Friday morning we hit the road for our four-hour trip from Valencia to Madrid, complete with conversations with WSM #1 and #2 about places to hit in Madrid and correct Spanish terminology (such as the namesake of this post, "what happens in Madrid, stays in Madrid"), pit-stop fascination over a high-tech orange juice machine, and finding out that Alex--being a tall, beautifully-unique redhead--was basically the girl of WSM #1's dreams. Definitely didn't make for an awkward rest of the trip by any means. The ride through the countryside was absolutely charming, filled with the bluest skies I've ever seen, a crystal clear man-made lake, and windmills aplenty. Add in good company and good music, and you've got yourself a successful Friday morning road trip through the heart of Spain. Thanks to our lively conversations with the WSM's, the time flew by, and before we knew it we had arrived at the heart of the city, prepared to explore. We arrived at our Airbnb apartment in a cozy, quiet area of the city center and were greeted by our tremendously hospitable host Marcelo. Complete with air-conditioning (!!!), fluffy towels, and one of those cool Hamilton Beach thingamajigs that boils water in like a minute, our little place was all too ideal for our weekend adventure.
After a relaxed walk through the gardens, we made our way over to Madrid's central park, Parque del Buen Retiro. Here we enjoyed wandering amongst locals, eating ice cream at 11am, and laughing at teenage girls struggling to paddle their boat even remotely correctly in the park's main pond. In both the gardens and the park, there was something so peaceful about the lack of tall buildings, hordes of people, and hustle & bustle. Living in the city center, it's been easy to get caught up in the fast-paced lifestyle a crowded area elicits, so it was a breath of fresh air (pun intended) to slow down for a moment and enjoy the beauty of Madrid's famous park and its' many hidden treasures.
SSaturday night at Kapital was certainly one to remember. Upon our arrival we were immediately awestruck by the massive venue, a 7-story--yes, you read that correctly, 7--club dedicated to anything and everything you could want in a night out. Each level catered to a different music genre, and most had intricately decorated lounges sponsored by various liquor brands. It took all of my strength to not hide away the entire night in the Bombay room, lined with bottle upon bottle of Sapphire and equipped to turn out gin and tonics for days on end. That night we encountered a number of interesting characters, among them a very sweet Moroccan model, a ridiculously talented bartender on the top floor terrace, and an impassioned couple who I'm 84% sure were getting it on on the dance floor, if you know what I mean. And to top it off, both Alex and I somehow managed to catch tank tops as they flew into the crowd, leaving us with the perfect souvenirs to remember our crazy night at Kapital and our delightful weekend adventure in Madrid. With our 6:30am return home--feet about to fall off, heels and cobblestone are silent killers-- our all-too-quick trip to Madrid had already come to an end. Great food, an amazing gal pal, and a truly unforgettable weekend! All my love, Lib Wanna know more about a day-in-the-life in Spain? Click below--penny not required.
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