We lived in a modest apartment or piso at Calle de Alcalà 331, 2do A , Bùzon 67, Madrid 27, or at the 331 Alcalà street, 2nd floor apartment A, mailbox 67, Madrid zip/postal code 28027. This is metro Quintana ,line 5 right there as you come up ; in the district of Ciudad Lineal ; past the Ventas monumental bullfight ring into working class Madrid , I was a poor boy then, and no money to buy a camera and take photos. My only photos are from 1990 when came back visiting from the USA , and thereafter from France,
The time in Madrid in those early days was spent at school, very strict, chasing girls not so strict, and playing sports baseball and football/soccer for a team call Real Madrid . Helping my mother as always with her to go out shopping and doing the house work. I was a busy young men. My most memorable experience was going out with the adults who would take me to the different tapas restaurants for a caña ,a glass of beer or chatico, a glass of wine.
My square where i lived across the street. My Madrid, one away from the tourist hordes in off the beaten path way indeed. This was/is my Plaza de Quintana, along Calle de Alcalà, metro line 5 neighborhood of Quintana in the Ciudad Lineal district! In the Plaza de Quintana, there is the Bar Docamar, (see post) famous for its patatas bravas since 1963, with several awards and mentions in television programs and by food critics. This was my main resto bar in the area I lived across the street in same Calle de Alcalà! In the Plaza de Quintana, on Sunday mornings a sort of market for the trading of stickers, coins, stamps and other more or less childish barter elements has been meeting for a quarter of a century. Even if most of the pieces are not vintage , ephemeral enthusiasts , collectable posters dating from the 20C and 21C are starting to find real little treasures. It is probably among the most popular markets in its category in Spain, even ahead of the Rastro de Madrid. Yes we traded football players cards !!!
The place where it is located once belonged to a Timoteo Damián and was expropriated in the 1940s for urban reasons in order to eliminate the existing curve of Calle de Alcalá, but in the end this was never done and the fate of the Timoteo’s estate was to host the Plaza de Quintana as we see it today, a pedestrian area surrounded by shops and open on one side to Calle de Alcalá. At no 292 on Calle de Alcalá we find the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Fàtima or the Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, presided over by the crowned image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima. The Nuestra Señora de Fátima school has an annex. On October 13, 1951, the emblematic date of the dialogue between the Virgin and the children, the high altar was blessed. On October 12, 2000, Cardinal Rouco Varela, being the pastor , Jesús García Jiménez, canonically crowned Our Lady.
Madrid will always be one of my homes no matter where I must live in the World. Once biten it is hard not to missed the city friendly casual ambiance. Another city in the trail of Ernest Hemingway !! I left the city on May 10 ,1974 as a resident citizen, to reunite with my father Elio in Perth Amboy, NJ USA. However, been back several times . From Madrid to heaven and a hole in the sky to look down on it everyday. Hasta pronto , my dear Madrid !!!
This is a short post but huge in meaning to me and my family, Hope you appreciate the story , sometimes hidden to avoid getting out of the travel theme of my blog. I just came back from Madrid and already looking forward to be back, always back, Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Calle de Alcalà, 331 of Madrid, part I !!! as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 