Mad About Madrid

Madrid Book Fair - Feria del Libro de Madrid

Friday 28th May saw the launch of the 63rd Feria del Libro de Madrid. The book fair is held in the Retiro Park and allows bookshops, publishers and distributors the chance to display their books to the public. The book fair takes place along the main thoroughfare of Retiro - a beautiful setting to browse through the 350+ stalls. The event was opened by King Juan Carlos and features discussions, where distinguished authors (Jorge Semprún, Martin Amis and Graham Swift) will speak and special children's zones. Whilt there why not try out a 'Horchata' in one of the park's cafes - a refreshing drink made of rice and almonds. The event will close on the 13th June. Remember that most, if not all the stalls, will display Spanish books.

Robert Capa Exhibition - Reina Sofía Museum

To mark the 50th anniversary of the death of the famous photographer Robert Capa, the Reina Sofía museum is holding an exhibtion of Robert Capa's photos. Robert Capa is considered to be one of the greatest war reporters of the 20th century and to coincide with this event the Museum is also promoting the launch of the first Spanish biography of Capa, written by Richard Whelan.

Heart of Spain : Robert Capa's Photographs of the Spanish Civil War
(Note: This is not the book being promoted)

Address
Santa Isabel, 52.
Times
Monday to Saturday: 10 a.m - 9 p.m
Sunday: 10 a.m - 2.30 p.m.
Tuesday: Closed

Cine Doré and Filmoteca - No Blockbuster films here!

Cine Doré is a great film theatre, which dates back to 1923. The films it shows are certainly not the blockbusters you see in mainstream Spanish cinemas (and almost always dubbed) and acts as a magnet for film buffs. Cine Doré has three screens, which show films every day in their original language. They often have film weeks, where they will project the films of a famous director, like Luis Buñuel or Woody Allen or from a certain country, like Sweden or Japan. From July until the middle of September they offer an open-air cinema.
Cine Doré comes under the control of Filmoteca whose mission statement is to investigate and preserve the cinematogrpahic patronage and promote its knowledge. Filmoteca itself comes under the scrutiny of the Ministry of Culture and Education and has a huge historical film archive.

Here is the current programme schedule

Prices
1.35 €
10.22 € for 10 sessions

Address/Metro
Fimoteca: Magdalena 10 (Metro - Tirso de Molina)
Cine Doré - Santa Isabel 3 (Metro - Antón Martín)

Madrid lights up for the Royal Wedding

Many of Madrid's historic buildings and fountains have this week been lit up as part of the celebrations for the Royal Wedding on the 22nd May. They include the Prado, Cibeles and Neptune fountains and the Puerta de Alcalá. For the day of the wedding these lights will be taken down and floral decorations will take their place in preparation for the Royal procession. If you live outside Spain, you might be able to pick up transmission on satellite or cable. Sky, in the UK, transmits TVE International which will televise the whole of the wedding.

See also
Royal Wedding in Madrid

My Madrid - Juan Dominguez

My Madrid is a new feature on the Mad About Madrid site, where I invite people who either live in Madrid or who know the city well, to write about things they like.

The first person I have asked is Juan Dominguez, a 36 year-old director of E-commerce and Business Services in Ya.com, an internet company. He also founded Viajar.com, a leading Spanish online travel agency and has his own blog, e-life. Juan was born in Guadalajara but now lives in La Moraleja, a residential neighbourhood outside Madrid.
Favourite Bar/café Del Diego (c/ de la Reina), the best cocktail bar in the world, and I am not exaggerating a bit.
Favourite Dish(es) Jamón serrano, gazpacho, torrijas.
Favourite Tapas Tortilla de patatas, calamares, or anything in Bar Santander, in c/ Augusto Figueroa (Metro Chueca).
Favourite Restaurant - El Chaflán, in c/ Pio XII. It is expensive but it is definitely worth a visit. Other places that I like are Blue Fish, in c/ San Andres, (the girls who run it are so nice), and Caripén, in plaza de la Armada Española.
Favourite Shop FNAC or, if looking for gifts or furniture, Casa Julia in c/ Barquillo

International Museum Day

The 18th May is International Museum Day and across the capital the various museums will be putting on a variety of events. Many of the museums will be putting on free events, from the Reina Sofía and the Museum of América to the Templo de Debod and the San Isidro museum. From the 18th to the 23rd May (12 p.m - 5 p.m.) visitors to the Prado Museum will be able to learn more about its history and origins from a guide. The Ministry of Culture has a full list of museums participating, both inside and outside Madrid, just click on museos estatales.

Medina Mayrit Arabic Baths

Any trip to Madrid will invariably involve a lot of foot slogging around the streets, often in warm temperatures. What better way of relaxing your body than going to authentic Arabic Baths. The Medina Mayrit Baths, located on Calle Atocha, have three rooms with different temperatures and offer visitors massage and aromatherapy. The entry cost of 25 Euros includes bath, aromatherapy and massage and entitles you to spend one and a half hours at the baths. Prices for those over 65 and students are less. The complex also includes a tea room and restaurant. Full details can be found (in English) on the Medina Mayrit Baths website.

Address
C/ Atocha, 11

Royal Wedding in Madrid

On the 22nd May the heir to the throne, Felipe of Borbón, will marry Letizia Ortiz, a journalist, in Madrid's Almudena Cathedral. The city will be the host of the biggest Spanish Royal Wedding of the last century - the present king Juan Carlos got married in Greece - and royalty and dignitaries from all over the world will attend. Needless to say that much of central Madrid will be blocked off that day and you'll have to arrive a day or two early to grab a pole position!! Here are websites that give you a complete overview of the wedding, their own personal details from venues, to food and even where they'll live.

El Mundo
The Royal House
Telecinco
Terra
ABC

San Isidro Festival 2004 in Madrid

On the 15th May, Madrid celebrates its saint's day, San Isidro, and throughout this week the city has laid on a number of concerts, theatre events, bullfights and dance shows; even Bonnie Tyler is singing for free in the Plaza Mayor! Many of the events will take place in the open air and around the Plaza Mayor, Retiro Plaza Colón, Plaza de Oriente and the university to name but a few. Many of the events held in theatres and concert venues are free and simply require that people turn up at the doors to get their tickets.

The Feria de San Isidro is probably most closely associated with one of the most important bulfighting dates of the year and though it may be might impossible to get tickets to go to the Plaza de Ventas, you should still be able to see the bullfights televised across the city. One of the top bullfighters, "El Juli", will feature over this period.

This is a flavour of what wil be going on:
Concerts every night in the Plaza Mayor
Children's entertainment in the Retiro Park
Zarzuela in the Auditorio Conde Duque
Procession of old vehicles down the Paseo de la Castellana
Religious Processions
International Festival of Documentaries

More details of San Isidro 2006 can be found on San Isidro Festival 2006 page on this site.

The Strawberry Train (Tren de la Fresa)

From now until September, it will be possible to take a nostalgic journey into the past on a steam locomotive. The train is meant to depict what was the second peninsular line, inaugurated in 1851 by Isabel II. Operating out of Madrid's Atocha station and with the Royal town of Aranjuez as the destination, passengers will be able to take a journey on this train with stewardesses dressed in period costume, who serve fresh strawberries - typical fruit from the area.

Though the Royal Palace of Aranjuez was used as a retreat in the time of the Catholic Kings and Queens, it was Phillip II who told his architects, the same ones who built designed El Escorial, to further change and expand the palace. Fernando VI and Carlos III also had a hand in the development in the palace we now see and which sits on the rivers Tajo and Jarama. The result is a beautiful palace with fabulous gardens.

Fast Good a new fast food concept opens in Madrid

Last month the top Catalan chef, Ferrán Adrià, opened a new concept in fast food called 'Fast Good'. This new outlet is located in the hotel NH Eurobuilding and aims to prove that it is possible for a fast food restaurant to provide clients with better, richer and healthier food. Two examples that are cited are: 1. the olive oil in the friers is changed every day and 2. the macedonia comes with the juice in a separate bowl to preserve the texture of the fruit! This is from the NH Hotels press release:

"..we can eat hamburgers made using beef as usual, but garnished with trocadero lettuce, tapenade sauce, or with rucula and gorgonzola, for example; the panini combine ham, asparagus or cheese with sage, pine nuts, crystallised spring onions or even foie; as for salads, we find combinations as exclusive as green beans with fingers of pâté de canard, leek with crystallised chicken and spices, or wild rice with cous-cous, rounded off with a wide selection of lettuces and fruit, always dressed with home-made sauces. Some meals come with non-frozen French fries made at once using olive oil."

WOW! This sounds great and apparently the hotel chain plans to open up many new Fast Good outlets in the future. Looking at various sources on the web, the prices are very good, too - a meal would cost under €15.

Related Stories
NH Hotels Opens The First FAST GOOD (in English)
Adrià inventa el «fast good»
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Address
Padre Damián, 23, Madrid
Metro
Cuzco