The Merry Bear

Location:

Madrid, Spain

The last few days have been amazing. Seeing our mothers again after two years and in one of the most beautiful cities in the world was certainly very special. It was nice to be able to spend quality time with them before we head home. That was yesterday, and today is a brand-new day. Tight strapped us are forced to bus it all the way to Madrid, stuck in a packed vehicle for over 7 hours. While it wasn’t the highlight of our trip, it was still a chance for us to simply relax. Even though the last few days in Barcelona weren’t overtly crazy, we still covered a lot of ground.

After our long journey, we are finally in the capital. Time to figure out which train we need to get to our hostel. Apparently it isn’t too far from ‘Puerta del Sol,’ a busy square in the centre of the city. It is the centre (KM 0) of the radial network of Spanish roads. Located on the square, the ‘Bear and the Madroño Tree’ are the official symbol for the Spanish city. It reminds me a bit of Bern in Switzerland. Many believe its capital city was named after the animal, with its heraldic symbol also that of a bear. As our hostel is only a short five minute walk from the square, we briefly stopped off for a little snack before heading down to ‘Mola Hostel.’

As we approached the front of the hostel, it wasn’t the most welcoming of places. There were these large, oversized doors that were pulled shut that didn’t give the impression the establishment was opened, until one pulls the door open and walks through. After we checked in, we were very happy with the standard. Our dorm was very impressive. It was clear the whole hostel had only been renovated recently and to a very high standard. Over the last few years, only a select few make it into our prestigious top ten, this, my friend, is a hostel deserving of that spot!

The next day after a buffet breakfast in the hostel, we decided to go on a walking tour. We previously did one while we were in Berlin. It can be a great way to get to see the city and learn a bit about it as well. Of course, it’s the guide that really makes it. You want one that is laid back but at the same time, someone who knows their stuff. While knowledge is key, too much information can be a bad thing. The guy we got for the morning was a very chilled guy who really didn’t care what people thought. It was clear he loved his job! After all he is giving tours in a beautiful city, rich in so much culture and history.

Our first stop of the day was to ‘Plaza Mayor,’ a large somewhat, enclosed public square in the centre of the city, a stone throws away from our hostel. The plaza dates back to 1577 and has had a mixed history. During the times of the ‘Spanish Inquisition’ many men and women who were condemned to death were executed on this very spot. Quite a morbid way to start a tour!

After our little history lesson, our guide brought us down some rather old streets to a view point on top of a hill of the ‘Royal Palace of Madrid.’ It was certainly a view point with an advantage. As for the palace, well what more would you expect from Spanish architecture. Construction began in 1735 on what would become a landmark piece of architectural art for the city. With a total area of 135,000 square metres and 3,418 rooms, it is the largest royal palace on the continent in terms of floors space. Impressive! While the palace is the official state residence of the Spanish royal family, it is only used for state ceremonies,

Myself and Jason are all about keeping it local! Remember the heraldic symbol of the city I explained to you at the start with the bear and the tree? The Madroño tree which is native to the country can grow berries which can ferment on the vine, resulting in a rather happy, chilled out bear! One of the things to do on a visit to Madrid is to try a shot of the Madroño liquor. Think that’s cool? The best part of all is that is served in a shot glass made of waffle and covered in chocolate. I’ve never had a drink before where you can actually eat the glass! Amaze-balls! Talking about educating these two backpackers, Madrid is home to the oldest restaurant in the world ‘Sobrino de Botín’ which has been continuously open since the doors first opened to the public back in 1725.

The great thing about being on a tour is that you’re with someone who knows a lot of the secrets of that place that most visitors don’t even realise exist. While you can walk around for the whole day, most of them you won’t find! Which is why a rather secluded ‘Secret Garden’ in the heart of the city was the meeting place for members of the royal family who didn’t want to be mobbed by the public.

Our ever-generous guide brought us to a bakery and got us to try a traditional ‘Churro’ and a ‘Porras.’ Churros are smaller in size with both ends twisted to link each other, while Porras are thicker. With a cheeky sample of the two, our guide got us to take a vote on the one we preferred. Most voted in favour of the Churro which goes well dipped into chocolate. It’s traditionally eaten during breakfast or as an afternoon snack, but more and more of these bakeries are staying open until 4am to feed the masses falling out of alcoholic serving establishments!

The final part of the tour was optional. A three-course meal for lunch for quite a reasonable price. Some went their own separate ways and some choose to stay. When it comes to food, I am all about the food which is why I’m glad we stayed. It was an excellent recommendation from our guide. Over all, I would say quite a good start to our Madrid trip. A nice way to spend a morning.

Myself and Jason, left to our own devices after a rather informative morning. All Jason can think about doing is having a pint. It’s his holiday too, which is why I rather kindly joined him for one. Only one, because we still have so much to see like the ‘Puerta de Alcalá’ which is a Neo-classical monument that sits in the ‘Plaza de la Indpendencia.’ Some believe it is the first modern post-roman triumphal arch built in Europe as it is actually older than some of the continents more well-known gates such as the ‘Arc de Triomphe’ in Paris and the ‘Brandenburg Gate’ in Berlin.

Trying to cleanse our souls of our many sins, we took a stroll up to the ‘Catedral de la Almudena.’ A beautiful old church that dates back to 1883 which was only completed as recently as 1993 due to the fact that Madrid was part of the Archdiocese of Toledo, which were reluctant to relinquish it. In that same year, it became the only Spanish cathedral to have been consecrated by a pope.

Even though we visited ‘Placico Real de Madrid’ earlier, I wanted to take another visit and have a good look around, particularly at the stunning gardens. I think my mother would have been impressed with all the beautifully manicured topiary. As the sun began to come down, a beautiful golden light spread right across the palace and its grounds. If it’s good enough for the Royal family, its good enough us! I kind of annoyed Jason as I wanted to go back down to the gardens to have a quick look at something, even though we had spent a good amount of time looking around.

The next day we took full advantage of this beautiful city. We started off with a visit to the ‘Palacio de Bibliotec y Museos Nacionales. To be honest, the only reason why we stopped off here was because I wanted to go to the toilet. While inside, I had a bit of a browse while poor Jason waited outside for me. What an impressive building it is. One can’t help but stop and look in awe at it. It is simply European architecture at its best. As we later discovered, the city is covered with these amazing buildings. It’s a feast for the eyes!

After our little stop, we found ourselves roaming through ‘Jardines del Buen Retiro,’ a large, 350-acre park which sits right in the centre of the city. We spent a bit of time exploring this haven. It’s amazing how one can walk through a gate, into peace and tranquillity, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. One of the parks rather impressive buildings is the ‘Palacio de Velázquez,’ an exhibition hall that was built between 1881 and 1883. Not too far from there is the London inspired greenhouse, ‘Cristal Palace’ made of glass and metal, originally constructed to exhibit flora and fauna from former Spanish colonial country, The Philippines. Nowadays, its focus has moved away from all things green and onto art, hosting many art exhibitions. Both buildings are next to a large pond ‘Estanque del Retiro’ with monument of King Alfonso XII creating the most idyllic back drop.

We finished our tour of this stunning European capital by simply walking around, trying to take everything in. From its incredible architecture to its beautiful statues, every street, has something that will amaze you. But how can you take it all in when you only have a few days? Maybe another visit will have to be arranged! For now, though, my homeland is calling and I must answer the call…

By Andrew

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