Hola amigos!
Hallelujah, March is finally over! I’m gonna be honest, this month was a WORKER. I picked up a lot of trips, and I didn’t give myself much time to rest. The paycheck was still not enough because #taxes nice, but honestly I don’t think I could do it to myself again. I called in sick for my last trip and I am still recovering from a nasty combination of food poisoning + sinus infection.
Here’s the final tally from my March schedule: I flew through 19 cities, I spent over 110 hours flying, and spent the night in 6 different layovers. Between all that, I worked close to 30 flights! There was some time to play though, and I was especially excited to explore a new country (#28). Although, I was only able to make it to the capital city during this visit. Madrid, Spain, yo te hablo!
Before arriving in Madrid, I made a list of places I wanted to visit. After freshening up, I hit the streets to see some the sights:
Retiro Park
Palacio de Cristal
El Corto Inglés
Puerta del Sol
Plaza de Espana
El Templo de Debod
Plaza de Cibeles
Grocery shopping on my layovers has become almost obligatory. It allows to me see what the locals eat, and it’s a fun way to bring back a piece of a country with me. For Madrid, I was recommended El Corto Inglés. I spent a hour or so perusing the aisles before leaving with Rosquillas de Daroca (think cream puffs without the cream), chocolate-covered candied kumquats, decorated tins containing lavender candies (as gifts), tea, and a Spanish cava (I’m still waiting for a special reason to try it). After dropping my goodies off at the hotel, I continued on my self-guided walking tour of Madrid.
One of my bucket list things to see was the Palacio de Cristal. While the photo below does not do it justice, the structure itself was incredible and I’ll be back whenever I return to Madrid.
The Palacio de Cristal is in the Retiro Park, which I also recommend checking out! It reminds me of Paris’ Parc des Buttes Chaumont or Hyde Park in London.
I was able to meet my longtime Insta-friend Edward (@wwojoo), who showed me around and introduced me to a wonderful local spot for dinner. We enjoyed tortilla de patatas (egg and potato omelette), croquetas (think mozzarella sticks), and carrillada (braised cow cheek) while sipping red vermouth and discussing Spanish culture and what it’s like to date in Madrid (but mostly, what it’s like to date in Madrid).
So how would I describe Madrid in one word? Remarkable.
In just 24 hours, this city and its people captured my attention. I’ve been literally itching to go back and explore more! Many of you have given me wonderful recommendations and I fully intend to discover all of Madrid. In the meantime, I’ll reminisce by eating my feelings in the form of homemade Spanish tortillas.
Besos from 30,000 ft.,
-Paul