AVS Episode IX: From Madrid with Love

Previously on A Vacation Story: Wonderful experiences of vacations to a few cities.

–This narration is dedicated to Sandra, Rav, and Silvia and the Madride crew–

“When you walk by day, and you are all tired and worn out; by night, all you can do is crawl. Pub crawl.” – Anonymous

Parc Retiro, Madrid

Madrid. The centre of Spain. I was there for barely two days. However, short as the trip may have been, I experienced quite a lot of the life in that city. I realised that the incredulous tales told by good friends who had recently lived there were not mere tales, but recounts of actualities, of which I was glad to experience a fraction. The amazing Madrilenians. The Madrono and the representative oso y madrono. The tapas. The palace and Kings of Spain. The museo national del Prado, where the works of geniuses Raphael, Goya and Rembrandt are exhibited. It was a whole lot to absorb in a short visit, however made easier by a great walking tour party let by Madride. At every turn, there were merry people to meet, climaxed at the pleasant Parc Retiro, which was filled with people that actually looked happy to be there and not just hanging around to pass time.

In all this excitement, I was tempted to forgo my long longed for visit to the home of Real Madrid FC. But then, for it not to be heard that I visited the Camp Nou and neglected the Bernabeu, I had to pay tribute to the home stadium of the world’s greatest, CR7. This club is rich – that’s what I kept saying to myself, as I gazed in amazement as the beauty of the stadium and imagined the atmosphere of the Classico. They even had free wifi.

However, regardless of all these fantastic sighting, history and atmosphere, the most thrilling aspect of this vacation to Madrid was the friends I made, and the time spent with them:

A beautiful advantage of staying in a hostel over a private room in a hotel is the ease of meeting wonderful people with whom you may be sharing the same room (or dorm) with. On this occasion at The Hat, I met two Amazing people. S – the only Croatian friend I have. With a heart melting smile, ‘Hello, I’m S. For lack of a better thing to do in Croatia, I thought to myself. Why not go to Spain to learn Spanish for one week? Really nice to meet you’, said S lovingly. My eyes sparked as I thought she was really happy to meet me; until R walked in to meet us. R – an addition to the numerous Indian friends I have, nonetheless the most hilarious. Maybe it’s because he’s from Mumbai – and not Delhi. With a twist and turn of the head, ‘Hi, I’m R. I’m from India. Mumbai. I hate Delhi, so never say I’m from Delhi. I’m schooling in UK but I got bored. So, I decided to come to Spain for a few months to write my master’s thesis’, said R proudly.

After the whole getting to know each other chit-chat, we brainstormed on what to do for the night. A decision was easy – ‘sleep is for the weak’. Pub crawl.

In Madrid, sleep is indeed for the weak, at least sleeping at night is. In Madrid, night is not equivalent to ‘time to sleep’ especially not in the summer. Even Ernest Hemingway knew that, as he asserts, “To go to bed at night in Madrid marks you as a little queer. For a long time your friends will be a little uncomfortable about it. Nobody goes to bed in Madrid until they have killed the night.” Neither did I, until I had killed the night with my two jolly new friends and the Madride crew.

Let’s go back to this Madride guys. So, these guys tempt you with the whole let’s go see Madrid and the culture, architecture and heritage, and tell you great historical tales, offer you tapas and ‘cultural induction drinks’ … Alas! It’s all a preparation for PUB CRAWL.

We started off at about 11pm and I told my guys I’ll head back to the hostel at about 2am. I’m agoraphobic. I actually can’t stand a crowded club (or pub) with all the funny lights. Did I tell you I once slept off in a club with all the loud music and partying? Cuddled up in a corner with a glass of ‘lemonade’ in my hand. On this occasion though, I was outside of my own skin. Alas! I can recall faintly that I was dancing ‘merengue’ (– my version of it) around 5am. What happened between 11pm – 2 – 5am? This is where my memory gets fuzzy and not because it’s taken me 3 months to write this. Well who cares. But I do remember this. Whilst I was showing one Russian babe, I met, who happens to be a professional dancer that I could outshine her, R interrupted my flow and pulled me to a corner. He said and I quote without exactitude, “S and I are heading out. I feel we are having some kind of connection. Here’s my number. If you need anything, just call me.” *Wink*. *Wink*.

I don’t know what happened hence between S and R, and I don’t care to know. Somehow, we all got back to our room at about 6am and crawled into our beds. S, between incomprehensible tears and laughter, and murmurs and slurs, made her way up her bunk. I was confused, as well as scared she was going to fall off whilst trying to climb up the bunk. That never happened. In fact, she went down and up a couple of times with perfect coordination. For the sake of friendship, I shall not precise the posture in which R slept, but I can say this; his leg was on the bed, whilst his head was on the floor.

Zzz…

Oh! Yes! It may also interest you to know that the next morning R offered to give me his phone number, apparently oblivious that he had done that in the wee hours. Well, we checked the number he’d given previously. It turned out it had been a combination of his numbers from India, England and Spain. Huh!!! Kudos R. …

It was Sunday morning and I had planned to go church that morning. It was the cardinal of Madrid to say mass. Actually, it was going to be the first time of me attending mass said by a cardinal and said in Spanish. Really, it was important for me to be at the cathedral that morning and no matter how I felt, negotiation with the spirit wasn’t allowed. I was early and I concentrated fully during the mass, even though it was in Spanish – a language I barely know 10 words in. I had this strange feeling I understood the language.

I do not know what your preference is, but I know you’ll love Madrid.

Turn up!

As seen on a sign post during one of the vacation

And to wrap it up, guess what? I can’t remember. Just kidding. I discovered a new love for ladies from Russia (and like nations).

PS: If you visit Madrid, especially if it’s just for a few hours or days, find the Madride crew. They’ll probably be somewhere around the nut eating bear at Plaça del Sol.

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