Saturday 16 June 2012

Madrid: A Slightly Biased Review

I've been back for just over a week now and I thought it was time I reflected on my first holiday P.P.P. (post P's passing).

My Amiga made sure to spend as much time with me as possible.  But let's face it, we've all got to earn a living, and some days she worked from 9am - 10pm, leaving me to entertain myself.  I was glad for this, though, in all honesty.  I went there with the intention of discovering whether or not I was ready to travel on my own.  And the verdict is.....(drum roll).....Maybe.

Madrid, to be fair, is not really a city for singletons. Yes there are a few spectacular art museums and monuments.  But the Spanish culture is based upon socialising with friends and family and as a result, it can make the lone traveller feel VERY alone. Tapas are, after all, meant for sharing.

In the past, faced with a night on my own in a foreign city, I would awake at the crack of dawn and work to tire myself out so that I'd be in bed early, like an old dear.  The weather wasn't really condusive to this plan, though.  It was BOILING.  I'm not complaining.  It was lovely to be able to stroll around in shorts and a teeny top from early morning until after midnight without feeling the slightest chill.  I'm merely saying that the weather made you just want to lie in the park all day, or lounge by a pool, or sit in a cafe sipping a cool drink.

Things you usually do with a partner. Things I should have been doing with P.

It definitely did not make you want to whittle away the hours in a darkened museum.  If you live in the UK you know all too well that when it is sunny you stay outside because that might be the only sun you get all year (must store up the vitamin D)!  P lived by this motto.  Whenever the sun was out he would drag me across the street in order to stay in the sun, back and forth, running away from the shade.

Don't get me wrong, I did do some of the tourist-y things.  The Palacio de Real Madrid (Royal Palace) was spectacular, what every little girl dreams of - it is the stuff of fairy tales.  Adorned spectacularly, no detail is left untouched and the gold....!  If Spain's economy gets worse I'm sure they could fund the whole country with all the gold from the Palace. I found myself clutching the audio guide in an effort to restrain myself from touching everything like a two year old in a toy shop!


El Prado (The Prado Museum), on the other hand, bored me.  Sorry, no nice way to say it. Frankly, it is only worth it if you truely enjoy Flemish and religious art.  The paintings are generally very sombre.
Templo de Debod (an Egyptian temple gifted to Madrid for Spain's help in saving the sacred buildings) is wonderful surprise. The visit doesn't take long, it's free, and it's wonderfully informative.  It's a must-see of Madrid, in my opinion.
Really, Madrid is best used as a base from which to visit the small historic towns surrounding the capital.  Toledo was the highlight of my holiday - I was too consumed with wandering around the small city, taking photographs, getting lost in the winding streets, and purusing the many gift shops to notice that I was on my own.

Overall, I must say, I was very proud of myself.  It was hard, no doubt, the pain sat in my stomach and behind my eyes - giving me a constant headache and an unsettled stomach.  BUT I did it. The first holiday PPP is behind me.  And I have learnt valuable lessons about travelling on my own:
1. When staying with friends, make sure to get out and do things on your own. Maybe stay a night or 2 in a hotel just in case you need some time to release (tears, screams, whatever).
2.  Take up a hobby like photography (or scuba diving) which will make the holiday feel more meaningful and will provide a distraction and a reason for being on your own.
3.  It's ok if you don't do all the touristy stuff. The purpose of a holiday is to relax, to get away, and for us UK residents - get some sun! [this was a big lesson for me, the American whose brain says 'you must see everything because you may never be back again!']
4.  Places like Spain are not the best places for singletons. With this in mind, maybe tours are good ideas for those of us on our own.
5. It took me almost the full week to get comfortable speaking my heavily accented Spanish. They know we're foreigners and they appreciate us trying (they're not like the Parisians!) - accept that you have an accent, and muddle through as best you can.  And say at the beginning 'Lo siento. Mi espanol es muy malo.' (I'm sorry. My spanish is really bad.) and then they will be more patient and understanding.

Next up - Paris! WITH a friend and her mum. 

1 comment:

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