Madrid
Any and everything about the fascinating capital city of Spain — and the Autonomous Community of Madrid — from its rich history through its vibrant present to what the future holds, recounted from every angle imaginable.
This category, however, goes beyond Madrid; it embraces stories of what occurred, are occurring, and will probably occur in the Spanish nation whose capital is Madrid.
CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WAY UP HIGH! »
Looking for Christmassy fun up in the clouds? You’re in the right place if you’re in Pozuelo de Alarcon, northeast of the Autonomous Community of Madrid. Because that’s where Madrid’s tallest Ferris wheel goes round and round this Season. On descent, it whirls at the heart-stopping speed of 126 km/h. And you get a memorable view of Madrid for miles around into the bargain. Who knows, you might even bump into Santa, with sackful of gift on his sleigh, when you're up there in the sky!
BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, CHRISTMAS IS HERE! Free worshop on Ceramic painting for Christmas Decor »
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SNAPSHOT: PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS, MADRID-BORN! »
Meet Filarmonía de Madrid, an orchestra and chorus ensemble of the highest standards of professionalism AND a social conscience to top it off: This is the Philharmonia that went out of its way in 2021 to render homage to the victims of COVID-19 at Spain’s Auditorio Nacional de Música, in celebration of the first anniversary of the State of Alarm that faced down the pandemic with amazing courage and efficacy.
FRUIT ATTRACTION 2022: AS FABULOUSLY FRESH AS YOU’D WANT YOUR FOODSTUFF TO BE! »
Fruit Attraction is held every October and has become the indispensable sales component for the demand cycle for fresh products, providing a major platform and meeting point for fruit and vegetable operators, growers and agriculturists. Breaking all past records, Fruit Attraction 2022 has enshrined Madrid as the World Fruit & Vegetable Capital.
A GUIDEPOST REPRINT: “Alta Batik,” 20 May 1969 »
“Batik” is a complicated design-dyeing process that has been on the Fashion scene for over 2,000 years. The “número uno” rage in Paris and Rome for several seasons, the technique only just reached Madrid and has caught on so quickly that when Argentinian Inez Lezama Ovejero moved to the Spanish capital and went into the batik business she enjoyed immediate success.
A GUIDEPOST REPRINT: “WHERE JOURNALISTS JUNK IT,” 25 April 1969 »
"Be it ever so humble, there´s no place like your own office. I´m proud of my office. It is not really grand, I suppose, less esoteric, you might say, than Mr. Heffner´s penthouse suite in Chicago. We haven´t—as yet—any sunken Pompeian swimming pools, color stereophonic TV, or a heliport with built-in cocktail cabinets. And there is a grim shortage of nude bunny rabbit girls scurrying around the joint and twitching their cute little furry tails. To tell the brutal truth, neither Harry nor I have made a fortune out of our profession of journalism. I suggested to Harry that we might change our trade, and enter a profession even older than our own."
MADRID: MYSTICAL GARDENS OF THE EAST BECKON TO VISITORS »
You simply can’t give these a miss! Not when they cause fresh breezes from exotic lands to blow into the scalding heat of Madrid summer! We are referring to the two garden exhibitions courtesy of Casa Asia: THE BLACK ZEN GARDEN and THE LAUGHTER OF THE FLOWERS.
NATO SUMMIT SPAWNS FREE BUS RIDE »
FREE RIDE on EMT buses throughout the city of Madrid during the NATO Summit from the 28th to the 30th of June. The measure is in line with the plan of the Madrid City Council to momentarily wean users from private vehicles that will not only snarl up traffic but will also make the enforcement of security measures for the Summit all the more complicated. Passengers may use their transport pass to take the bus without the ride being charged against the pass. Or, if the passenger has no transport pass, the bus driver will issue a free ticket.
A GUIDEPOST REPRINT: “PACO: THE DOG WHO ADOPTED MADRID,” 17 May 1968 »
Paco was not a pedigreed, aristocratic dog such as those that used to swagger down the Prado with their haughty masters. But Paco was an exceptional dog. He had a sharp eye for benefactors such as the Marqués de Bogaraya. As the marquis ate regularly in Fornos, so Paco too would drop in at dinner time and be assured of at least a modest meal and not a few pats on the head. Paco might have continued his libertine life to ripe old dogdom had he not been the unfortunate victim of an amateur novillero who was making a mess of his bull. The spectators were indignant and Paco jumped into the arena, ran up to the clumsy amateur and barked at him from closer range. The matador, furious at the bull, the public and specially at the nagging dog, directed his sword at Paco and ran him through with one thrust. Paco died. His death constituted a veritable day of mourning in Madrid.
TWA Layovers: Del Hotel Plaza al Cielo »
During my thirty years as a TWA flight attendant, I spent many a layover at the Hotel Plaza. Whether coming off a new Boeing 707 in the sixties, the whale-sized 747 in the eighties or a sleek 767 in the nineties, the Plaza was my home away from home. The hotel was nestled inside the Edificio España, wrapped in a cozy cocoon of cafeterias, bars, restaurants and watering holes that catered to all tastes. There always seemed to be fruit floating in the water of the pool in the top floor from someone's sangria. And once in a while, a naked Maja was seen running across the balcony chased by a Don Juan Tenorio.
