A creative approach to timekeeping The Spanish are infamous for their poor timekeeping. Those of us who’ve lived here long enough know that ‘I’ll meet you at 8 pm’ actually translates into 8.30 or even 9. It’s simply something you get used to and, if truth be told, it’s nice not to have to rush to …
Even a Spanish clock tells the right time twice a day Read More »
Napoleon comes to town Time was you couldn’t swing a cat, let alone drive through central Madrid without hitting a church or monastery. A lack of urban planning meant that the city’s narrow streets were stifled by religious institutions. That was until Bonaparte’s troops rolled into town. The new ruler, Napoleon’s brother, Joseph, decided to …
Bag of bones In the church of San Isidro lie the embalmed remains of Madrid’s most famous patron saint, Isidro the Labourer. This varnished bag of bones lying on a bed of white satin, his modesty covered by a flag embroidered with the city’s heraldry, is not doing too badly considering it’s getting on for …
