"Madrid" a Madrid Travel Page by acemj

Before I came to Madrid, I had always heard mixed reviews about Spain's energetic capital city. "It's just another big city," or "it's not as charming as Spain's smaller villages," or "other than the Prado, it doesn't have much to offer," were just some of the negative comments I heard. Other more favorable comments usually mentioned the tapas and the museums and since I was flying into Madrid, I decided to make my own determination about the merits of Madrid.
I've been to Madrid three times now and each time I am truly charmed by the city and Madrilenos themselves. Madrid is indeed, a busy, commercial city with imposing buildings, traffic, petty crime and crowds. Some see those things as annoyances, but I choose to see them as contributing to the energy of the place. It amazes me that the people I speak with are so sociable and always seem eager to talk despite my pathetic, butchering of the Spanish language.
Madrid's museums, shopping, architecture and food are all tangible pieces of evidence of a great place and keep me coming back often. But what really makes me love the place is an unquantifiable X factor: ENERGY. I've never seen a city that stays up as late into the morning hours and rises the next day to accomplish the tasks at hand. I salute you Madrid! But now I need a nap.

I was fortunate to get some great advice from some local VTers when I was planning my first trip and even more fortunate to be able to meet some of them. VT members SirRichard (Joaquin) and La_beba (Glenda) along with Glenda's boyfriend David met me for lunch at a restaurant called Zahara and made me feel very welcome in their vibrant city. It was great to meet you all and I hope to see you in the States soon!

On my second visit to Madrid in February 2003, the VT welcome was even bigger. It was great to meet all of you guys and see some of you for a second time! This picture only show a few of us. I think there were 10 of us that night and we had a great time eating and drinking at various tapas bars near Plaza Mayor. See my nightlife tips for more pictures.