Cheers to Madrid!!!

Hello everyone. My name is Nadina, which means hope. This is my fourth post on Steemit (except the introduction) and I'm hopeful that through writing, I'll meet more warm and friendly people. Welcome to my blog. Today I'm offering you a tour of Madrid. Let's wander its streets and visit some restaurants together. My journey begins in Malaga, at the Maria Zambrano train station. There’s a high-speed train to Madrid and the trip takes about 2 hours and 50 minutes.

The Malaga station doubles as a small shopping center. My train to Madrid departs at 10:30 a.m. from platform two. The train is super comfortable and very clean.

Madrid has changed quite a bit over the last five years, becoming more modern and open to new ideas. While Barcelona is Spain's most cosmopolitan and developed city, Madrid, despite being the capital, has traditionally been less modern. However it's gradually catching up. For example, Uber only started operating in Madrid a few years ago. After the independence protests in Catalonia, many businesses moved from Barcelona to Madrid, which might have contributed to the city's modernization and growing trends. New stylish restaurants and shopping spots have opened up and the streets are filling with new brands.The city's style has evolved too. Yet Madrid remains a traditional city in many ways. In luxury restaurants and in the prestigious Salamanca district, you'll still find wealthy folks dressed in classic Spanish fashion. This is more common among men, while women are generally more open to trends. Salamanca is my favorite area in Madrid because it has a lot of beautiful buildings and is quite clean.

We visited a restaurant called Lobito de Mar. I had been to the same restaurant in Marbella and now I visited it in Madrid as well. It's a seafood restaurant owned by Michelin-starred chef Dani Garcia. We started with croquettes, a common dish in Spanish restaurants, usually made with shrimp or beef. They're crispy on the outside and soft like a pâté inside. We also had salmonete, a very tasty fish, along with a tomato salad in orange sauce. Octopus is another popular dish in Spain. The Spanish cook it really well, usually making it soft and flavorful. Scallops known as vieiras come from Galicia. We also tried tuna carpaccio. Spanish lunches typically last 2-3 hours, which is why many shops, banks and businesses close around 1:00 p.m. and reopen at 4:00 p.m.

My favorite park Retiro Park, is also in the Salamanca district. It's lovely to walk through, no matter the season. Locals love this park and you'll see many people spending time here. Because it's so green, it's a comfortable place to be even on the hottest days.

Here, you might see a hunter and his prey. Yes, moments like this can happen in the park.

This fountain is known as the Artichoke, inspired by one of Spain's popular vegetables.

This park is open to everyone and there's no admission fee. It also has a large lake where you can rent boats and take a ride. There are several bridges and you'll find cute ducks and giant carp. They swim around and are so greedy that they'll take food right out of other fishes mouths.

We hit the most popular shopping street in Madrid, Gran Vía. Here, you can find luxury stores, branded products and a plethora of well-known names. High-end brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Versace and Carolina Herrera are lined up alongside more affordable ones like H&M, Zara and Mango.

If you're visiting Spain, be sure to try their traditional pastries called empanadas. They come with chicken, tuna, or spinach fillings. Wine shops are also a key part of Spanish culture. One of Spain's best wine regions is Ribera del Duero, so if you want a Spanish wine, you should try one from this area.

In the evening, we went to a different restaurant called Amazónico, which has a jungle theme. Inside, they serve dishes from African, Mexican and Latin American cuisines. It's a popular spot in Madrid, with lovely decor that includes animal motifs, exotic plants and luxurious details.

My sister Mila really liked this restaurant when she visited Madrid last year, so she insisted I check it out. She even sent me a photo from her visit.

All the dishes were delicious. As a lineup, we had corn soup, quinoa salad, chicken breast, tacos, lamb meatballs, fried pineapple and various desserts. The place is also known for its cocktails and we chose ice cream and fried pineapple for dessert.

In Spain, people almost always have wine with their meals, even after work. Typically Spanish restaurants are filled with good wine and food.

After leaving the restaurant, we saw an elderly couple holding hands outside. It was such a sweet sight and you often see moments like this in Spain. Maybe that's one of the reasons Spain is among the countries with the longest life expectancy in Europe.

Then we went to the train station. Madrid's Atocha Station has a fantastic tropical garden inside. It's a nice experience to walk among the lush greenery as the trains depart.

Back to shopping, I went to the Louis Vuitton store. While exploring their new collection, I tried on various products.

This brand is typically known for its elegant and classic styles, but it offers a wide range of designs to suit all tastes. There were plenty of choices in textiles, shoes and accessories. I'll share the clothes I bought from Madrid in another post.