Spring, El Cuatro Torres and La Noche en Blanco

My afternoon classes were cancelled today so I decided to go and see Madrid's four skyscrapers, the cuatro torres, up near Plaza de Castilla. I had an errand to run on the way and plenty of time to kill so I took my bike. The weather's changed dramatically since the clocks went back (or forward, or whatever) last week and its now really hot and quite humid, so by the time I got to my first destination (after a lovely cycle through La Latina and down Calle Huertas), I was drenched in sweat. I'm going to mostly put this down to the temperature, but cycling up the busy Paseo Castellano is enough to make you perspire even on a cold day. The Spanish driving style certainly makes you use your brakes quite strongly on occasion, and roundabouts are taken at speed.

I'd been wanting to go have a look at the four towers for a while now after seeing them from afar all the time, something my girlfriend has just not been able to understand. I suppose it's quite a male thing... Anyway, when I finally got there via the Plaza de Castilla's leaning towers (it's probably the furthest north I've been in the city, apart from going to the airport), I have to admit she was right. They look a lot more impressive from far away and the area they're in is pretty, well, nothingy. It's not even horribly concreted like the area around the Torre Picasso, there's just nothing else there.

But not to worry, I was back on my bike and off back down the Paseo Castellano until I detoured to coast down through Malasaña and down GranVia to Plaza de España, which I've been wanting to do for ages too. From there I went by the Plaza Oriente and looped past the Palace and through to Opera, round Plaza Mayor to Plaza de Puerta de Cerrada with it's murals and sparrows from where I'm writing this now. The joy of cycling round a city! (After I'd written this on my way down the hill to my flat, another cyclist drew level to say "Madrid! Que bueno!" before speeding past). But enough of that for now, a post about cycling in Madrid coming soon.

Song and dance on the Cercanias

On Saturday I went out to Alcala de Heneres with some friends for El Noche en Blanco, some kind of fiesta the reason for which I'm still not quite sure of. They love a fiesta in Spain and any excuse will do really. After a picnic in Retiro in the overcast but warm afternoon and a fun half an hour Cercanias ride where our group had half the carriage singing along, and even dancing at one point, to Beatles songs (the security didn't really know what to make of this once they realised we weren't doing it for money), we arrived in the main square as darkness was falling at about 9pm to find a stage erected with a local flamenco show in full swing. The participants were evidently local enthusiasts rather than professionals, but that's all part of what's great about Spanish fiestas to me, they're very locally focussed and have a nice community feel to them.

Part of our reason for going was that Alcala is a UNESCO heritage site (and Cervantes birthplace) but, to be honest, it just reminded me very strongly of Chester in the UK. The centre of Valencia is much nicer! Still, the streets were full, the night was warm, and it was nice to sit on the street drinking beer and eating tapas. (Note: careful when asking a waiter for "muchos tapas", you might get more than you bargained for!).

With the hot weather and the lighter evenings, Madrid's terrazas have sprung back out, which brings so much more atmosphere to the streets in the evening. Even the little old bar opposite our flat has bought some tables and chairs. A recent exeptional find though, on a recommendation from a friend, is a rooftop terrace bar called Gaudeamus, on top of an old library on Calle Tribulete in Lavapies. A view over the rooftops and the old church-like stonework combined with good lighting and vegetation make it one of the best drinking spots I've found, and the prices aren't too bad either at €2.80 a decent sized caña. Recommended.

Finally, an update on Madrid's parrot situation. I don't know if this happens every year as it gets warmer but there are more and more of the little green fellas to be seen, or rather heard, near the centre of the city these days and they're a common sight, or rather sound, near our apartment. I'm beginning to see why people released them as pets, they have got quite a squawk on them.

Word of the day: Torres - Towers    (Fernando Torres? Ferdinand Towers)