by Jeanina Santiago | Dec 20, 2014 | Spain
Here’s Palacio Real de Madrid, or the Royal Palace of Madrid. It did not impress me. The royal family of Madrid does not live here. They live in in an oversized villa, La Zarazuela, on the outskirts of Madrid. As a tourist, the exterior of the palace in Madrid...
by Jeanina Santiago | Dec 20, 2014 | Spain
We passed by the statue of the lanky man whose sleeplessness due to excessive reading made him insane. Don Quixote. Don Quixote, one of the world’s most famous and influential literary works. It has been translated into so many languages – more than any...
by Jeanina Santiago | Dec 14, 2014 | Spain
Plaza Mayor is the scene for different events like markets, shows, soccer games and bullfights. The same square was used in the past as a place for public execution (Hello Spanish inquisition!) Its function reminds me of the Roman amphitheaters. It’s amazing how...
by Jeanina Santiago | Dec 13, 2014 | Art, Spain
The main reason for us to see Museo del Prado in Madrid was to see painter Bosch’s “Garden of Earthly Delights.” For me, this triptych is twice worth more seeing than Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa”. Don’t get me wrong, of...
by Jeanina Santiago | Dec 13, 2014 | Spain
We stayed in the heart of Madrid, at a four-star hotel called Hotel Intur Palacio San Martin. And these are what I liked with the hotel: 1. Its location. It’s very near two metro stations, a huge department store called El Corte Ingles, and many other...
by Jeanina Santiago | Dec 12, 2014 | Spain
I like it flamboyant, so my eyes were set on Desigual, of course. Other Spanish brands I was also interested in are Mango and Zara. Other Spanish brands which I got acquainted with were Pull & Bear, Stradivarius and Massimo Dutti. When it comes to bags there are...
by Jeanina Santiago | Dec 12, 2014 | Spain
Calle Gran Via – that’s an upscale shopping area in Madrid where even fake Louis Vuitton bags and prostitutes are openly sold. When I was in Nice, France (March 2014), I wondered how in the world could so many ladies own Louis Vuitton bags? Did all these...
by Jeanina Santiago | Dec 10, 2014 | Spain
Breakfast at 10 am, lunch at 2 pm and dinner late in the evening. That’s how eating is timed in Madrid. We changed our sleeping and eating habits on the week we visited Madrid. Meaning: we started sleeping late to wake up late for breakfast. So very un-swedish....
by Jeanina Santiago | Dec 7, 2014 | Spain
Spain is the reason that the Philippines is predominantly Catholic. Ironically, Spain has become less religious since the last two decades, while the Philippines still holds on to its religious beliefs. I was baptised and raised Catholic, went to private Catholic...
by Jeanina Santiago | Dec 5, 2014 | Spain
When you’re in Madrid, look up. There are many rooftops worth seeing. In Paris we visited lots of outdoor cafés – in Madrid, we headed for the rooftops for brunch, snacks and cocktails. We were at Terraza Cibeles near Plaza de Cibeles and the rooftop of...
by Jeanina Santiago | Nov 29, 2014 | Spain
The morning we woke up after arrival in Madrid in Spain, my six-year old opened the balcony door at our hotel room and said, “Madrid smells like Manila, mama.” Coming to Madrid was almost like coming to Manila, according to her. The smell of traffic and...
by Jeanina Santiago | Nov 29, 2014 | Spain
The Buen Retiro Park literally means “park of the pleasant retreat” – and it lives up to its name. The park belonged to the Spanish monarchy, but in the late 19th century, it became a public park. Thank goodness, because the public deserves this...
by Jeanina Santiago | Nov 29, 2014 | Spain
There’s no point in just taking pictures of Plaza de Cibeles. I want to enjoy it! Plaza de Cibeles was formerly called Plaza de Madrid – an easier name to remember – but the politicians probably had the need to complicate the name and thereby changed...
by Jeanina Santiago | Jul 7, 2014 | Spain
We arrived Madrid midnight. I happened to ride the same plane as Yamilla, my zumba instructor whose mother lives in Madrid. She recommended us to take the cab instead of the airport bus at this time. There were cabs that either accepted cash or card. We took the one...
