Dear readers, The Making of Madrid has been going for more than two years now and over this time I’ve accumulated a vast store of fascinating factoids and intriguing anecdotes about my adoptive city. Keen to share this information with others, I decided to do a few one-off tours and found the experience so enjoyable that […]
Grandson to Spain’s most awesome king Charles III, Ferdinand VII, was without a shadow of a doubt Spain’s worst ever king. While his subjects suffered terribly, this slug of a man managed to slither unscathed in and out of Napoleon’s conquest of Spain agreeing to whatever was asked of him in exchange for a gilded
Lack of facilities Though I love Madrid, the city is, quite literally, a bit of a toilet. Due to the lack of public facilities, many partygoers end up relieving themselves in the city streets so that after a steamy Saturday night, the pavements absolutely reek of piss by Sunday morning. Luckily our lovely ex-mayor Manuela
A narrow escape If you’ve ever been to the Prado you must have seen Velazquez’s masterpiece Las Meninas. Painted in 1656, the picture shows princess Margaret Theresa with her pet dog, dwarf, and ladies in waiting. The enigmatic painting is now famous the world over, but what’s less known is that it narrowly escaped being burned up
Secret mistress In the 16th century, Chueca was far from being the bustling gay meca we know and love today. Practically on the outskirts of the city, bordered by fields and gardens, it was a quiet tranquil spot. Indeed, the ideal place for a powerful person to tuck away a mistress. The mistress in question
A chilling tale A curious coincidence recently led me to visit 69 Calle Mayor twice in the space of one week. My first visit was to attend a Japanese conversation session held at the Japan Foundation, the second was an art exhibition in the basement. Both times I noticed a slight chill when I walked
The point of no return We all have those moments when we realise we’re getting a bit past it. Mine came about two weeks ago at a gig. The (very very) few other people in the room around my age had all sensibly positioned themselves at the back and were bobbing gently along, while I
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
Madrid’s biggest festival The best thing about springtime in Madrid is the Fiestas de San Isidro. On the days running up to May 15 every year, Madrileños sport red carnations and don the colourful clothing of the chulapo and chulapa to celebrate the occasion. The festival goes on for over a week with drinking and
