Felipe III 6, 6B
De Madrid al cielo y un agujerito para verlo.
Welcome to this blog, on our flat in Madrid (nicknamed 'Mayorcita') and our life in the Spanish capital. Note that this blog is in dormancy since we are no longer living there...
See also a panoramic view as captured by Carlos Sanchez.
Centro centro and the botanical garden
We visited the Real Jardín Botánico, which, in Autumn, is not much of an attraction. Therefore, we also went to see what the Palacio de Comunicaciones is up to, as we knew it assumed a different role than its former postal function. It is indeed now known as the Palacio de Cibeles and hosts the centrocentro cultural complex.
y un agujerito para verlo
We are trying to complete a couple of projects we have with timelapsing the Plaza Mayor before we leave Mayorcita, which, with our baby coming in January next year, leaves us little time. Three months counting large. The ten we leaved so far have flown by like the golondrinas and murciélagos that circle round the Plaza, over and behind, respectively.
Atardecer Madrileño
The sky of Madrid is stunning every single day of the week. Many of its sunsets are captivating. Sometimes, however, when the clouds are just right, like cotton to bet set on fire, they offer a spectacle of unique proportion. Tonight was one of these.
La Tiza caída
Can you see it?
Elena spotted something funny. Can you find it?
Madrid in HDR
High-dynamic-range imaging is a photographic technique to capture a greater dynamic range of luminosity. In the hands of the non-expert, it usually provides flashy, unnatural and possibly disagreeable results. These are some shots I took during coffee this morning, with a painting effect that gives it the surreal touch.
Mercado de Antón Martín
Of the various traditional markets in Madrid, our favourite is the Mercado de la Cebada. Another one which also enjoys a high popularity from gourmets and those who value quality over comfort is the Mercado de Anton Martin in the Barrio de Lavapiès.
Un catedrático en la Plaza Mayor
Our Catedrático at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Carlos Tejedor—Elena's thesis director—is our guest this Friday at Mayorcita.
Butchering La casa de la Carnicería
Madrid's Plaza Mayor is a continuous building that closes on itself. It is made up of two segments:
- La casa de la panederia (the baker house),
- La casa de la carnicería (the meat house).
The former is roughly one third of one of the longest side (the south one). It is the part that bears the frescoes. The other is technically all that remains, although some limit it to the 1/3 matching the Panederia.
This little bit is currently under repair. When I looked up in a break when are the works scheduled to complete, I broke myself by discovering what it was planned to become.
Tanz
Of all the concerts of classical music that can be played in open air, no piece is more suitable than the pagan Carmina Burana to perform in the Plaza Mayor of Madrid.
For some pretexts which I have already forgotten (one having to do with the end of Summer, the other with something more ludicrous), Madrid's city hall nevertheless graced its most precious square with a free concert of classical music, performed by the Orquesta y Coro de RTVE under the direction of Juanjo Mena.
Madrid in August
August is very hot in Madrid.
We'll spend most of it in the United States, though, one week in the ICPS conference (in Austin, Texas) where it probably is hotter still. Then another week of holidays in the Chicago area.
A meeting in the sky
This is a timelapse of an encounter between the sun and the eastern (our) tower of the casa de la panederia, yesterday.