20th May 2007 – Madrid

I’m in the capital of Spain and I’m watching Madrid’s scenery on television. The newsreader tells me that the thunderstorms and rain is widespread across central and northern Spain.

The day didn’t start this badly. In fact, I’ve walked several kilometres today, mostly in the Parque Del Buen Retiro, and Madrid is exactly as I expected it to be. Typically, I couldn’t be much further east from the hotel when the storm hits and I get completely soaked. It brings an end to a day where my camera barely leaves my bag.

21st May 2007 – Madrid

The clouds have shifted and Madrid’s colours appear around me. I’ve a positive impression so far, but I don’t feel this city has been built for photographers. Maybe I haven’t got my photography head screwed on, but I actually find very little to shoot.

Furthermore, I’m told photography isn’t allowed in the Palace. Worse still, I’m told I have to leave my camera and all my lenses in a cloakroom. It really annoys me, but the efficiency in which they refund the entry tickets indicates that they probably have this problem quite often.

Heading further south, there’s the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Almudena which has a lovely west-facing garden across the city suburbs. The guidebook recommends a cheese shop, a buzzing market and a coffee shop resembling one you’d find in the 1930s. All three are closed. So I try the nuns’ convent. They sit behind a revolving wooden window, selling cakes and biscuits and they remain hidden from customers at all times. I ring the bell, although there’s no indication I’m ringing the right one and I feel I’m disturbing someone’s private home.

‘¿Hola?’ cries an old lady’s voice through the intercom. It’s a voice you’d expect to hear when Little Red Riding Hood knocks on her Spanish grandmother’s door…

‘Hola,’ I reply. ‘¿Vendes de dolces?’

‘Estamos cocinando!’ Cries the voice… I vision a bunch of little old nuns running around a kitchen, frantically preparing dough and cake mixture! She says to come back at four pm.

La Plaza Mayor is large but uninspiring, which sums up quite a lot of Madrid. It’s a lovely city, in which I could quite happily see myself living, but as far as tourism goes, there’s not so much to offer someone other than the abundance of art in its three main museums.

Of course, a visit to Madrid is not complete for a football fan without seeing the Santiago Bernebeu. However, again I’m disappointed and I decide against the stadium tour.

After finding another coffee shop closed, I decide to ignore any more Lonely Planet recommended destinations and choose a restaurant. It turns out to be a bad choice, but it is now time to re-visit the nuns.

I’m instructed through some alleyways behind the huge door and I’m suddenly faced with a revolving door about the size of a small cupboard. The lady’s voice returns and she asks what I want. There’s a list of products on the door so I name the first one. The door starts to revolve and I’m guessing she wants some money. My Euros disappear and then there’s some frantic whispering from the other side. The door then spins again and suddenly there’s a pack of biscuits in front of me. I’m sure it’s not what I asked for, but before I have a chance to think about it, the door spins and the biscuits are gone! A few other tourists are watching this show and we all start laughing, a bit confused as to what I’m supposed to do next. Clearly the nuns find it funny too; they’re giggling to themselves behind the door. There’s a bit of a pause and then the biscuits return, this time in a plastic bag. ‘¡Tómelos!’

The sun is out in full force, so it’s much more pleasant at the Parque Del Buen Retiro second time around. The lazy afternoon turned into a lazy evening too, with a little too much sangria and much too little night photography.

22nd May 2007 – Madrid to Toledo

An early start, a super efficient train and I’m in Toledo by 9am. I’ve been looking forward to Toledo as I’ve been promised a bit of a photographic adventure. It’s therefore disappointing to report that it’s all very much over-rated.

Yes, there are narrow streets and old building everywhere. Yes, the small city is a maze of historical architecture and yes, the whole place sits almost impossibly on the top of a huge hill.

However, I’ll remember the traffic. I’ll remember that each corner I turned in its labyrinth risked a potential collision with a speeding vehicle. I’ll remember the scaffolding absolutely everywhere. The demolished buildings. The unfinished re-developments. The thousands and thousands of tourists. Oh, and did I mention the traffic?

It’s a real shame as there were parts I liked. Towards the south-west, the number of tourists diminished and further south it seems devoid of visitors all together. It meant that you could appreciate getting lost in the streets and enjoy the fact that you’d never know whether it’s a steep up or downhill climb around each corner.

Sick of the fact photography was not allowed in most building attractions, I followed the road south of the Tagus river, which climbed as high as Toledo’s peak, giving a fantastic view of the entire region. The lack of noise and the seemingly peaceful Toledo is how I’d like to have remembered it.

That idea is washed away, literally, as the thunder storms and rain brings more water than the area has seen in months. It also means there’s no chance of any night photography.

23rd May 2007 – Toledo to Valencia

Ce l’abbiamo fatta! Siamo campioni d’Europa meno di un anno dopo la vittoria a Berlino! Ho sofferto molte delusioni nella mia vita calcistica (Argentina nel ‘90, Brasile nel ‘94, Francia nel 2000, Marsiglia nel ‘93, Liverpool nel ‘05…) ma in questo periodo siamo campioni del mondo e campioni d’Europa. Forza Italia e forza Milan!!

The day starts well. Before leaving Toledo, there’s time to further explore the south eastern area along the river. It’s calm with the noise of the water being the only sign of time passing. It looks like you could cross the river at one point when the water level is lower and I make a point to find out whether you can (note: I still haven’t found out’). Despite the relatively strong current, fish occasionally jump from the water, trying to swim upstream.

Of course, a visit to Toledo’s cathedral is a must and fortunately photography is allowed. I’ve seen some impressive cathedrals before, but the fact this huge building was built for such a small number of people at the top of such an extraordinary location makes it all the more impressive.

The efficient train arrives back in Madrid in plenty of time for the 14.00 to Valencia and I ask for tickets.

‘No,’ says the ticket salesman. I pause, awaiting an explanation… He stares at me blankly, so I ask him why not. ‘El tren hay una problema.’ Great.

He tells me the next train is a regional one that leaves at 4pm. Bearing in mind Milan’s Champions League Final in Athens is at 20.45, I check the arrival time.

‘A las diez’… Mierda. I guess a bus trip is in order.

After an extraordinarily awkward discussion with the information desk (who tells me he only gives ‘train’ information) I finally find the bus station. This ticket salesman jokes whether I really want a ticket to Valencia. I’m confused. He points to my Milan shirt and then asks whether I’d actually prefer a ticket to Athens..!

The trip isn’t as bad as I expected. The four hours is split in two with a 20-minute refreshment halfway there. Best of all, was the screening of ‘Flight of the Phoenix’ during the last two hours, which helped time pass quickly. The opening crash sequence also made me quite grateful I wasn’t flying to Valencia!

My first impressions of Valencia are positive, although my mind was more focused on finding a restaurant showing the game, which I did. Despite the joyful ending, it has been a long day and celebrations are relatively reserved: Tomorrow I’ve a new city to explore!

24th May 2007 – Valencia

Valencia is a fantastic city. I’ve only had a day and a half to explore it, but is vibrancy and youthful environment makes it so enjoyable. Every corner I turned, there’s something to see, from the sublime fresh food market, to narrow, twisting streets and plazas everyfew dozen metres.

There are other tourists and there are plenty of cars, but it just seems so much more relaxed than Madrid or Toledo. Much of the traffic is directed around the centre and alongside the very impressive old river bed. The old river Turia flowed along what is now a massive long area of grassland, football pitches and other sports facilities.

Coffee shops are unique in style and nearly everyone treats you like you’re the first tourist they’ve ever seen. If Madrid is a middle aged man, and Toledo is his retired father, then Valencia is the eldest son at university!

The highlights of the day (other than the obvious tourist attractions) included discovering the Café de Los Henas (with its own coffee dessert which has shot to the top of my list: Espresso, Khalua and a ball of vanilla ice cream all in a tall glass!), relaxing in the massive Jardines del Real o Viveros (reading about Milan’s victory in Gazzetta Dello Sport) and seeing the way that the city is so beautifully lit at night.

I can say with confidence that I’ll return especially as there’s still much to see. Even at the top of the numerous view points (including the impressive Cathedral) you can see how much more there is to explore, in particular the port and sea-front that I did not see at all.

Tomorrow lunchtime I leave Valencia and travel 100km south to see my parents for a few days. After walking at least 20km per day for the past five days, a relaxing family reunion with sangria and barbeques is just what the doctor ordered!