ESL Confusions #3

One of my pupils said “Actually, it’s a blessing in the skies”.  

The Prado Museum, Madrid

Since its grand opening to the public in 1819, the Prado museum has been celebrated for its fantastic collection of Spanish art. Over the years the royal collection has expanded greatly to include many other pieces from artist all around the world. However, it still remains as the best museum for Spanish art with the works of Goya, Velazqeuz and El Greco, to name but a few, on display.

I must admit that I am an art person, and so, I was always looking forward to visiting this world famous museum. That said, I will tell straight off, that it was not my favourite – as someone who is more interested in more modern art, I personally preferred the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofia. For me, it was still pretty good though.

The majority of the artwork at the Prado tends to be very traditional with a lot of religious imagery. For some people (who are not into that style of art), you might even find that you keep seeing the same painting, when in actual fact they are different but share a lot of similarities. It does not help that due to the layout of the museum, you might find yourself wandering into a gallery that you have already visited. Then again, this is easily resolved: simply make sure you take a map from the front desk to avoid repeating yourself!

The museum if very large but this can also be a great advantage. Because of the spacious rooms and the high ceilings, you can look at the very big canvasses without being overly close. You can observe them from a distance, and take the entire thing in.

In my opinion, each gallery is very interesting, especially as they all have a particular theme. Each painting or sculpture is interesting to observe and you gain a lot from the tour guide (in the form of a headset) which explains certain symbols and the history of some pieces. I am also interested in history and so, in some cases, the history of the painting was more interesting than the art itself. On this note, you can get a headset, available in several languages from the front desk – there is even a headset specifically for children, where the language and explanations are put in simpler terms. I would recommend it as it can be a great aid.

My favourite piece is The Garden of Earthly Delight by Hieronymus Bosch which is, and has been, subject to many interpretations. Judging from what I have heard and read, I believe that it is a painting with the intent to warn people about the temptations in life. Moreover, it demonstrates the potential consequences to giving into such temptations – remember that this was painted in an era when Christianity has great influence.

As I said, a lot of the artwork involves Christianity in some way but noticing the different symbols, or in which light the faith is presented is what marks the difference.

If you are passionate about art, I reckon you spend a full day in this museum. Otherwise, I would put 1-3 hours aside you wander around the galleries. I would recommend a visit to the Prado to anyone – even if you are disinterested in art. The Prado is a must-do whilst you are in Madrid. But, perhaps in this case, you might want to spend as little money as possible.

A standard ticket is 14 euros and a reduced ticket is 7 (although I am not sure what gives you this discount). However, if you are student between the ages of 18-25, you can get in free. You do have to show your student card, but I had no problems using my uni card from the UK. Furthermore, the museum is free for all should you visit during the last 2 hours before closing on any day. This might work nicely for anyone who wants to go, simply in order to say that they have been.

Although, do bear in mind that it gets very busy on the weekends. Likewise, it is also quite crowded during the holidays so might want to prepare for a queue. You can always buy tickets online in advance to skip the queues, but if you would like a keepsake (like I do) and get a pretty ticket, head to the front desk.

It is easy enough to get to. Walking from the city centre is a perfectly reasonable idea (maybe 20 minutes from Puerta Del Sol) and in doing so you get to enjoy the wonders of the city. But if you are further out, the closest metro stations are Atocha and Banco de Espana.

You’ll know it when you see it: not only is it well sign-posted, there are normally some very big crowds (just follow them). And the architecture is just amazing! I would say just look for the stunning building but there are too many of these in Madrid to count.

Another thing to note is that if you have a particularly big bag, you must check it in to the cloakroom. This is not really a problem but once you have just entered the museum having waited in line for some time, it is kind of frustrating when you discover that you have to wait in line to check in a bag. They give you a card and when you hand it back you can retrieve your things. It is actually much nicer walking around with little baggage so I would suggest do this even if you do not have huge bag.

Finally, as every good museum should have, the café in the Prado is excellent. It has a very pleasant atmosphere and offers a variety of food and beverages – although these are at museum prices. It is a nice area though to sit for a little, either before or after your tour. I would suggest maybe have a cup of tea (like a true Englishman) beforehand, so you can use the time to plan where you’d like to go.

But, still it’s up to you. Hope this have been useful, if you have visited the Prado/going to the Prado, let me know what you think of it.

Hasta luego.

The rain in Spain

The rain in Spain falls mainly on Santander.

TOC Hostels - Madrid

Finding the right hotel or hostel is a challenge for anyone: it means hours of searching the internet, reading reviews and using google maps to judge if the location is good with regards to travelling around. But when you are a lonely traveller, the challenge becomes even more difficult. You have to scope out a potential places paying close attention, especially to security as you will be by yourself and chances are, you are a backpacker with your entire belongings in one bag.

My advice is to be sensible, of course, but don’t be put off by hostels with dorms. If anything I think these are the best places for lonely travellers. Generally, you get to meet others who are in the same boat. And, if the place understands its market, the security should be great.

At least this was the case for me. I have stayed in several hostels (and fortunately, I have no horror stories) but I have to particularly recommend TOC Hostels: where I stayed in Madrid.  

Firstly, their security is great. There is no curfew, meaning you can come and go whenever you like, but there is always someone on the front desk so you already feel safe. Moreover, keys and key cards are a thing of the past. This hostel takes your finger print when you check in, and that is all you need to enter your room. There is a scanner on the door and only those whose fingerprints correspond to those staying in the room are allowed in. Needless to say, this made me feel very safe. Not just because only certain people could enter but also because I did not have to worry about losing a key when I was out and about.

Moreover, concerning your luggage, each room/dorm has a locker for each bed. And the lockers are very spacious being big enough for a backpacker’s bag and then some.

There is also some space in your bunk to keep the things you want to be closest to you. Here, there is also a light and a plug socket just for you – although if you are from abroad, do remember an adaptor!

The bunk itself is very comfy with a basic pillow and duvet. But most importantly, it is very clean. In fact, the whole place is very clean and hygienic – even in the bathroom!

The showers were good, although I would say that the water is either very hot or very cold (at least during my stay).

 One thing to note is that on arrival you have to put down a 10euro cash deposit for the sheets to make up your bed – which are obligatory to have. This wasn’t really a problem for me, as you do receive the money back when you return the sheets but I hadn’t realised, and luckily I had cash on me, otherwise I might have had to trawl the streets for an ATM.

That said the staff are very friendly and accommodating. The guy on the front desk was very pleasant and I know he spoke perfect English as I heard him speaking to other guests. But that didn’t stop him from speaking to me in Spanish – which I loved. Quite often, when people realise you are English-speaking, they immediately switch to English, which I appreciate but do not want. I am trying to learn Spanish and it can be quite difficult when people insist on talking to you in English because they can. I think this guy understood, and every time we passed, he would always chat in Casetllano with me.

The front-desk also offer a number of things that you might want to rent e.g. towels, hairdryers etc. You have to put down a deposit of some amount, but you do not have to pay for them.

Similarly, you can pay for breakfast if you want but it is not necessary. I paid the 4euros for the breakfast buffet a couple of times, and that was great too. Basic but with lots of variety: cold meats, fruits and pastries. And there is a kitchen, with microwave, oven, and large fridges for you to store and cook your own food if you want.

The kitchen/common area is very clean and spacious. There is a pool table and a bar which is open in the evening.  Furthermore, the décor is very stylish and modern making you feel completely at ease. The bar area is a nice place to sit quietly, or to chat with people, especially if you want to kill a bit of time.

The location is excellent as well. The hostel is located just off Puerta del Sol and is in easy walking distance of many attractions such as the Royal Palace, the Cathedral and the Avenue of Art. If you are planning to go somewhere further out, the metro station is just a few minutes walk away.

Finally, the price was not bad. Especially for the quality of the hostel: I paid 50 euros for 4 nights, in a mixed 6-bed dorm. There are private rooms that you can pay more for, but I would say that these are more like hotel prices. The cost also varies depending on the time of year, and I don’t like to think what the prices would be like in peak season.

Overall, this hostel was a great stay and would I would certainly stay there again. In fact I am – I liked it so much that I booked the hostel in Barcelona for a few weeks time. I hope it is just as nice there as it is in Madrid.

Here is a link to the TOC Hostel website if you fancy looking at it: http://tochostels.com/

Reasons to love Madrid

Last Friday I took a very early bus from Santander to Madrid. The journey was 5 hours long but totally worth. Not just because I was able to see some wonderful friends from university, but I also was able to tour the capital city which I love. I have been to Madrid before, and this time round wasn’t any less exciting than the first. In my opinion, Madrid is one of the greatest cities in the world with some sort of sparkle that makes it stand out from the rest. While walking through the hustle and bustle, I realised that I could quite happily live there, as many people do. But, I understand why: there are so many reasons to live (or at least visit) Madrid.

1.     Location: Not only is Madrid at the centre of many social and business affairs, it is also, quite literally at the centre of Spain. The capital city is located right in the middle of the country making it relatively easy to get to … well, anywhere. If you are someone who likes to explore different places, then Madrid is a pretty good base for you. Even the furthest distances tend to be pretty similar, and thus the time needed to complete the journey tends be the same.

From Santander (which is undeniably one of the most Northern parts of Spain), it is about a 5 hour bus drive to get to Madrid. And even though you can get a train, I have found that it is not worth it. There are frequent problems, and you often have to change and wait and change and wait making it a 5 hour journey anyway. That said, there are some places that are better connected than Santander. From Alicante, for instance, you can take a high speed train lasting just 2-2 ½ hours to reach the capital city.

And of course, Madrid itself is fantastic regarding transportation. The buses run regularly and, for the most part, smoothly docking at Avenida de las Americas. The long distance trains run from Puerta de Atocha station, running all over the country. And the airport is easy to get to and offers many low fare flights for within Spain. Should you live in Madrid, but fancy that weekend away in Tenerife, it is relatively easy to do. Or at least in comparison with Santander.

The transportation for within Spain is also fantastic for both the tourist, and permanent resident. This brings me onto my second reasons to love Madrid.

2.     Metro: Madrid is a large metropolis, with many attractions scattered around. Sometimes, it can be slightly daunting when there seems to be so much to do in so little time. But, rest assured, the metro system is great. Most places have a Metro station close by, and generally, the trains run regularly. You can be where you want to be in the matter of minutes and orientating yourself around the stations is simple. There are lots of clear signs and maps to aid us tourists to all the major attractions.

3.     Museums: Some of the major attractions are, of course, the museums of Madrid. And you cannot miss the art museums – they are incredible, and you can find many of them along the Avenue of Art. There are a variety of galleries with many traditional collections and contemporary as well. Notably, there is The Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen-Bornemisza, all of which I would recommend. But you can’t miss the slightly less known art and history museums such as Museo Sorolla, the Archaeological museum and the Museum of the Americas.

If you are interested in neither history nor art, I would recommend paying a visit to these museums for the architecture alone.

4.     Architecture: The architecture of Madrid, in general, is incredible. As I said, the museums are exquisitely designed, and the Royal Palace and the Cathedral are great photo ops. Moreover, the Egyptian, Temple of Debod always turns a few heads and not only is interesting to learn about, it has fantastic views as well.  But you don’t have to go anywhere in particular in order to discover great architecture. Simply by walking through the streets, you will find beautiful buildings of all shapes and sizes. The Gran Via, for example, is a great place to shop whilst taking in the different architectural styles that came to Madrid in the 20^th century.

5.     Shopping:  Should you wish to go shopping during your time in Madrid, you certainly will not be disappointed. Of course there are the designer and the more costly brands, but there are many high street stores as well (as a uni student in debt, I elect for these). Of course, there are also many markets in Madrid during the week, all of which have a great atmosphere about them.  The city boasts the San Miguel Market and the El Rastro market which is said to be the biggest flea market in Europe. These are also good places to eat and discover the culinary delights of Spain.

6.     Food and drink: Spain, in my opinion, has some of the best food in the world. But, that is just my taste. It is pretty darn good though. Wine, Sangria, Tapas, and Paella … you just cannot miss these, stereotypical, but delicious foods and drinks whilst in Madrid. Especially when you can often enjoy them outside in the warm weather.

7.     Weather: it is kind of cliché, I know but when you are from the UK, you have a hard time not noticing the glorious sunshine. Granted, Madrid can get cold (there has even been snowfall this year) but in the spring and summer, it is wonderful and makes the trip just that much better. In particular, it makes your trip to the different parks and gardens just that more enjoyable.

8.     Parks and Gardens: Retiro park is one of my favourite places in the whole world. I cannot tell you why exactly, but there is something very special about it. The lake, and the crystal palace and all the monuments just make the park seems like some sort of wonderland. It is incredibly lovely to just wander through, and pass your time. Of course, this is not the only park of Madrid. The Parqe del Oeste, Casa de Campo (the largest urban park) and the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid are also worth a visit if you have time.

I am one happy bunny!

As you may have guessed, right now, I am one very happy bunny. I am heading to Madrid tomorrow to spend a long weekend, and that alone makes me very happy. What's more is that I get to spend this weekend with some very good uni friends plus a friend from Santander. I cannot wait, especially as I loved Madrid the last time I went and this time I get to visit all the places that I wasn't lucky enough to visit last time. This time round, I also get to spend a day in Toledo - I have the train tickets printed off and everything.

So, I really can't wait for tomorrow to come. And even though I will be sad to leave Madrid (again), I still have a lot to be excited for. In just a couple of weeks, my big sister is coming to visit me and just a few days after that I am going to go to Paris! 

And then (that's right - there is more), just a week or so after I get to go to Barcelona. I get to visit this city in addition to seeing Robbie Williams :)) But we'll talk more about that at a later date. 

I really can't wait! 

Hasta luego!