That was a really nice touch, MM, leaving the sen~ora money in a book and then telling them about it AFTER you left. Tactful, helpful (even if they protested!) and so UN GRINGO!! You are becoming a true espanyol. Yesterday I made my kid some pollo with AJO and OLIVE OIL and he said, this tastes like SPAIN. So enjoy those alubias and empanadas... Can't wait to hear your hostales stories. Make them funny! saludos desde este lado del charco

MM - we are all so envious but we're enjoying your emails - people-food-sights-sounds-smells - all that is Madrid that we can live with being green with jealousy! Sounds like your having a wonderful time - keep emailing - the rest of us will just shed a tear of 'homesickness' and start looking for cheap flights! ENJOY

Hey, MadridMan: Don't spend all your time (and money) telling us all the good things you are doing in Madrid. You can tell us later. For now: Aprovechar! Disfrutar! Take a stroll in el Parque del buen Retiro Sunday AM (around 11:00) and Enjoy!

The only time I thought about your message board when I was there a few weeks ago was when I passed a CyberCafe in Sevilla (but I just passed by - I had other priorities at the time).

Que tengas una visita fenominal! Eddie

Hi Scott,

When you have a minute can you call me on 609-002697 ? Would like to invite you to lunch so we can meet and chat.

Roger from GoMadrid.com


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http://GoMadrid.com for museums, hotels, monuments and much more.

Hello Group! I´m writing JUST before my siesta after lunch of garbanzos y chorizo, 4 small chuletas de cerdo (pork chops), bread, a pear, and Mahou beer. Zzz... Zzz... I spent the whole morning...well, the late morning and half the afternoon walking about the Glorieta de Carlos V (a.k.a. Plaza de Atocha) and visited the Atocha train station and shot some video of the Botanical Garden/Rain Forest inside and the rest of the time walking about Retiro Park, the Botanical Gardens, el Estanque (lake), the Palacio de Cristal, La Rosaleda (the rose garden) and stopped in at El Brillante for 2 cañas of Aguila which each came with a free tapa of one green olive and one smelt. All were great! I´m saving the bocadillo de calamares for later because I was on my way home for this great lunch. Tonight, I´m not doing much of anything I don´t think. Might meet with some friends.

Roger, I´ll call you today. Puna, I´m loving the smells too -- even the ones of city sewers and "fertilizer" on the grass they´re replacing in a section of Retiro Park. Eddie, I´m happy to make my way to the website, upload my daily accounts, and share it all with you good people. I´m sure (most of) you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy doing it.

Bought my ticket today in Atocha for the Tren de la Fresa to Aranjuez and will go on Saturday the 14th. I´m excited!!! I´m dozing off. Time for a siesta. Until later!

Saludos, MadridMan

MadridMan,

I took the Tren de Fresas on September 30 and I can offer some insights into what to expect. The train ride was an enjoyable turn-back-the-clock exprience, the tour of the palace was nice, but paled in contrast to the Palacio Real( which I had seen earlier in the week). The Palace was in some need of repair- torn wallpaper, chipping paint, etc.. Nevertheless, it was splendid and the facade and the adjacent gardens are awe-inspiring. I would reccomend that you plan to walk around the town during the approximately 3 hour respite from the tour group. The best part of the trip, I felt was strolling away from the tourists into the sereen beauty of the Jardin de Principe, or into the quaint community around the bullring. There will be plenty of opportunities to eat the terrific Spanish cusine at Mama Rosa's casa, so eat light and tour during the break. The Museo de Faluas( Royal Barge Museum) is the destination after the afternoon break and before departure. It is not the highlight of the trip, but 5-10 minutes at looking at Alfonso XII's river barges may excite you more than me. The train arrives early enough at Atocha that you will be able to enjoy a couple of canas at nearby Bar Brillante before heading home.

Missing Spain,

Shawn

[This message has been edited by Shawn (edited 10-05-2000).]

OK, I'm getting nostalgic, too. Took the tren de la fresa when my son was about 3. He LOVED the fresa handout on the train (they were in season). We were met by a group of student musicos when we arrived. The train was cool, as was the old train station! Aranjuez was lovely, and the palace did have that wonderful decadent air. The boathouse was very cool. All in all an interesting trip. Tell us if you get fresas on the train!

Hi Gang!! Thanks for the feedback about the Tren de la Fresa. I´m really looking forward to this!

And by the way, JUST uploaded today´s daily journal entry @ http://www.MadridMan.com/madrid00.html . Hope you enjoy it! It´s 2:00am and I´m in the EasyEverything.com cybercafé! Am I crazy or what? I know, Eddie, I should be out enjoying myself instead of working on this. hehee. I love it all!!!! Catch you all tomorrow! My hostel/hostal bed awaits me just off the Puerta del Sol!

Saludos, MadridMan

yea! MM's page is back!! Glad you enjoyed all those yummie meals. What hostal are you at, and what's it like?? You REALLY did some walking there, from atocha to colon and plaza mayor... no wonder you could eat all that food. All you are missing here in the US are the vice-presidential debates tonight. zzzz Have fun and don't use up all the hot water at el hostal!

Wow.

I just read MM's journal entry describing Saturday night, and ....

Wow.

Several things come to mind:
1. That guy is having a blast!
2. I want to be there, too.
3. He's having an authentic Madrileño out-on-the-town experience.
4. He's being treated great by all his wonderful Spanish friends (no surprise there!)
5. Madrid continues to be an absolutely incredible place to be!

I've been living away from Spain for four years now (after 13 years in Madrid), and one of my recurring fears is that Spain will change before I move back. Entries like MM's are great because they prove that at heart, Madrid stays the same. Madrileños know how to live, they do it well, and they're smart enough to not change their ways much. Viva España!