June 13 – a day in Madrid

June 13 – a day in Madrid

Here are some observations I've made about Madrid in the short time I've been here. Some of them are things that I actually wonder about - there are probably answers, I just don't know them. Others are simply observations that I've enjoyed making. I've only seen a couple specific parts of the city in a few short days, but this is what I think this far. 

1. Madrid is efficient more than fast

The pace of life in Madrid doesn't seem to be fast like the pace of life in the United States. In the US, work always comes before play. In Madrid, diversion is just as important as work to many of the people we've met. It's a cool worldview.

Although the pace of life may not be breakneck, what is done is done quickly. Everything is efficient here. The public garbage cans are made to be emptied (they tip on hinges), the metros are fast and maneuverable, the traffic lights are short.

                                  Look! And efficient metro! It moves so many people at one time! 

2. Madrid is proud of it's history

This morning (the 14th), we met Carmen at the school that she works. She gave us a grand tour and told us happily that her school is the second oldest institution in Madrid. They have a library of super old books of all kinds, classics, sciences, social studies, history. Many of them were from the 1600 and 1700s, if I remember correctly. She was so gleeful when she saw our awed faces. The librarian we met talked and talked about all the famous and influential people of history who have come through their school system. She was so excited to share with us, even if her rapid talking was hard for me to understand.

Carmen also showed us a beautiful meeting room with incredibly old chairs and tables from when the institute started. They still use them! In the halls, here are benches that are just as old with the crest of the school carved on them. Carmen told us that they are so old they really could be in a museum (that valuable, too) but the students use them to sit in the halls everyday. They respect them and the history that they represent and so they are never vandalized.

3. Madrid never sleeps

People here don't seem to sleep. I don't understand it. They eat late and get home late – around 2-3am ish. Then they go to work at 9am in the morning. How do they do it? When do they sleep and get all their work done? Maybe it's all the espresso style drinks like café con leche...

Jill and I are confused because the handles for our café con leche cups aren't big enough for our fingers

4. Madrid is dehydrated

People here don't seem to drink enough water. I don't understand it. The tap water is not advised to drink although some people do. I think it is used mostly for cooking. All the other water is sold in bottles for £2 a bottle if you're lucky. We went to a restaurant this evening that charged £4! I'm always thirsty. How do they do it?

We stopped in a little restaurant to get water and they gave us a plate of olives too! They were so good - much more yummy than the imported ones back home. 

5. Madrid is insanely clean

The streets are cleaned every morning by machines and power washers. They are many, many men and women in green uniforms cleaning the city all the time. The streets are always litter free and the trashes always emptied. The metros are clean too – it's wonderful!

6. Madrid smokes

From what I can tell, the majority of the people in Madrid smoke cigarettes. It is just very different from the way Holland is set up especially. In Holland, we aren't allowed to smoke within 100ft of a building or in a building. In Madrid, people smoke everywhere all the time. There are signs agains it in the metro and in clothing stores, but other than that, everything is fair game.

7. Madrid looks good all the time

Everyone in Madrid is beautiful. I don't understand it. Everyone is chic and put together. The women always good great with their heels or unique sandals, their hair done, their make-up perfect. The men are fashionable too. We commented at the Plaza Mayor tonight that we would probably break ankles in seconds if we wore heels on the uneven cobblestones there. But we saw a lot of women wearing heels there. What talent. We always feel really classy when we trip over the uneven stone streets (which is often) or spill things (also not an uncommon occurrence). 

Also, we have observed a lack of children here. We know they're here, we just don't know where. We've seen a couple young children maybe under the age of 5. But where are the elementary age ones, the middle school age ones and the high school aged ones? We saw them at Carmen's school, but not on the street. Maybe families with children only live in suburb-type areas. Finally, I've been told it's cultural to not spend much time in the house – most of the day is spent out. My question is then, where do people put their stuff? All the women carry little fashionable purses and that's it! When I stay away from my house for a whole day, my car is filled with stuff for the day, how can they fit it all in a purse?

8. Madrid has no sales tax

This makes buying things a lot easier because a) when you see on the tag is what you pay. You don't have to figure the extra into your calculations. b) most things are in even Euros and cents then. It's handy. I like it.

7. In Madrid, if you want service, you have to be aggressive.

We went out to the “Museo de Jamon” (Ham Museum) for lunch during our day in Madrid. It sounds like a museum, but really it's just a restaurant. While waiting for the counter space or order, Jill and Megan struck up a conversation with some people sitting at the counter with their food already. They were ignored for a very long time because they couln't get out of the conversation nor would the server pay attention to them because they didn't look like they needed help – they were talking. It was very funny. Andrea and I got our food and started eating and watched. Jill and Megan were stuck and not getting any attention from the waiter. 

These are the guys who were engaging us in conversation. One was studying to become a biologist. 

8. Madrid it is a melting pot of people (ethnicities, cultures, languages)

As with most big cities, there are tons if different people here from languages (we've hear a lot more than just Spanish!) to ethnicities, to cultures, to countries of origin. So many people move to Madrid from all over. The desk man at our hotel is from Peru and is studying English part time. He's asked Andrea for help with his worksheets once or twice. At Carmen's school, we talked to the students for a while and ALL of them except for one or two were from other countries in South and Central America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East. It's amazing what a beautiful mezcla of people there are here.

9. Madrid is a city after my own heart.

It's not humid.

There are ice cream/frozen yogurt/gelato shops EVERYWHERE.