Madrid

[April 17-19, 25]

I have to say that our first impression of Madrid was less enthusiastic than that of Barcelona. While Barcelona seemed to have surprises down every small alley, Madrid had more of a big-city feel, with lots of wide roads, big buildings, and monumental structures. It was like the Beijing of Spain, only with fewer communist overtones. Luckily, our opinion was turned around over the days we spent in town, due mostly to the phenomenal art museums, a trip to a soccer match, and our friend Isaac.



The soccer match was probably the highlight of Madrid. As anyone from outside the United States would know, La Liga is home to some of the biggest names in soccer, including Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and the boy Beckham. We wanted to catch a match with some of the superstars, but since neither Real Madrid or Real Barcelona were playing in the towns we visited, we had to settle for Atletico Madrid, my new favorite team.

We arrived at the stadium in the early evening, caught up in the flow of the crowd through the streets. Tickets were only 30 euros for half-decent seats, rather than the advertised price through an online ticket agent of 120 euros. To show my support for the home team, my favorite team at that, I picked up one of the fashionable scarves sold outside. Wearing this banner, I was immediately spotted as a fan on the way home, questioned by passerbys about the score. Ah... "No entiendo!"

The game had a terrific atmosphere, with a very enthusiastic crowd that only occasionally resorted to expletives. Although the game ended in a 0-0 draw, lots of close shots kept the everyone on edge. The home team's performance deserved a round or two of their song. "Atleti, Atleti..."



All that cheering works up an appetite, even for the jamon bocadillos sold at the stadium. A much tastier option was the fried squid sandwich with mayo. It wasn't the most innovative meal we had in Spain, but it sure satisfies one's hunger. Thanks to Isaac for finding them for us, and for finding one of the best churro and chocolate shops in town.

While the soccer match was certainly the best part of our visit, the museums are what will bring me back to Madrid again. The Museo del Prado displays a tremendous array of works from the royal collections, much more than you can absorb in a day, including plenty of Goya, Velazquez, and El Greco. My favorite pieces had to be the so-called Black Paintings of Goya, originally painted on the walls of his house while he sunk into depression in his later years. Any one of them is fascinating in its own right, but to be surrounded by them on all sides, as the artist must have been in his home, really emphasizes their effect.

The other museum we visited was the Museo de Arte Reina Sofia, home to 20th and 21st century pieces of predominantly Spanish origin. Although I really enjoyed the Prado, the Reina Sofia galleries were much more in line with my artistic interests, and we spent a disappointingly small amount of time there given the size of the collection.

The biggest showpiece of the museum is Picasso's Guernica, an emphatic expression of the suffering during the Spanish civil war. The painting is displayed alongside dozens of studies for the work and photos of its execution, enriching the experience of viewing it immensely. The one strange thing about viewing it is that it's surrounded by a rail about four meters away from the painting, a barrier which one assumes it's okay to stand just behind. Nonetheless, the crowds gathered against the wall opposite the painting, presumably to allow more people to take in its beauty. I felt like a bit of a jerk doing it, but since one point of seeing a painting in person is, for me, appreciating it from different angles and distances, I stood right behind the rail, in front of all the polite people giving me dirty looks. To them I say, "Boo hoo."

Even better than all the Picasso, Miro, and Juan Gris stuff, and there was tons of it, was my exposure to a number of lesser known modern and post-modern artists of Spain. If anyone reading this is looking to buy paintings of this era for me, please e-mail and I'd be happy to supply a list of artists I'd like to hang in my home.