My memories of Madrid !!!

Posted in France, Madrid, Spain

And here I am again on my continuing saga of my black and white series, no pictures . And I bring you back to my dear Madrid.  Another chance in life to visit Madrid, for four days last week. Always great feeling as this was my entry into Europe, and lived there with my dear late mother Gladys for several years in Quintana. No photos then, too poor to own a camera. This time was a business trip but plenty of time to walk and see my neighborhood of Quintana; line 5 in the metro de Madrid. Therefore, here is my story on my memories of Madrid !!! Hope you enjoy it as I

I stayed as always recently at the Ayre Gran Colon Hotel at Calle del Pez Volador, 1: this is an excellent hotel, with cafe resto dj music disco style at nights, big rooms, nice friendly service, and central to all of Madrid on lines 6 circular and line 9 out on calle doctor Esquerdo or the buses 56,143,156 stops right there.  The Café Ayre is wonderful with dj music ,big sports TV, (saw my Real Madrid vs Manchester City, we won !!! 3×2)  , and a Champions records win.  The breakfast are full style with plenty to eat and great display of goodies,nice. I needed taxi service once to get to office and they were very efficient and on time. Nice hotel complex. Recommended.

I set out to walk Madrid, like any city ,the best way to really get to know it. I walk the areas that I ran and hide to go out in my early teens years; the walk up to the Torre España or Spain tower ,with 220 meters high (232 with TV antennas), and the tree line calle del alcalde sainz de baranda to get to calle  Menendez Pelayo and the wonderful Retiro park or Parque del Buen Retiro, and see the place I went to birthday parties etc now a fine resto Florida Park, the wonderful fountains and alleyways of the park, the monument to General Martinez Campos with the inscriptions of his campaigns like a major one in Cuba in the 1876-1895. You come behind the monumental arch and statue to king Alfonso XIII and the pond or estanque del Retiro with its magical boats, that I once rode my girlfriends on it lol!!! Still the place to be if you are in love!

I went over Menendez Pelayo, and doctor Esquerdo streets, see the nice Church of the Santisimo Samontinos , Calle del Alcalde Sáinz de Baranda, 3 off Menendez Pelayo.  Right across, had my wonderful merluza with almonds garlic,olive oil dish, and chips and nice cruzcampo beers,and Mahou 5 Estrellas try them all lol!! again. Finish with a nice coffee, all for 32€ yes the fish dish was huge! and the beers plenty just needed to walk back to hotel ::) This was at Cerveceria Cruz Blanca at calle Menendez Pelayo,47, with branches all over Spain. They became my regular stop in Madrid here and at the other location nearer the hotel in calle del Doctor Esquerdo.

Of course, I visited my old neighborhood of Quintana, right off metro line 5 at Alcalà 331, always a pilgrimage when in town. The plaza Quintana with my old Docamar was the site of heavy mahou beers and patatas bravas, just across my old piso, apartment. The place was packed with people out mingling, talking, playing cards, just a bustle and hustle of a vibrant lively city as always the times or needs dont change in Madrid. From Madrid to heaven and a hole in the sky to look down on it everyday!!!!!

And always the sentimental moment of flying back to my new home. To get this time to Madrid ,I flew from Nantes as usually  on Iberia and this time they were on time handled by Air Nostrum. The ride was by car as I was nicely pick up at Barajas T4 by management.  I then try line 5,6,9 on the metro, and the rest of times walking wonderful Madrid! Enjoy Madrid, always I will haveMadrid!!

There you go folks, of course, I will be back, as it seems never left it or Madrid has never left me !!! You come in and you would love it too. Again, hope you enjoy this post on my memories of Madrid !!! as I.

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

Unknown's avatar

Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.