Madrid: Day 2

And we’re back! Our second day in Madrid was filled with visual wonders as we sauntered through the city streets on the look out for ridiculously enchanting architecture, acclaimed super-ultra-modern galleries and whatever awe-inspiring character or coincidence was destined to meet our path. They say Spain is filled with hedons, but the most I could find in the day time was this sultry neon sign on some random calle.

Heading eastward from our hostel toward the galleries and gardens, I spotted this pair exiting the Retiro station with us.

After indulging in some lovely pieces of modern art at the Reina Sofia, most notably the photojournalism and propaganda from the Spanish civil war, we fortuitously wandered into Estación de Atocha which was unlike anything I could have expected from a railway station. Personally, I have found it quite uncommon to have a giant 4000-meter tropical forest in a concourse. I mean, Grand Central is nice and all, but it all doesn’t have thousands of turtles swimming around for my amusement.

You won’t find much going on in Madrid roughly between the hours of 3:00 to 9:00 PM. Most streets become somewhat of a desolate wasteland with the occasional stroller and it’s hard to tell the difference between what is unoccupied and what’s on siesta. Something you will find are street performers perfecting their act – whether that be guitar, an orchestra that relocates intermittently playing two songs on repeat, a cultural play or covering oneself in paper mache and hanging thyself on a cross like Jesus.

On this particular night, among the curious characters in Plaza Mayor, was a toilet paper castle in which the children took great pleasure in its magical floating abilities. The concocter of the castle was a considerably frightful woman who looked like she was potentially on speed and smoked one too many cigarettes.

We were nearing the end of our meal in a side alley off the Plaza, when a cheery man approached the crowd of diners excited to eat fire for us. To each their own, but he was outstanding. The street performers appeared to be very dedicated. This kind of living must be a bitch, but there’s definitely a thrill to it.