla, and Gaudi, just to name a few.

I saw a lot of paintings which I only saw in history books. I would have wanted to see Picasso’s "Guernica" but unfortunately, it was in another museum.

Like the other countries in Europe, malls are closed on Sundays, so people flock to parks for exercise and fresh air, and visit museums to soak in some culture. If you think about it, it’s kinda relaxing — spending an entire afternoon in a museum, just enjoying the life of the place. It could be serene and old, but it is always stimulating. If you get tired walking like I did, you can sit in a café, look at the old buildings and imagine what life must have been like centuries ago.

Madrid is a historic city, dotted with timeless architecture, sculptured parks and a clever gridwork of roads. Buildings, old and new, coexist with parks and roads. They don’t elbow each other out.

Later that evening, we went to a restaurant and got our first taste of flamenco dancing. While yuppies in Manila go to bars or listen to acoustic bands on weekends, in Madrid, yuppies treat themselves to tapas and some flamenco dancing.

Somebody said that dancing the flamenco is like making love with castanets. But since the dancers weren’t holding each other, I thought dancing the flamenco was like making love with the floor.

The people there danced with a passion and had this intense look on their faces, as if they were in a trance. The intense and rhythmic tapping on the floor accompanied by the rapid fire of the acoustic guitar was a blast to the senses.

If you look at it, flamenco dancing is a good way to manage anger. I mean, can you stay angry after continuously stomping your feet? One thing for sure, I wouldn’t want to be stepped on by a flamenco dancer; I’d be minced meat.

The next day we got up early, left Madrid for another road trip, this time to the neighboring region of Castilla y León. The first city we visited was Salamanca, named the European City of Culture for 2002. This is where Castillian Spanish originated, so people come here to learn the language. The two most popular universities to study Spanish are the Universidad de Salamanca and the Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca or the Pontifical University of Salamanca.

Here, they speak Spanish a little differently — it’s slower but clearer, and more pleasant to the ears, come to think of it, unlike in Madrid where they speak Spanish rapid-fire fast. Salamanca is a very old city with a few cobblestone roads. We visited the Plaza Mayor or the Main Square, built in the 18th century in the Baroque style. Considered one of the most beautiful Spanish squares, it’s nicely lit in the evening and an interesting place to people — watch.

It’s true you know — people in Spain promenade in the plaza. The sight was straight out of a picture book — friends and families strolling and greeting each other. It was a charming sight, seeing old ladies dressed in fur, escorted by their husbands. They all looked so dignified! Imagine Luneta Park in the 19th century. Now this is what I call "old style" malling.

We also passed by Avila, one of the coldest places in Spain and the birthplace of St. Teresa of Avila, the first woman Doctor of the Church. The town’s old quarter, which is still surrounded by thick walls built in the 12th century, looked picturesque. These walls are the eternal symbol of the city.

While in Avila, don’t miss out on Yemas de Santa Teresa, pastillas made by the Carmelite nuns of St. Teresa in Avila.

Of course, we visited churches. I couldn’t help but notice the difference between Spanish and Italian churches. Spanish churches are dark and gloomy — very medieval. Italian churches are bright and warm — very Renaissance.

In Avila, we had the most sinful and unforgettably delicious lunch — cochinillo. This is young pig which was so succulent and never greasy!

Indeed, our trip to Spain was a veritable feast for the senses. Our hosts, the Spanish Tourism Authority and KLM were right in reminding us that Filipinos have a natural bond with Spain.