The Sunday Times June 5, 2022 3I
n the narrow streets surrounding
our flat in the old heart of the
Spanish capital an explosion of
fireworks and cheers tore through
the night, heralding Real Madrid’s
victory over Liverpool in the Champions
League final. Our solitary elderly
neighbour above, whom we have seldom
heard, broke into song: “Campeones,
campeones, olé, olé, olé!”
As tradition dictates, the team’s
fans then surged towards the
nearby Cibeles fountain. Our
building’s portero — doorman,
rather than goalkeeper —
sounded hoarse when he
returned to work after the
weekend. “Celebrating the great
victory?” I asked. “Of course!”
he replied. But then he checked
himself and grinned: “But it was no
big deal. We are used to winning.”
His Madrid chuleria, cocksureness, had
momentarily slipped. El Pais ran with the
headline “The infinite glory of Madrid”.
The victory was another sign, at least
for supporters of Real Madrid, that God
was back in — or at least edging towards —
his heaven. The city suffered particularly
badly at the start of the Covid pandemic,
and inflation and energy prices have
rocketed. But now, like the horse chestnut
blossom in Retiro Park and the roses and
irises in the Royal Botanical Garden next
to the newly reorganised Prado Museum,
Madrid is experiencing vernal rapture.
Café terraces are as full as the foamy
cañas (glasses of beer) that waiters bang
down with panache on tables. The tourists
have returned. The message that Madrid is
open for business was broadcast early,
when the pandemic was still a real threat.
Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the conservative head
of the regional government, won many
local hearts and a resounding election in
May last year by controversially going
against the Socialist-led central
government by keeping bars open with a
slogan of “Freedom!”
The capital’s libertarianism was not
unalloyed. The pandemic led to much
mask-wearing, in part due to fear of
contagion and police fines, and in part out
of courtesy and common sense. But now
the masks are slipping, obligatory only on
public transport and in chemists. For the
first time in two years the feast day of SanOur solitary
elderly
neighbour,
whom we
have seldom
heard,
broke into
songAbove: Real
Madrid fans
celebrate during
the Champions
League final.
Madrid suffered
badly at the start
of the pandemic
but is now
blossoming againIsidro, Madrid’s patron saint, on May 15,
was celebrated with as much gusto as in
pre-pandemic years, with people dressing
up in traditional costumes to enjoy live
music and rosquillas, a kind of doughnut.
Since May 8 — and running until June 5
— Madrid has also been celebrating, once
again full-bloodedly, the San Isidro
festival, the world’s most prestigious
bullfighting event. As a correspondent I
have been sent a ticket for one of the
corridas, with a ringside seat. Local
friends have sent messages
warning that a bull may land in
my lap. One sent a photo of an
enormously horned bull leaping
over the ring fence this week.
Surveys suggest bullfighting
now divides Spaniards as much
as the country’s politics. The
recent temporary return of Juan
Carlos, the former king, who was
forced into exile two years ago by the
government and by his son King Felipe VI
over corruption investigations, has split
Spain equally. The investigations were
shelved this year, but Pedro Sánchez, the
prime minister, wary of public opinion,
has refused to let him return full-time for
now, saying that Juan Carlos owes
Spaniards an explanation. Instead the
former monarch came back for a sailing
competition. When asked by a journalist
if he would give explanations, he replied,
“About what?” and laughed. As an
unimpressed Madrid taxi driver said:
“Que par de cojones.” What a pair of balls.
In our flat the many sounds of a hale
and hearty Madrid waft through the open
windows: the chatter of the Catholic
faithful queuing round the block to touch
or kiss the crucifix of the Christ of
Medinaceli in a local church; the window-
shaking drumbeat as they process with
the crucifix in front of packed crowds;
and the sound of drunken revellers
passing in the street.
And, of course, the din of drills from
roadworks and apartments being
renovated. Madrid is in a state of
perpetual rebuilding that produces
sanity-threatening levels of noise. Its
centre point, the Puerta del Sol, has just
been dug up again; city hall claims the
works will only last a year. Yet for all of
that the capital remains more or less, in
spirit, infinitely glorious. Olé, olé, olé.Travelling light was a liberating experience
and I look forward to doing it more.
Helen Burgess, Cheshire
Is packing light all it’s made out to be?
No, definitely not! My poor handbags,
high-heeled shoes and sandals have been
patiently waiting to be taken out over the
past few years. I need to allow them to
shake the dust off, and if it means packing
three or four for a short break then that is
fine by me. In the past I have often wished
that I could magic myself back home for a
more suitable outfit when I packed lightly.
Jan Leonard, Cheshire
TOP OF THE ROCK
You brought back memories of a month
I spent in Gibraltar in the early 1980s when
the Spanish had closed the border
(“Postcard from Gibraltar”, last week).
Unable to drive to Spain, many people
based there and wanting a short break
would fly to Morocco on a Gib Air plane
somebody had doctored to read “YO-
Gibair”. This inevitably became known
locally as taking a flight on “Yogi Bear”.
Phil Mason, North YorkshireCZECH IT OUT
Try Wine O’Clock for wonderful tapas
and great wines (“Big weekend, Prague”,
last week) and afterwards get along to
the Hemingway Bar, a dimly lit speakeasy,
for a cocktail.
Michael Watson, via thetimes.co.ukThe Estates Theatre is where
Amadeus was filmed and where Mozart
conducted Don Giovanni for its first stage
showing in 1787. Tickets for operas, ballets
and theatre are very affordable, especially
in the gods.
Bonto 747, via thetimes.co.ukSpirits are high in Spain’s capital, where it’s all about
balls, bulls and royal cojones, says Isambard Wilkinson
COVER PHOTOGRAPH: BCP TOURISMSORIN COLAC/ALAMYMADRID
POSTCARD FROM...
WIN A
£1,000
VOUCHER
WITH LUXURY
VILLA SPECIALIST
OLIVER’S TRAVELST&Cs:
thesundaytimes.co.uk/
travellettersCongratulations to Kay
Stevenson, who wins a Pride
of Britain voucher.
For your chance
to win a £1,000
Oliver’s Travels
voucher, email
travel@sunday-
times.co.uk, tweet
@TimesTravel or
comment on one of
our stories at thetimes.
co.uk. Oliver’s Travels offersa spectacular selection of
villas and châteaux around
the world. Each is hand
picked, and by
booking through
its dedicated
concierge
service, you’ll
enjoy the best
possible break. The
voucher can be used
towards a stay of your
choice (oliverstravels.com).