Alicante Day Two (Written on August 11th)

Yes, An English Fool Abroad with his Sketchbook is still sketching. This is going to be a bit of a short post though, because although there’s been a bit of sketching there’s been precious little foolishness to write about. Basically I’ve been chilling out yesterday and today, and in all probability tomorrow as well. Don’t panic though. I’m planning on taking a ride on the choo choo to Murcia on Monday, and then into Alicante on Tuesday, and there should be plenty of opportunity for foolhardy Englishness there.

This morning, then, it got to about 11:00, and I did think that if I couldn’t shift myself, I’d have to leave it until the later part of the afternoon, since previous experience told me that it would just be too damn hot. So I just mooched around, taking note of buildings and places which I might like to sketch later on in the week. Last year I did make a watercolour and ink sketch of Jen and John’s house – although mostly it was of Jen’s Smart Car – but this year I couldn’t resist doing an ordinary ink sketch. However, I digress. Gradually I wended my not very weary way to my favourite public space in San Isidro. Incidentally, when I typed San Isidro on my kindle, the predicitve text decided to render it as San Weirdo. Hmm. You may recall that I got the local train from Alicante to San Isidro on Thursday. Well, the station here is very new, and was only built within the last few years. Now, when they demolished the older station which stood there, they re-erected the platform canopy, and the wall of the station building which faced onto the platform, in a street in the town. I’ve never been there for a performance but I understand that they do have music there sometimes. There are a couple of benches though, and it was pleasant to sit in the shade of the canopy and sketch a couple of the houses opposite. It would have been very pleasant if not for the flies. Oh well.

Later this evening we’re going to a ‘Spanish Evening’ in a place I sketched last year. Back then it was called La Cerveceria, but it’s changed hands since. A ‘Spanish Evening’ in Spain does tend to bring to mind a phrase containing the words ‘coal’ and ‘Newcastle’, but be fair, I’m not entirely clear of what the evening’s going to involve, but since we’ve all been asked to wear white, I’m guessing it won’t be that messy.

Madrid - Day Four

So, if you’ve ever read my posts on previous trips you’ll know that there are certain things I like to do whenever I go to a new city. I like to ride a funicular if they have one. Well, I haven’t found one of those, but there is a cable car, the Telerifico, but sadly I just haven’t been able to cram it in. Maybe next visit. I also like to ride the trams if they have any. No, but I have been riding on the Metro, and you can see the picture I sketched this morning. I had to let three trains go before I’d ‘got’ it mind you, but wwe all have to make sacrifices in the name of Art. Then one of the other things I really want to do is find if the city has what I would call a ‘signature’ bridge.

You know what I mean, I’m sure. If you think of my previous sketching adventures, Prague has its Charles Bridge, Berlin its Oberbaumbrucke, Budapest has the Chain Bridge, and even Kaunas has the Vytatutas the Great bridge, albeit that’s rather more modest in scale. I was beginning to think that Madrid maybe didn’t have one. A bit of googling first thing this morning, though, brought up the Puenta de Toledo – the Toledo Bridge. This was completed in the 1720s, and in my humble opinion, as bridges go, it’s a bit of alright. Mind you, at this time of year the Rio Manzanares really isn’t anything to write home about. One of the other things I try to do is to take a river sightseeing trip, and up until I got to the bridge I wondered why I couldn’t find anyone in Madrid offering them. Having seen the Manzanares I think I now know. Basically you can forget about getting a boat down it. The closest thing you could have to a river sightseeing trip is wading through it in a pair of wellies.

I’d taken the Metro to the bridge, but I walked back along the river path towards the palace, and from there onto the Temple of Debod. Basically, the Egyptian Government donated it to Spain since it was going to be flooded by the Aswan Dam anyway. It’s, how should I put it? – a bit – bleh, mind you, it was built in the Roman period anyway.

I walked back to the hostel for lunch and a wee siesta, and then decided to check out the Parque de Buen Retiro. Now, the path that I took from the main road took me up hill, along an avenue full of what looked like little green beach huts on either side. Each of them belonged, so it seemed to a bookseller. I asked one of them if she minded me doing a wee sketch of her, and whether she understood - difficult to tell since she replied in fluent grunt – she didn’t make a fuss when I did. And so, good people, she became my Madrilena of the day. Thence to the park.

Considering that the park is in the middle of one of the busiest areas of the centre of Madrid it is incredibly peaceful and tranquil. Mind you, it’s huge. However most of the pathways are lined with trees, so it was well shaded, which is just as well since the tips of my ears were burning – although I notice that my legs are staying stubbornly white, a legacy of my Scottish ancestors, I’d guess.

One of the features signposted in the park was El Palacio de Cristal. Now, even with my poor Spanish I could work out that this probably meant crystal palace. Well, I’m very sorry, but offer me the chance to see a crystal palace and I’m your boy. I have to say, when I reached it I really wasn’t disappointed. It was built a couple of decades after the London one, and like that one, for an International Exposition. According to my research the plan was to make it in Bilbao, which they did, and construct it in such a way that it could be dismantled and re-erected elsewhere. The Spanish authorities had the good sense to leave it where it is. It’s terrific.

I shan’t lie – I’ve loved Madrid, but I’m cream crackered. So I’ve decided to call it a day. The train to Madrid is just after midday tomorrow, so if there’s anything I’m desperate to sketch I can maybe do it before I leave. I sketched the Toledo Bridge about 8:30 this morning, and it was so lovely to do because the day hadn’t really started to heat up, so maybe there will be an opportunity tomorrow morning.

So that’s almost it for Madrid. However don’t worry – for tomorrow we’re off to Alicante.

Madrid - Day Three

When last you left me I was trying to come to terms with the fact that I’d be sleeping on a sunburnt neck. How did that work out for me? Well, not too badly as it happens. I didn’t notice it frankly, until I woke up at 6. Then it was giving me gyp, you’d better believe it, but never mind, soldier on.

First port of call was actually the Mercado de San Miguel – or St. Miguel Market if you prefer. This is in a renovated Edwardian style wrought iron building, and rather appealing. I made a quick sketch of a guy who seemed to be combining a butchers and a bakers on his stall. That’s cheating, isn’t it?

Back from there into the Plaza Mayor, where I made today’s equestrian statue sketch. Mindful of what happened yesterday I sat in the shade where there was no way the sun could possibly get to me. I’ll be honest, what with the ruff around the neck I thought this guy was Phillip II. Actually it’s his son, Phillip III. Apparently he turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, but then that’s what you often get with sequels, isn’t it?

From there to the Museo Municipal – or the Museum of Madrid. This building used to be a convent I think, and in a city full of baroque buildings, the façade of this one, which I sketched, pretty much out-baroques all of them. I enjoyed the museum itself – and whoever thinks – of course you did, it didn’t cost anything to get in – knows me too well. However the attendants were a little bit, well, let’s put it this way, they really didn’t want you deviating from the order you were supposed to look at things. I earned myself a telling off in Spanish for trying to go into room 8 before I’d gone into room 7. Fair enough.

Not yet museumed out I walked from there to the National Archaeological Museum. Bearing in mind that the British Museum is buckshee, I wouldn’t say that I was overjoyed at having to pay 3 Euros, but if you have to pay, I’d rather pay 3 Euros than 4 if you know what I mean. It’s a hell of a collection, impressive, and it’s a beautifully laid out modern museum. Still, somehow it didn’t quite strike me as being as good as the afore mentioned British Museum, or the Museums on Museum Insel in Berlin which I visited last year. Just my opinion and feel free to disagree.

I gentle walk back towards the hostel saw me nipping in for a wee siesta. Look, I’m 54 now – that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. When I came back out I decided to see how long it would take me to walk to the Atocha railway station – where I’ll be catching the train on Thursday, and also pop into the Reina Sophia Gallery at the same time. Well, just 20 yards away from the door of the hostel I came upon a guy fast asleep, having his own siesta on a bench, while letting almost all of it hang out. I decided he could be my Madrileno of the day – the busker was yesterday’s – and made the quick watercolour sketch you should see with this post.

It took about 15 minutes to walk to the Railway Station – and about 25 minutes to walk back, since most of it was uphill. The Reina Sophia, it transpires, is shut on Tuesdays, so that will have to remain an option for tomorrow. Yesterday, when I sketched part of the Royal Palace, I also wanted to sketch the Cathedral which was right next door to it, but in all honesty it is so massive I just couldn’t find a place to sit and sketch it which wouldn’t have involved me straining my neck. Today though I approached it from a completely different angle, and found a lovely spot, shaded by trees, looking out and across to the side, and I used this angle to make the sketch you should be able to see in on this page.

Now, I know what you’re dying to ask – did you try another Madrid delicacy tonight for your tea? Yes, my friends, I did. Tonight I had arroz con curry – which funnily enough looked and tasted just like curry with rice. What were the chances of that happening, eh?

Madrid - Day Two

episode 2 of An English Fool Abroad With His Sketchbook – Espana 18. Now, much as I would like to pretend that I’ve had a catalogue of relatively amusing disasters today, I can’t. Frankly, it’s been fantastic.

Jenn picked out a hostel right in the middle of Madrid. It’s a masterstroke, especially considering it’s no more expensive than the hotels I stayed in on the outskirts of lots of the other cities I’ve been to. So, although I did take the Metro to he Royal Palace and the Cathedral this morning, I later found out that I didn’t really have to. Not only could I easily walk back to the hostel, I could carry on walking past it, all the way to the Prado. More about that later.

So, the first thing to do was to sit down and make the first sketch of the day. So I made a sketch of the equestrian statue of King Felipe IV with the palace in the background. Now, this was about 10 am. When I started the sketch, I was in the shade of some trees. When I finished it, I wasn’t. I can’t have been in the sunshine long, but it was enough to ensure that the only part of me that burned today was my neck. Walking past the Palace towards the cathedral there was a guy busking with his guitar, and to my untutored ears he didn’t sound bad. I gave him some coins, and then asked if he minded me sketching him. I’m not sure what he said. It wasn’t ‘si’ and it wasn’t ‘no’, so I did it anyway.

Past the National Opera House next, and I stopped to make a sketch of the Monasterio Descalzas Reales. I wouldn’t say it is the most impressive example of baroque architecture in Madrid – it has a LOT of competition, but it was handily situated for me to sit in the shade and do it.

The next thing then was a challenge to myself to find my way back to the hostel on foot. Not only did I manage it, but I kept on walking , and passed the railway station I’ll need on Thursday, then turned up the Paseo del Prado and found. . . well, the Prado, actually. They’re not trying to catch you out like that , the Madrilenos. And the Pradio really is the reason why I only made 4 sketches today. I made a sketch in the line, but once I got in, I was there for hours. Mind you, I had a bit of a hairy moment getting into the museum, for when they searched me they were not happy about my sketching pens. They had a conflab for about five minutes before they let me put them in my bag, and haul my bag off to the cloakroom. I promise that I wouldn’t have added extra facial hair or spectacles to a Velasquez or Goya, however tempted I might have been.

Joking aside, the Prado is incredible. Honestly. It was worth the price of admission for the El Grecos. Then there were the Velasquez. Then Goya. And so on. I could easily have stayed a few more hours. If you ever have the opportunity, then just do it.

The hostel being so close, I will admit that I did go back and had a late siesta, giving the feet a bit of a rest. Normally, when I’m on a city break I stay out until the feet can take no more, but it seemed silly not to have a break under the circumstances. When I came back out, it was raining. Spanish rain, mind you. Spits and spots never really developing into anything, while there was plenty of thunder. Go figure. What it did do was clear the air a bit, and drop the temperature to a bearable 31 degrees. So I had another good wander around, and an early supper of the Spanish delicacy called patatas fritas con curry. Well, you’ve got to be prepared to try new things, haven’t you?

Kaunas Day One:

Arriving late on the Tuesday evening, my first setback came when the receptionist at the hotel refused to accept my (or any) credit card. This meant I had to use my hardearned Euros, which in turn meant that I had to get to an ATM at the earliest opportunity.

The receptionist only spoke enough English to tell me I had to pay cash and to tell me that the 51 and 57 buses went into town. Not where they went from. There was a bus stop outside the hotel, but it didn’t say that either bus stopped there. I walked about half a kilometre to a crossroads, and saw what looked like a shopping mall away off into the distance along the left hand turning. Having bought a bottle of water inside, I came out to find that this was where the 51 and 57 buses turned round. 

Once in town I found an ATM fairly quickly, and this meant I could begin to explore properly, and to sketch.

Kaunas is big on great churches, but terrible for maps or signposts. This huge hunk of baroque and roll provided me with a very useful point at which to get my bearings. It’s the Archangel Michael Roman Catholic Church, and stands at the end of Laisves Aleja, a long and impressive pedestrianised thoroughfare through the centre of Kaunas, which is rather like a Parisian Boulevard. And it is utterly massive. Guess how many people stopped to compliment me on my sketch while I was making it? That's right, none. I have only got a day's experience to base this on, but the good people of Kaunas seem rather like East coast Scots to me - they're not the most demonstrative of people, but they are actually very kind, and I expect that once they're taken with you, then you've got a friend for life.

At the other end of the Laisves Aleja is Vilnius Street, and this leads down into the Old Town. I like the Old Town, although it doesn’t possess the narrow, crooked streets that the name ‘old town’ maybe conjures up. No, I walked through pleasant wide streets, lined with fine baroque buildings, until they opened up in the town hall square.

I've already posted my sketch of the Vytautas the Great Bridge, which is close to the Old Town, and a trolleybus, but I also made on more sketch on this first day. This is just behind the Town Hall, and is part of a seminary which forms one corner of the square.