Sleepless in Madrid

The governor's office

A protest

Puerto del Sol is a large  square in the symbolic center of Spain.  It is surrounded by lovely buildings 3 or 4 stories tall.  One of the buildings is the former post office, now the governor's office, complete with guards stationed out front.  It has several fountains and statues, including a bear eating madronna berries.  Puerto del Sol is where you go to catch the Metro, listen to Mariachi bands (I thought they were Mexican), view street performers of all ilk, people watch or participate in political protests. Many streets, including ours, radiate from Puerto del Sol.  It is the place to be, and to be seen. It always busy.

Hotel Ateneo before Calle Monterro wakes up.

Hotel Ateneo is on Calle Montero.  It is about two blocks from Puerto del Sol, and is a perfect location for walking everywhere.  The hotel is on a corner, and our room's quaint little balcony faces the alley.  The alley is pretty quiet, although cars pass through on their way to a parking garage on the other side of Montero.  Monterro is lined with restaurants, bars, dress and shoe shops, ham shops, souvenir shops, farmicia, etc, etc.

Our room is behind one of the balconies on the left.

 Around 6 a.m. the street becomes somewhat quiet as street cleaners start on their rounds to straighten up the area.  Garbage trucks roam up and down, delivery trucks make their rounds.  Some folks walk to work, some folks return home from a night out.  There are even ladymen still trying to strum up business.  As the day wears on businesses reopen and the street wakes up.  The street is always humming. By mid afternoon, Monterro looks like this:

As night approaches the crowd grows and the sound becomes louder and more discordant. Just as I start relaxing, loud male voices will erupt in song, or female voices will shriek, startling me back to consciousness.  It's like an unpredictable beast out there.  The crescendos seem loudest between midnight and 6 a.m.  I feel safe inside, but the noise is not at all comforting.  Nor is it conducive to sleep.



Forever yours,
Sleepless in Madrid.