Paris1972-Versailles2003

Here I go again, sorry for the repetition but need to let you know, these are older posts already in my blog that I am revising, updating, with fresh text as the pictures are in the individual monument entry in my blog. I did not realise how many I had since I started blogging!!! Back on Nov 26 2010! Therefore, again this is my take on this is my Madrid !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I

I like to bring you again to my beloved Madrid in my dear Spain. I had more description in another post but we came by car! from Versailles! , and had a rest stop at Pau and stayed on the one night at the Atlantic hotel. rue Jean Mermoz. now part of the Citotel chain (which I have use other properties too). We have made this hotel our road stop to Spain in subsequent trips too. webpage: https://atlantic-hotel64-pau.com/eng/

Madrid was a dream that became a reality several years back, and it has been a virus of love ever since that day on December 30 1970 that I landed at Barajas international airport Madrid (now Adolfo Suàrez Madrid-Barajas inter airport) . I lived for almost the next four years there ,and then visited often sometimes more than once a year. Its one of those cities you won’t feel tired of coming back for more. I used to lived at Calle de Alcalà ,331; 2do A, Buzon 67 Madrid 28027, right by the exit of metro line 5 Quintana corner with Calle de la Argentina. Many memories too intense to write all about it. I came from one dictatorship to another, and it was tough. We were dissidents in both right or left, they are not good.

This street or calle de Alcala has 10,5 km long from the Puerta del Sol to the Ave de la Hispanidad, passing by the best of Madrid. Yes, it was and always will be MY street. For those who knows,  I lived in working class Madrid away from tourist center, right in with the locals, and the experience was great, and is each time on the city. Thanks God it has been often after I left it in 1974. Who has not heard of this song Los Nardos from the movie Las Leandras with Rocio Durcal in 1969 “Por la calle de Alcalá…….”

While there, one of my anecdotes tells all was to go play baseball, we went to the field at the Parque de la Elipa, no metro then, just by bus, the P13, it was a glorious ride of youth chasing the girls going to the park as a means of entertainement in those days. (see post). I left Madrid for New Jersey, USA , and then Florida USA, where I spent most of my life. After many years, I try to remember the bus line and had in my mind the P13. However, Madrid and Spain had change since the 70’s , overall for the better. When I got back in 1990 , the bus line was no longer there,and could not find it. Then; one day trying to find information on the general strike in the city I stumbled into a wiki page that talk about a bus line 113. Well to my surprise this bus line 113 is the new number for the P13 after the creation of the Madrid bus system EMT!!! Amazing that I found it, after so many years, now that I know the numbers change, maybe I can have some fun looking up old bus lines while I was living there lol!! The P13 was nice, now the service of the 113 is even larger, and there is even a metro Elipa now there on line 2.  So glad Elipa is advancing, and glad the old P13 is still alive in the 113! Calle de Alcalà has a long history and wonderful things to see along its long way.

I am Spanish by grandparents from Tenerife, and have the luck to live in Madrid when things were different. I used to visit after long intervals, and then luck have it came to France to live with my dear French wife. This was 2003, and since then, my trips to Madrid have been often twice a year and every year. Lucky me!!  The city has a lot of memories of trying times, living there with my mother, and sharing with strangers that over the years became like family. Nice to know the grandchildren of those even considered you family still today.

I first seek out friends met over the years and have a tapas and glass of beer of one of my favorites places there  ,the Cerveceria Cruz Blanca. Many branches so I had first at Menendez Pelayo 47 and then at Doctor Esquerdo 157. At first had me rice pilaf with squid in black sauce to kill for, and little fry fish boquerones, all wash down with cruzcampo beer and a nice cup of coffee. Then came back next day for the counter, beers of the same with an order of patatas revolconas or blended potatoes and bacon cornhusker, and torrejas (delicious old bread in cinnamon sauce) as well as that strong cup of expresso coffee. Sublime and nice to be there stop by once at least on subsequent trips! webpage: https://www.cerveceriacruzblanca.es/locales

I stayed as usual on business at the Ayre Gran Hotel Colon, Calle Pez Volador ,1 corner of Calle Dr Esquerdo near metro Sainz de Baranda lines 6 and 9; easy connection from Barajas airport. The service is always impeccable and clean nice spacious rooms including breakfast. I have stayed here several times over the years! https://www.ayrehoteles.com/en/hotels/ayre-gran-hotel-colon/

I took my scrolls around Retiro park , memories of youth and always supreme, grand beautiful, nostalgic, romantic, daring, just awesome. I used to lived not far from there in Quintana line 5 of Metro of Madrid.

I had the chance to visit my all time favorite store , El Corte Inglés, it has been a tradition of the family for years, going back back. This time I visit the nearest one to my beloved Santiago Bernabeu stadium at Paseo de la Castellana. https://www.elcorteingles.es/centroscomerciales/es/eci/centros/centro-comercial-castellana 

I had an unusual call from a friend worked with me in the same chain in Paris and had big boss in Madrid so ask me if needed hotel, I told him was in Madrid already! And he said, would you like to be in the Intercontinental Castellana! Of course, i said yes and moved my family over for the rest of the vacation lol!! This is class and in Madrid sublime: https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/madrid/mddha/hoteldetail

We had a suite for the family there and still nice to my ears. We walk all over, to the Prado museum and the Retiro park visiting the Palacio de Velázquez there.  In the old days they had temporary arts expo and exhibtions, now they are part of the Reina Sofia museum.

We took the boys to the Parque de Atracciones or amusement park in the Casa de Campo taken the cable car or teléferico from parque del oeste(paseo del pintor rosales).  I came here as a boy and now took my boys here too, lovely great times!

Next day ,for lunch i met my collègues from our office in Rivas Vaciamadrid and went to resto San Jordi (now closed) in a commercial center by the Conde de Casal metro stop at line 9, and we had morcilla with eggs, love it, and mero blanco fish with a nice house green salad, rose wine from Castilla and a local beer as apero, plus a delicious milk cream flan, that was recommended and it was great, then expresso coffee and again the locals show their color to pay for it.

And we came back by car as well with the family in tow! And another wonderful trip to my beloved Madrid.  You know it, from Madrid to heaven and a hole on it to look down to it everyday… Again, hope you enjoy this post on this is my Madrid as I.

And remember, happy travels,good health, and many cheers to all !!!