Like sands through the hourglass, these are the days of our lives.
Madrid is a funny city. Indeed, I have a feeling that it is not just Madrid, but all of Spain that I would feel this way about, if only I had seen all of Spain. As it is, I have explored a fair amount of Madrid city, and some of the surrounding cities and towns when A and I take to the car for a weekend adventure.
There are things you just simply must, or cannot, do here in Madrid. The Ten Commandments of Madrid, if you will. Ahh to hell, I'll just say 'Spain' until I am proven otherwise.
For example. A food related example, of course.
One must not eat a meal without a glass of wine, or beer (weather permitting). I swear every time I eat out and order an agua con gas I get the strangest looks from waitstaff, and the occasional "vino? cereveza?" and when I say "no, gracias" they shake their heads slightly and walk off muttering to themselves. I get a similar response at the end of the meal, which leads me into my next Commandment...
One cannot possibly finish a meal without dessert, or at the very least, coffee. For real. More head shaking, more confusion, and most often - arguing with me that I should have dessert. Explaining the dessert menu to me again, as if this will somehow change my mind and entice me to the dark, sugary side. I understand lunch is the biggest meal of the day. I also understand it is breaking their brains for me to pay for something I am not consuming (a typical menú del día is a set price for 3 courses plus drinks) but I am OK with that. It is still a bargain, as far as I'm concerned, to have two courses plus drinks for around €10.
More examples...
One must not ever be overly polite and/or outwardly enthusiastic or joyful about life. Seriously. Don't smile too much at people or you'll be treated like a leper with women pulling their small children out of your reach and others blatantly giving you the suspicious stink-eye. Similarly, using phrases such as 'thank you very much' or 'please' or hell even too many words will garner you suspicious looks from waitstaff, in particular. The Spanish tend to bark their orders as opposed to convey them. In Australia: "I'll have a glass of the Printhe Riesling, please". In Spain: "vino blanco". I say to hell with that, and usually add "por favour", because, well, I wasn't raised in a fucking barn. It does, however, make it fairly easy for non-Spanish speakers to be able to effectively communicate their needs without learning too many words.
I really have warmed to my new home though, despite the weather doing the opposite, and find I don't really miss Brisbane that much. I miss some things of course, the convenience of having several brands of an item available without any real searching; my parents, my cat, my mates. But A and I have created a new life together, a new family, and I have started making new friends and enjoying Madrid for all its quirks and hidden secrets. It is humbling and fascinating to be living in a city that is practically ancient by Australian standards; brimming with history - testaments to which can be seen in nearly every village you drive through (or visit!) in the form of 800 year old churches, thousand year old stone walls.. Europe is so old it can make your teeth hurt when you think about it long enough. I feel I will never discover enough of her secrets, but I am content at the pace in which A and I explore the countryside, gently getting to know small village after small village. It is a very different life to the one I left behind, but not at all one I'm unhappy about. I do love my new life, my new home, my new family.
Till next time,
M x
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
A weekend in Paris
Wow I have been a slack tart. So we went to Paris end of May (whoops, it's October..) and had an absolutely delightful three day getaway together. I booked a bed & breakfast in Bastille, and every morning at 8am we were treated to a gorgeous picnic basket full of freshly baked bread, croissants, jam, butter (OH HOW I HAVE MISSED THEE), yoghurt and fruit, ham, boiled eggs and cheese. What a fantastic way to start the day.
It was a lot colder in Paris than I had anticipated - so take note dear reader: if you wish to visit Paris in May you'll need something a lot warmer than a cotton skirt and linen jacket. Or, you could just do what we did, and go shopping. Gloves, scarf and trench coat later, and I wasn't shivering and shaking uncontrollably and could actually appreciate the beauty of the city.
Day one, we thought we'd walk down to Notre Dame and view the cathedral in all her splendour; I had read about her and also wanted to visit the catacombs and see the historical artefacts on display. We quickly discovered that 10am is far too late to start heading to the cathedral, as the lines were wrapped around the whole building and then across one of the bridges. I'm sure most of you who know me know this: I don't do queues. Unless it's Disneyland in which case bring on the hour long line to the Indian Jones ride! So we circled around the cathedral and gardens, taking photos, absorbing the atmosphere, and then traversed one of the quaint stone bridges to the other side of the river again, and walked for hours along the riverbank, quietly holding hands and just simply enjoying the atmosphere.
One of the many things I love about A is that he's about as interested in art museums/galleries as I am, so we skipped that option and took to roaming the narrow cobblestone streets, poking our noses into little shops and getting a feel for the city outside of the tourist hotspots. We did of course go and see the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe and many other items on the usual 'must do' list of Paris, but the moments I remember most fondly are the simple ones; the incredibly stylish Parisian woman walking past with her tiny little dog (also stylishly dressed); the girl on the bike lazily cycling past with a baguette under her arm (for real); and countless other "you're not in Kansas anymore" moments.
From the whole three days in Paris, the one thing I remember most fondly is - surprise - the food. I had done some solid research before we left, and booked us into two highly recommended restaurants close to our hotel. They were exceptional. One was a degustation-only menu that I will remember to the day I die I'm sure, it was that good; and the other was an intimate dining experience where your Chef is also your waiter and he is incredibly passionate about his business which of course leads to an excellent dining experience. We ate our way around Paris, basing our daytime meals on mother's recommendations, and for the most part, she was spot-on. We did stop off at Angelina for their infamous hot chocolate and dessert - it was a disappointment of epic proportions. The hot chocolate had that weird not-quite-chocolate taste and the dessert was mostly whipped cream, but I suppose the thing that made us gasp the most was the price tag. €30-something for a coffee, a hot chocolate, a water and this tiny dessert. GOOD LORD.
Paris is an interesting city. I believe we barely scratched the surface of what makes her tick, but I think we did get a good taste (literally and metaphorically) of her essence. If opportunity arises in the future for us to go back and spend some more time in Paris, or broader France - I wouldn't hesitate to say yes.
Blessed Be
M x
It was a lot colder in Paris than I had anticipated - so take note dear reader: if you wish to visit Paris in May you'll need something a lot warmer than a cotton skirt and linen jacket. Or, you could just do what we did, and go shopping. Gloves, scarf and trench coat later, and I wasn't shivering and shaking uncontrollably and could actually appreciate the beauty of the city.
Day one, we thought we'd walk down to Notre Dame and view the cathedral in all her splendour; I had read about her and also wanted to visit the catacombs and see the historical artefacts on display. We quickly discovered that 10am is far too late to start heading to the cathedral, as the lines were wrapped around the whole building and then across one of the bridges. I'm sure most of you who know me know this: I don't do queues. Unless it's Disneyland in which case bring on the hour long line to the Indian Jones ride! So we circled around the cathedral and gardens, taking photos, absorbing the atmosphere, and then traversed one of the quaint stone bridges to the other side of the river again, and walked for hours along the riverbank, quietly holding hands and just simply enjoying the atmosphere.
One of the many things I love about A is that he's about as interested in art museums/galleries as I am, so we skipped that option and took to roaming the narrow cobblestone streets, poking our noses into little shops and getting a feel for the city outside of the tourist hotspots. We did of course go and see the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe and many other items on the usual 'must do' list of Paris, but the moments I remember most fondly are the simple ones; the incredibly stylish Parisian woman walking past with her tiny little dog (also stylishly dressed); the girl on the bike lazily cycling past with a baguette under her arm (for real); and countless other "you're not in Kansas anymore" moments.
From the whole three days in Paris, the one thing I remember most fondly is - surprise - the food. I had done some solid research before we left, and booked us into two highly recommended restaurants close to our hotel. They were exceptional. One was a degustation-only menu that I will remember to the day I die I'm sure, it was that good; and the other was an intimate dining experience where your Chef is also your waiter and he is incredibly passionate about his business which of course leads to an excellent dining experience. We ate our way around Paris, basing our daytime meals on mother's recommendations, and for the most part, she was spot-on. We did stop off at Angelina for their infamous hot chocolate and dessert - it was a disappointment of epic proportions. The hot chocolate had that weird not-quite-chocolate taste and the dessert was mostly whipped cream, but I suppose the thing that made us gasp the most was the price tag. €30-something for a coffee, a hot chocolate, a water and this tiny dessert. GOOD LORD.
Paris is an interesting city. I believe we barely scratched the surface of what makes her tick, but I think we did get a good taste (literally and metaphorically) of her essence. If opportunity arises in the future for us to go back and spend some more time in Paris, or broader France - I wouldn't hesitate to say yes.
Blessed Be
M x
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