Archive for December 29th, 2020

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December 29, 2020

México DF is back and just in time!

And I am updating this memorable and sad trip nothing to do with Mexico. I have come here many times over the years, north and south. This is my updates revisions of older posts in my blog. Hope you enjoy the trip and I will always remembered.

Well I am back after a nice trip to Mexico, partially done. The trip was to include trips around Mexico city (DF) and into near Guadalajara and Mérida but with all that was going on there due to the earthquake and flooding ,we kept it short just to the city.

I had another crazy trip going first from Nantes to Amsterdam on HOP the regional French carrier who was totally late missing my connection with KLM there at Schiphol. The flight was delayed due to fog for almost 1,5 hours!!! no way to get any flights on a Saturday to needed to stay at a hotel and flight back the next day Sunday. Yikes!!! I do not think will be on HOP again. It’s Air France idea of low cost but not working at least for me.

The rest was nice as KLM gave me a nice shuttle bus ride to the Bastion Best Western hotel with dinner, breakfast included all free; then a 10€ voucher for lunch on Sunday. The return shuttle bus was nice also. Schiphol,  I have been before and always lateness there do not understand why going around you need to fly north and then south !!! The Schiphol airport of Amsterdam claim to be an excellent transfer airport but to me has always been late there!!

The BW Bastion Hotel, I stayed complement of KLM webpage: https://www.bastionhotels.com/en-gb/hotels/hotel-amsterdam-airport

My Sunday KLM flight to Mexico City (DF) airport or Benito Juarez was excellent ride and on time. Once arrival, I was picked up rather nicely by a car and driver service to take me to my hotel in a nice area of the city corner of Insurgentes Sur  and Mercaderes; the City Express  Plus Hotel. The best of it is the location, but not a hotel for a family visit more so business trip is ok. webpage: https://www.cityexpress.com/en/plus/hotels-mexico/ciudad-de-mexico/benito-juarez/insurgentes-sur

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My office building where I was visiting has a gorgeous view over the city from our 19 floor office and seeing again the Diablos Rojos Mexico city baseball stadium was nice; I have seen games in it several years back. As well as the very nice Teatro de los Insurgentes theater always nice memories (see post).

However, as always, the best part is to meet old friends ,always there when I stop by the city , former colleagues of many years we counted by now 20 years and still going strong.  I had gone to the Wing’s Army bar on Insurgentes Sur to see the football/soccer match between the PSG and Bayern Munich as a French team was playing and won 3×0, the ambiance was nice and plenty of good Miller High Life beers by the liter which have been a long time not drank again, this was neat and the Army hamburger great with good company even better. Webpage: http://wingsarmy.com/mx/

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Later in the evening I met my friends mentioned above, and figuring out a place to go in the area as they are from outskirts of the city I told them about the La Bella Luna and interested all went there. It was great loud music and great selection of beers I tried the Pacifico beers with Enchiladaas de Mole Negro delicious and plenty of more beers. It seems to be a nice place for an after work/happy hour/apéro meeting of friends! webpage: https://labellalula.com/Branch

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Finally, I have to give you a simple great Argentinian cuts steakhouse call El Diego. This was the best dinner of the trip with great bife de chorizo beef steaks and nice Negra Modelo beers, great wooded dining room and views over Insurgentes Sur, nice street and great people watcher spot! A must to return next time. Facebook page not verify if still open. https://www.facebook.com/El-Diego-M%C3%A9xico-1391939824422613/

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At the short end, I was given a nice trip back by the same car driver and not too congested Mexico city. This time I took Air France all the way , just a small delay to start the rest was flawless thru Paris CDG and Nantes where my reliable car is always waiting to get back home. Until next trip next month.Hope you enjoy the above post

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

PS. I like to tell you all of a terrible bad news I had upon my return. My dear wife Martine was doing tests and they came back she has cancer of the pancreas advance. She will start chemotherapy in the next weeks and of course seeking alternatives, she still young. Great mother excellent wife I am very sad but taken it one day at a time and hopefully with the help of God she will remain longer than normal for these diseases of hell. Thank you for your prayers. 7 months later she passed away at the CHBA Vannes hospital on April 30 2018 19H or 7pm. My worst momen.t in life and still very much hurts.

Posted in Americas, Bretagne, Food and Wine, France | 2 Comments »

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December 29, 2020

Real Madrid CF, the world’s best!!

I wrote this article back in January 2011 in my blog, and need to update. Once in a while I dwell away from my travels and this is one big hobby of mine, a fanatic!!! The game of football/soccer/calcio has taken me to meet many good people over the years and visited many countries with stories of the game. Lucky me also played and socio member of the greatest club in history, the Real Madrid CF. Let me tell you the story ok; hope you enjoy as I.

I will be talking about something personal, it is my club since my 13 year!, and had written before but never really had the initiative to write something about its history and accomplishments until now. As written all over my blog and proud of ,I lived in Madrid for four years between 1970 to 1974, and played for the Real Madrid in baseball, volleyball ,and football/soccer in the infantil (12-13 yrs) division. Once a Madridista, always a Madridista to the grave. There is no other team club alike in the history of the game of football/soccer. Simply the best and still been recognised as such. Best Club of the 20 century by FIFA, best club of the 20 century by IFFHS in Europe, and recently voted by the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards as so far 2000-2020 best club of the 21 century!

I was just a young kid that was introduced to the organisation by a baseball umpire to play for their junior baseball team at the parque de la Elipa, from my home at Calle de Alcalà, Quintana neighborhood or barrio in the district of Ciudad Lineal;  it was just a bus P13 (now name the 113) to it. While there, friends used to go to see the team different sports, and  played, Ciudad Deportiva (the old one by the paseo de la Castellana now has four skyrises call the four towers.

While going to these games, some kids who were already on the different sports organisations and had played football with me in parks like parque Calero and Retiro ,asked me to come to the Ciudad Deportiva installations for a tryout that was open. With the help of my baseball contacts that included member “socios” of the Real Madrid football team I got my first tryouts. Before long, I too, was wearing the white shirt of the football team, and move up from benjamin to alevin status. Those were wonderful memories even if just what is left is memories. Never forget that day in 1972 when I first enter the Real Madrid CF . Unfortunately, times were different then and me poorer so no camera no pictures just memories in my mind forever.

From then on it has been a love affaire wherever I may be living, trying for all means to obtain news of the team, and enjoying every second of my visits to the city from 1977 on to today. I am active in several forums that talks about the team, and go to the stadium often in season to see football and basketball games from Vistalegre to Caja Magica to Valdebebas to Santiago Bernabeu, and now the Wizink Center. The old readers of Spain will know the trail!

A bit of history I like

The team was born out of educators who sat around and found a club in 1897 in the Vallecas barrio or neighborhood. Quickly it became more organised by several of the members of the team in 1901 and eventually  Julian Palacios as first President officially  registered the club in 1902 as the Madrid Foot-Ball Club. By 1920 the king Alfonso XIII give it the royal rank of Real or Royal as he was a follower too ::) ,and honorary member =socio. From June 1920 it became the Real Madrid CF that we know today. The team participated in the first Spanish league organised in 1929 finishing in second place.  The first league came on this period in the 1931-32 season, the first title !

The greatest period came after the Spanish Civil War when on September 15 , 1943 when ex player and ex coach ,Santiago Bernabeu was named President of the club. After organising an international tournament in Colombia in 1952, they saw what was in 1953 their greatest signing that of Alfredo Di Stefano( Argentina) , considered by many the world’s greatest player , as well as the Spanish Francisco “paco” Gento from Santander and the league championship came back to the Real Madrid in the 1953-54 season.  They were the start of an amazing run of Five European Cups in a row (record) .  With player like Amancio and Velazquez the club again wins the European Cup in 1966 while continuing to pile up Ligas and Cups at home, these were the Ye-Ye years . The sad news came in June 2nd 1978 with the passing of Don Santiago Bernabeu, (to note his wife was from Camagüey Cuba!)  the greatest president ever, and today the stadium bears his name as well as the metro stop to it on line 10.

The team follow with the 80’s “la Quinta del Buitre” nickname given to Emilio Butragueño as well as Mexican Hugo Sanchez (Hugol), and many more Ligas however no European Cup. The team from the farm system delighted many and remains one of the most popular periods in the club history even without winning an European championship.  The team continue to wins Ligas in the 90’s with the incorporation of perennial and crowd favorite Raul Gonzalez Blanco, probably the best player ever from the farm system. Finally in 1998 , the team came back to win again its trophy , the European Cup now call Champions league. In 1999 the great coach and former player Vicente del Bosque arrive promoting to the first team the legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas ,and with it winning again the Champions league in 2000.

With the election of 2000, a new president came into being the entrepreneur Florentino Perez, ;this was the so call Galactic era, where millionaires dotting shorts and representing the Real Madrid razzle dazzle the world without any title in Europe but huge pay checks from uncle Florentino (too enterprise and little football not my favorite) . Leagues or ligas were won but not sufficient due to the expenditures made. Another Champions league was won in 2002 with player like Figo, Zidane,Ronaldo, and Beckham. The chosen successor made it look like an election was Ramon Calderon who created many administrative problems for the club,and was made to resigned in 2009. Ironically, it was Florentino Perez who replaced him single handily without opposition due to no changes in the club by laws where the rich wins, and the second Galactic era began with signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, the signing from England of Spaniard Xabi Alonso and from France Karim Benzema all very expensive contracts and no titles.

The 2010-2013 seasons of Real Madrid were under new coach Jose Mourinho allows the club to play La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League after a white season. However, only winning the Copa del Rey or King’s Cup. The 2013-2015 were under coach Carlo Ancelotti, Rafa Benitez 2015-2016, Zinadine Zidane 2016-2018 (from France and 3 consecutive Champions league, a record!) ,then Julen Lopetegui, Santiago Solari and finally back to Zinadine Zidane from 2019 to present.

Nevertheless, the club is the most winning club in the history of the sport in Spain and abroad regardless of the so call media frenzy of popular teams with a lot less history due to ever increasing publicity and media manipulation.  The Santiago Bernabeu stadium was built in 1947, with a capacity of  80 354 spectators today. The new Real Madrid sport city or Ciudad Deportiva is today at Valdebebas just outside Madrid and the basketball arena is the WiZink Center (before Caja Magica and before Vistalegre). See my posts on them, the Santiago Bernabeu stadium is now undergoing a huge renovation which will include amongst other things a covered declinable roof!

The club has participated in all 88 season of Spanish first division football, and has won 34 Ligas, by far the most. The player who has obtained the most titles with the club are Francisco Gento 23, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo 22, and Manuel Sanchis with 21 titles, and the player with most games is Raul Gonzalez Blanco with 741 games and then Iker Casillas with 725 games. The best scorer has been Cristiano Ronaldo with 450 goals, and then Raul with 323 goals. The most games by an international player is still Karim Benzema so far 529 games all inclusive. I must add Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, and Karim Benzema are still playing on the club!

These are the Real Madrid CF club titles:

Spanish Liga Champions (34): 1931/32, 1932/33, 1953/54, 1954/55,1956/57, 1957/58, 1960/61, 1961/62, 1962/63, 1963/64, 1964/65, 1966/67, 1967/68, 1968/69, 1971/72, 1974/75, 1975/76, 1977/78, 1978/79, 1979/80, 1985/86, 1986/87, 1987/88, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1994/95, 1996/97, 2000/01, 2002/03, 2006/07, 2007/08.2012/13; 2017/18 and 2019/20.

Vice Champion of the Liga  (23): 1928/29, 1933/34, 1934/35, 1935/36, 1941/42, 1944/45, 1958/59, 1959/60, 1965/66, 1980/81, 1982/83, 1983/84, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1998/99, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2008/09, 2009/10. 2011/12   2013/14 2015/16; 2016/17.

Copa del Rey or Kings Cup or Spain (19): 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1917, 1934, 1936, 1946, 1947, 1962, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1980, 1982, 1989, 1993.2011. 2014.

Vice Champions of the Kings Cup or Spain (20): 1903, 1916, 1918, 1924, 1929,1930,1933,1940,1943,1958, 1959/60, 1960/61, 1967/68, 1978/79 , 1983, 1990, 1992, 2001, 2003. 2013.

Super Cup of Spain (11): 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2008. 2012.2017.2020.

vice Champion Super Cup of Spain (5): 1982, 1995, 2007, 2011; 2014.

League Cup (1): 1985.  vice Champion League Cup  (1): 1983.  Eva Duarte Cup (1):1947.

Regional Championships and Community trophies (23) 1904/05, 1905/06, 1906/07, 1907/08, 1909/10, 1912/13, 1915/16, 1916/17, 1917/18, 1919/20, 1921/22,1922/23,1923/24, 1926/26, 1927/28 ,1929/30,1930/31, 1932/33, 1933/34, 1934/35, 1935/36.

On the International scene just the same as good thank you!

Champions League  (13): 1955-56, 1956-57, 1957-58, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1965-66, 1997-98, 1999-00, 2001-02. 2013/14 ; 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18.

vice Champions Champions League (3) 1962 , 1964 ; 1981

 UEFA Cup (2): 1984/85, 1985/86.

Super Cup of UEFA (4): 2002, 2014;2016; 2017. Vice Champions Super Cup of UEFA (3) 1998 , 2000, 2018.

Intercontinental Cup (3): 1960,1998,2002.  Vice Champion Intercontinental Cup  (2): 1966,2000

World Club Champions FIFA (4) 2014 2016 2017 2018

Vice Champion European Cup of Cups  (2): 1971,1983

Ibero American Cup  (1): 1994. Latin Cup(2): 1955, 1957.  Club Small World Cup  (2): 1952, 1956.

The team has an immense farm system factory or Fàbrica, that allows to maintain teams in many divisions and with excellent championship records as well such as the Real Madrid-Castilla, and  teams in every division of Spain. It ,also has an excellent basketball section with 9 times champions of Europe. They played in the ACB league.

A bit of history on the Real Madrid basketball section. My second team ::)

The Real Madrid basketball section was born on March 8, 1931 following an advertisement in a Spanish daily, ABC, inviting all gentlemen interested in playing basketball to join the club. Raimundo Saporta is part of a commission, also comprising the Yugoslav Borislav Stanković, the French Robert Busnel, the Czech Miloslav Kriz and the Soviet Nikolai Semasko, who during the European Championships in 1957, invited the national federations to participate in their national champions in a competition which began in 1958 and for which the newspaper L’Équipe (France) provided the trophy. This is the Basketball version of the Champions league of football.

Some of the better known players at least to me were Clifford Luyk who wore the white jersey from 1961 to 1978 and took part in Real Madrid first six triumphs on the European scene. Another American, Wayne Brabender, the Spanish pivot Fernando Martín Espina , and Emiliano Rodríguez. There are newer players today like Sergio Llul, Felipe Reyes, Carroll, Randolph , and Tavares. As far as coaches, my favorites were Pedro Ferrándiz, who coached the club for four periods, from 1955 to 1957, then from 1959 to 1962, 1964 to 1965 and finally from 1966 to 1975, is the coach who has contributed the most to enriching the list. Under his leadership, Real won four Champion Clubs’ Cups in 1965, 1967, 1968 and 1974. eleven championship titles and eleven Spanish cups. Lolo Sainz (1975-1994) , Ettore Messina, and the current Pablo Laso.

These are the Real Madrid CF basketball club titles:

Spanish League Champion (35): 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019

Spanish Cup Champion (28): Copa del Generalísimo: 1951, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, Copa del Rey, King’s Cup: 1977, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1993, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020.

Champions of the Spanish Supercup (7): 1985, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Champion of the European Champion Clubs’ Cup – Euroleague: 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1995, 2015, 2018.

Intercontinental Cup /World Cup Champion: 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981; 2015

ULEB Cup champion: 2007.  Saporta ReCopa of Europe Champion: 1984, 1989, 1992, 1997.  Korać Cup  champion: 1988. Champion of the Latina Cup: 1952-1953.  Champion of Torneo Internacional ACB: 1984, 1988, 1989.

And the story does not stop here, the sky is the limit, we want them all!!! You want to see the best football/soccer, basketball in Europe come to Madrid, Spain and see my Real Madrid CF!!! Enjoy the this post, and the many others on my team in my blog!

Some webpages to help you recognise the wonderful history of the Real Madrid clubs are

The official Real Madrid club webpage: https://www.realmadrid.com/en

If you want to be part of the family, then become a Madridista here : https://www.realmadrid.com/aficion/madridistas/internacionales

If you want to shop online or find the store in Madrid webpage: http://www.realmadridshop.com/stores/realmadrid/default.aspx

The usual layout for ticketing was to go on avenida Concha Espina puerta or door 55 or the calle Carmen 3 near Sol in city center, metro sol. It will be interesting to know how the store at the stadium will be once completely renovated as ongoing.

If you want to buy official ticket online ahead of games and pick up yours at the stadium, very easy then see the official webpage: https://www.realmadrid.com/en/tickets

If you want to discuss in Spanish the latest trends in Spanish football and especially the Real Madrid join me in this forum Foro Real Madrid at webpage: https://fororealmadrid.com/index.php

For the best sport journal in Spain and extensive coverage of football following since 1972,  see AS (you can have it in English too go to sports heading top right) webpage:http://www.as.com/

There you go folks, now I feel better,updated and clear text me think for you. Enjoy the post and more so the Real Madrid CF!

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

Posted in Europe, Madrid, Real Madrid, Spain | Leave a Comment »

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December 29, 2020

When France is on strike ,the world shakes !!!

And here need to update this one so special and sentimental. Always a life of good things and one bad set you back to zero! That is life, nice but short. Hope you enjoy this post as much as I. France enjoy strikes ,its a democratic Republican will , right, that many find hard to understand when not from diverse dynamic countries like France.

Indeed this is a national pastime , I am convince. Here in my belle France going on strike looks like a party a great event to be out ,and to tell each other of the mess we found in our days at work or travel. I have stories but they seem so natural and so routine that I seldom mentioned them. Now is time to tell at least one.  I had my trip to Cap d’Ail  (see post) just in the border with Monaco for this past weekend and early week. It seems a natural simple trip until…..monsieur madame Gréve decided to intervene.

I took my usual leisure drive with my car on the N165 road to the airport at Nantes Atlantique, it was first blocked by a huge accident and long lines of traffic jams , but luckily I left much early with plenty of time, even thus needed to rush to the gate at gate 42 to take my Easyjet flight to Nice Côte-d’Azur airport.  The flight was flawless even still complaint about the lack of food and paying for anything extra you want, not my kind of airline but……you know.  I arrive at the airport of Nice by 14h40 or 2:40 pm.

I headed to the Avis car rental counter where I was asked to choose a car so decide to pick a Fiat big wagon, can’t even recall the model name lol!!! Once out of Terminal 2 to the Car Rental Center, was a bit difficult to find the spot J21 ,so needed to ask an attendant, fine. I had purchase a GPS package knowing all these corniches (very tight turns hilly roads ) here and not been back in a long while. Finally, got into my car and put on the GPS to reach the closest final destination Port du Cap d’Ail.  Well , this is like a fortress to get out me think, and I do quite a bit of car rentals here (found out some of my collegues found it so as well reassuring not alone lol!). It took me two round trip tours inside the car park and asked an attendant again to finally get my car out of the car rental parking lot going thru security gates and ticket machines and al. Amazing control….!! And this is a small airport! I guess I do better at the bigger ones lol!

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Nice

And I was on the road, the GPS worked very nicely ,indeed.  But it directed me to the expressway A8, really want to go all the way on the M6007 but already a bit tired of the turns and the desire to reach destination opted for the easy directions on the A8.  This is a toll road twice for a total of 3,90€ each way. The tolls station can take cash coins and credit/debit cards and you can ask for a receipt on a green or red button.  I reach my hotel on the spot, no problems at all. This was the Marriott but on that see my previous post. There was underground parking ,nice for 25€ per day and the cars underneath were awesome !

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Now the headache was on the way back fron Cap d’Ail. I left the hotel alright with my GPS but this time it took me into Monaco where the famous regular police check point asked me for my papers just routine and nice manners; we need these.

I already knew by email alert my flight on AF return by Orly then Nantes on October 10th was cancelled due to the air controllers strike on the day in addition to others. So rather than risk an extended strike, decided to change my flight to come back on the 9th October.  The drop off car rental was nice and got on my T2 terminal at Nice.  The flight was to leave at 17h30 and reach Orly terminal Ouest or west by 18h55. However, the flight was delayed on Air France and missed my connection at Orly Ouestv (West)! Wow here began the fun. Missed flight and the strike starting officially the employees of the airline were busy and the people screaming for quicker service….me included lol!!!

Nice

All flights to Nantes were gone and there was no more schedule because it would fall after 22h and the strike was officially started.  Therefore, after much negotiations with the AF staff, they book me on a flight to Lorient; nearer me and know the airport if you can call that ….

The cries of passengers to find connections was frenetic and loud , and the airline employees were doing their best to get them out before the strike, even losing money which indeed with me they did.  The gates were changing ,and some cancellation posted on the board, sure was to be many passengers stranded. I heard my colleague was robbed of their suitcase in city center/downtown Nice!! and other colleagues were attack by knife and hospitalize while doing some tourism in Marseille. Just to top it all off for the day.

Then, I said to them, wait my car is at the Nantes airport covered parking! and would reach Lorient airport by midnight (which did ). The employee of AF got to work again for me, (I am Sky team gold member); and told me there would be a taxi at Lorient waiting for me to take to Nantes about 1h43m away and AF will cover the bill!!! Wonderful. The fly was done on a ATR 42/72 two propellers airplane that serve as a taxi to get passengers out of Orly , one group landed like me at Lorient and the plane will take off again to drop another group in Quimper !!!

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Me at Lorient a bit past 10pm or 22h the taxi was waiting for me. The guy was a nice talkative type and we had a great trip, it was saying talking the trip goes faster ,indeed. We discussed the world and try to fix it hehehe!!! and figure out he likes Spain and scuba diving but it’s more into rugby then football/soccer…oh well .I reach the covered parking at Nantes airport by midnight.

My car was waiting for me to take me home. The ride out was fine and the road was empty, arriving home a bit past 2am or 02h00. At least, I made it back very tired but glad to be home and now can watch the news on the strike; even the nurses are on strike not enough paid and support  see life is a routine here. The teachers too, not enough staff, we seems to have a bunch of complainers not realizing why 90 millions people come to us to indulge themselves of our way of life !!!

The Nice airport: https://en.nice.aeroport.fr/

The Nantes airport: https://www.nantes.aeroport.fr/fr

The good thing it is my last trip by airplane of the year and my time will be taken with the family and taking care of my dear wife Martine illness (see post); we go to Rennes to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Enjoy your week and keep safe in the airwaves!

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

Posted in Bretagne, France, Paris | Leave a Comment »

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December 29, 2020

Madrid: Church of the Holy Cross!!

And back to Madrid cannot be too far from it! I look at this church recently on my trips there, not before. And I thought needed to be shown more it is a little jewel in a frequented area that is left more as an off the beaten path sight. Let me tell you  a bit about the Iglesia de la Santa Cruz!

Oh yes this is known to us as the Iglesia de la Santa Cruz at Calle Atocha,6 in my beloved Madrid. There are many famous popular and tourist sites in Madrid, but why keep talking about them….I have been asked many times if there are new things to see in a particular city such as Madrid, well there are plenty you just need time…lots of time, Madrid has plenty.  I can write a blog on Madrid alone too, but the goal is share travel experiences from everywhere, anyway, Madrid will be always home in my beloved Spain. 

As mentioned the Iglesia de la Santa Cruz is at a nice popular zone near the Atocha train station and the Plaza de Atocha or at Calle de Atocha no 6 corner of Calle de Santo Tomàs. You can get here by Metro Tirso de Molina or Sol on  lines 1, 2, 3  or at metro Anton Martin, line 1.

The  Church of the Holy Cross is found in a lot where the convent of St Thomas of Aquinas of the Dominican Order was founded in 1583 by priest Diego de Chaves ,confessor of king Felipe II. The story goes that by 1626 , it felled under the patron of the count duke of Olivares and in 1635 the first stone was laid for a new Church, that went on fire in 1652  making the convent and the Church disappeared.  It is rebuilt in 1660 and the high altar falls off in 1726 killing the churchgoers , then in 1756 it goes through another fire. Finally in 1876 another fire destroyed the whole building and it was demolished. The current Church was began to be built in 1889 with a facade in the Churriguresco style and the cloister of the baroque school; the construction needed to stop for lack of funds and they took off again in 1899 , finally the Church was completed in 1902. Lots of faith and perseverance indeed.

The current Church of the Holy Cross or Santa Cruz has a neo Gothic style with brick and white stone of Colmenar, the principal facade has an arc crown by a triangular front with a Cross.  The center of the facade has a relief with the apotheosis of the Cross and on top of the portico a great cupola in which a big clock . It has one nerf with eight lateral chapels.

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The most interesting point of the tower is at more than 80 meters high at which top the bells are enclosed in a dome looking like a fortress and in some way continue the tradition of the previous Church towers of 144 feet built in 1660 and known as the Atalaya de la Corte (watchtower of the courts).  The tower was the highest point in the city until the Telefonica building in Gran Via was done in the 1920’s.

In the interior there is a portrait of the Virgen de la Cinta , patron Saint of the city of Huelva . Here is the seat of the fraternity branch of that of Huelva. Since building the Church in 1902, the Archicofradía del Santo Entierro de Madrid ( Catholic association of the holy burial ) , and one of the oldest in the city ,created in 1412. Also, home since the end of the 1950’s to the Cofradía de María Santísima de Araceli de Madrid, branch of the Real Archicofradía de María Santísima de Araceli de Lucena, in Cordoba.

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The Parish Church of Santa Cruz with a description in Spanish: https://www.parroquiadesantacruz.com/index.php/descripcion-del-templo/

There is a nice stop and not so far from the more popular places, just a tip of the off the beaten paths of my Madrid. Hope you enjoy the Church of the Holy Cross or the Iglesia de la Santa Cruz.

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

Posted in Madrid, Spain | Leave a Comment »

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