Cheesy Chocolate and Rocket Launchers

Madrid was our home base this weekend with no major trips, just fun local stuff. On Friday we were invited to a small get together as “Tierra Solidaria” which is a state sponsored store that sells Columbian handicrafts. Pablo from my work invited us. Besides socializing with the small mostly Latin American crowd there, we were introduced to a traditional Columbian beverage. I don’t remember what it’s called, but it is a somewhat spicy-sweet hot chocolate with mild chunks of cheese floating on the surface. The chocolate/cheese drink combo was new to us and quite tasty. We spent the remainder of evening grabbing a drink and tapa, cooking dinner, and watching a movie.

Saturday we explored greater Madrid a bit and took the Metro subway far out to a park near the airport. Edith, one of Trisha’s students, recommended it to us. Parque Carlos I was another example of a grand Madrid park, complete with plentiful trails, an island surrounded by a mini-lake, and lovely views atop a grassy hill located in the center. If anything, Madrid has spectacular parks. We were hoping to ride bikes at Parque Carlos I, as they have a free rental service. Instead, we opted for a long walk since the weather was rainy at the beginning of our visit.

Saturday evening we went to a film put on by “Cojo Ojo,” a week-long international film festival. The film we saw is called Made in L.A., and is a documentary on exploited sweatshop workers in Los Angeles. The film highlighted the workers lives and subsequent lawsuit they filed against the company Forever 21 in lieu of their unfair work conditions. It was likely shown in the U.S. months ago. We enjoyed the film both for its challenging content, and the fact that we got to see it in a theatre located in the Reina Sophia Museum.

Sunday was the Festival de Nacional (National Festival), which is a celebration of Spain and its heritage. The main event was a military parade that we attended in the morning. We only had to walk a few blocks to away to see and join the thousands of other people in attendance. I have never seen a military parade before in person. It looked similar to those television news clips of military parades in “rouge nations” with tanks, rocket launchers, military trucks, and soldiers parading down the street next to a grandstand with a dictator saluting as it goes by. It had that feel, except the waving dictator wasn’t a dictator at all, but the King of Spain, who has no authoritarian power in this country. There were indeed tanks, rocket launchers and the like, but all from a country who decided against staying in Iraq and whose government leans more toward the left.




Sunday evening we went to a classical concert with our friend Irena. Irena is a Madrid local we met over the summer to practice our Spanish and she her English, while she was nanny in Pasadena. Her brother is a violist in the orchestra, and put on a wonderful performance with his group. The concert was in the National Auditorium in Madrid and has an interior that mirrors the Disney Concert hall in L.A. It was a tranquil end to an enjoyable weekend.

Next weekend we are going to Paris for four days! We found an inexpensive ticket on EasyJet a month ago and are looking forward to our first visit ever. Our research on Paris has left us with the game plan to visit a few of the big sites, walk everywhere, and drink-in the Paris culture as best we can. Any suggestions on “must see/do’s” while there from you Paris veterans? Let us know.