A little bit of China in Madrid

If you´re ever in Madrid and you feel like going out for some really down-and-dirty Chinese food that is NOT in buffet form; waiting literally underneath one of Madrid´s most famous plazas, Plaza de España, is Bar China, which is actually underground and connected to the parking deck. So unless you are parking a car underground, you will never find this place. The plentiful dishes range from 4€-7€ and each table is outfitted with Sriracha and soy sauce for your salty and hot overload. The food is authentic, greasy, and delicious. Try it out if you´re sick of your typical Chinese restaurant.

Standard Starters - Dumplings and Beer

Take a look at #2, please. ¨Pyramid shaped mass of glutinous rice wrapped in leaves¨

 No, it´s not a bus station, its an underground hallway full of chinese magic.

 Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, in Plaza de España

The Cervantes Monument

The plaza facing Edificio España

All of the above photos are my own.

Madrid at night

Sometimes cities are just much more beautiful in the evening. Here are some photos of  some of Madrid´s most captivating and famous buildings lit up at night.

City Hall 

 Plaza de Cibeles

 Cibeles Fountain

 La Puerta de Alcalá

 Metropolis Building

The Bear and the Madroño Tree - Puerta del Sol

There is always more to be seen, but realistically that was a lot of ground covered in one night...

(All photographs were taken by me personally)

Santiago Bernabéu

When a friend invites you to go to a soccer match in Santiago Bernabéu stadium to see Real Madrid play a game, be it a friendly blowout match against a Columbian team with ties to the current owner or not, you go.

Especially when the seats are such that are realistically out of your price range. Here are some photos of Spain´s best team, up close ( no zoom lens here ).

Kaká

 Özil

 Özil with the drive n´ dish

 Santiago Bernabéu in all it´s glory.

 Coentrão gettin´ clobbered by the keeper.

 Kaká on a penalty.

 Sealin´ the deal.

 My boy Benzema with a nasty cut-back.

It was a total beatdown 8-0 with some seriously impressive goals.

Here´s a video of the goals.

El Matadero - Arts Center

Imagine the gigantic, dangerous, cold slaughterhouses of Chicago, the ones that you´ve read about in The Jungle by Upton Sinclair; then try to imagine an art gallery in the giant meat vats´ place, or a theater, or a music stage. In the south of Madrid proper, an old slaughterhouse (functional until 1996) has been turned into just that; a creative arts center  for concerts, exhibitions, and films, it is called El Matadero.

There are various spaces called ¨naves¨ or warehouses, many of which have 50 foot removable walls to make the space easily manageable for various different exhibitions and / or concerts. There is a ¨cineteca¨ whos walls are made of recycled rubber hoses, that harbors various theaters of different sizes. Other spaces in the Matadero are devoted to art & design, botany, and there is even a mini-community for musicians sponsored by Redbull.

The buildings are quite beautiful, boasting a strange mix of architectural styles such as Neo-Mudejar, which has arabic influences and is exclusive to Spain. Between all of the buildings are courtyards with cafes and it all next to Matadero Park and Arganzuela Park, which run along the Manzanares River.

There are constantly events being held at El Matadero, but if art and music isn´t your thing, you can just take a walk through the winding parks nearby!

(All photos are my own)