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We’re Robert and Lindsay. We planned our first trip together to Guadalajara just a few days after we started dating. Since that first trip, we’ve always been on the go. Robert proposed in Paris, and we married last summer in Mijas, Spain. Speaking of Spain, We’ve spent the past two years living there and teaching English: one year in Segovia and the next in Burgos. Our travels have taken us from dancing in Cairns in Scotland to pilgrimages in Israel. We’ve cat-sat through the middle of the Swedish winter and we’ve painted fences to stay in a luxury villa in Tuscany. We have a taste for both luxury and for the unconventional. Got questions? Ask us.
We’ve said it before: we’re not too keen on street performers. Well, Robert kind of likes them…it’s just the scary Sponge Bobs and Doras that get to us. And the bird whistling clown heads lunging at you from under tables aren’t on the top of the list either.
But on our most recent trip to Madrid, we got up close and personal with this amazing alien look alike. It was also terrifying but in a good way.
Living in small-town Spain has its perks, but every now and then the city beckons. We recently had the opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with Madrid. Here are the things we enjoyed most (and that you can’t get in the boonies.)
While in Europe I’ve come across some good music. I would like to share three artists from each country I’ve been to. Some are popular internationally, others only in their home country, but they all deserve a listen. First up, the country where we live now, Spain:
Paco de Lucía:
Guitar virtuoso, flamenco ambassador, general badass and a true national treasure, Paco de Lucia, has created the furious soundtrack one hears when thinking of Spain since the 70s. His precise finger picking accompanied by lightning quick fretwork have made de Lucia one of the most famous personalities in the flamenco and music world. Most recently, his song, Entre Dos Aguas, made Javier Bardem cry in Vicky, Christina Barcelona. Here you can hear the sublime Concerto de Aranjuez, written by Joaquin Rodrigo. A quick note on the composer: in Stevie Wonderesque fashion, Rodrigo, a blind piano master thought it would be cool to write a concerto for guitar, this became his most famous work by far:
Estopa:
Probably the most famous contemporary band in Spain, Estopa embraces flamenco guitar and singing and gives them a rocking kick. Jose and David Muñoz are the brothers that make up the band with Jose belting out vocals that sound like an Andalucian Tom Waits. The band’s cross-generational appeal mirrors the nostalgic yet modern sound they have. Here is La Primavera, the song that was heard everywhere at this time last year throughout the country:
Andres Segovia:
Yes, I’m including another solo guitarist in this list because Segovia was the Man. His beautiful renditions of Bach and Mozart gave credence to the guitar as a worthy classical music instrument. Segovia performed into his 80s here is a great video in which the octogenarian is precisely performing the classic song Leyenda inside of the Alhambra. Money.
Both this year and last year, Robert have spent our fair share of time passing through Madrid (mostly through Barajas Airport, the metro, and various bus and train stations). As we were usually jetlagged, just leaving on vacation, or just returning from vacation, I have to say, we really never gave Madrid a fair chance. While we would try to give it a layover day, even staying overnight, Madrid just never did it for us.
Until now. A few months ago, one of our AirBnB guests, Joan, mentioned that he’s often away from his primely situated apartment in Madrid; he’d love to let us stay there when he’s away on business, which occured often.
While grateful for the offer, we shook Joan’s hand and didn’t give it much of a second thought. I know I personally have a habit of not following through on offering things like lending books or CDs, so I didn’t get my hopes up that someone would actually be so kind as to lend his entire home to us for free. Well, Joan is different.
We were delighted when he emailed us a few weeks later to tell us he’d be out of town and would mail us his keys. We actually got to spend two whole weekends in Madrid as a result. (Thanks, Joan!)
And thus began our love affair with Madrid…more to come on why we love Madrid tomorrow.
I mean, the Constitution of this country was written 200 years ago. The house I was living in in Madrid is 350 years old! America is still a project, and you guys are working on it and bringing new things to it every day. That is beautiful to watch.
Well, your bags are packed and you’re ready to go…or are you? Wondering where and what you should eat/sleep/drink/explore while in Berlin?
Join us for the #YouthHotSpotsGermany Twitter Chat next Monday 27 May at 17:30 CEST. Along with travel blogger Lindsay Pond, a variety of street savvy locals will be discussing the best hot spots in Berlin.
To participate, simply follow the hashtag #YouthHotSpotsGermany. Lindsay (@better0rwurst) will be asking a series of questions about the best places to visit in Berlin. Feel free to chime in using our hashtag – or just take notes from the locals’ suggestions!
This past February, we made our way south to Granada to explore its traditional neighborhood, the Albaícin, as well as the ancient Moorish palace, the Alhambra. One of our favorite places in Granada is the Mirador San Nicolas, where we spotted these two musicians playing flamenco, which is the soundtrack of our video. Oh, and a great tip for Granada: when you order a beer, it usually comes with a free tapa. (If only this were so in all parts of Spain!)
Well, today is International Museum Day…much to my chagrine, this did not mean that all the museums in town were open for free. (Although our fair city of Burgos is having La Noche Blanca next week.)
So to celebrate, we decided to make a list of our favorite museums from our travels:
Imperial War Museum, London, UK
Perfect for a (typically) rainy day in London, this free museum is dedicated to the military history of Britain and the Commonwealths from World War I onwards. It’s beautifully curated and perfect for anyone (boy) who love planes, cannons and swords. Of course, It also goes far beyond this, covering war propaganda, the blitzkrieg, espionage, and much more.
Vasa Museum, Stockholm, Sweden
The story of the Vasa is a glorious one: built in haste to keep up with King Gustavus Adolphus’ war, the Vasa sunk 20 minutes into its maiden voyage (too little ballast for too many gun decks). Even more fascinating is the story of its excavation over 300 years after it sank. While it’s not free, they do have student discounts. And it’s well worth the price.
El Prado, Madrid, Spain
Amidst the Velascos, the Grecos, and the 1000+ other great classical works, you’ll find one of our favorite paintings: Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights, a triptych with three panels showing the Garden of Eden, the Garden of Earthly Delights, and most grotesquely and compellingly…Hell. (If you’re in the neighborhood, hop over to the Reina Sofia to check out Picasso’s Guernica).
East Side Gallery, Berlin, Germany
It’s one of the last few remaining bits of the Berlin wall, now covered in murals by artists from all over the world as a memorial to freedom. Need we say more?
The Holocaust History Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
Photo by David Basulto, CC License BY-SA
Gripping, painful, unforgettable. This is not an easy experience; take your time and perhaps leave your day following the museum open for reflection. Although covering a devastating era in human history, there are some testimonies and artifacts that gave hope. The children’s memorial offers a particularly poignant and emotional end to museum.
Speaking of museums, what are some of your favorites? We’d love suggestions!
It was late in the afternoon as our caravan rolled up to a small, shabby hotel outside Merzouga. Our driver had forewarned us to buy water and snacks at the gas station two hours prior, as there wo…
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Day tripping! If you find yourself in Madrid for a few days a quick trip to Toledo is in order. To get there, go to the Plaza Eliptica metro stop in Madrid to buy your tickets. Some websites say its in the Mendoza Alvaro stop, but as we learnt the hard way, you will only be turned away if you look for the tickets there.
For only about 5 euros each way you get to go to a city that is thousands of years old and has been inhabited by Romans, Christians, Jews and Muslims. The architecture reflects all three cultures and the locals are very proud to tell you a bit about their city.
Walk along the city walls, see the bullet holes that remain from the civil war, and explore the ancient synagogues.
If you like river cruises, Porto is as good a place as any to do it. Regardless of the company you choose, the cruise is only 10€. And you can sing I’m on a Boat the entire time.
The Dom Luís Bridge is probably the most well known of the five (or was it six) in Porto, probably because it’s the one that most pedestrians cross (it’s possible to walk both the top and bottom). It is often confused for an Eiffel work, but it was actually built by one of Eiffel’s protegés. Eiffel does have a bridge in Porto…it’s just further up the river.
At the bottom, you can see a few selfies of us in the Telifunicular. We thought we’d have a nice, semi-romantic journey down to the bodegas in our own car…unfortunately another awkwardly silent, mood-breaking tourist got in with us at the last minute and hogged the small window for taking photos the entire way down.
Getting close to Dos Clerigos.
I spy with my little eye…a seagull’s nest!
