Madrid

I’ll move here. Or at least Madrid will be definitely on the list of candidates.

Everything here is simple and falls into place – let me explain to you the first few hours I spent in Madrid. Then judge on your own:

My train arrives fully on time. A fresh breeze surrounds me on the platform. I follow the signs to the metro – extremely simple to find. At the station I buy a tourist ticket for the next two days – Madrid is a big city and I want to ensure that I can move around and explore everything. At my stop a young guy helps me to carry my bag over the staircase – without asking him, without making a big fuzz. I arrive at Tierso de Molino – fully in the centre of Madrid. In front of me there are flower stalls, the sun shines bright, the sound of laughter fills the air of the busy square. I take a few steps to my hostel and pass by a hip scenery of full of creative shops and tapasbars. At my accommodation I am warmly welcomed, I receive a city map and a full description of the best sights and districts. I put my bag into the room – although it is a dorm shared with 5 other people it is quiet and clean – then I start to explore the neighborhood by foot. I walk from one great area to the next, from sight to sight, granting myself some tapas and red wine every now and then, enjoying the atmosphere and watch the people around me. Much later I realize that I managed to walk more than 10 km through the city. It is already dark and it’s about time for dinner. In a tiny tapas bar I find what I was looking for: grilled peppers and fried anchovies – simple Tapas but the taste is beautifully intensive. Afterwards I return to my hostel and fall in a deep happy sleep.

N.B.: I never used the ticket for the metro.

Two warnings at the end:

• If you travel to Madrid, please travel with empty bags – the shopping facilities here are unbelievable
• Please take care of pickpockets in the metro – luckily I catched the sneaky lady when she tried to open my backpack

xoxo anita