3 Days in Madrid

A little late due to internet problems, but here's my post about my few days in Madrid!

This was my fourth trip to Madrid, so I'd already seen most of the famous sights- the Palacio Real, el Prado, Plaza Mayor. But there's so much to see in Madrid that I had no problem finding lots of cool new places! My mornings were spent at orientation (this was technically a *business* trip after all haha how crazy is that?), filling out endless piles of paperwork and learning about BEDA and the Universidad de Comillas where I'm officially a student this year (Imagine all the paperwork you fill out when you start college, plus all the paperwork for a new job, plus all the paperwork for moving to a new country! Residency cards, social security, it never ended!). My afternoons were free for exploring Spain's capital though! Here are a few of my favorite discoveries (or rediscoveries):

1. Museo de Sorolla- Madrid is famous for its art museums- the Prado, the Reina Sofia, the Thyseen. The Museo Sorolla was my first stop after dropping my bags off at my hostel on Sunday and it quickly became my new favorite. The Sorolla museum is located in the beautiful house of Joaquin Sorolla, a Spanish painter from the late-1800s/early-1900s. Known for his use of light, Sorolla's work primarily features his children and the ocean. There was also an entire room filled with paintings of Granada :)
   Though the Prado and Reina Sofia both have some must-see works of art- like Velazquez's Las Meninas or Picasso's Guernica- I found I could only look at so many Madonnas holding a baby Jesus or bizarre contemporary paintings before my eyes started to glaze over! The Sorolla museum is an interesting alternative. The house is small: the entire museum can be seen in about an hour (maybe two if you are incredibly thorough!). It's not as extensive as the big museums, but offers a beautiful collection, with a chance to escape the tourist mobs surrounding Gran Via. Best of all, it has free admission on Sundays!
   
   

   Nobody does jardines like the Spanish!

   
   
   
   
   
2. Sunset at Templo de Debod- After a disheartening first day (jet lag + no sleep + a day spent completely alone = no fun) had me ready to repack my bags, give up on Madrid, and fly back home, the Templo de Debod reminded me why I wanted to come to Spain in the first place. The temple itself is beautiful, but it was the atmosphere that enchanted me. The park was packed, with mothers with young children, groups of teenage friends, couples both young and old. People were jogging, biking, playing music, drinking, even having wedding photos taken! I probably spent two hours just sitting there enjoying the sunset. The perfect end to a first day in Madrid.
   
   

   ¡Que vivan los novios!

   
   
   
   
   
3. Tapas in Plaza Santa Ana- The plaza is filled with bars and cafés, as well as a staute of García Lorca and a playground for niños. There is no better way to spend an afternoon than enjoying a tinto de verano in this beautiful plaza! As night approached, it quickly began to fill. What I loved most is that it's not just jovenes, half of the tables around us were filled with older couples, the playground was filled with kids and families, and there was a group of 70-year-old Spanish ladies at the table next to us enjoying some wine and tapas on a beautiful Monday night.
   
   

   
   
   
   
   
4. A walk down Gran Via at anochecer- Gran Via completely sums up the love-hate relationship with Madrid. I hate the crowds, the tourists, the overpriced stores, the restaurants, but I love Gran Via anyways. Something about the energy, the lights, the beautiful white buildings, (the tiendas full of every futbol-themed souvenir you can imagine)... I can't stay away. And at no time is it more beautiful than just after sunset, when the streets fill with españoles and madrileños.