Above: Madrid's emblem: El oso y el madroño (The bear and the madroño)
I played hooky on Friday to spend an extended weekend in Madrid with my Bhutanese friend, Tashi. We caught a Thursday evening train from Maastricht to Amsterdam, ready to fly out the next day with Vueling Airlines, a new low-cost carrier from Spain. The one-way train fare from Maastricht to Amsterdam was 16 euros per person, while the round-trip airfare came to 275 euros each.
Upon arriving in the Spanish capital early Friday morning, our first priority was to find a place to stay. We landed a room at Hostal La Perla Asturiana, just steps from the heart of the city at Puerta del Sol, for 96 euros for 2 nights.
Above left: Turkish dinner in Amsterdam with a couple of Tashi's friends
Above left: Tashi buying 2 single train tickets to Schiphol Airport (4.40 euros total)
Above: Arriving in the heart of Madrid
Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, home to the legendary Real Madrid football club, was high on our must-see list. Tashi is a devoted fan, thanks to her hero Raúl González, who plays for the team. Other big names on the roster included Beckham, Zidane, and Ronaldo. Admission was 9 euros per person, and I bought a Real Madrid crystal mug for 6 euros.
Food was (and always will be) a highlight of the trip. We savored Spanish omelette, sangria, chocolate con churros, gelato, and smoked meats - all in the span of a whirlwind weekend. The Spanish hot chocolate was thick, rich, and utterly divine - easily my favorite indulgence.
Madrid, the political and financial heart of Spain, is also a thriving hub for the arts. Museums, music, dance, and theater abound, offering endless options for things to see, do, and delight in.
The lifestyle vibe here is strong: leafy parks for leisurely strolls, bustling cafés and tapas bars for alfresco dining, and chic boutique shops for retail therapy. It's undeniably la dulce vida in Madrid. This vibrant city on the Iberian Peninsula was absolutely worth playing hooky for - though the weekend barely scratched the surface. She deserves a longer visit next time.
Above: Friday dinner of sangria and Spanish omelette ~ 10 euros
Above right: Chocolate con churros
Above left: The Museo del Prado, which housed paintings by Francisco Goya, including 'La Maja Vestida' (The Clothed Maja) and 'La Maja Desnuda' (The Nude Maja). Entrance: 6 euros; 2 bookmarks: 2.40 euros. Photography wasn't permitted.
Above right: @ Parque del Retiro (near the Museo del Prado)
(Above) Saturday dinner: Combinado de ahumados y jugo de naranja (a platter of smoked specialties and fresh orange juice) ~ 20 euros
Above: Final moments in Madrid - waiting for our flight home on Sunday
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