# Barcelona and Madrid, from May to May



## liman_drzava (Oct 30, 2008)

OK, cut this crap, we do not understand each other, or don't want to. For people who are not traditional 'west', this term is more connected with some values than with others. For example, people in East Germany had some idea of 'west', and did know what they mean by saying it, even being in the west themselves (by many criteria). I'm not going in to details... leave it, please :cheers:


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## Larmey (Jun 21, 2010)

liman_drzava said:


> OK, cut this crap, we do not understand each other, or don't want to. For people who are not traditional 'west', this term is more connected with some values than with others. For example, people in East Germany had some idea of 'west', and did know what they mean by saying it, even being in the west themselves (by many criteria)  I'm not going in to details... leave it, please :cheers:


I'm inclined to think YOU don't understand if you think there is one square meter of the Italian peninsula that is not Western.


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## liman_drzava (Oct 30, 2008)

Well, I may introduce you to some Italian people who believe that their all south is in fact a part of the North Africa  GET IT?!


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## Larmey (Jun 21, 2010)

^^ :rofl:


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## liman_drzava (Oct 30, 2008)

Glad we worked this one out :cheers: More pics to come when I get some sleep 

EDIT: And I agree that the term 'west/westernized' wasn't the most adequate one I could use for what I ment to describe, since not all of us here in the international section can have close enough points of view to declare something like that and not been misunderstood.


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## Larmey (Jun 21, 2010)

These arguments you get typically from Northern Europeans. Not from the Balkans, exactly.


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## JPBrazil (Mar 12, 2007)

Guys, please stop discussing. This thread is too good for that.


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## liman_drzava (Oct 30, 2008)

OK, so here are the fresh pics from Madrid, I really enjoyed the stay

This is the main square - Puerta del Sol


















From this spot shopping and pedestrian streets are starting in all directions, and it is very lively in any time of day or night









Calle de la Montera, connecting Puerta del Sol and Gran Via, packed with tourists and prostitutes 


















What was very interesting are these tiled street signs, illustrating the name



























Teatro Real


















Palacio Real – it very much reminded me of Wien or Budapest castle, and it has something to do with Habsburg’s being in charge for almost 200 years 


















Cathedral opposite of the palace, finally finished in 1993.


















Templo de Debod, a park with a beautiful views of west Madrid


















Plaza de Espana


















This is where the most imposing street (for me) starts - Gran Via. Also, a very hip shopping destination









Heading east


















Palace Telefonica :master:




































Metropolis building, motif from all postcards 


















The City Hall has been reconstructed. Up until 2006 this was the post office 









Nearby Spanish lover house of Parliament, with modern extension









Hotel Palace









Puerta de Alcala


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## liman_drzava (Oct 30, 2008)

A coulpe of night shots:

Puerta del sol









Gran Via









But Malasana and Chueca are the districts where all the fun is


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## JAVICUENCA (Dec 27, 2004)

Wonderful pictures, Liman, of both cities.:banana::nuts:

DO you have something of Madrid´s new museums and the skyscrapers?

That would be great, I´m sure, seeing th images you have posted.


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## liman_drzava (Oct 30, 2008)

^^ Of course, thanks for the comment :cheers:

Here we go...

Passeo del Prado, in front of a famous museum.









Museo del Prado, with a modern addition


















Salamanca is the most fancy part of the city, there are a lot of high-class shops here, very pleasant district









Nearby Park Retiro, it is vast and has several lakes... Great for siestas 


















Main railroad station, Atocha, with wonderful tropical interior


















This is a view from Reina Sofia museum. The new addition by Jean Nouvel is marvelous, definitive a must!






















































Caixa forum across the Prado is also a very important new architecture star in the city













































And here are the Cuatro Torres – the newest part of ‘Madrid’s City’, now they look like in middle of nowhere, but I’m sure they’ll fit in perfectly.


















Torre Caja Madrid, designed by Norman Foster, the highest in complex with 250m, 









and only 0.5m taller than Torre de Cristal 









A view through ‘Puerta del Europa’









Heading to the south is Estadio Santiago Bernabéu









and a business district from the ’80 which I wanted to see. Torre Picasso, highest in complex, was designed by the architect of the destroyed WTC in NYC 









And this is how a residential area next to it looks like. It is very lively, with more shops and cafes... not dull at all as some might expect :cheers:


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## liman_drzava (Oct 30, 2008)

Bullfighting, had to see it, and do not regret, really something special!




































And some street scenes for the end...

This is the area around Plaza Mayor, maybe the most picturesque for me


















The oldest (recently renovated) hotel in Spain from 1610, Posada del Peine


















One of the gates to Plaza Mayor









and Plaza itself, a favorite tourist spot in the city 









Arco de Cuchilleros



























Chueca and Malasana, very laid-back districts, with lots of cool bars and shops




































Calle Fuencarral, main shopping street in Chueca









Lavapies and Latina, mainly immigrant parts, not the safest, but maybe the most memorable :cheers:



























Sunday flea market El Rastro



























That’s it, hope you enjoyed, and I want to go back as soon as possible!


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## JPBrazil (Mar 12, 2007)

Wonderful pics, I'd like to know which city you liked better. 

I know it's a tough choice but, if you had to choose one of these cities to visit for the last time of your life, which one would it be?


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## viscAbarcelona (Aug 24, 2009)

Stop the silly comments! pictures are nice  it's a pity you didn't come this may to Barcelona though! cos both the Cathedral and the National Museum of Art of Catalonia renovation works are finished and they look so much prettier!


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## buho (Sep 15, 2008)

Great pics of both cities, i don't want more politic discussions in the thread, i think some people just should travel a bit more, it cures fanatisms.


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## liman_drzava (Oct 30, 2008)

JPBrazil said:


> Wonderful pics, I'd like to know which city you liked better.
> 
> I know it's a tough choice but, if you had to choose one of these cities to visit for the last time of your life, which one would it be?


Well, if I must... :| Both cities have a lot to offer, and definitely are not to be missed! For Barcelona, having a coast line is obviously a plus, it is a very charming city with great atmosphere, sophisticated, calm... But for me personally, Madrid was more inspiring, more attractive and fun! It is monumental - but very humane, crowded - but still you don't feel ever lost, posh, dirty, loud... A city with impressive energy, so yes, my heart goes to Madrid, loved it! :cheers:

Glad you guys like the pictures, and I'm also sorry that thread went the wrong way with comments...


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## Nacho_82 (Feb 13, 2005)

awesome thread and pictures, thanks for sharing


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## ashton (Nov 1, 2005)

Very nice thread. I had fun viewing.


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## Larmey (Jun 21, 2010)

A very brief correction, the royal palace as it stands was built after the old "Alcazar" or Fortress that existed through the Habsburg period burned down during the reign of Felipe V, the first of the Spanish Bourbons.

The current royal palace was first inhabited by Carlos III, the son of Felipe V and the Medici/Tuscany and Farnese/Parma heiress, Isabel of Parma. As Carlos III was previously Carlo VII of Naples, you can clearly see the Italianate influence of this half-Italian king. 



This second batch of shots is amazing, not surprising given how great the first was.


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## madridhere (Oct 10, 2005)

Lovely thread!! Thanks very much of the pictures of both cities, which are wonderful (what can I say?).

Liman, I loved you walked a lot in the cities and didn´t stay only into the bitten track.


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## Niyyu (Aug 7, 2007)

..


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## wapo5050 (Jun 28, 2008)

Great pics of the cities!



liman_drzava said:


>


^^
The modern brother of the Madrid's archs :lol:


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## Bristol Mike (Aug 5, 2007)

Great shots of both cities liman, thanks for showing all of them. I too am very fond of Madrid having been twice in the last 4 years.


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## willo (Jan 3, 2005)

Larmey said:


> The current royal palace was first inhabited by Carlos III, the son of Felipe V and the Medici/Tuscany and Farnese/Parma heiress, Isabel of Parma. As Carlos III was previously Carlo VII of Naples, you can clearly see the Italianate influence of this half-Italian king.


very true

i have to disagree also about barcelona's cathedral being the finest example of gothic in Catalonia. its facade is foreign to meditarranean gothic (it's not the original facade.it was built in the final years of XIX century) and IMO if you are looking for pure mediterranean gothic there are finer examples in Barcelona like Santa María del Mar or Santa María del Pí


Being said that, great photos of two great cities:cheers:


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## liman_drzava (Oct 30, 2008)

I've said it is the best example of 'Catalan gothic', a specific form of gothic, I've read that somewhere  And thanks for the info about the Palace, I didn't go deep in it, it just reminded me of Buda Castle and Schonbrunn somehow, I believed it was because of the Habsburgs, but never mind, still beautiful thou


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## willo (Jan 3, 2005)

liman_drzava said:


> I've said it is the best example of 'Catalan gothic', a specific form of gothic, I've read that somewhere  And thanks for the info about the Palace, I didn't go deep in it, it just reminded me of Buda Castle and Schonbrunn somehow, I believed it was because of the Habsburgs, but never mind, still beautiful thou


catalan gothic is part of what we call ''mediterranean gothic'' and the facade of barcelona's cathedral is all but mediterranean gothic.Don't get me wrong. the building is great but it's not pure mediterranean gothic as the other ones i mentioned

of course it's just a matter of opinions


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## Deanb (Jun 7, 2006)

GREAT set of pictures! made me wanna visit this city even more now!

I think this could be one of the most attractive cities in Europe, far better looking and more inviting than London, Paris etc. 

one can't, also, ignore the fact that BCN has a fantastic weather, and that its never too cold...


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