Blogger, Ana Ruggieri
Madrid Magic: Welcome to Spain!
The first full day in Madrid was FILLED with exciting new things, scenes, airline adventures, and an introduction to authentic Spanish dishes! Madrid, the capital of Spain, houses over 3.5 million inhabitants and is the second largest city in the EU. The Clark crew will be staying here until May 23rd!
Immediately after landing and getting out in the city, I was blown away by the liveliness of the city of Madrid and how outgoing everyone seemed to be.
I boarded my flight to Madrid on May 19th at 4:30 pm from Boston and landed at 5:45 am on May 20th! Yes, I was exhausted. Yes, I was hungry. But, I was in Spain finally!
Roughly, our day consisted of a few key points I’d like to highlight before going into my personal reflection for the day, and what I am curious about for the rest of our trip!
- I waited for my lovely comrades to arrive after landing at the airport around 5:45 a.m. In an attempt to get sleep, I found a little bar/restaurant at the airport called Bareto.
- Dr. Pitamber and most of the other Clark students arrived around 11:00 a.m. We began navigating the exit of the airport together after their arrival.
- We exited the airport and took Madrid’s public transportation for the first time! In Madrid, public transportation such as trains and buses is readily available and accessible for travelers with luggage!
- Once in the city, we walked through Madrid to find the Catalonia Las Cortes! We were able to drop our bags off and go find some food before check-in.
- Ariana Smith, Grace Bramer, and I got a quick bite to eat at Brown Bear Bakery and did a small walk through Madrid city center.
Here is my personal reflection and journal entry from the night of arrival:
First Full Day in España! I was so excited but tired when I first got here, and I think the feeling will only continue. I have been keeping my phone and digital camera at the ready and have already taken a dozen photos! Once in Madrid, my friends and I got tea and croissants at Brown Bear Cafe, only five minutes away from the hotel! After that, Grace, Ari, and I explored the park across from our hotel, near the center of Madrid, where we befriended many park pigeons! (My goal by the end of this trip is to re-domesticate a pigeon, and take them home with me 🙂 ).
Once we were able to check into our hotel rooms around 2:00 pm, Ari and I found our room and unpacked what we could. It was so nice to finally sit down after the 7-hour flight, 3-hour airport stay, and two-hour transportation to the hotel. As we were settling in, Ari and I admired the gorgeous room. We got accustomed to the plentiful amenities the hotel had provided us with, including our favorite addition, a walk-out balcony window, which made our stay more enjoyable than others who did not have this! *cough cough Wen Ting LOL*. We adore the side street our hotel faces, which allows us to appreciate the liveliness of Madrid’s wonderous nightlife! The sun didn’t set till around 9:00 pm, and after a brief siesta at the hotel, Ari and I headed out to get dinner with the class at Taberna Volcuna Restaurant! We then got delicious gelato (pineapple for me, mint chocolate chip for Ari) in the city’s center and returned to our hotels for the night.
Thank you for the opportunity to blog about our first fantastically memorable Madrid day! I have uploaded two vlogs, a room tour, and a quick park vlog to this blog, as well as several pictures showing our adventures. Please enjoy them and consider booking your next flight to the bustling city!
Picture of me with a forkful of shrimp from the paella dish at Taberna La Fragua del Vulcano (where we ate dinner on Tuesday, May 20th) PC: Sophie Mowbray
Ariana, Grace, and I went on our first outing in the city, and we walked around the center of the city near our hotel. We also came across Puerta del Sol, which is a large walking square notable for its equestrian statue of Charles III! PC: Ana Ruggieri
My tea and croissant from Brown Bear Bakery, located on Pl. de Matute, 10, Centro Madrid. This little cafe was inexpensive, chillaxed, and provided Grace, Ari, and me with a warm welcome to the city! PC: Ana Ruggieri
This is our class heading to our hotel on check-in day! I trailed behind the group to catch this photo of us walking down a pedestrian-friendly street in the center of the city. PC: Ana Ruggieri
This was me after I arrived at the Madrid Adolfo Suarez Madrid Barajas Airport at 5:45 a.m., after landing! PC: Ana Ruggieri
Dinner at the Taberna La Fragua del Vulcano restaurant! Table filled with delicious jamon, paella, peppers, and croquettes platters that were all divinely flavourful. PC: Sophie Mowbray
I am sitting on the InClan BRUTAL Bar bench (I gave him a smooch as a thank you!) PC: Ariana Smith
8D645838-A13C-4F18-AC2C-C3BD57A4F62A.MP4 Vlog of the hotel room interior at Catalonia Las Cortes hotel! (Room tour featuring roommate Ariana Smith).
3FB25E61-504D-4CA5-B9DD-92BC99D83A05.MP4 Introductory Vlog (Entering the hotel with Ariana Smith)
For more information on Madrid, what to do and what to see, I recommend checking out this page: Cataloniahotels.com/10 facts about Madrid you may not know!