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Saturday 26. february

Leaving with Iberia from Copenhagen and direct to Madrid in the evening. The hotel was Plaza Mayor and was plazed very central in Madrid. And on a saturday night like this you should go out to look at the city by night - but on the other hand - you have just arrived to see Real Madrid vs. Barcelona on the big screen (14 ") in room 115 - so what the heck - this is vacation after all. Real wins the match 3 - 0.

Sunday 27. february

The start of this trip was pretty lazy, so in fact I get up pretty early. And now for some breakfast. But that is not easy on an early sunday morning in Madrid. Have to stroll around for half an hour, before I finally end up at an open cafe, and then it's about time for the first Cafe con leche on this trip - and som very very dry toast.

There is one thing you have to do in spanish towns on sundays - that is to watch people. They seem to be everywhere - everybody is taking a stroll. And suddenly the weather has turned from danish rain to spanish spring - this is a good thing.

First sight is the local market El Rastro. Here you can buy everything you need  - and don't need. From here I take a long walk recommended by my tourguide from  "Time Out" - among other things to Parque de las Vistillas, with a good city-view - and a look at the biggest cathedrel in Madrid called Catadral de la Almucena.

Later this day another sunday-must. A visit to the big park in Madrid called Retiro. A huge amount of people are hanging around - and a lot of activity - amont others plenty of toy-theatres - very much enjoyed by the kids. So this is a really got spot to hang arund for some hours - just relaxing and looking around.

Later this day to the more noisy and polluted Gran Via - and streets close to. This is the shopping-area of Madrid - and that's just what it is.

Parque del buen Retiro

Monday 28. february

From Toledo

 Today the plan was to go to Segovia by bus. So I head off for the big busterminal in Madrid - which is not in fact placed very central in the city. Arriving here a problem turns up. The bus for Segovia doesn't leave from here (bloody Time-Out-guide !!!) - but from  somewhere else in downtown. But thankfully plans have been made to change. So instead I go to Toledo - because there is a bus.

Toledo is a very old, very historic city about an hours drive on the freeway from Madrid. Very nice and exiting to look at.

Back home from Toledo - late afternoon - the hunt starts for what in my humble opinion will be the highlight of this tour - the champions-league match played om tuesday between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Rumours say that the match will not be sold out, and there are tickets to get. But you can only buy tickets at the stadium - and the open in the early evening-hours. So I go by the local Metro (by the way - one of the best I have ever seen) to Estadion Santiago Bernebeu. Here you immediately run into the black market. They want 10.000 pesatas for a ticket - thats about 80 us-$. And of course they tell you that getting a ticket at the ticket office is impossible. But I insist of trying, and good people as they are, they show me the way to the ticket office. Not the nearest way of course - I have to take a long walk around the stadium before I'm finally nearly back at my starting point - and there is the ticket-office.

Saturdays triumph against Barca has made the Madrillians in a good mood. So there's a long line at the office - and an hour till they open. Thankfully a pair of "ticket-sharts" is sneaking around in the back of the queue. The offer me a 3.500 pesatas-ticket for 5000 - I buy - and save a couple of hours queueing.

From here back to my head-quarter. Tonights dinner is on the cafe in the hotel. They have a good offer - 3 course menu with bread, wine and coffee for 15 us$ - I go for that. But I do get a little surprised when they actually put a whole bottle of white wine on the table for me alone.

Tuesday 29. february

You have to do something before going to the match. So I start heading for the aerial ropeway - that according to Time-Out can take me to the great park of Casa De Campo. But when I find it, I find out that it's only working sundays - thank god for Time-out - so now I have to think of something else.

The station Principe Pio is close to here. Time-Out say that from here I can take the train to a nice town calle Alcala De Henares. And for once they are right - of course its not their fault that I take the train in wrong direction, so I have to be driven around most of Madrid's surroundings before the train finally head for Alcala De Henares.

But it was worth the effort. A cozy little town - and a good walk around the streets before I turn back - to be able to go for the match in decent time.

Early in the evening I head for football - and there are a lot of people out there. Around 75.000 - and one other famous dane - Kim Milton is the referee of the match - I can spot him even from my place on "8. floor" of this huge stadium. And what a match this turns out to be. The germans win by 4 goals to 2 - but the homecrowd doesn't panic for this reason. Football-culture exist here, so they enjoy a very good game of football. Stefan Effenberg is brilliant - but the detail of the match is when Hierro smashes a 70 yard ball against the corner-flag - there Roberto Carlos turnes up - volleys the ball into the head of Raul, who cant do anything else but score. "Quel Gol" - you here from an old gentleman on the seat behind me - and he is right about that.

Back to the hotel - the match is being analyzed again and again on all the spanish channels this night.

Alcala De Henares

To Seville