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.
Tapapiés
Tapapiés defines itself as a Ruta Multicultural de la Tapa y la Música en Lavapiés (en). Tapa is, of course, the Spanish gastronomic insight into the science of appetizers: a small, free of charge (that's important) aperitif from the local cuisine to accompany, in fact, literally, to cover your drink (it's easier to chase a fly sitting on food than one struggling in the liquid). Lavapiès is a popular neighbourhood of Madrid, formerly the Jewish quarter, where, so goes the hypothesis, people were washing their feet before entering the synagogue (lava piès means wash feet). Madrid has always been very dirty and was reputedly so even in a time where all cities were open rubbish bins. To this day, Lavapiès remained a cosmopolitan, modest if not outcast, but more than anything else, culturally bustling area. It's the place where to unleash street artists in Madrid.
The window
Les fenêtres musardent
Quand elles sont mansardes
Et abritent les hardes
D'un poète oublié
Final
Good things must come to an end, because part of the good thing is the nostalgia—or if born with a greater panel of sensibilities, the saudade—that one must live off it.
Our life on the Plaza Mayor is coming to an end.
This is the last entry to our Blog's Felipe III 6, 6B.
The Christmas lights of Madrid
As the year is ending, with it the Christmas lights will gradually switch off and be removed from the streets, leaving only the cold as the main clue of winter in a city where it doesn't snow. We have been taking some pictures the whole month, and as the last day is imminent, it is time for their showcase.
¡Still not born!
Julia passed her ultimate exam before birth this morning in La Paz, the fairy tale hospital by the gigantic towers. This was to monitor her heartbeat (Cardiotocography, what they call here "monitores"
) and everything seems to progress according to plan.
The roofs
This is a high-resolution panorama of the roofs of the Plaza Mayor from inside.
The North of Madrid
This is a high-resolution panorama of the North of Madrid.
Shows on the Plaza Mayor
This is a high-resolution panorama of the heart of the Plaza Mayor, hosting two live shows this Thursday 27 of December at half past noon, for the apparent greater delight of the public. (You can click for a full view and peruse who's down there.)
Madrid by night
Madrid by the nights of December, which you'd imagine are crowded and noisy, are actually desolated and chary. The Christmas light dies early. The singing people do similarly. The cold night is abandoned to derelicts as the only memories that it once was joyful in the most festive city in the world.
Lotería de Navidad
It's been over one year now that we lived in the Plaza Mayor, and this is getting to an end. One of the first things we did last year was to buy the traditional lottery ticket. We did this year too, but this time from the Puerta del Sol.
No Madrid for us tonight
The services of the train company in Spain, the Renfe, are deteriorating quickly at the same time as their fares keep defying common sense and decency. I already wrote on their hideous practice of blocking doors in hours of affluence causing dangerous jamming of people. Lately, it becomes usual to having to wait quarter of an hour in time of affluence. Tonight it even became impossible to go back to Madrid (we have Tizón with us and can't take the bus).
Mucha gente
We have rarely seen so many people enclosed by the continuous wall of the Plaza Mayor, closing onto itself.
Belén en la Plaza Mayor
While we are expecting our own nativity scene for less than in a month's time—maybe even for Christmas—the traditional representation of the birth of Jesus arrived to the Plaza Mayor. This year, due to the works on the Casa de la Carnicería where it is usually situated, it got a much better privileged position: at center of the square. These are some pictures and the starting-up of one of our own tradition to go with it.
Les Pompettes
Les Pompettes are the best group of Swing in Madrid. You can hear a sample of their performance (mostly original compositions) here, here or here.
We invited them to make a gig in Mayorcita, which they accepted. Live music on the roofs of the Plaza Mayor is a once in a lifetime experience. To top it all, they performed an original work, "Moneda". The video clip will take some time to emerge (update: you can now see it here), but we can show you some photos of this outstanding event.
Misa de la Almudena en la Plaza Mayor
A mass was celebrated today (9 November (2014)) in the Plaza Mayor of Madrid, in honor to the patrona de la ciudad, the Virgin of the Almudena. These are some pictures of the event.
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.
