Madrid, Day 1

I made it safely to Madrid after a fairly easy flight over here. (Being pampered in business class sure does help, though I would not pay the extra thousands for the privilege of more comfy seats, better wine and a toiletries kit had I not been using miles.) Iberia's A-340 was beautiful. I waited a lot longer for my luggage than I should have, however.

I didn't sleep much on the plane, but think about this: We left Chicago at about 5 pm. The flight took a little less than 8 hours, for an arrival time of shortly before 8 am in Madrid. That's 1 am Chicago time, or about when this night owl would be going to bed anyway. So, naturally, I took a nap as soon as I got to my room.

I'm actually staying in a hostel for the whopping sum of 15 euros a night, which, given the current state of the dollar, is more money than it should have been. (The bureaux de change at the airport wanted $1.44 per euro, though I just took money out of an ATM at, presumably, a better rate.)

You read that correctly. After flying business class on an overseas flight, I am slumming it in a hostel. Only I would do something like that.

This place, the Mucho Madrid, is hidden away on the 7th floor of an office building on the Gran Via, a couple of blocks from Plaza de España. It's nice for what it is, with a very cool manager, an older guy named Luis who doesn't speak much English, but was nice enough to pop open a bottle of cava for us (that's Spain's answer to Champagne) last night. Free breakfast and wireless Internet are nice perks, too.

Most of the people staying here are American, including some kid who was sporting a Bush-Cheney 2004 hat. I'm sure that will make him lots of friends in Europe. I brought a Roots Team Canada hat given to me as a bitter reminder of the hockey results from the Salt Lake Olympics. I haven't had to break it out just yet. I think the fact that I do ask people if they speak English instead of just arrogantly assuming helps this (hopefully) non-ugly American who doesn't speak Spanish.

Madrid itself is quite spectacular. The many pedestrian-only streets around Plaza Mayor—walking distance from the hostel—and the stores along them are packed like nothing I've ever seen anywhere except Manhattan. The area is still decorated for the holidays. Among the attractions is the Museo del Jamón, or Ham Museum. No, I did not go in.

I did, however, make it over to the Reina Sofia Museum yesterday, and saw Picasso's Guernica, as well as a special exhibition of Dali's work in honor of his centennial, which was in 2004. Terrific stuff. Apparently, I just missed a temporary Roy Liechtenstein exhibit.

The museum is noteworthy for its Louvre-like bit of modernism on the exterior: two glass-enclosed columns of elevators added to the front of the building so as not to gut the interior to make it handicapped-accessible. At night, the illuminated columns are striking.

The Reina Sofia doesn't allow cameras inside, but I took plenty of pictures of the outside and of the Madrid streetscape, particularly around Plaza Mayor.

I stopped for tapas last night. I suppose I could have found a better place, but you can't beat the value: a salad, a beer and two hot dishes for less than 9 euros. Plus, it was about 9 pm and I was tired and hungry.

Today, I'm going to try to make it to the Prado, something I would have done yesterday, except that it's closed on Mondays.

Hasta luego, or whatever it is they say here. E-mail me if you think about it.