Trekking through Spain

Liveblogging my trip across the country

3rd & 7 37yd

Canadian design in Spain #frankgehry instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/12/2012 11:17:20 AM
At a Dylan concert, dudes with keg backpacks wander the crowd #genius instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/12/2012 3:57:18 PM
Just arrived at our apartment in Madrid. #balling

by Rachel Hahn via mobile 7/12/2012 8:24:47 PM
Absolutely wiped after five nights in four cities. Arrived today in City #5, Madrid, where we've rented an apartment for five nights. There's a pool deck. We have a kitchen, but more importantly a laundry machine, which is a relief since I've had to start smell testing on a bell curve. Best of all, It's 16 floors up with a balcony that gives a 180degree view of this beautiful city, all white marble and flat rooftops and pockets of green. The sun has just set, the heavy humid air giving way to caressing breeze. Live local music drifts up from a nearby square. There's a Spanish b-horror on TV. Life is good.

by dana via mobile 7/12/2012 8:40:12 PM
Panoramic view from the balcony at night.

by dana via mobile 7/12/2012 8:48:03 PM
We had to pay a €250 deposit. A lot of red wine has been spilled here.

by dana via mobile 7/12/2012 8:54:55 PM
Did I mention the free liveblog-enabling WIFI?

by dana via mobile 7/12/2012 9:04:32 PM
Huge news in Spain this week. The headline, according to my google translate app (thanks Jason!), says the prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, "undertakes the hardest adjustment of democracy."

On tuesday he announced a large tax increase for Spanish citizens, after promising he wouldn't. But Spain is suffering from the same economic woes as the rest of Europe, and is on the brink of following after Greece. I switched to the Telegraph to dive into the details, here's the nut of it:

www.telegraph.co.uk

"The measure is part of a plan to cut €65bn from the struggling country's budget over the next two-and-a-half years, and comes as hundreds of miners arrive in Madrid to protest against government cuts to subsidies.

"....The prime minister's fourth austerity package in seven months will scrap a tax rebate for home buyers, scale back unemployment benefits, consolidate local governments - helping to cut €3.5bn from local authority budgets - and eliminate the year-end bonus for some public workers.

"Airports, ports and railway assets will also be privatised, in an effort to minimise the impact of a eurozone debt crisis that has plunged Spain into a double-dip recession and pushed unemployment up to 24.4pc."
(read the full article to bring you up to speed)

by dana via mobile 7/12/2012 9:14:28 PM
I'm not going to pretend I get it, but you don't need to speak Spanish or finansense to get the general theme.

by dana via mobile 7/12/2012 9:17:37 PM
In #madrid for a few days: tell me what to do! And follow/comment on my liveblog: reporterly.scribblelive.com @scribblelive

by dana lacey via twitter 7/12/2012 9:37:00 PM
Infrastructure envy #spain #biketo instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/12/2012 9:51:12 PM
Wow, self service vending machines! #spain instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/13/2012 8:39:42 AM
A tiny @rachelchahn in a massive #Madrid park #spain instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/13/2012 1:48:09 PM
RT @scribblelive: One of our team members @danalacey is liveblogging her adventures around Spain, follow her updates here t.co ...

by dana lacey via twitter 7/13/2012 4:00:49 PM
Vacation notes are the best

by dana via mobile 7/13/2012 5:14:02 PM
After the chilly northwestern towns, Madrid is scorching hot. But it doesn't have the same Toronto humidity: you can sit in the shade and instantly cool off.

by dana via mobile 7/13/2012 5:16:31 PM
miners striking in Madrid as Spain kicks up its austerity measures #eurocrisis instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/13/2012 6:58:05 PM
RT @scribblelive: Join @danalacey and @RachelCHahn as they travel around Spain ow.ly

by dana lacey via twitter 7/13/2012 10:27:26 PM
Protesting #spain's austerity cuts in #madrid instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/13/2012 10:32:12 PM
Protestors take over Madrid's main drag in response to severe austerity cuts to social subsidies and programs. The cuts are supposed to help get the county out of it's debt with the European Union, but citizens worry the cost will be too much for the fragile economy. The measures include privatizing public assets such as airports and rail lines. People are struggling: sale signs dot windows in homes and businesses alike.

by dana via mobile 7/13/2012 11:08:05 PM
In #Spain, citizens march and hang anti-cuts signs on balconies. Tonight, a #protest in #madrid closed streets down: reporterly.scribblelive.com

by dana lacey via twitter 7/13/2012 11:27:21 PM
#occupymadrid instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/14/2012 1:53:17 PM
Joined a bike tour of the city today, the bikes had full suspension which is handy when trekking through cobblestone streets. I'll have to wait til I'm home to get all the photos up. And now, siesta.

by dana via mobile 7/14/2012 4:52:36 PM
#mercadodesanmiguel

by Rachel Hahn via mobile 7/14/2012 6:59:03 PM
The bike tour was a great way to explore this city of vast parks, historic buildings and numerous (stunning) monuments, such as the Templo de Debod - an ancient Egyptian temple gifted to Spain. Exercise and enlightenment! We're about to head back to Mercado de San Miguel, a market boasting enough good food to keep any hungry traveller happy. Then it's flamenco tonight. Ole!

by Rachel Hahn via mobile 7/14/2012 6:59:33 PM
Flamenco dancer doing her thing #madrid #spain instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/14/2012 11:21:27 PM
Saw a flamenco performance tonight -- it's a Roma dance that drips with passion. Jilted love, affairs, tantrums, teasing, sexy clothes, loud shoes: it has it all. We sat next to a lovely Canuck couple from Ottawa, a elementary school principal and a commercial real estate worker, celebrating their 25th anniversary and still very much in love. After meeting so many Aussies, it was nice to find some fellow Ontarians. The four of us managed to put back two pitchers of sangria, which the waiter didn't think was possible. go Canada!

by dana via mobile 7/14/2012 11:42:00 PM
A flamenco dancer taps out her frustration

by dana via mobile 7/14/2012 11:46:59 PM
During this dance I was politely asked to stop filming. Too bad because the finale was pretty badass.

by dana via mobile 7/14/2012 11:48:34 PM
Harpest serenading passerby in front of #madrid's royal palace (the King now lives in the skirts though) instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/15/2012 6:43:31 AM
Hand-lettering posters in #madrid's humongous flea market instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/15/2012 3:13:06 PM
Today we visited the Museo del Prado. Opened to the public in 1819 and inspired by the Louvre, the Prado houses masterpieces by Raphael, Goya, Velázquez, Caravaggio, Bosch, Rembrandt and many others. The collection of art at the Prado is considered by many to be among the greatest public collections in the world.
It would take several trips to fully appreciate the entire collection, so Dana and I named a few of our favourite artists and sought them out down the vast corridors with vaulted ceilings and numerous chambers extending every which way. Half the joy of the hunt was the unexpected treasures that lined the way, like the intricately designed 16th C marble inlay table supported by, not legs, but four golden bronze lions. I'll never settle for plain old table legs again.

A few personal highlights:
- The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch
- Christ Fallen Under the Cross by Raphael (brought tears to my eyes)
- David and Goliath by Caravaggio
- The Three Ages of Man and Death by Baldung
- Archduke Leopoldo Wilhelm at his Picture Gallery in Brussels by Teniers
- Mona Lisa (a stunning version of da Vinci's work that experts speculate was painted by a pupil alongside the master).

I'll stop there. I'm saturated with art!

by Rachel Hahn via mobile 7/15/2012 9:45:36 PM
Be still my heart #madrid #bikeporn instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/15/2012 10:28:10 PM
Bosch's Garden of Earthly delights starts with Eden, then a kickass party followed by eternal damnation

by dana via mobile 7/15/2012 10:47:26 PM
a favourite Goya of mine, except I never knew it was so freaking huge (easily twice my height). It shows Saturn attempting to prevent a prophecy by eating all his kids, except Zues, who goes on to fulfill his density and kill his dad.

by dana via mobile 7/15/2012 10:49:39 PM
Every Sunday in Madrid, a tangle of city blocks is taken over by a flea market called El Rastro (which means "the trail.") More than 3,400 vendors schlep their wares of art, old books, clothes, jewellry, antiques and every tacky gringo souvenir possible (I acquired several myself).

by dana via mobile 7/15/2012 10:58:43 PM
Every day til late you can stumble through a gourmand mercado (market) called San Miguel. My foodie co-worker Mony suggested I check it out, and, noting the fried Brie balls pictured above, she obviously knows me well.

by dana via mobile 7/15/2012 11:02:26 PM
Delicious: salted/spiced baked potatoes and mojo picon sauce

by dana via mobile 7/15/2012 11:05:04 PM
This almond honey flaky pastry thing went down easy

by dana via mobile 7/15/2012 11:06:03 PM
Classic Spanish dish: paella. Basically rice + veggies + whatever's handy (shrimp, ham, octopus, etc)

by dana via mobile 7/15/2012 11:07:37 PM
San Migel mercado: There are standing tables everywhere, a meeting place for wine and tapas. Perfect for solo food experimenting

by dana via mobile 7/15/2012 11:08:36 PM
Food porn in a Madrid mercado: ow.ly (cc/ @SpiceCityTO )

by dana lacey via twitter 7/15/2012 11:10:13 PM
Antique keys, anyone? #madrid instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/16/2012 6:45:42 AM
Dali! Miro! Picasso! Spain's modern art museum Reina Sofia in #madrid #spain instagr.am

by dana lacey via twitter 7/16/2012 5:56:29 PM
The best non-art part about the modern art museum was that some of the million security guards would pretend not to see me taking photos. But I didn't push my luck with Picasso's Guernica -- my cell camera couldn't do it justice anyway.

by dana via mobile 7/16/2012 7:08:54 PM

Dana Lacey

Trekking through Spain

Liveblogging my trip across the country

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