On arriving in Madrid, I booked into the Arco Iris Campsite on the city outskirts and biked into the centre. I was assured by the owner that it only took 30 minutes to get to the city centre by "bike" but it turned out that he presumed I meant "motorbike". He chuckled when I eventually got home to the campsite but I was freezing and ready to lamp him one for that error - 2 hours each way if you travel by pedals!
That said, I had a good day in the city where I made a bit of a tour of the sporting arenas. The Bernabau and Vincente Calderon football stadiums - home to Real and Atletico Madrid respectively - were first on the list in the hope that I could get tickets for a weekend match but I was unable to get tickets for Spain's biggest footballing fixture (Real Madrid vs Barcelona) as tickets were a jaw-dropping €300-€800 while AthIetico Madrid were playing away.
I was able to watch the big game on the big screen with a group of around 100 Barca fans who were wipped up into a frenzy after their 3-1 win - a fun night with lots of chanting which I couldn't really understand. I also visited the Plaza De Toros, Spains biggest bullfighting ring although all the shows were unfortunately long finished for the winter.
The city, as you may expect by now, is home to some grand old buildings and top of the list is the king's Real Palicio, complete with all the trimmings which go with a royal palace. I am ashamed to say that the parades of tourists and the high entry costs reduced me to a wander through the royal gardens and a peer through the railings though.
Next door to the palace is the snappily named Cathedral De Nuestra Senora De La Almudena - a big grey building with a startingly loud bell which is less than 20 years old.
The centre of town is arguably just as grand where they have crammed in as many "Plaza's" as possible. The biggest, Plaza Mayor, is currently a huge but tacky Christmas market while just down the road, the Town Hall is still a major draw in the middle of the shopping district and is full of pickpockets (I spotted at least two at work) and the normal fancy dress people exploiting tourists.
Arguably my favourite place in the city was the rural Parque Mardrid - a huge green paradise of grass, trees, lakes and monuments. It really is a peaceful place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the packed roads and swarming pavements. There was even a cheerful old man rollerblading in circles and grooving out to the busker on the saxophone.
A huge mention (although no photgraphs I am afraid to say) must go to Madrid's excellent art museums too. Timed right: the Graphic Art Museum (free on Friday), Museo Del Prado and Reina Sofia Arte Centre (free on Sunday) are all worthy of a look.
Grooving old man without a care in the world
Finally we come to the newly developed area by the Manzanares River. This region, like the park, is a great place to unwind from the city life with a lot of new development of the land into prime jogging and dog-walking territory. There also seems to be a new children's play area about every 30 metres. A little further down the river brings you to the ancient Egyptian Temple Of Debod, a pretty series of arches set in the water. It looks much better at night than on a dull winter's day.
Despite some transport issues and some truly naff weather, Madrid is a worthy place to visit in the wintertime and would undoubtedly be much better in the warmer months. Much like in the football though, it seems destined to always play second fiddle to vibrant Barcelona and I know which one I would want to return to the most.
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