In a word, Madrid is intense. It's nonstop. I don't mean that as a bad thing. I'm definitely glad we went and gave it 4 days. Easily could have done a week. There is so much to do and see. The Prado is can't miss, even for a someone who doesn't necessarily appreciate art. Walk the boulevards, marvel at the architecture. Visit puerta del sol after work and watch all the people gather. Watch a futbol game in a local bar. See the palace. Eat tapas. Stroll the pedestrian walking zone. Have one beer in plaza mayor (but say no to 14 euro queso).
Those are just some of the things we did, and there was plenty more we wish we could have done but didn't have time. We saw Segovia but not Toledo. I jogged in Reitro Park but did not rent a boat in the pond. We ride 5 or 6 different Metro lines but there are 6 more we didn't. We never had a beer in the plaza near are apartment. There's so much to do and not enough time to do it. Must be why people in Madrid stay up so late. We were up past midnight every night, late for us, and we could still hear people on the street each night.
The Metro is intense much like the rest if the city. 12 lines criss cross each other and a 13th goes in a circle. I believe there are more than 300 stops. It will get you where you need to go. It was, however, pretty easy to use. The signs clearly tell you which stop you are at, which way each train goes, and which are the next stops. So if there are 10 stops on a line and you are at stop 5, the sign on one platform will say to Stops 4, 3, 2, and 1: while the other platform will say to stops 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10; so it's pretty easy to go the right direction.
Stations also have more than one Metro line. Some connect with the local railway, and some have giant bus terminals.All clearly labeled and covered. Some of the stations had to be an entire city block underground.
Madrid's intensity is one of the reasons it's fun to visit but also why I could never live there. I'm too old and too American. It's crowded, every where, all the time. People have little regard for you personnel space. It's a constant free for all. That's there culture and that fine. I'm not saying its wrong. I'm simply not used to it and it wore on me. I get a little claustrophobic around too many people.
The stories about Spanish people sleeping late, taking siesta, eating dinner late, and socializing and drinking to all hours of the night are no joke. It's how they live. I adjusted to the hours better than I thought I would, since normally I'm up at 5 am and in bed at 10 pm. I manged to get up at 9 am and go to bed at 1 am most nighs. I think Spain is purposely in a time zone with France and Italy rather than with England and Poetugal so the sun doesn't come up until 8 am so they can "sleep it off".
Overall, Madrid was great. I'm so glad we went. I hope we return someday. However, I'm also ready for something a little more low key. If I were to do it over, I'd give Madrid a couple extra days. If we weren't trying to cram in tourist things, we could have enjoyed the laid back lifestyle more.
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