It's been a while since i've been back from Madrid. i sure did have a blast while i was up there. Madrid is such a beautiful, energized and full of life city. the people i met were super friendly and they let me sit with them while i watched the soccer game between real madrid y barcelona, (madrid won) it was cool just to sit there and listen to them argue and yell at the television set about the calls the referees were making...i had lots of fun...i know i'll visit spain y madrid again, not sure when, but everyday that passes, is another one that makes me want to go back sooner...and congratulations spain for you newly passed gay marriage law...perhaps one day the u.s. will follow in your footsteps...perhaps

I'm with you, fiffy2u! I 2 MISS MADRID and I just just there last Wednesday!

I agree with you 100% about the experience one gets when you're with REAL PEOPLE, REAL Spaniards and talking about normal things about life as opposed to visiting Madrid/Spain as a tourist, never talking to any Spaniards other than the hotel clerk, the restaurant waiter, or the bartender. What a difference the trip is when you "get inside" and see things more from their perspective instead of floating along the surface and looking down into their work from above.

Hope you make it back to Madrid someday soon. I'll be returning for another short trip in October. Can't wait.

Saludos, MadridMan

Madrid is so amazing. I loved that city. I´m not currently staying with a hostfamily for two weeks in Granada. It´s such a different experience living with a family and being a tourist.

but I honestly loved Madird, and how it perserved it´s history. There was so much i wish I could have saw, but probably the best thing i did see was the Rena Sophia. Not sure if I spelled that right.

Anyways...I¨ll be back in 2012, not for the olmpics, but to show my family the city.

Where in Granada are you staying? Make sure you go to a teteria and the Mirador de San Nicolas! Best view in the world, if ya ask me. Also try shwarma while you're there... yum. It's a Morrocan specialty.

Madrid is one of the most amazing places on earth. I miss it terribly. I was lucky enough to study there for a summer, then live there for over 1 year in grad school, then take students for 6 consecutive summers. Lastly, I lived in Valencia for over 1 year teaching English and I visited Madrid almost once a month. It has been a while since I have been back and reading the posts makes me think of all the good times I had there. I would like to see how things have changed, but due to family obligations, I do not think that that will happen for a long time. I have one thing to say for all of you that have the opportunity to go -- Enjoy it while you can!!!

I miss it too. I spent a week there in August alone with my son as my boyfriend was in hospital, so we went from Vallecas to the hospital (Retiro area) every day, and got to know the park and surrounding areas quite well. I just want to go back NOW! (He's ok and back home in the UK with me now).

Reading the replies about missing Madrid, I would have to say I do not miss Madrid and I was there two weeks ago. In the fall/winter is when New York City comes alive with so much to see and do. I am glad to be home. Going to cities like Madrid (yes it is wonderful) makes me appreciate more New York City. This is not to say New York City is better, it is different. I love Madrid but I would rather live in New York City and thankfully I do.

I wonder for those that missed Madrid are you missing something at home that not in Madrid. For me, I missed the friends I made in Madrid but honestly nothing else.

Bill

We are also missing Madrid! We just returned to Boston on Monday night and are dying to go back again. We met some wonderful Spanish people. We enjoyed many pitchers of sangria at La Tia Cebolla (Calle Espoz y Mina). We enjoyed hanging out at Viva Madrid (Calle de Manuel Fernandez y Gonzalez) and had the best of times at Carbones (Calle de Manual Fernandez). We are going to try to make it a yearly trip.

I'm going tommorrow!

In regards to Bill in NYC's post:

I can understand where you are coming from. NYC is this great mixture of cultures and things to do. There is no where else like it in the world.

You hit the nail on the head when you said that Spain is about the people. The Spaniards are what makes the country so much fun to visit.

For example, there is an island (it shall remain nameless) that I lived on for two years. It was absolute paradise. The people on the other hand were a different story. Postcards of the island look wonderful. The people made it almost unbearable. I do not even have any desire to go back because of the attitude of the inhabitants.

Long story short, the people are what make Spain such a great place.