Sunday 14 June 2015

Long Johns No, But Long Sleeves Yes

Since Thursday when Madrid and much of Spain had more rain in a short period of time than the drains could handle and lots of flooding, it's been cool in Madrid. Okay, it's afternoon and although I'm not dressed for the street, I am wearing long sleeves and enjoying the cooler temperatures while we have them. We'll soon be hot again.

At the end of May there were elections in the Community of Madrid. This building, usually referred to as the Telecommunications Palace, is the Town Hall. It's only been that since 2007. When I came to Spain, it was the central post office. 

One of the candidates who actually received more votes than the woman who will be the new mayor (because of a pact with another political party) said she wouldn't use this building as the Town Hall. Madrid has another building that was used for the Town Hall until somebody in Government decided to change it for this magnificent location.  Can you imagine how much money it must take to run? 

Somebody said that one of the ex-mayors even had a secret apartment in the palace. I don't know whether that's true. Anyway, the building was constructed in the early 20th Century and finished round the same time as my humble block of flats.
                 
             
               The Telecommunications Palace

Curiously the building used by the President of the Community of Madrid (not to be confused with the President of Spain) is also a former post office. It was built in the latter part of the 18th C and is located in what is traditionally called the centre of Madrid, the Puerta del Sol. 

Outside this building in the street is the marker for 'Kilometre 0' from which distances are measured in Spain. Everyone at one time or another has stood on Km 0. The clock you see is the one that rings in the new year for the people of Madrid. The Puerta del Sol is the place I always swear not to visit ever again at Christmas, and is where my old institute was located. However, I usually worked in the one near where I live - round the corner really from my house.
                    
                    The Royal House of Post
That's my history lesson for this week, and I did it without a lot of political references. Politics makes people angry and friends enemies, so it's a subject I try to avoid.  Now onto present history.

Last night I went to a housewarming party for our friend Eirian and her husband. We had a lovely time and too much to eat. Cathy and I had similar ideas. I made an onion dip and took chips and Cathy took sour cream and onion chips. Both of us took wine. Chris was the practical one. She took a present for the house in the form of glazed clay cooking dishes. When we left, Eirian gave me enough pasta salad for two meals. Incidentally, housewarming parties are not traditional in Spain.

And on this note, here's where I finish up another week. Hope everyone's weekend has been a pleasant one and hope your next week goes well. 
 

 

9 comments:

  1. Well, I found the information about The Telecommunications Palace fascinating and I always marvel at the craftsmanship and perseverance it took (even in the early 20th century) to construct buildings like that!

    That tourists have to stand at the Km 0 sign is not surprising. They do the same at the "Southern Most Point" in the USA, down in Key West. You have to document that you were there!

    Nice housewarming party! Interesting that it is not a common thing to do in Spain. Do they have wedding and baby showers?

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    1. Gifts are given at the wedding and when the baby is born.

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  2. I found the history interesting too.I was thinking that too about why not common to have a housewarming party

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    1. People don't entertain as much here in their homes unless it's with family.. They do most of their entertaining outside the home, mainly because most of us live in apartments.

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  3. Beautiful buildings! Nothing as beautiful here.

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    1. Did you know that Maysville (KY) is considered the nicest small town in America by one of those magazines I always used to buy? And what about Glendale with all those squirrel statues? The other day I was reading about that actress who jumped off the Hollywood sign. I don't know why both she and her father are buried in the cemetary in Glendale because her father died in New York and she, of course, in California.

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  4. I have always liked the buildings in Maysville. Of course I think Glendale is unique!

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  5. Hi Brenda, thats me just back from France. I really enjoy the buildings when I'm away. I can't help noticing how each area has a style distinctive to itself. This building is beautiful and if you're worried about how much it costs to run a place like that imagine how much our government spend running the decrepid old houses of parliament. Personally I think our houses of Parliament are not fit for purpose and government should move out but thats another story. :-)

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