Remember how I was saying that art is supposed to invoke some sort of emotion well today I copped boredom. I went to Museo del Prado which is supposedly one of the worlds best art galleries. I dutifully lined up for about 45-60 minutes before being allowed into its hallowed halls on the proviso that on Sunday its free to get in but I still managed to get charged €6. Despite my questions all the rude lady on the ticket desk could say was €6. In the end I just handed over the money since I had lined up and I wasn´t about to waste anymore time. By this time I REALLY needed to find a loo since it was cold outside and I had been drinking my water but of course I had to firstly get my bag scanned then checked then I had to go through a metal detector. A group of Russian exchange students were in the way on the bag scanner as they were discussing what they were allowed to take into the museum with the cloak room staff so in the end I pushed through (I really was desparate) and argued with the cloak room that my bag should not go in the shopping trolley with the Russian bags. After quickly getting through the metal dectector (thank god) I raced over to the sign saying toilets this way and overshot the mark and had to double back to find them again. I always do this when I need to find something quickly.
After the loo I went to the information desk to get a map of the place and started to wander. I honestly thought something would grab my attention throughout the two or so hours I was there but frankly all I felt was boredom and felt I had to go to all the rooms because there was obviously something I had missed. I even spent some serious time checking out the Goya paintings which Lonely Planet had gone on about and it still did nothing for me. I have chalked this one up to ´I have done it´ and the only emotion I got out the art work of it was boredom. Over the last year I have seen so many paintings of the nativity scene, Jesus on the cross, Saint this and that and Spainish noblewoman circa 1840 I don´t think I can take it anymore!! I must be a philistine but so be it.
Anyway now that I have got that out of my system I will mention dinner last night. In my last post I said I was going to go for a wander and get some dinner. I didn´t end up wandering very far because the hostel I am staying in is right in the middle of the city and they turned the Christmas lights on last night so most of Madrid came into town on the Saturday night to check out the lights. I gave up and went into a restaurant close to the hostel on the recommendation from the staff that all I need do is order a beer in any of the restaurants on the hostels street and I would get some free tapas as part of the deal. I went in and asked for a beer and tapas. The woman was chewing gum and had an attitude but handed over the beer no worries. After ten minutes I asked if I could get some tapas and was told that they didn´t do tapas. I told the owner that I had asked for this when I ordered the beer and nothing was said then. He gave me the menu and said just order something so I picked out prawns in garlic sauce but the price was €7 so I thought it would be a decent size. When they bought it out there was about 10-12 prawns and huge chunk of bread. I assumed that they had given me a tapas size since they were v.v.v. small prawns and even then they weren´t that good but I was hungry so I ate them. When I went to pay I handed over some money and expected a lot back but they had charged me the €7 for the meal. I had had enough by this stage and told the manager that their service was poor and the food was disgusting. He looked a bit miffed but by this stage I didn´t care and chances are they will think I am a rude American tourist.
This morning after phaffing about I took off to see the El Rastro markets. I knew that they were big and somewhat of a flea market done every Sunday in Madrid. I needed a new jacket because its getting too cold just for my fleece. Along the way I was asked directions since I was checking out my map and it turned out to be an Aussie couple. We checked out the markets together - I bought my jacket and a few small pressies then we went our opposite ways. It was quite funny actually when wandering around the market because the shop owners kept telling me that I needed to be careful of pickpockets. I only ever have about €30 in my wallet at anytime and the rest is in my money belt which is well and truly tucked away. It was nice that they were concerned though.
After this I headed off to the Museo del Prado into my boredom phase of the day. I couldn´t face anything else after this as the boredom had sucked the puff out of me and headed back to the hostel which is only about ten minutes walk away and ended up spending the afternoon talking to another Aussie girl and an English guy who are staying at the hostel. That my lovely readers has been my day. Action packed with highs and lows, tears and laughs and an overall desperate need to find a toilet! Who knows what tomorrow may bring - stay tuned.
Toni
xxoo
After the loo I went to the information desk to get a map of the place and started to wander. I honestly thought something would grab my attention throughout the two or so hours I was there but frankly all I felt was boredom and felt I had to go to all the rooms because there was obviously something I had missed. I even spent some serious time checking out the Goya paintings which Lonely Planet had gone on about and it still did nothing for me. I have chalked this one up to ´I have done it´ and the only emotion I got out the art work of it was boredom. Over the last year I have seen so many paintings of the nativity scene, Jesus on the cross, Saint this and that and Spainish noblewoman circa 1840 I don´t think I can take it anymore!! I must be a philistine but so be it.
Anyway now that I have got that out of my system I will mention dinner last night. In my last post I said I was going to go for a wander and get some dinner. I didn´t end up wandering very far because the hostel I am staying in is right in the middle of the city and they turned the Christmas lights on last night so most of Madrid came into town on the Saturday night to check out the lights. I gave up and went into a restaurant close to the hostel on the recommendation from the staff that all I need do is order a beer in any of the restaurants on the hostels street and I would get some free tapas as part of the deal. I went in and asked for a beer and tapas. The woman was chewing gum and had an attitude but handed over the beer no worries. After ten minutes I asked if I could get some tapas and was told that they didn´t do tapas. I told the owner that I had asked for this when I ordered the beer and nothing was said then. He gave me the menu and said just order something so I picked out prawns in garlic sauce but the price was €7 so I thought it would be a decent size. When they bought it out there was about 10-12 prawns and huge chunk of bread. I assumed that they had given me a tapas size since they were v.v.v. small prawns and even then they weren´t that good but I was hungry so I ate them. When I went to pay I handed over some money and expected a lot back but they had charged me the €7 for the meal. I had had enough by this stage and told the manager that their service was poor and the food was disgusting. He looked a bit miffed but by this stage I didn´t care and chances are they will think I am a rude American tourist.
This morning after phaffing about I took off to see the El Rastro markets. I knew that they were big and somewhat of a flea market done every Sunday in Madrid. I needed a new jacket because its getting too cold just for my fleece. Along the way I was asked directions since I was checking out my map and it turned out to be an Aussie couple. We checked out the markets together - I bought my jacket and a few small pressies then we went our opposite ways. It was quite funny actually when wandering around the market because the shop owners kept telling me that I needed to be careful of pickpockets. I only ever have about €30 in my wallet at anytime and the rest is in my money belt which is well and truly tucked away. It was nice that they were concerned though.
After this I headed off to the Museo del Prado into my boredom phase of the day. I couldn´t face anything else after this as the boredom had sucked the puff out of me and headed back to the hostel which is only about ten minutes walk away and ended up spending the afternoon talking to another Aussie girl and an English guy who are staying at the hostel. That my lovely readers has been my day. Action packed with highs and lows, tears and laughs and an overall desperate need to find a toilet! Who knows what tomorrow may bring - stay tuned.
Toni
xxoo
posted by Toni Black at 6:37 PM
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