A wander from Atotcha up to the Plaza Santa Ana this morning shows that, despite myriad changes, Madrid is still the same old Madrid, and Spain is still fantastically Spanish… Much of what I saw reminded me of the city as I first found it, 12 years ago…
Here a lottery seller stands in the Paseo del Prado, the week’s previous results pinned to the tree behind him:
And still the bright red, back-breaking Bombonas (gas bottles) are a viable source of city energy in 2011… Fiambres (ham, chorizo etc) and Frutos Secos (nuts) are a viable source of human energy too!
Nacional products, like these walnuts, are still considered to be highly superior:
Spot the odd can out (hint, by Heinz!):
Posters on a closed-down fish market advertise a protest organised under the slogan “Joventud Sin Futuro – Sin Casa, Sin Curro, Sin Pensión, Sin Miedo” (Youth without a future – no house, no work, no pension, no fear):
The walk was roughly this:
More good stuff: Did you catch yesterday’s podcast?
Thanks. Food and travel…
I have really enjoyed your content over the past few days. I will be vacationing in Spain starting tomorrow so it is really well timed for me! Thanks so much!
Thanks, and have a great trip!
Did you stop off at Chocolat on Calle de Santa Maria for Churros con Chocolate?
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=3127976903326720874&q=Chocolat+Bar&hl=en&dtab=5&sll=40.416691,-3.700345&sspn=0.453654,0.377319&ie=UTF8&ll=40.414003,-3.698305&spn=0,0&z=18
No, i missed that! Looks lovely!
LOVE this post! I know that walk quite well and it makes me yearn to be in Spain right now!
Thank you so much, Ben! I’m going back to Madrid next month for the first time in 18 years. I’ve hoped and prayed that the Spanishness is still there, and your post affirms that it is!
It’s definitely still there, the funny thing is that after so much time I’d stopped seeing it for a while!
Just got to say that I’m thrilled that the Notes from Spain blog and podcast has resumed!!! Thanks Ben and Marina!!
Thanks to you too Graham!
Loved seeing these photos; I can’t wait to visit Spain again. Thanks for sharing them.
Hi Ben, Nice to see its not lost its charms, I am thinking of moving to spain soon but have heard the cost of living is going up, and obviously lots of people are struggling as they are protesting. Is it hard for most Brits to make ends meet ?
It can be hard I guess if you don’t have a good idea of what you are going to do before you move out – but lots of Brits do very well here, be it from English teaching or starting their own business – good luck!