My Madrid Neighborhood
I have spent a lot of time so far strolling the beautiful streets of central Madrid. It seems that every corner brings a new surprise, from graceful and stately colonial buildings…
...to charming little neighborhood streets. I love the many colors, and the preponderance of shuttered, wrought iron balconies.
I have a little obsession. At every street crossing, I look for the little street markers, so beautifully labeled. Their creation was a functional one—to help the illiterate find their way around—but now they add yet another special touch that makes Madrid’s historic core so unique and stunning. I have taken countless photos of them, which is always quite bewildering to Madrilenos, who stop and stare at me, surely wondering what I could possibly be so interested in.
Here are some of my favorites from Saturday:
However, lest I lead you to believe that the entire downtown area is one massive monument to Spanish history…
Madrid is hectic, crowded, chaotic…everything you’d expect of a European capital city. It's got that great big city energy!
Oh, and one last treat for you. Like most major cities, Madrid has it’s share of street performers. The majority are talented and interesting to watch. This guy chose to go in a different direction. I suppose he was, in fact, fun to watch…just in a different way.
(Sorry it's not a very good shot. I didn't feel like putting much energy into capturing this particular scene.)
...to charming little neighborhood streets. I love the many colors, and the preponderance of shuttered, wrought iron balconies. 
I have a little obsession. At every street crossing, I look for the little street markers, so beautifully labeled. Their creation was a functional one—to help the illiterate find their way around—but now they add yet another special touch that makes Madrid’s historic core so unique and stunning. I have taken countless photos of them, which is always quite bewildering to Madrilenos, who stop and stare at me, surely wondering what I could possibly be so interested in. Here are some of my favorites from Saturday:
However, lest I lead you to believe that the entire downtown area is one massive monument to Spanish history…
Madrid is hectic, crowded, chaotic…everything you’d expect of a European capital city. It's got that great big city energy!Oh, and one last treat for you. Like most major cities, Madrid has it’s share of street performers. The majority are talented and interesting to watch. This guy chose to go in a different direction. I suppose he was, in fact, fun to watch…just in a different way.
(Sorry it's not a very good shot. I didn't feel like putting much energy into capturing this particular scene.)