Barcelona - Spain 1 - Germany 0....'Barcelona MENTAL'

Barcelona (Spain)
5th-7th of July

The perennial under achievers, the fiesty little cousins of the power European footballing nations has finally managed to pull a rabbit out of their jugs of sangria and rallied to railroad the well oiled, (...urggh...just had an alarming vision of an oiled German football team in the change rooms), mannschaft. A very controlled display by the Spanish last night and they didn´t provide too many  opporunities for the German side to get onto a roll and break from their lines quickly.

As for our viewing station, well the parents and I set up shop at the Temple Bar in the middle of the Barri Gotic, where else but an Irish bar to watch the Spanish trounce the Germans. Have got to say, have always wanted to be in a country as they make their way through to the finals of the World Cup and I kind of had the feeling months ago when I booked this little escapade that this might have been the result. Sometimes a plan just comes together. It´s kind of amusing to witness the euphoria after a win and then see it carefully translate into expectation and then tension right before the next team game.

For right now, there´s only one more game possible, the World Cup final on July 11th. It´s been 32 years since the last time two teams have met in a final that hadn´t won it previously - that was Argentina v. Holland back in 1978. From a neutral perspective I always love seeing a new country make the final, so for me this more than a treat....as for the experience, well, I have to say Vamos Espana. Here are a few shots from last night!

Checking out the game at the Temple Bar - Barri Gotic - Barcelona

Had to climb a lamp post to get the shot - even a short ass like me has ways!

´Get your World Cup final on!´ - Las Ramblas - Barcelona

Las Ramblas - Barcelona

Aside from catching the World Cup action last night we also managed to do a few typically touristy things the last few days, that´s after we´ve managed to get up and stumble around our apartment for a few hours. Not sure whether it´s the climate, the alcohol or some other combination of factors but usually we´re heading out the door sometime after noon. That´s still kind of valid, right?

The day before the night of the Spanish conquest we walked from our apartment on Carrer Ample to the Port Vell cable car. Swinging something like 75mtrs above the old harbour the cable car links Montjuic mountain to the beach of San Sebastia and the area of Barcelonetta. Without writing too much more today as I´ve got people to do, places to see, have added some shots taken from the cable car and the mountain...catch you all real soon :)

The beaches of Barcelona from the port cable car

The cable car over the port

View back into Barcelona from the cable car

View of the disco dildo (Torre Agbar) from the cable

Dad getting use to ´Barcelona style´ - Montjuic mountain

Barcelona - Babylon

Bitch of a song cost me 40 Euros!

Barcelona (Spain)
03 JUL - 04 JUL

After a few days in Madrid and additionally throwing myself into the mix in Barcelona I'm finding that my Spanish is starting to come on reasonably well. I mean I'm not pulling off any suave pick up lines ....AS YET....but I'm being understood. It's kind of amusing pulling off a line and actually hearing yourself in a language that's not your mother tongue and then waiting for the acknowledgment to register on the face of your intended target. You're facing the litmus test every time you open your mouth, but I guess that's part of the fun. Sometimes you get it wrong and then they respond with a weird look and the word 'como', which is like a polite way of saying, 'Dude, WTF!!?'

On the 3rd of July my parents and I scouted  the area around where we've been based for the last few days, Barri Gotic. The term of Barri Gotic refers to a number of streets around the main cathedral which have many buildings of medieval origin. The 'streets' around the area are really rather large lane ways, surrounded by particularly old buildings, although a majority of them would have been built sometime between the 1800s-1900's. Walking around the area definitely provides  a type of charm which can only be categorised as old style Mediterranean. There are now of course many bars and restaurants in the area which draws tourists and locals alike right throughout the day and late, late into the darkness of the night and early morning. The street that I'm staying on, Carrer Ample, is located basically at the base of a 'triangle' which forms the Barric Gotic, the base being the port, one supporting side being Las Ramblas, the apex Plaza Catalunya and the other side being Calle Atocha.

We walked through the Gothic area for a few hours and I managed to stumble into a plaza that I was trying to locate on my last excursion to Barcelona back in 2008. Unfortunately I forget the name of the plaza (well, until just now, Plaza de Sant Felip Neri), but in the plaza exists a rather sombre reminder of  Spain's dark history during the Civil War years in which  a wall of one of the churches within the square is absolutely riddled with bullet holes. Asking around we found out that the wall was basically used as a backdrop for firing squads, a place where Franco nationalist forces massacred supporters of the Republican movement. A strangely quitet and haunting place for the most part, and strangely, eerily beautiful all in the same breath.

Streets of the Barri Gotic - Barcelona

Plaza de Sant Felip Neri - Barri Gotic - Barcelona

Entry to the Plaza de Sant Felip Neri - Barri Gotic - Barcelona

After a few hours back at the apartment Dad and I dropped down to Bar 32 on the Carrer Ample to watch the Germany v.Argentina quarter final. To our surprise and my mild disappointment Argentina didn't put up much of a fight. They received a fairly cheap goal early on in the first half and then were basically placed in a position where they were chasing the game right from the outset. They did have a decent period of play in the second half and looked quite likely to equalise in the first 20 mins before Germany again breached their defence. Argentina crumbled after that point and went on to lose 4-0, not a particularly flattering scoreline for a team that looked to have the skill and capability of winning the World Cup this year.

Later in the evening I caught up with Ali and her friends, Haley and Georgia, for dinner and what turned out to be several drinks too many. For the past few weeks Ali had been mentioning that her friend Hayley was single, and perhaps, required some hot Serbian cabanossi for a while under the wonderful charms of the 'muy calor' Barcelona sun. I'm not sure what type of 'word' she put in for me but for that evening at least I was as 'charming' and as capable as I've 'sometimes' been known to be and at a certain point after dinner I thought for a moment , just a moment, that the wild long locks of Senor Elisher had done their trick in terms of the ever flowing force of expert flirtation. It appeared, perhaps within the context of my own drunken excesses, that the lovely Hayley could possibly have been a convert, well, that was until the sangria, mai tai's and all other forms of alcohol that I thought were being used to my advantage all of a sudden became 'the great unraveler' of all things nocturnally possible and good. Never the less, we did somehow manage to stumble on a bar that was by chance having a salsa night, and hey now, guess who has some solid Intermediate salsa moves these days! I took both Ali and Georgia for a bit of a spin, and to tell you the truth, it ended up being a lot of fun, a great night all round in the city of Gaudi - so thanks to the girls for being my minders for the night, even if I didn't end up minding one of them for the rest of the night...lol....there's always the return match in Sydney. I'll  be sure to get my protractor out and work on my angles before then!

Oh, what I did forget to add is that the girls and I kicked off with dinner at an Italian restaurant that night, not so much out of design but by way of haphazard fortune. We were actually looking for a place to watch the Spain v.Paraguay quarter final, of course a hugely anticipated event in Barcelona, not simply due to the fact that it was Spain playing but also for the fact that these guys are known to be perennial chokers, really, more so than Michael Hutchence. And for the first 2/3rd of the game it looked as though those magical world cup tendencies were coming back to haunt them. Paraguay received a penalty in about the 62nd minute and by some strange twist of fate did a Ghana on themselves and totally missed their God given opportunity to put themselves a goal up with just under 30 mins remaining. Unbelievably 1-2 mins later Spain also received a penalty and whist Piquet nailed the first shot, a few of the Spanish players had breached the line when the penalty was taken, meaning a retake. Taking the penalty once again was fatal and on this occasion Piquet crumbled, it was still a neutral 0-0 game with 25 mins left to play in regulation time. The crowd in the restaurant fell  deathly silent  at that point and it kind of reminded me of the eerie silence that graced ANZ stadium during the Australia v.Uruguay qualifier back in 2005. It was almost as if the collective conscience of the Spanish people were thinking, 'Oh great, we've just discovered a more creative and novel way to lose a game'.

As the game progressed the more I felt as though Spain were going to take this to penalties and of course find a creative way of 'fluffing it', but somehow, by some miracle, Spain managed to  breach the Paraguay defence via the brilliance of David Villa. The bridesmaid underachievers (Second in line on that ranking only to Holland) had made it to the final four and had now given themselves a chance of making it to the final dance. If it was 2008 then I wouldn't  hesitate in saying that the next game would be just a formality but Germany are looking formidable (well ever since their loss to SERBIA), and Spain, well for you I can say  that you can still take solace in the fact that you'll still play a final match of sorts after the semi, a 3rd/4th place play off against Uruguay is beckoning. Who knows though, I'd love for them to surprise me and themselves by getting past the panzer squad.

The next day the parents and I jumped onto an open top, hop-on/hop-off tourist bus in order to check out the city and set our eyes on a few of Barcelonas' more popular sites. Our first stop was The Temple of Sagrada Familia, a work that Gaudi dedicated himself to until the time of his death. The Sagrada Familia is a church (or cathedral) built in a very specific, unique Gothic style, designed by the world renowned architect Antoni Gaudi. The project which he commenced over a 120 years ago is still under construction, a work in progress if you will, and he himself only got to see a small portion of the project completed before he died. When I was in Barcelona last I did make a passing visit but only viewed the church from the outside. Aside from its sheer size and presence what strikes you on closer inspection is the intricacy and attention to detail on the facade of the building. Looking at the north and south facade from a distance ,it really threatens to deceive. Without paying attention to the detail of the building you could really pass it off as being quite kitsch but when you take to viewing the building section by section then you can only be in awe at how intricate and detailed the facades are. One side, the 'Nativity facade' has two elaborate columns between three doorways, each filled with sculptures of different symbolic significance. It's obviously an understatement to call it amazing but that's exactly what it is.

The 'Passion facade' on the south side of the building was built to illustrate the last week in Christ's life. It incorporates a range of highly moving and emotive sculptures that are supposedly reminiscent of the artists and sculptors of the expressionist school. In terms of personal preference this to me was the more significant side and had a greater impact in terms of the total impression. Aside from  its symbolism and representation of events, the sculptures themselves were fascinating and I had a real liking for the typical style used, i.e., strong angles, smooth lines, clear outlines and bold presence.

Passion facade - Sagrada Familia - Barcelona

Passion facade - Sagrada Familia - Barcelona

As I mentioned earlier, the last time I was in Barcelona I decided to skip making an entry inside the cathedral, I now know that this was a HUGE mistake. Walking into its interior ,what captures your attention are the enormous columns of different colours, green, rose, grey and white that tower 20 plus metres above your head and then branch out in the same manner that the branches of a tree would, in order to support the roof, which in turn looks like a forest canopy. Again, this too me was just completely amazing. The outside of the building just doesn't even provide a hint and what you'll find on the inside. As we were later to discover, much of Gaudi's inspiration for design and form came from nature. Once you started looking at the number of elements that went into making up the interior of this structure you can tell quite easily  as to where he derived his insipiration and how creatively he was able to translate it into such a magnificent design.

Spending a few hours at Sagrdia Familia was more than easy. We did manage to get to another Gaudi inspired destination further along the route of the day, a place named Parc Guell. This was a park constructed at the beginning of the 20th century by a patron to Gaudi, Count Guell. It was in fact a new city planning project that followed the model of English garden cities and at the same time is intimately and intentionally linked to the creative genious Gaudi since the park contains one of the houses that he occupied during the course of his life. The position of the park itself is also quite stunning, located on the west side of Barcelona, looking out over the city to the Mediterranean, the view is mesmerising and will be sure to place you into a trance like, contemplative state if you allow yourself to remain there for more than a few minutes.

Again, after wondering around the park for well over an hour we jumped back onto the bus and headed down to Port Vell and our apartment , the end of another huge day in Barcelona , a truly captivating city!

Nativity facade - Sagrada Familia - Barcelona

The Nativity facade - Sagrada Familia - Barcelona

Ali and I post sangria

Always work with the odds in your favour - time to salsa ladies!

My Barca minders - never know what can happen to a young man

in a foreign city...

View of Barcelona from Parc Guell

Parc Guell - Barcelona

Sagrada Familia interior

Sagrada Familia interior

Interior

Barcelona - The city that Gaudi built

Barcelona 
02 JUL - 03 JUL

Happy Birthday to me!!!

I'm sitting out on the balcony of the fourth floor apartment that we're renting in Barri Gotic, the Old Quarter (Gothic Quarter) of Barcelona. It's been the fourth bluebird day we've experienced here, absolutely spectacular weather lending itself to an even more spectacular backdrop that makes up the heart of Barcelona. It's getting onto about 9:30pm and the sun is just deciding to drop behind the mountains in the west and go hiding into for a few hours. It's at about this time that life on the street (Carrer Ample) below me really kicks in and it keeps going, day in, day out until somewhere between 3-4am. People making there way back from the beach down at La Barcelonetta make there ways into the small bars tucked into every conceivable space on the street and then hey, they're never seen again, drifting away on a cloud of mojito's, caparainha's, sangria and San Miguel.

The view from our apartment on Carrer Ample - Barri Gotic - Barcelona

View from the top floor of the apartment

Morning in Barelona - Carrer Ample - Barri Gotic

The room that I'm in has beautiful large wooden French doors that open out onto the balcony of this pre 1900 building. I've found myself most mornings taking the few steps from my bed to the balcony, setting up camp sitting and having a few cups of coffee with breakfast and watching the world roll on by. Nowhere to be, no deadlines to meet, no assignments, no self inflicted panic regarding the copious amounts of reading that I should have completed prior to an impending law exam. It's a strange thing to be obligation free and leave most of the decisions of your day to chance and whim. It's more than just a little foreign to me, but hey, what's 'foreign' other than a feeling that hasn't been made familiar with the passing of time. Am looking forward to seeing whether or not my character and attitude change 10 months removed from this point, it'll be an interesting comparison.

I arrived here on the 1st of July from Madrid and met the parents at Barcelona airport a little later that afternoon. The next day was my 35th birthday, and I have to say, not the way that I had ever anticipated to be celebrating it. When you're younger you have thoughts, impressions, idealised views of what your life should be and what your expectations are. I'm so far removed from where and what I thought I'd be doing at this time in my life.Sometimes I feel like I'm playing catch up and at other times I count my blessings that the life I thought I'd have right now is some alternate reality that exists for another form of me...I'm good with that...

My birthday was the kind of perfect day that you can only wish for and one which doesn't arrive frequently enough. After spending a few hours on our fourth floor balcony soaking in the atmosphere, the parents and I walked down by the Marina Port Vell by Barcelonetta to one of the main beaches in town, Playa San Sebastia. The area of Barceloneta is the former sea faring district of Barcelona and was built in 1753 on reclaimed land from the sea. Apparently the neighbourhood was constructed according to specific criteria, with uniform and ordered streets and houses that at the time were mainly occupied by fishermen and sailors. The Paseo Maritimo at the top end of Barcelonetta, acting as an adjunct to the Meditteranean, is a long seafront promenade that connects the suburb with the Olympic Port to the north - this area of course being designed and built for the hosting of the 1992 Summer games in the city (7 gold, 9 silver 11 bronze), just in case anyone was interested in our medal tally. We spent a few hours at a bar on one of the beaches, taking in some lunch and downing a litre or two of sangria, looking out over the Meditteranean and judging both the beautiful and not so beautiful bodies that dared to be baring their skin to the sun on this day. Hey, if you're going to flaunt it then expect to pay the price of being judged by passers by, that's got to be the deal, right?

Mum and Dad, Port Vell - Barcelona

Making our way back for some afternoon relaxation we got primed to watch a couple of the World Cup quarter finals that were set to be resolved on this day. Kick-off for the Holland v. Brazil game was at 4pm, Dad and I ducked down into the small tapas bar right next door to our building. About 50mtrs up the street there was already significant overflow coming from the Brazillian bar/restaurant, and a hell of a racket with the yellow army beating out their African rhythms in much the same was as the team is know for playing its football, with passion, Latino fury and dedication to the cause. Early on in the piece Brazil were looking like a team that would be easily walking through this game and also the next couple, making plans already to buy a carry case to take the cup home for the sixth time. I have to say, that type of smugness is not something that sits comfortably with me, and I assume everyone that was in the bar with me felt the same way as they were riding every Dutch challenge and cheering every positive move. Moving into the second half it still looked as though the Dutch had more than just their own personal Everest to climb, they also a need a little touch of Orange infused luck....and it came....from nowhere a Sneijder cross into the box snuck past the keeper and into the back of the net, now it was 1-1 with 28 mins to play!

Brazilians getting all excited to fail

Brazilian confidence tempered and Holland sniffing a chance, Dad commented to me that it was now danger time for Brazil and he could quite easily see Holland going on to win this one. I really don't know where or how he makes these assessments but I hate the fact that his strike rate when it comes to assessing a football match is in the 90% range, really, it's quite extraoridinary. With that said, it was only about 15 mins later than another Sneijder header from a flicked on corner put Brazil down 2-1 and chasing the game for the last quater of an hour. If it's one thing that I do know, like most South American teams, coming from behind is not their forte. This is the point where they crumble and where discipline usually falls apart....and so, with a red card, 10 men and 15 futile minutes Brazil were out of the 2010 World Cup.........OH YEAH,

goodnight you bunch of ball juggling joga bonito millionaires...suddenly the drums from down the street fell silent also, nothing but their caparainha's to drown their samba sorrows in.

Later on that evening Uruguay took on Ghana in the second quarter final, and looking like the true Uruguayan that I do (I have been told more than several times in my life that I look Uruguayan....of all countries right?), I felt compelled to support my brothers in their time of need. In a fairly dour contest with limited chances created by both sides, the game was 1-1 going into extra time. Then in the 29th minute of extra time all hell broke loose! Ghana had a free kick from just outside the box, a header from a Ghanayan player was stopped on the line, the rebound falling back into the path of the same player who then smashed the ball back at the Uruguayan goal. In flight the ball looked to be going in for all money until a Uruguayan defender raised his arm and stopped the ball from crossing the line. A form of cheating, yes....but a last ditch chance to prevent a goal that would have sunk them and in turn  providing the Uruguayans with a final opportunity for them to get something out of the penalty. With A.Gyan from Ghana stepping up to take the penalty,in what virtually would have been the last kick of the game and would have put an African team into the last four of the World Cup for the first time in its history, the kick smacked the bar and flew skyward into the South African evening.

A golden lifeline to Uruguay had just been provided and you couldn't help but feel at this point that it was their destiny to get by Ghana in the ensuing penalty shootout, which ofcourse they did (4-2). Uruguay had essentially done everything they could have to lose the game and had won, Ghana had done all they could have to have won and unfortunately were going home to watch the semi's on their TV's.

....and that my friends was that. About midnight we wondered back upstairs to the apartment, I crashed out on day oneof the start of my 36th year on this earth. As I said earlier, not the way that I ever imagined that I'd be spending it, but  here I am, and I'm claiming it!!!!

Mardid - Spain v.Portugal

Madrid (Spain)
29 JUNE 2010

So obviously Madrid is awash in red and yellow at this moment in time. Second round clashes have been going on for the last few days down in Sud Africa and you kind of feel like the citizens of the capital are all anxiously awaiting to undertake an examination. They have that nervous tension where they kind of feel like they should pass but  aren't quite certain because you never know what type of questions that will be asked and how they are likely to perform under the pressure of such an intense and thorough examination. For mine I'm off the opinion that Spain will definitely make the semi's and have the team to win the thing BUT are not playing with the type of form that won them the Euro's in 2008. They will have a semi opponent in the form of Argentina or Germany, by no means an easy task (..by the way, I did tip Argentina to win the tournament before it even commenced, just saying...), and 'should' they get past them, then Brazil will await.

My mission this morning was to try and locate the Mercado San Miguel which 'apparently' was located just behind the  Teatro Real. I walked around the theatre and the instricate gardens out  front of the Teatro, I also meandered around the front of the freakin' Palacio Real for 30 mins, I dropped into the backstreets and even traced my path of the evening before, ensuring that I didn't miss some secret door or handshake that I should have realised was obligatory to making it into the precious mercado. After well over an hour I was about to give up on finding this place, 'giving up' by the way is not a decision I ever take lightly, it truly ticks me off, even in the most basic of situations. I started walking up Calle Mayor and then quite by accident took a right hand turn into the Plaza San Miguel, and 'hey presto', the mercado was staring me in the face just like an old friend. Sangria and tapa's centro, ole!!!! This place was fantastic, it kind of reminded me of a food & wine fair, the only difference being is that this place is set up on a permanent basis - a trick that Sydney could well learn from rather than spending copious amounts of $$$ on stupid sound and light festivals, (please see the failure of 'Vivid'), whose dates were set in the middle of winter and whose locations were scattered all across the city where access by public transport made it a plain hassle to get to. Sydney, we have issues - smarten the bloody hell up!

Cruising through Plaza Mayor and settling in for some more sangria and a plate of bacon, seriously, just a plate of bacon - it was kind of fiendish, I dropped into some bar close to the Plaza Santa Anna to watch the Japan v. Paraguay game (yawn) and then made it back to the apartment for a chill session before heading out to catch the big game.

´Sangria time´- Plaza Mayor - Madrid

Kick-off for the big clash was at 20:30 but the streets were already quietening down by 20:00. The bar that I was in, the 'Jolly Jiggler' or the 'Frisky Fondler', I can't really remember the name, was packed out well before game time. I was also fortunate enough to make friends with an Aussie waitress that was working our side of the room, so whenever I kind of half raised an eyebrow she was on the case and bringing me over a drink. What I didn't understand however is that she had no Spanish speaking skills at all. Admittedly she was working in an Irish bar but she was asking the home town patrons whether they spoke English and then requesting to take their order in English!? How do you get a job without knowing the language?? Imagine trying that on for size in any bar or restaurant in Sydney!

The first half of the game was a stalemate, Spain looked to be on top but those pesky Portuguese had created enough chances to have the Spanish in the bar fearing for their safety. I've got to add also, the Spanish have a track record of stuffing things up at the World Cup, they, along with the Dutch, are well known world cup under achievers. If anyone has a penchant for going down in the face of victory, then my friends, I introduce the Spanish to you. 

Into the second half Spain were looking the goods however and once the 62nd minute turned the corner and David Villa got a kind rebound which allowed him  to put Spain up 1-0, well my friends, the 'Wily Wench' went nuts. Holding on for the next 28 mins of the game didn't prove to be too much of a problem and the Spaniards went through to the QF's full of confidence and with every chance under the sun of getting past Paraguay to make the semi's.

Crowd for the Spain v. Portugal game at the Frisky Fondler

After the game I made my way to Puerta del Sol which is essentially the  beating heart of Madrid, especially on nights such as these. There was action aplenty as finally it seemed that the hometown had something to cheer about when it came to success and its ever growing potential in a World Cup. The town folk were more than up for a little bit of a party, jumping, chanting, getting their 'matidor' on...but they know, just like everyone else, that the enthusiasm and euphoria is only going to last for a few days. Next exam for them is Paraguay on 03 JUL and all  this anticipation and anxiety is going to rise to the surface once again, but until then it's Vamos Espana!!

Puerta del Sol - Madrid

Puerto del Sol - Madrid

Puerta del Sol - Madrid

Get your matador on!!

Madrid - Why do old men dance?

Madrid (Spain)
28 June

I'm in the bar the other day watching the Paraguay v.Japan match, one that was most un-enthralling. I kind of anticipated that it was going to get pushed to a penalty shoot out and  both teams brought to fruition the $100,000 sum that I mentally made with TAB Sportsbet via the betting counter in the play world of my mind. That as an aside, at half time the bar staff  decided put on and turn up a little Latino music and of course some geezer that's been perched at the bar for most of the afternoon gets on his feet and does that quintessential 'old person' wiggle of the hips in tandem with a kind of stunted arm movement. The type of movement that convinces him that he's dancing, but nobody else of course. I've seen this type of stupidity in most countries that I've been to. I don't know if it's a lack of shame, an attempt to recapture days of youth that had well and truly fallen by the wayside, or perhaps even a misquided attempt to show the young nubile ladies that he's still 'potent'. I don't 'get' it, but I can tell you now, neither do I like it! More to the point is that I feel embarrassed on the persons' behalf and am not sure whether I should raise my eyebrows and offer a courtesy nod  in sympathetic encouragement or look away because watching the guy will literally make me tear up due to my own internal conflicted anguish. There's one thing that I do know however, I don't dance now and I won't be dancing when I'm 80 - old men of the world, if you don't have the skills (And 95% of you don't), just quit it, for the sake of everyone!!!!!

My intention on this day was to check out the Museo del Prado but of course I should have known that as I rocked up to the doors it was bound to be closed on a Monday. Not to be defeated, I walked down the street and decided on the Reina-Sofia museum, not as well known as the Prado but apparently one that many find of interest. At the entrance I found out that there was some works of 'New Realism' and a 'Photography Collection' of the 70's on display, both of which I thought would be interesting - but guess what, wrong!!!! Both of the collections were absolutely crap and I chided myself for spending untold hours looking at what I considered to be garbage, although, one man's garbage is another man's treasure, right? There's a veritable gold mine in there for somebody.

Heading east I walked through Retiro Park, a huge expanse that is located right on the edge of the city. It's a beautiful place and the size of it allows you to believe that you could be anywhere but in one of the largest and most modern cities of Europe. It gave me a little time to get my Spanish tan on and just lose myself in my own thoughts whilst meandering along its many paths.

Monumento Alfonso XII - Retiro Park - Madrid

Spanish Style - Madrid

Later in the afternoon and evening I walked through the area of Cheuca, a suburb north of the Gran Via known for its trendy bars and restaurants, not that I noticed many of them as it was still early afternoon. With that said, Madrid is just 'bar central', everywhere you turn there's a tapas bar that's willing to feed you and get a cerveza or several into you. Not only that, these places are cool, there's a charm and elegance about them, there's always a good vibe and you can always get some pretty decent food on call.

Chueca - Madrid

Not that I stopped in at a bar on this night, I somehow made my way into an Argentinian joint to watch the Brazil v.Chile game, another forgone conclusion before a ball was even kicked, Brazil were going to win this thing in a cantor and it was no suprise when then end result ended up being 3-0 in their favour. Brazil through to the  QF's now to play a Dutch side that are still looking a bit out of sorts. These boys of joga bonito seem to be able to do it every time. I mean it's not the best Brazilian team that has been on the park, and this team isn't in the best form but with that said they've essentially got a free run to the finals. Beat the Dutch in the QF's and they'll play the winner of either Uruguay or Ghana, both of whom had fairly realistic expectations at the start of the tournament of 'perhaps' getting a second round birth. It would be an over achievement for either of them to reach the semi's and to come up against a Brazil team with such tradition in the biggest sporting tournament on this planet, it will be more than just a bridge too far. for either of them. So for right now it looks like a Brazil v.Spain/Argentina/Germany final. The other side of the draw is much more intense and I think the winner of that side will more than likely beat Brazil in a classic final.

After a little bocadillo and sangria action I went out in search of Mercado San Miguel which is apparently a well known tapas/market centre in Madrid. Using my infamous internal guidance system I got close - only to realise the next day that the map online actually had the location poorly identified and poorly positioned. Needless to say, my walks took me around the Templo de Debod, then onto the theatre/opera area (Teatro Real) and then finally via the Palacio Real, culminating in the backstreets of the theatre district with no mercado in site. C'est la vie, it was not meant to be on this day. I strolled back to the apartment bidding the woman of the night that occupy the area a pleasant evening and a sweet adieu ,all in the same breath,before calling it quits on this day in Madrid.

Teatro Real - Madrid

Palacio Real - Madrid

Plaza de la Villa - Madrid

Madrid - 'Una mas mojito por favor' - Argentina stops the traffic

Madrid (Spain)

The words 'una mas' does wonders! Once you've purchased a drink and are looking for a follow up then 'una mas' with a kindly 'por favor' saves all difficulties. It simply means 'one more please' but for the struggling Spanish student it's a God sent and saves a lot of time and effort on any additional requirements. In any case, this day started with me walking down the street and making it to the apartment that I'd rented out on Calle Caballero de Gracia. After I'd been taken for a spin of the apartment via the agent that I'd located online several months earlier I decided that I was more than satisfied with my digs. I kind of make it a point now that If I'm staying in a city for more than three days that my lead choice for accommodation is an apartment, on the proviso that I have sufficient funds. Comparatively I find that hotels are more often than not significantly overpriced and you always get better deals, much better accommodation and far better locations when you rent an apartment. Hence with my place located just off the Gran Via I found that I  basically in the centre of Madrid and close to everything that I wanted to see, do, and crawl home from.

I'd made the decision that today was basically going to be a walking tour. I started by making my way down to Plaza Mayor, the most 'touristy' place in Madrid, and basically walked into the middle of a left wing union rally- actually they had the word trabajer on their flags which I think Imeans ´workers´, so I´m guessing they were the United Left Workers party of some sort. Now, what is it that all sites/people/ 'SmartTravellers' say when you see an over zealous gathering of people chanting, waving flags, and being fuelled by over politicised rhetoric? Walk away, right?? That's what they all say....well my friends I believe that philosophy to be just plain silly, where would the fun be in that?? Not that I could understand any of what was going on but the crowd appeared to be well enthralled and enamoured with their speakers.

The United Left - Plaza Mayor - Madrid

The United Left - Plaza Mayor - Madrid

Post rally I made my way down to La Latina, just walking the streets once again and trying to get a feel for my environment which in turn followed on to an area that was basically blocks and blocks of bars, somewhere above Calle Atocha, fairly close to Plaza de Santa Ana. This is the area in which I was going to stay for the next few hours, making base at another Irish bar in order to watch the Argentina v. Mexico 2nd round game. Pulling up a table 30 mins before kick-off I had the bar man to myself and practiced some of my Spanish with his assistance - 'quisiera pedir una pinta sidar por favor', 'cuanto cuesta?', 'muchas  gracias bro'...he was cool with my pronunciations, correcting me where I needed it.

La Latina - Madrid

La Latina - Madrid

The game itself manifested into an outcome that I had somehow kind of expected, Mexico creating some opportunities and having its chances but Argentina playing in a manner that they are typically reknowned for, one of skill, flair and tactical nause. They just had too much quality to be significantly troubled by the little Dirty Sanchezes that were hecho en Mexico. So now it appears that it's going to be 'game on' for an epic QF showdown with Germany, a rerun of the '06 QF and one that I believe Argentina have the capability of winning within the 90 mins this time around.

 Leaving the dire Mexican crowd that had gathered at the Irish bar, I was walking up Calle Atocha when I heard several chants echoing from a few streets farther afield. Of course a huge crowd gathering automatically means that I need to be in on the action. Rounding a bend and heading up Calle Barcelona I immediately encountered a couple of hundred Argentinians singing, chatting, waving their shirts/scarves above their heads 'helicopter style' and generally stopping all traffic that had intended to use that road. The place was literally 'going off', the vuvuzuela's were out in force, the balconies above the streets had somehow filled with Argentinian supports also and it was only at the point when the police made an apperance that  the traffic started to move gingerly down the street. God help Madrid if Spain wins on Tuesday night, or better yet, if Argentina play Spain in the semi's and anyone of them get through to the final - the atmosphere on the streets will be insane..!!!!