New Post Coming Soon!

I apologize for the lack of posts lately...it has been a crazy month with finals, senior week, and graduation. In the next week I will get back on track, so don't give up on me yet.

Early Signs of Spring

In bloom in Boston's Public Garden


In bloom in Madrid's Retiro

When I was in Madrid during the first week of March, spring had already descended upon Retiro. Flowers were in bloom, temperatures reached 60, and people were spending their free waking hours outside. Nearly a month and a half later, spring has finally decided to embrace Boston. This past Friday, which is when I took the photo from the Public Gardens, temperatures peaked at 70 degrees and Bostonians everywhere remembered what sunshine feels like. So while Madrilenos were wandering the paths of Retiro in shorts and t-shirts, Bostonians were shoveling out their cars and cursing Ol' Man Winter. But hey, that's what they signed on for when deciding to call Boston home.

Weeping Willows

A weeping willow tree in Boston's Public Gardens


A weeping willow tree in Madrid's Retiro Park

The weeping willow has always been one of my favorite trees. For some reason, it reminds me of a grandfather, shrewd, cultivated, and welcoming. Shrewd and cultivated because it surpasses many other trees in size and beauty, which gives it a deserved sense of superiority. Its potential size is especially remarkable. According to Arborday.org, it can grow to be 40 feet tall and 35 feet wide. The willow is welcoming because its gracefully elongated branches provide a refuge for pedestrians looking to escape from the sun on a warm spring or summer day. The tree, understanding the needs of its pedestrians, generally blooms in April or May, just as the days start warming up.

As my photos show, the weeping willow resides in Spain's Retiro Park and Boston's Public Gardens. In both places, the tree is found at water's edge. This is because the willow, although capable of growing anywhere, thrives in moist soil. In my opinion, the willow looks best next to water because it produces a unique reflection.

Although I have only seen willows in North America and Europe, they actually originated in China. So it seems that like the moon, which I discussed in my first post, the weeping willow is powerful enough to eclipse cultural borders. As a result, Spaniards and Bostonians are both able to enjoy the seemingly paternal willow while strolling through their respective public parks.

Takin' Care of Business

(Above: Boston's Business District)


(Above: Madrid's Business District from Afar)


(Above: Outside of Madrid's Business District)

Madrid's business district is known as "Cuatro Torres Business Area (CTBA)." Interestingly enough, the business area is not located in the heart of Madrid. Unlike Boston, where the financial district lies amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday city life, Madrid's up-and-coming financial district is located about twenty minutes north of the city along Paseo de la Castellana. Its distinct separation from the city results in a clearly defined business area, with four skyscrapers dominating the skyline as they tower over all other surrounding buildings. In contrast, Boston's financial district, which is located near Government Center and runs along State Street and Atlantic Ave, more smoothly blends into the city's landscape. Compared with Madrid's CTBA, Beantown's business district is more crowded, as a host of buildings compete for sidewalk space. Since the CTBA is located outside of the city, it can afford to spread out more. Both districts boast modern architecture, although Madrid's buildings are more futuristic looking, probably because its four primary office buildings were completed only a short year ago.

The CTBA is comprised of four main buildings (hence the 'cuatro' in its title), three of which are visible in the second photo I have posted. These buildings are: Torre Caja Madrid, Torre de Cristal, Torre Espacio, and Torre Sacyr Vallehermoso, the tallest being Torre Caja Madrid (by only 89cm!). The third photo shows Puerta de Europa (Gateway to Europe), which lies at the northern end of the main business district and greets business men and women on their daily commutes to work. The two buildings, which became the world's first leaning high-rise buildings upon their completion in 1996, have an inclination of 15 degrees according to Emporis.com.

It is also important to mention the AZCA business area, (Alta Zona de la Castellana). AZCA also lies north of the city along Paseo de la Castellana and is Madrid's other, older commercial hub. Its main attraction is the Torre Picasso, which was the tallest building in Madrid before the CTBA's four skyscrapers were constructed.

Personally, I prefer Boston's Business District to Madrid's. The Financial District in Boston gives off a clean, professional vibe and because it overlooks the Boston Harbor, its skyline is more aesthetically pleasing. Anyone agree?

Graffiti

Graffiti in Madrid, Calle Olivar (above)


I love photographing graffiti, so you can expect to see different graffiti images appear occasionally on this blog. Besides being aesthetically pleasing, the images I plan to post will also be relevant to the topic at hand. That is to say, graffiti is a perfect example of a cultural similarity existing between Madrid and Boston. For both Madrilenos and Bostonians, graffiti seems to be a means of public artistic expression. In my opinion, however, the Spanish style differs slightly from the Boston one. In Madrid, the graffiti is generally more imaginative. At first glance, the images appear strange and seemingly out of place. Upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the artist was expressing their inner consciousness in a way only they could fully understand. I realize that some of you might think this observation is a bit out there, but my experience with Spanish graffiti has been that it is especially personal and expressive. In Boston, the graffiti seems to be more humanistic and is often culturally relevant (e.g. in Chinatown, there are many images of the yin-yang, etc.) As a result,it's a bit easier to understand the artist's message (if there is one).

Obviously these are just my impressions. As time goes by, I will post more images so that you can draw your own conclusions. Regardless of your unique interpretations, you'll have to agree that graffiti is an art form that has transcended cultural borders for much of history.

El Baile Flamenco

So my week in Spain is over and I am back in Boston once again. Madrid was amazing, as I expected it to be. The streets, the food, the scenery, and the people were just as I remembered, which left me feeling surprisingly comfortable in the city I used to call home. Five days of intense tourism gave me plenty of inspiration for this blog. First, I will focus on flamenco, a passionate song and dance that originated in the southern region of Spain known as Andalusia. It has been publicly performed in Spain since the mid 1800s.

My first night in Madrid, I decided to dive right into Spanish cultural history by attending a flamenco show. I went to Casa Patas, which is a small flamenco bar on Calle Canizares (Metro: Anton Martin or Tirso de Molina). Since it was my third time experiencing 'flamenco en vivo', I went into the show thinking I knew exactly what to expect. Boy was I wrong. The third time really was the charm for me because the Casa Patas show left me speechless; it was unlike any show I had seen. I lost myself in the eerily soothing sounds of the flamenco guitar, the resounding screams of the lead singer, and the intensity of the dancers' performance. The combination of song and dance left me oblivious to all that was going on around me.

In my opinion, it is best to watch flamenco in an intimate setting. In a large venue, you can't see the deep concentration on the face of the dancer, the sweat furiously dripping from their brow, or the unyielding passion in their eyes. Luckily, Casa Patas was small enough to make me feel closely connected with the dancers. It was as if I had known the dancers for years and finally they were ready to express their most painful secrets--secrets they were unwilling to publicize verbally so that they chose to express them physically instead.

While at the show, it became obvious to me why flamenco is often associated with sex. The dancers' eyes seemed to stare deeply into space, as if searching for a long lost love. Their bodies moved in unimaginable ways, causing one's mind to wander. The pace of their step was calm and slow at first as they prepared for what was to come. Gradually, they coaxed their feet into a steady rhythm, growing comfortable with the increased movement. Their pace quickened until they reached a grand finale, during which all of their energy and emotion was released. At this point, they violently stomped their feet on the ground, threw their hands in the air, and let out an exasperated scream.

The reason I like flamenco so much? The passion. Genuine passion. Too many people lack the passion I saw in the dancers' eyes that night at Casa Patas. American culture, especially in this digital age, would be substantially enriched if people were less worried about appearing vulnerable and more concerned with publicizing their passions. At the show, it became clear to me that Spanish people possess an inner passion that Bostonians all too often suppress. Boston needs something like flamenco. We need a public expression of our culture (no, the Red Sox don't count...) that encourages us to release our emotions, both individually and collectively.

I cannot describe the emotions flamenco summons; these emotions can only be felt when experiencing the song and dance firsthand. However, the video below might help you better picture what I am describing.

Goodbye Boston, Hola Madrid

Yes, the title of this post speaks truth. In 3 short days, I will be boarding a plane at Boston's Logan Airport en route to Madrid. The image directly above this text was taken a little over a year ago, when I was on my way to Madrid for the first time. I recall snapping this photo when I was about 25 minutes away from landing at Barajas International Airport, which is Spain's busiest airport and the tenth busiest airport in the world according to madrid-mad.com. The number of passengers coming into and departing from the capital of Espana is impressive, seeing as its location in the dead center of Spain is not particularly near any one body of water.

I am scheduled to land in Terminal 4, which has been a source of controversy since its opening in 2006. From the airport's perspective, opening Terminal 4 was the only way to maintain Barajas' reputation as the creme de la creme of European airports. Its opening more than doubled the number of flights/hour, pushing the number of passengers/year over 50 million. Spaniards living in the northeast neighborhoods of Madrid, however, didn't like the idea of an expansive terminal invading their neighborhoods. Many protested the terminal's grand opening, believing pollution would skyrocket. Others feared that even more noisy planes would hover above their homes, disrupting their daily lives. Nevertheless, Terminal 4 opened and 3 years later is working overtime. From a passenger's point of view, Terminal 4 is a bit large and requires some walking, which is never fun when your only travel partner is an overweight suitcase that refuses to keep up with you. That being said, the architecture is unique and the size of the terminal resonates. Last year, knowing that I was competently navigating around the world's largest airport terminal left me feeling like an accomplished traveler. (Note: In the summer of 2008, China opened an even larger airport terminal.)

Now, you may be asking, "how can a poor college student afford to spend her spring break in Europe?" Funny you ask. I'm actually wondering the same thing. The best answer I can give you is that I can't, but I'm going anyway. My second tour-de-Madrid is going to make this blog worth reading and writing. I plan on exploring the ins and outs of Madrid's diverse barrios, compiling photos and videos along the way. Upon my return, I will embark on a similar adventure in Boston so that I can present you, the reader, with an in-depth understanding of both cities. So, if I don't update over the course of the next week, you know why. I'll be somewhere in Madrid, eating tapas, watching flamenco, wandering Retiro, etc. Seems life as a poor college student isn't so bad after all...

A view of Terminal 4 (above)

jamon, jamon, jamon

This appetizing leg of pig is known as 'Jamon Iberico' and you can find it or its less luxurious counterpart 'Jamon Serrano' in almost any Spanish kitchen. These famous cured hams are staples of the Spanish diet. When I was in Spain, I generally ate Jamon Iberico, also known as pata negra, because the woman I lived with was a ham snob-she only ate the best of the best. Jamon Iberico comes from the black Iberian pig, which resides in the southernmost regions of Spain. There are different types of Jamon Iberico, the best of which is Jamon Iberico de Bellota. The pigs that produce this incredibly tasty but expensive meat are fed only acorns in a free-range environment. These pigs live a life most other pigs dream about. In other words, they are spoiled rotten! Usually, Jamon Iberico is dried and preserved for up to 4 years before enjoyed. Its legal entry into the United States came in 2007, and the more desirable Jamon Iberico de Bellota arrived a year later, in 2008. Before that, most of us were unaware of Jamon Iberico's greasy greatness.

Imagine my surprise upon arriving in Spain last year, entering my senora's kitchen for the first time, and laying eyes on a black-hoofed beauty innocently perched atop the counter...

If you're looking for good cured ham in the Boston area, check out Tasca or Dali, two of my favorite Spanish restaurants.

Only A Moon Away...

(Top) The Moon in Madrid, February 2008 vs. (Bottom) The Moon in Boston, February 2009. A year later and an ocean apart, and the moon still insists on hiding behind the trees...
I took the first picture of the teardrop-shaped 'Spanish' moon last year when studying abroad in Madrid. I took such a picture, which may not seem all that remarkable in its own right, to curb my homesickness. Seeing the moon reminded me that my friends and family back in Boston would see the same moon six hours later, a thought which shrunk the distance between us. I very clearly remember the night I snapped this photo. The air did not demand that I wear a jacket, but it was crisp enough to remind me that spring was not yet on the horizon. When photographing the moon a year later in Boston, the air was significantly cooler. After all, the average temperature in Madrid in February is 52 degrees whereas in Boston, it's a chilly 38. Both picture-snapping occasions called my attention to the simple beauty of the moon. In all cultures and in all countries, it's to a universal source of beauty. It's a constant.

As you read my blog, which aims to compare and contrast the vibrant cities of Madrid and Boston, I ask that you recall this post and remember: we all look at the same moon. Whether you're in Spain or across the Atlantic Ocean in America, the moon remains unchanged. There are just some things that transcend cultural borders...

Spanish and English speakers alike, I recommend the song CaraLuna ('Face of the Moon' or 'Moonface') by the Latin American pop group Bacilos.