Madrid is a city where everyone lives a student lifestyle. They nap in the afternoon, go out for very late dinners, and stay out til all hours of the night. They never think about the time, and they love every moment of life. As you'd expect, Madrid comes alive most at night. It's a great place to stay up late and sleep all day... perfect for hipsters, students, young people, and the young at heart ;)
Tapas - if you've never had them - are basically "little plates" of all sorts of food. It's a far superior form of bar food. While you drink, you eat mini portions, essentially filling up on a bunch of appetizers. The whole idea is brilliant, and Madrid has perfected it. In New York City, for contrast, many people meet at a bar after work, to spend time with their friends, but they invariably order over-priced unhealthy bar food, for lack of other options. Sometimes I wonder why such fantastic ideas have not taken off around the world.
Madrid has been a popular place throughout history to conquer. Originally part of the Roman Empire, the Visigoths took power, until the Moors invaded from Northern Africa and gained the whole area in only three years, which is incredibly quick for international invasions. Next comes the Hapsburg dynasty in 1492, a very significant year for the Spaniards. Not only for Christopher Columbus, but also because the Jews were forced to leave the country. The New World led to the Golden Age, where goods from Africa and American led to a major influx of gold into the region. Then when Charles II had no heir, they had a war of succession, where 400,000 died as the nobles........
The pictures are of tapas, the Crystal Palace in the Parque de Retiro, the bridge which used to be the top suicide location until the city put up glass panels, the bear of the city center (wish I knew his story), and the king's palace. ¡Hasta luego!
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