Real Madrid

How heart wrenching it was when I waited the whole day in Chennai hotel smoking innumerable cigarettes to collect my german visa at the end of the day,to find it was rejected.Till date,I couldn't infer,why the visa officer had kept the passport when they return it over the counter if they don't grant the visa.I couldn't conclude anything from the rejection letter either.I assume may be because I was a single tourist.Still Indians are considered freaky or seen with suspicion if they want to travel alone.A thought stirred my soul.Damn this visas!!Who are we humans to create laws for travelling to a land created by the same God!

Anyways,nothing can supress me.My sheer energy compelled me to apply for the Spanish visa within a weeks time.Christmas and new year passed filling me with anxiety and pessimism.I did everything the tour operator guided me to,bought the tickets even just with the hope and passion to visit Madrid.Finally it was 7th Jan 2009.I cried to my Lord.Then the phone rang.No,it wasn't a call from God but definitely it was his blessing.My visa was granted and I would be flying to Madrid on 9th Jan.

But that was not an end to all the wait.I was flying in Air France via Paris.Madrid was heaped with snow after 20years and all the flights to Madrid were cancelled,to my disappointment.Luckily,the next day I finally was in Madrid without my luggages.Air France misplaced both my bags,eventually I was only with my hand bag that had nothing more than my hairbrush,passport,ticket and the wallet.

If Madrid were a woman,she'd be a cross between Penelope Cruz(beautiful) and Madonna(sassy,getting better with age).If it were a man,it would have to be Javier Bardem(irresistible).And if you could distil the city to its essence,it would be this,Madrid a rebellious ex-convent school girl,who grew up to be sophisticated but didnot forget to have a good time.

Adapted from shell of a 18th century hospital,the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia offers a spanning collection.Without my luggage,little bit of shopping,and the chilled weather I could manage to see the Palacio Real,the zoo,Plaza de Mayor,Debod Temple,IE Business School,Puerta del Sol,El Retiro Park,Gran Via,El Rastro flea market,Puerta de Europa,Puerta de Alcala.Quite a lot given one week without my belongings.I couldn't capture many a splendid places in snapshot.Madrilenian youth are famous for dancing all night long.I enjoyed seeing them dancing rather than enjoying Tapas and wine.To my surprise,Botin,the world's oldest restaurant is in Madrid.I found it through google.Couldn't resist myself from tasting its delicacies.My two weeks in Madrid just flew but my soul is unquenched.I am still in the Madrid hangover,all that plays in my mind are the places,the metro rides and those few words I learnt "Donde est Juan Bravo?","Muchos Gracias".

I still don't realise why I dint follow my own counsel and applied for german schengen visa to visit Madrid.Neverthless,am only left with fiery grandeur of Madrid in my memories.