Already it seems like long ago. Back in time, June 2018, we’ve touched down in Madrid, C&C and our gracious hosts Chris’ sis Trina and her husband Grant (a huge shout out to both and big thanks) and we’re visiting Spain to take in the Camino de Santiago Trail. But before there’s time to explore. Our home base this day and for a couple more is the County’s Capitol and we’ll wander and take it all in, seeing as many amazing sights as we can in the time we have. Our first full day promises to be fun.
Much of the time we’ll spend at a most impressive Cathedral and the pics reflect that. But we’ll also discover other things. I’m mean we’re staying in downtown, so let’s get out there and put feet to pavement. And while we’ll only see a small slice of this great city, we’ll get a good feel for what it’s all about, that Madrid Vibe. And let me tell you, it’s amazing. Enough talk…come on, let’s get going! This is a big one, so be patient while it loads.
España Day 1: Wandering Madrid – some pre-El Camino exploring. Presented by Chris Doering & Connie Biggart. (BIGDoer/Synd)
1) Right after brekkie, still tasting that most delicious Iberico Ham (food of the Gods), we step out into the light. Which way? Pointing…that looks good. And we’re off.
2) In the Plaza de la Puerta del Sol, a monument to King Carlos III. Old Charles, as we call him, reigned over Spain in the latter half of the 1700s and seems to have been a popular Monarch (and not all were) and quite progressive in his policies. It was under his rule that Spain went from a grouping of kingdoms to nationhood. Tio Pepe is a sherry, which after seeing the sign we searched but did not find. Wines and things like that played a big part in this trip. Hey, when in Spain…
1) On the ground in Madrid Spain.
3) Random street find. A nod to Salvador Dali, perhaps Spain’s most famous artists and a most eccentric fellow. This here place is having an exhibit of his work along with that of some of his contemporaries, Duchamp and Margritte.
4) Stunning architecture is everywhere. Looking up we see details like this…all over.
5) King Felipe IV, ruler of what would become Spain, and for a time Portugal (as Felipe III) in the 1600s. He was a big proponent of the arts. There’s monuments and statues like this all over the this part of the city. And in back, the Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid). It’s used occasionally for government functions today and is still listed officially as residence of Spain’s Monarchy, Felipe VI, even if he doesn’t actually live there and instead resides in more modest digs elsewhere in town. But mostly it’s open to tourists for viewing.
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6) It’s said to have some three thousands rooms. Give or take. Getting lost could lead to death by starvation. We didn’t visit but still marvelled in it’s amazing opulence as seen from outside.
7) Target sighted! This is Almudena Cathedral, a most impressive Gothic Revival style building, equally breathtaking inside and out. We’ll spend hours here, caught up in the moment and blown away by all its majesty and beauty. The interior is incredible! Groups of kids are school outings. The Catholic Church, and all the churches we’d visit this trip (a lot) including Almudena, were tied to this faith, THE major religion here in Spain.
8) Waiting in line, looking back we see the Royal Palace Courtyard. Them European Monarchs sure lived large back then.
9) As Spanish Cathedrals go, Almudena is a relative youngster. Construction of it was started in the 1880s and finished in the early 1990s. A hundred years to build? It was a quickie. Many of the buildings like this we’d later tour as we roamed the land, are countless centuries old (some approaching 1000 years) and often took two hundred years or so finish.
10) What’s that over there? Buses! They distract…which is easily done with us. These ones are emerging from a tunnel – downtown has many underground roads.
11) The upper reaches of Almudena looking back at the Palace. This section of the church is a museum and no indoor photography is allowed. Later we’d head into the working parks of the building where that rule changes to yes. Just no flash or tripods (no worries, we’re big fans of hand-held ambient light shooting). Still can’t wrap my head around it…the Palace back there…three thousand rooms?!
12) Madrid is a most scenic city. No ugly towers, just amazing architecture, some of it old, some of it new, all of it with character.
13) Next stop, the upper floor. The city is home to some three million people yet in many ways has the feel of a place much smaller and more intimate. The church affords some amazing views. Like this!
14) Look close. A most grisly depiction, here it’s Saint Bartholomew who was skinned alive – ’cause that’s what they did back then when they didn’t like you. Here, symbolically, he holds his remains. And the city spreads out below.
15) From a high point, the Spires of Almudena looking back towards the Palace.
16-43) The Interior of Almudena Cathedral. Here we’re in the working section of the building – entry as a “tourist” is by donation – rule one, don’t bug those coming here for spiritual reasons. There’s an old fellow, a fixture here I’m told, who guards the main entry and sells handmade rosaries. We didn’t photograph him out of respect. So here, the bulk of the photos this day, showing a most special place, and while they’re good, I don’t think we did Almudena justice. It’s just that amazing. We won’t be touching in the history too deeply here – it’s just too big to do – and rather it’ll be presented as a photo tour of sorts. If you get to Madrid, this place is a must visit.
Looking around, it really sinks in just how massive the structure is. I mean huge! And how elaborate the decorations are. Stained glass, everywhere! Carvings and statues, everywhere! Paintings and frescoes everywhere! And gold, gilding, forged iron and exotic woods and marble columns…in every direction! There’s nothing plain here. Mind, prepared to be blown.
2) King Carlos III.
Over there, a mid-week morning service takes place. Remember it is a functioning church. Underfoot and throughout the building, graves, burials and crypts belonging to important figures in the religion. The acoustics here are incredible. Footsteps are deafening, heartbeats boom, and the click of a shutter sounds like gun fire. The place is incredibly lit, moody, peaceful, and most befitting. That ambience!
Little old ladies, rosaries firm in hand, walk past. None are over five feet tall. They smile and nod – the folks we met seemed always friendly and open to us out of towners. In spite of the service taking place, attended by a dozen or so people, other’s touring the church, and church staff and priests and nuns wandering about, it’s so large and cavernous it feels like we have the entire place to ourselves.
The hours fly by. But all good things must end. Time to go.
44) These little “GO! Cars” (more scooters on steroids) are one way to see Madrid. Jump in, drive around following a predetermined map, dodging pedestrians (millions of them), other cars and cycles (seemingly more than the cramped conditions would allow) and get to know the city that way. By old town Madrid standards this road was wide. Some are so narrow that one would have to be crazy to drive them.
45) At the Plaza Mayor, a central square rimmed completely by a wall of apartments flats, it’s time for lunch. With the temperature already pretty hot, a cold beer goes down real good. In back, there to the right, something interesting…
46) Want a genuine Coach Bag, a real Gucci clutch, authentic Oakley Glasses? Then don’t deal with these “popup” sellers. But if you want a fake one, and cheap, these are your guys. They display their goods on some old sheet plopped on the ground, the four corners attached to ropes which they always firmly grasp. Should the cops show, and there’s always lots of them walking about – some with big Uzi type guns, they quickly bundle up the sheet, throw it over their shoulder and book it out of there. These “purveyors” of luxury wares were anywhere tourists might be found and if caught “selling” will get it all confiscated. Being a track runner here helps. We saw some amazing sprints. World records speeds I’d say.
47) After lunch our group separates. The Team roams about in a random way looking for things to see and do. Here we partake in a little transit spotting (it’s on our blood).
48) Puerta de Alcalá, or Alcalá Gate, is from the 1770s (officially MDCCLXXVIII). This was the entry into Madrid so long ago at its edge, but today, as the city has grown around it, sits smack dab in core. Madrid has so much incredible history and so many old structures. We’re in heaven. And feeding our lottery addiction, this Pac-Man scratchie ticket (there’s these little lotto booths everywhere). No, we didn’t win. Later Connie would try again and hit a 20€ jackpot. Living the life.
49) We stood there and counted bus after bus. Madrid has a huge and what appears to be a well thought out and well patronized transit system. It sure puts the ones in our part of the world to shame. You can get anywhere in town at any time by transit (metro and bus).
50) Torres de Colón (or Columbus Towers, nicknamed, El Enchufe or The Plug), some of the taller buildings we saw this day. The pair date from the 1970s and are office buildings. Seems even the modern and utilitarian places here have some style and character, unlike the cold and sterile towers in Calgary. The general area is a commercial and financial district. The pair used to be two free standing towers, but later were connected at the top by a shared addition (that green cap).
51) Random roads lead us to the trains station. Like bloodhounds we found it. In Spain everyone uses rail. It’s fast, frequent, efficient, connectes most major centres and most importantly is cheap. We’d get to know “Renfe” the following day.
52) The place is huge. And busy. Here’s the main concourse. Since access to the tracks is behind a wall available only to tickets holders, there are no train spotting opportunities for visitors here. We came in with such high hopes.
3) An homage to Dali.
53) By now we had a good ten clicks under out belts. Let’s takes a breather…wait…a bus!
54) Dog tired back at the hotel (a dive called the Iberostar). Here’s a stairwell, the centre of which was also where the old elevator used to run. All the machinery remains in place.
55) Ready to call it a night. But Madrid is not ready to sleep. The party here goes on well into the wee hours. Had we the energy…we’d be there, but even we tire out. What a dynamic place. Check out all those amazing buildings as seen from our balcony.
Woah, this is a long one. Almost done. Next day, we’d take the train to Toledo (hitting 250kph in the process), a small city not all that far from Madrid. There we’d tour old buildings, take in narrow streets, relax, hike, eat, climb. A highlight is the Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo (or simply Toledo Cathedral) which is equally stunning as Almudena, but in a different way. This one was started in the early 1200s and finished in the late 1400s. It sure took a while. Stay tuned, as we say too often. The fun’s just begun.
If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!
Date: June, 2018. Location: Madrid, Spain. Article references and thanks: Katrina & Grant LaRocque, Almudena Cathedral Madrid, the Senor who sold us the winning ticket.
Tradition holds that St. Bartholomew was flayed while alive. He is represented holding his own skin,most notably in Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgment” A couple years ago Linda and I were having lunch in an Edmonton restaurant,the ceiling of which was decorated with a full size reproduction. Somehow looking at a naked St. Bartholomew,holding his own hide took the edge off my pizza.
(A long read) After twelve years it's time to put a face to the name and come clean on something. That's rarely-seen Chris in the photo, one half of Team BIGDoer, my best friend for almost thirty years and orchestrator of everything you see here. For his entire adult life, he's battled a deep depression.
Mostly it's manageable, but there are extended bouts where it's crippling and his life comes to a grinding halt. Sometimes there are days or weeks where he's lost. Sleep does not come easy at this time and further aggravates the issue. As he ages, it's worsening and seems intent on destroying him from the inside.
If you see a lack of posts here, or ones poorly worded, confusing or simply off, it's from one of these periods.
Through all this, he remains as kind, thoughtful and loving as ever, but is somewhere else. To the family, it's just Chris and accepted as it should be. The kids and grandkids adore him no less. Until today, however, this has been hidden from the outside world, although closer friends and some readers were probably already suspect of his condition. I hope admitting this does not break the site.
He finds clarity when we're out and doing things, hiking or documenting something historic and it's only THE reason this page and our website exists. It's therapy. Then he's a new and passionate person, but the monster as he calls it always returns. The Beer Parlour Project has brought out a side I've never seen and when out in the field he's never been so on point and confident.
This post is not for sympathy but to inform. Just so you know where he is and here's what you can do to help (a last ditch request)...
If you see a missed comma or oddly worded sentence in a post, please be kind. You'll probably see his uncertainty when he's off and be nice there too. But if you like what you see, even if the write up could be presented better, post your encouragement. Say something and say it loud...it's important and will keep him sharing. Help Chris get better by cheering him on.
Other than some photos that are mine, everything else comes from him. All the tiring research and the writing (he admits he's NOT a writer), are his.
Chris puts every dollar he makes into this "project of a lifetime", and it's supplemented by donations from readers who enjoy the content. If you want to help...
Admittedly he was not thrilled with the idea of posting this but agrees it probably should be said, even if it makes him uneasy. He doesn't like appearing in photos either. He's so shy, thinks he looks goofy and hates his husky eyes. I love them and they're windows into a wonderful, complex and quiet, but tortured soul. It breaks my heart when he's in a bad space.
This image comes thanks to photographer Arturo Pianzola and was captured while exploring the historic Riverview Mental Hospital in Coquitlam BC. Chris thought since he was in the area last year, he'd stop by to visit with a grandfather he never really knew, who spent his last years at the facility and is buried on the grounds.
Thanks for listening and your understanding. Hopefully we'll see you next week. Johanna (Connie).
Journey of Natty Gann (Disney 1985) and the same location in the Crowsnest Pass 2014. We're visiting the Pass over the new year, as we often do, and this time we'll be staying at a house that appears (briefly) in the film. How cool, eh? Chris has decided it's time on this visit to reshoot this and other Natty Gann comparison shots we did from ten years ago. Stay tuned!
This scene was shot in historic downtown Coleman and shows the former Holyk's Grocery. It was built in the early 1900s and the store closed in the '60s. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
From 2015. Rob Pohl and his strange old-style view camera joined us in documenting the Laing House (with permission). Head down to the comments to see an amazing coincidence with something I found inside.
From the Crossley slides, it's an undated view of Towers School, out near Cluny Alberta. It was originally called Swastika School but that's before the word and symbol were ruined by negative connotations. Built 1922. Gone? _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
The same alley in downtown Calgary's west end, in the 1970s & today. You have to look hard to see the connection! The area was quite run down back then and is in stark contrast to all the shiny condo towers seen present day. Calgary Place West, an apartment block, appears in both images although it's barely a sliver in ours. Check the comments for more info.
Photo credit: James Tworow collection. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
Lost highways (2022): a section of old #93 in Southeastern BC. That BIGDoer-mobile is gone now but quite famous and had a following of its own. Old mine roads, cow paths, 4x4ing across fields - no problem and people would recognize us out in remote areas just by this car. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
I love the stained glass in the Churches.
Yes! Of all the things in a church, stained glass is a favourite subject.
Creepy is not the word!
That statue haunted my dreams that night!
Beautiful! Europe has the most wonderful churches, enjoy them all.
Can only speak of Spanish ones…and they were amazing!
I found a lot of Spanish art to be super-duper creepy 🙂
That St Bartholomew Statue sure is!
The trip of a lifetime. Fantastic photos!
We always have so much fun and see so many special places. This trip will be one of the most memorable.
It’s my older sister and my niece have walked it.
On their own, separately.
Walking the El Camino is moving experience, no matter your faith, or even if you have none at all. It’s about finding oneself. That’s what makes it.
I am obsessed with churches, especially the really old small ones.. they have a special place in my heart.
Love all of them, all faiths, all sizes, all styles. Agree though, the small ones can be some of the most special.
Wow we saw some nice ones in France,England..the workmanship is amazing.
They know how to do churches in Europe. The Spanish ones we saw, blew me away!
Tradition holds that St. Bartholomew was flayed while alive. He is represented holding his own skin,most notably in Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgment” A couple years ago Linda and I were having lunch in an Edmonton restaurant,the ceiling of which was decorated with a full size reproduction. Somehow looking at a naked St. Bartholomew,holding his own hide took the edge off my pizza.
What a mental image!
Amazing!
I know, what a place!