When I started fantasizing about European travel, Madrid was not one of the cities that made the list. It’s not that I have anything against Madrid, but my fantasies of Europe are based entirely on British and American literature, so while Paris and Venice are must see destinations, Spain has kind of been low on the radar.
What can I say? I’m just not that much of a Hemingway fan. Madrid ended up being the place to visit, though, because I have not one, but two friends from high school who are studying there. When you don’t have to pay for a hotel room, certain destinations quickly become much more appealing.
In preparation for the visit I emailed my friend Hannah, who I would be staying with, and asked her if there was anything she wanted from London, or anything she thought I should pack. She emailed me saying that it was absolutely vital that I had something other than tennis shoes to wear, because Spanish women don’t wear tennis shoes and I didn’t want to be immediately recognizable as an American. This, along with a phone call I received the night before from a friend who had just been pick pocketed in Paris, made me a little nervous. I don’t know what it is to be an American in Spain, and from the sound of it we were not the most beloved of people. I understand this because national self loathing is one of the things that drove me to London, but I had no way of communicating this to the hoards of Madridians who were waiting to either spit at me or pick my pocket. Plus I hate hate hate high heels.
Here is a short comparison of Madrid and London:
Things I like better about Madrid: People are much more relaxed, but not so relaxed that things don’t get done. There seems to be less of a hurry in the streets, at restaurants, etc. Then again, this might just be due to the fact that I was on vacation there, as opposed to worrying about papers and assignments.
Madrid has more sunlight and nicer weather. When I arrived it was around six o’clock in the evening and it was still sunny, that never happens in London! (Or hasn’t yet, to be fair, the days are getting longer). Also, although we had rain the weekend I was there, it was just an occasional sprinkle and Hannah and company were completely disconcerted by it. Compared to London, where a day when it doesn’t rain is more unusual than a day when it does, that sort of weather was perfect.
I love the way the people in Madrid go out. The nightlife doesn’t start until much later and goes until much later. Ten till three is a respectable night out in London, especially because most pubs close at eleven. In Madrid the hours are closer to twelve to four or five, and there is less drunkenness. People don’t go out to drink as much as they do to dance and meet people, which I really liked.
The Madrid prices are amazing. To begin with they are in Euros instead of pounds, meaning I did not have to double every price tag I saw (I had to add twenty percent to every price tag I saw, but still, that’s so much better) and besides being in a more favorable currency the prices themselves were cheaper. I did a ton of shopping while I was there and didn’t mind buying nearly all of my meals at restaurants and food stalls, which is a luxury I can seldom afford in London. Also, the public transportation was really cheap and really well run. Viva Socialism!
Things I like better about London:
There are fewer cat calls in London. Even around bars and clubs the British boys tend to keep their comments (and hands) to themselves. In Madrid, cat-calls are part of the culture, though because I don’t speak Spanish I was impervious to them, poor Hannah who is fluent and blonde was not so lucky.
Madrid is a clean city, but in London people clean up after their dogs. I found out that there is no such custom in Spain the hard way.
In London, you can wear flats.
Those are the conclusions of my trip to Madrid, which was amazing! You can read about it in minute detail in the next two entries, where some of the above sentiments will be repeated. I will only leave you with one final piece of advice: If given the option, try the octopus empanada, you wont regret it.
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