2006 retirement tripSpain March 22 to April 7

Madrid first visit

Wednesday 22 March, 2006 We arrived in Madrid from Frankfurt after flying overnight from Chicago. We checked into the Agumar Hotel (circled) which is very near Atocha Station. Madrid was less cold than Chicago but still cold.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 After a shower, we headed for Atocha Station. Repsol is well known in MotoGP for sponsoring the factory Hondas.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 We were immediately taken by Spanish architecture on Paseo Reina Cristina, the street in which our hotel was located.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Ancient brickwork which had been added to over (perhaps) centuries.
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Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Atocha station. This is where the terrorist attack took place just over two years previously. The attack killed 191 people and injured another 1755.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Al Qaeda was not directly responsible but the Spanish people connected it with support for the "war on terror". A Morrocan was charged with the attack in 2007; 12 months after our visit. Here, we're crossing the road to the station.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Atocha station is like central station is to us. It has suburban Madrid trains and intercity trains. We came to the station to learn where and when to catch our train to Sevilla the next day.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 These tropical gardens are inside Atocha station. A feature of Madrid is its wonderful public gardens which are maintained to the highest level. The clock shows the time as being 12:25 PM.
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Wednesday 22 March, 2006 At the station, everything was in English and Spanish. The AVE train personnel spoke English as well. As for your regular Spaniard though; no English at all. This made the trip very difficult especially at the ticket offices of trains and buses.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 We decided to find the hotel in which we were to stay on our return to Madrid on April 13. This is part of the Ministry of Agriculture, our first exposure to Madrid's grand public buildings.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 The centrepiece of the Ministry of Agriculture building. It was constructed in 1893 as the Ministry of Public Works and Economy.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Ornate statues decorate the Ministry of Agriculture building. The building is directly opposite Atocha station..
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Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Plaza del Emperador Carlos V. This square is dedicated to the man who, as Carlos I, was ruler of the Spanish Empire from 1516 and, as Carlos V, Emporer of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 until his voluntary retirement in 1556.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 As the heir of three of Europe's leading dynasties (including the House of Habsburg), Carlos V ruled over extensive domains in Central, Western, and Southern Europe; and the Spanish colonies in North, Central, and South America, the Caribbean and Asia.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 We then walked up Plaza del Prado which is one of Madrid's main arteries. On summer weekends, these stalls would open and be selling all kinds of local art works.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 We were continually impressed with the magnificent architecture, so different to our own glass and steel edifiices.
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Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Walking north up Paseo del Prado.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Cold but comparitively warm after Chicago.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 The five lanes heading towards Atocha have a special bus lane that can be used by motor bikes and scooters as well.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Magnificent, rich colours. Don Quixote and Sancho Panza in the centre.
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Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Further up the Paseo, we saw a group of workers having a protest march. We saw this quite often on our trip to Spain. Looks like everyone is having a good time.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 The coffin no doubt signifies the death of some industry or benefit.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Police were in attendance to keep the protest orderly.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 We then left the Paseo del Prado and wound our way into the smaller streets looking for our hotel. Miguel Cervantes is honoured here.
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Wednesday 22 March, 2006 The architecture is mind blowing. We particularly liked the wrought iron balconies that feature so heavily in this older part of Madrid.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 We were now in what appeared to be the Government sector. We think this was a news conference about a treaty that had been signed with a separatist movement.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Police outside of Congreso de los Diputados - the diputados are the elected MP's -politicians - where the announcement is to be made.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Our hotel for our return trip - the Vincci Soho.
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Wednesday 22 March, 2006 A very nice restaurant near the hotel. We ate here on our return visit.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 Our hotel for next time.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 We took a leaflet that advertised cheap cafeteria eats so we decided to head there. Around about now, two thugs followed us but Jenni spotted them. They were looking to steal our cameras that we had on display.
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 Wednesday 22 March, 2006 When they knew they had been spotted, a young thug charged at me and spat all over me. We quickly went inside a nearby restaurant but they didn't follow us in. We had dinner and returned to our hotel; night time now. END OF OUR STOPOVER IN MADRID Sevilla next.
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SevillaNext: Sevilla
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