Back from Greece, satisfied and bronzified :S
Now here comes another long-overdue Easter Trip entry, this time on the bustling capital of Spain: Madrid!
Plaza Mayor, erected for Felipe III in 1620
Plaza de la Villa, the heart of what was once old Madrid
From the square, we headed to El Rastro (flea market), a labyrinth of clothing, cheap jewelry, leather goods, incense and sunglasses. There, we had to guard our belongings close to our hearts, literally, for it is a pickpocket’s paradise -as Spain is generally infamous for.
El Rastro
Parque del Oeste
The view of Madrid from one of the highest points in Parque de la Montaña. You could see the Almudena Cathedral towering in the distance.
Templo de Debod in Parque de la Montaña, the only Egyptian temple in Spain
It’s pretty well-preserved, I’d say
Museo del Prado, one of Europe’s finest museums. We were there on a Sunday so we got in for free :)
A statue of Francisco de Goya at the courtyard of the museum. He was a court painter to the Spanish crown who created the Pinturas Negras (Black Paintings), named for the darkness of both their colour and subject matter. Many of his works are displayed in Museo del Prado.
La Cibeles, a deification of the Earth Mother
Plaza de España, with the monument to Spanish novelist, poet and playwright, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Jardines de Sabatini, with Palacio Real at the background
In front of Palacio Real, used today by King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia only on special occasions
La Almudena Cathedral, just next to the royal palace
El Oso y El Madroño, a bronze statue of the bear and berry tree that graces Madrid’s heraldic coat of arms in Puerta del Sol
Parque del Buen Retiro, a finely landscaped 300-acre park
The centre of the park: a monument to King Alfonso XII and a rectangular lake called Estanque Grande. While we were there, a number of percussionists gathered for an instense drum circle -a Sunday routine around the monument.
Puerta de Alcalá in Plaza de la Independencia
And and and… saving the best for last, here comes the highlight of our Madrid visit: Real Madrid’s stadium, Estadio Santiago Bernabéu!
We went on a tour inside the stadium, and it was the best decision ever!
On December 23, 2000, FIFA awarded Real Madrid as the Best Club of the Twentieth Century
…which came as little surprise, considering their numerous trophy collections.
Real Madrid is the football club with the most number of European Cups, and it holds several records.
2 of their 9 UEFA Cups
Some of the trophies are incredulously big, with the largest trophy standing at 1.6 m high and weighing 75 kg, 25 of which is silver (far right)
The Golden and Silver Boots
Its stars through the years. The media sometimes call the club los galácticos, referring to club’s tendency to sign the most famous players in the world.
Some of the players’ props on display:
Yours truly with the squad :)
The visitor’s changing room
With a jacuzzi inside!
At the Press Room :)
More photos of Madrid here, with a short video on the stadium on my Vodpod sidebar. Enjoy!
