Thanks for the blog entry.

When you say they're close to being done, do you think weeks or months?

I'm hoping it's done by mid-October.

I'd love to see Sol finished after all these years. I mean, it was cool for a while but ALL my trip photos are of a construction site

There's no telling. It's quite possible they'll be done by mid-October. It looks, to me, that the bulk of the work yet to be done is put down the paving stones.

Hope you get lucky and they're done by the time you arrive! Wouldn't that be lucky!?

Saludos, MadridMan

This morning on Telemadrid's morning show they've interviewed a perfume shop and the manager of the Hotel Europa terraza IF many people have asked "Where has the Bear statue gone?" Of course, the answer is: LOTS!

Surely MANY people have thought to sit down at the terraza of Hotel Europa to have the perfect "Puerta del Sol view" of the Calle del Carmen, El Oso y el Madroño statue, the horse-riding King Carlos III, fountains, and the Comunidad de Madrid building in the background. Now, this view lacks Madrid's city symbol and lots of people whom have seen photos of this perspective are left wanting.

Saludos, MadridMan

A nice webcam image of the Puerta del Sol last night including a silhouette of "El Oso" as well as the illuminated "Pez de Cristal" station:

The new Kilometro Cero showed up this weekend also. They had it blocked off with barriers. It drew quite a crowd.

Errr... How did YOU know it drew quite a crowd?? ARE/WERE YOU IN MADRID?! Uh-HUH! Uh-HUH!

But you're right. The replacement of the plaque happened the same day as the relocation of the bear statue. They'd surrounded the plaque for much of the week to let the cement dry.

Yeah, I was there for few days. I arrived home on Monday night.
I would see it on my daily walk from Hostal Adriano (the original is still my favorite!) to Bar Sol y Mayor on c/Postas to visit my friend Pepe.

The trip over was awful, after getting diverted to Dublin on the way over due weather in Atlanta, being 9 hous late and having my bags lost for 3 days. But I had a great final meal at Portobello, several wonderful lunches at El Ingenio and lots of great tapas.

Mongo .. you definitely have to get in touch when you´re over next time !

Maybe in December!

I purchased a book of Madrid photos in Vips. The title of the book is "Madrid Guia Visual" and the editor is Javier Rodriquez. The book is written in Spanish with the "en coloboracion con Ayuntamiento de Madrid, Patronato Municipal de Turismo." The book contains about 75 photos of important places in Madrid, for example, statues, buildings, etc.

To my surprise the photo of "El Oso y el Madrono" was not in the book. Why was this important statue of Madrid not included, oversight or intentional. Could it have been the location of where "El Oso y el Madrono" was before being moved.