On a visit to Madrid you can expect tapas, sangria, maybe even some flamenco dancing, and… a stroll through an ancient Egyptian temple? Yes, that’s right, There’s an Ancient Egyptian temple in Madrid, located in the heart of the city. The Templo de Debod is a 4th-century B.C. Ptolemaic temple reconstructed atop a hill. This remarkable … [Read more…]
While Spain still has a monarchy, it is a constitutional monarchy, and, much like Queen Elizabeth, King Juan Carlos I, who has ruled since 1975, holds very little real power. The Spanish royal family lacks much of the celebrity of the British Royals, though the Crown Prince, Felipe, does manage to occasionally make headlines, especially … [Read more…]
After twelve days of wading through rubbish and planning walks to avoid being upwind of the smelliest trash piles, there’s filthy good news for the residents of Madrid. Madrid has appointed government workers to clean the streets while regular street cleaners and unions work out a deal. This is a Madrid sanitation strike update that … [Read more…]
Living in the vibrant shopping district of Calle Fuencarral means walks past chic boutiques, designer stores and quaint Spanish balconies. For nearly the past two weeks, my daily walks have also included dodging thigh-high piles of trash, kicking broken beer bottles and watching the ballet of plastic bags and paper waste float through the air in … [Read more…]
El Parque del Buen Retiro is one of the largest, and certainly the most famous, public parks in Madrid. The Spanish capital’s equivalent of New York’s Central Park, provides city dwellers a chance to connect with nature on a smaller scale. Formerly a park for the Spanish monarchy, the park still contains much regal charm. … [Read more…]
I finally have finished telling the story of my three week trek through France and Italy and can now share some stories from Madrid, the city I have been living in for the past two months, teaching English at an elementary school. Madrid is located in the middle of Spain (the geographical center of the … [Read more…]
“You’re too pretty for Halloween.” This is what student after student and teacher after teacher told me as I graced the halls of the Spanish Elementary School where I work, clad in my Snow White costume to celebrate Halloween in Spain, one of my favorite holidays. “Blanca Nieves?” the alumnos questioned in Spanish, “this is … [Read more…]