Day #27 - Madrid, Spain

Police with riot gear outside Stadium Santiago Bernabeu (Real Madrid)

Plaza de Toros - bullfighting

Awesome city view

Puerta del Sol - main center of Madrid

Plaza Mayor - former bullfighting arena

Saturday, April 10th

Today I spent the day walking around the streets of Madrid, Spain. Perfect day. Weather in the low 50's to start and warmed up to mid 60's. Blue skies, slight breeze - couldn't have asked for better.

I'm staying at a hotel about 10 minutes from the downtown area - NhVilla De Coslada. There's a train within walking distance that takes me right into town. I really knew very little about Madrid before today - just that it was a big city. I purposefully did not look at any maps. The hotel folks told me what station I needed to get to - and then I just walked from there.

Very impressive city. Madrid is known as the liveliest capital in Europe. People were out in abundance with the great weather and weekend activity. A couple areas that stood out for me where Puerta del Sol and The Plaza Mayor. Puerta del Sol is kind of the central spot of the city. It's a block area that everyone hangs out in. There's the statues and the fountain - a neat central meeting location. The Plaza Mayor is a huge cobblestone square. Completed in 1619, it has seen its share of bullfights, hangings, riots, and wild carnivals. There are 9 arched exits that lead into/out of the square.

I walked everywhere and took pictures of most of the sites. The city has a lively, edgy, saucy feel about it. I haven't made up my mind yet - I'm giving it time. I went to the information booth and asked about seeing a bullfighting match and a soccer game. I knew that bullfighting took place every Sunday between March and September. I took the metro train to the Plaza de Toros. I got a ticket for tomorrow. Starts at 6pm - I'm fired up to see this.

I learned that there was a big soccer match tonight. Real Madrid versus Barcelona. I really wanted to go to this game. I was told tickets were sold out. I decided to make a trip to the stadium anyway to see if I could scalp one. I want to go to a sccoer match while in Europe - this would be one of the best. I get to the stadium at 6pm. The game starts at 10pm. There are people everywhere. It's pandomonium The police are fully decked out in riot gear. It's 4 hours before the match. I've never seen anything like it. 7 of 10 people had flags draped around them. Chants where breaking out. Horns were constantly blowing. It was soon clear to me that I had no chance of getting a ticket. Remember when I said I talked with a couple folks outside the rugby match in Ireland. I asked them where to see a soccer game. They told me England or Spain - but that I should stay away from Spain because the people are crazy there. I now see what that guy was talking about.

I walked around the stadium and took in the atmosphere for about an hour. People were guzzling beers, chanting -- the conditions were prime for a major riot. I actually think it's best that I got out of there. People were angry. It wasn't friendly cheering - it was "we want you to die" cheering. Remember what I said about the edgy, saucy atmosphere -- example right here.

I'm back in my hotel monitoring the Masters Golf Tournament on the internet and watching the Real Madrid soccer match on TV. I'm a huge golf fan and the Masters is my favorite tournament. It's destroying me to not watch it live. It's one of my favorite sporting events of the year.

Tomorrow I go for a long training run in the morning and then look forward to the bullfighting match at night. Setting up for a good Sunday.