I just want everyone to know if you are thinking of going to Spain stop thinking and go. The people were so kind and friendly and very caring. While in Madrid we had just finished visiting the Prada and were resting our feet when a man named Pepe who is working at the Prada (painting it I think) sat down next to us and talked of all the places in Spain he loved. It was his lunch time and he cut his sandwich in half and shared it and his apple with us. Pepe made our day!! We loved Madrid it is a beautiful city and we will return. We stayd at the Castillo II just off Sol. It was clean comfortable and quiet. 52 euro for 2 very worth it.

Beautiful story, redline. Thank you very much for sharing it with us.

I´m going!!!!!!

Along those lines, I have a funny anecdote...

This summer, I taught an intensive Spanish class to a couple of private students. One of the activities that I had them do was a "treasure hunt" of sorts, but their list of things entailed them going out on the streets and asking "the locals" specific questions.

One thing they had to find was the local "polideportivo" (community gym). The students asked an elderly gentleman who was sitting at a café playing cards with his friends. At first, he told them that there wasn´t a polideportivo in the area (not true, because it was the one that I go to). The students left, disappointed at not having gotten a response that they needed. Apparently, their question became a topic of discussion at the card game because about 3 minutes later, the students were surprised by the same man who came running up to them to tell them he was wrong and he proceeded to tell them the name of it and exactly how to get there!

Yes, Madrileños (and Spaniards in general ) are wonderful people!

I am not madrileño, but I have to agree about the friendliness.