8.11.2008 - 16.11.2008 On my way to Peru - Wondering around Madrid

My travel to Peru started at the Italian railway station in Gorizia, where I took the train to Milan, and once in Milan another train to the Malpensa airport. Fortunately that day Italians didn't decide to strike, which is often the case, and getting somewhere is difficult, especially in Milan. But my luck I could get to the airport in time and there took the plane to Madrid.
Madrid's airport Barajas is good connected with the city, taking the metro. When I stepped out of the Terminal one, my new family was already waiting for me, my future mother and brother-in-law. It was nice to see them both there waiting for me, and to meet them finally. It was a very emotional moment. From there we took the metro to get to the apartment. I spent with them a wonderful one week, it was short to know my new family well, but good to have the possibility to know them at last, after my fiance spoke so much about them. They were both very kind with me, and took time to take me around.

With my mum-in-law we went to the Puerta del Sol in Madrid, where it is situated the statue of the bear and the tree ( "El Oso y El Madroño"), which is the symbol of Madrid. Apart from the bear, there are other two symbols of Madrid, namely PUERTA DE ALCALA is a kind of Arch of Triumph erected by Sicilian artist Francesco Sabatini in the XVIII century, and the fountain CIBELES, a Phrygian Goddess representing the fertility.

Puerta de Alcala - the second symbol of Madrid

In the Square of Puerta del Sol there is also the so called kilometer zero ("kilometro cero"), situated near the street, where is this nice building in the photo, just the opposite where the statue with the bear is situated.
In lot of countries kilometer zero is the geographic location from which start the streets, and from which one can measure the distances. It is usually situated in the center of the square. This is of course not the center of Spain, but just the place where streets start, as I was told by my mum-in-law.

kilometro cero in the Puerta del Sol Square

This inscription is not so easy to find, one must look down and where is a group of people standing in the circle and looking down, saying wooow and taking photos. Well, one must be practical :)).
The day I wondered around with my mum-in-law there were celebrations in the Plaza Mayor. They were doing folkloric Spanish dances and the Square was full with people. That day, the 9 of November, they celebrate the patron saint of Madrid, the Virgin Almudena. People get out in the streets, they put on the vests once used. It is really interesting to see olders with their vests of old days dancing in the streets with such a passion.
The streets that day were crowded. On the net you will read that the celebration take place in the Plaza de la Almudena, where is situated the Almudena Cathedral.



On the left is an image taken by night, of the Almudena Cathedral, situated near the Royal Palace. It take 100 years to construct this magnificent Cathedral, that Carlos V proposed to built in 1883. The Cathedral was finally consecrated in the 1993 by the Pope John Paul.