Ohhhh Madrid


I was warned Madrid is hot. Well it is, but only melting so for a couple of hours, where I crawl under the shade of a tree in the park and sleep. I took my sleeper train here, watching the hilly country side slide by in morning.I easily navigate myself to my youth hostel using a metro system that is nearly as friendly as Paris, but just not as many stops.


I find a close by inside market with more meats than I could shake a stick at. It's salami crazy and a million derivatives there of. There are many meat counters, some of which specialize in the seemingly undesirable parts like hooves and snots, hearts and livers. A whole pig head is in the window. One stand has the Spanish style almonds recently introduced in the USA: the skinned, salted and fried ones. They take it a step further and have them flavored, some spicy, some sweet. Today I will go build a picnic in this market, a meal of almonds, olives, sausages, fruits, and lackluster bread. The displays are beautiful. Fruit mounded skyward in color coordinated stacks. I get weird looks as the only tourist in the place, face full of awe at the food and displays. I feel like a grocery store nerd again.


My hostel is next door to what seems to be the hippest place in town. A rainbow flag outside and pumping gaymantecho music. People packed in and drinks and food is flying around. The sangria is awesome, and i got a little stumbely. Ordered the tapas sampler plate, but know the name of nothing on it. Beef with candied figs, salad with duck and pears, a hollowed out potato stuffed bit ground beef then breaded and fried then toped with 3 fancy sauces, a fried green tomato topped with a dry simple cheese, then some breaded and fried lobster and manchego cheese. Food is heavy and delicious. Breakfast is nearly no existent, toast and coffee.


I ate at a bar on first day. Went up to the counter and looked in the window at the food. Eight different sandwich varieties. i order them by pointing. Tomato sardine and mozzarella, bonito tuna and roasted red bell pepper, cured duck (think proscuiito). I eat it all and wipe my hands on the flimsy napkins provided. I throw them on the ground, like everyone else. The ground is littered with cigarettes, toothpicks, and napkins. We are all standing while eating, on top of our own trash.


Things to note... beer is served everywhere, including mcdonalds, which also had gazpacho on the menu. Starbucks is in Madrid. Grass is fenced off in most places so you canšt use it. The coffee in a bar is delicious. Women are really into wearing bras, especially one that has clear plastic straps, which are suppose to be invisible but aren't. Tight white pants are the in thing. Women in Spain have real bodies, not like Paris, the land of the super skinny.


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