Madrid Barajas International Airport - Photo from Tomisimo.org
We landed in Madrid Barajas International Airport at 11:30 AM. My body was at 5:30 AM, New York time but I didn’t need coffee. I didn’t need any 5 hour power shots. I didn’t need sleep. Okay, that’s a lie. I definitely could have slept. But I was running on adrenaline. JC and I hopped onto the Metro and took it to Alfonso Martinez Metro Station to check into our hotel, The Aparthotel Andromeda.
The hotel is located in a more residential part of Madrid. It was extremely convenient for us because it was only two blocks away from the metro station. There were plenty of restaurants and grocery stores nearby and exchanging money was a breeze because the Santander Bank was only a quick 5 minute walk away. Plus, it wasn’t too far of a train ride from the center of Madrid.
First stop, Puerto del Sol. Why? Because Lonely Planet said so. On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d say it sucked. Personally, it was too touristy. If I wanted to rub shoulders, bump elbows and dodge bodies, I would have gone to Times Square. I didn’t get to enjoy the European architecture as much as I wanted to. I was too busy navigating the streets, preventing collisions and eying potential pickpocketers. Paranoid? Perhaps. But better safe than sorry.
Building at Gran Via
The first thing I saw when I got off Sol Metro Station was a huge building complex. My first thought was, “Wow, so European!” But little did I know, buildings like that were one in many and this one, in hindsight, did not compare to others I would be seeing. We walked to the Plaza Cibeles through smaller streets to avoid the voluminous amounts of people.
The Metropolis Building
In one of our detours, we noticed a gray angel on top of a dome. Curiosity led the way and when we arrived at the end of the street, there it was – The Metropolis Building or en espanol, Edificio Metropolis. The building is located at the corner of Gran Via and Calle Alcala. The angle of the sun made the angel look like it hovers above the dome. It was absolutely gorgeous!
We continued our walked down Calle Alcala passing by a Catholic church and the Instituto Cervantes, which was created to promote and teach the Spanish language and to spread Spanish and Latin American culture. Across the street was the Bank of Spain looking all grand and majestic. But the most beautiful piece of architecture in the Plaza Cibeles was Madrid’s main post office – the most regal post office I have ever seen.
We walked the length of Calle Alcala until mid-afternoon. It was a great introduction to Madrid. The European architecture is amazing in comparison to the flat and geometrically bland rectangular shaped buildings we have in New York City. Now I know why Bob Marley called it the Concrete Jungle. It was a long walk and to satisfy our hungry bellies, we refueled at Burger King. You might think that it’s silly to fly to another country and eat at a fast food joint that’s located everywhere in New York but we were jetlagged and linguistically incapable of trying to spew out any Spanish. We still had a long day of trekking ahead of us. Carbs are our best friends when we travel because walking is never really over till we get back on a plane to New York.
This post is part 17 of 17 of my trip to Istanbul. The series intends to give more than just a I-saw-this-and-did-that review. It aims to share the voice inside my head as I explore a world I’ve only read in books.
Spice Bazaar - Photo from Elizabeth Anne Designs
The Grand Bazaar is a maze that expands over 58 streets. The shops inside are filled with jewelry, pottery, spices, carpets and restaurants. The Spice Bazaar is the second oldest bazaar and shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar. You would think that shopping in these two bazaars would consume most of the day but it didn’t for JC and I.
We saved our visit to the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market for our very last day in Istanbul. We’re not big on shopping but we made an attempt to buy souvenirs. It was a failed attempt. The hawking turned me off and made not want to buy anything. Like any popular tourist attraction, it was overcrowded and swarmed with shoppers. Plus, it was raining that day so many people decided to visit the markets to escape the rain.
Changcheng Restaurant
After a hectic stroll through the bazaars, our last day in Istanbul ended with dinner at Changcheng, a Chinese restaurant! “Chang cheng” literally translates to “long wall.” That’s what we call The Great Wall of China in Chinese. The restuarant was so close to where we were staying, the Hali Hotel. We had no idea it was right around the corner until the day we took a cab to the Chora Church.
We were one of the first customers to arrive for the night. Our Turkish waiter spoke a few Chinese phrases and we complimented his pronunciation. After we placed our order, there was a flock of Asian tour group that came and quickly filled up three large tables. We said hello as they walked by and their tour guide actually came over to introduce himself to us. We chatted for a little bit and learned that many of the tourist in his group were professors from Taiwan and Singapore.
Changcheng Restaurant Menu
Our hostess was from mainland China. She told us that she has been living in Istanbul for about 4 years and that she speaks a little Turkish. We asked her if it was a hard language to learn and she it was easier than she expected. It’s interesting to know where the Chinese diaspora extends to. It was like a little piece of home in Istanbul. It sure felt nice to have some hot fish soup.
If you’re ever in Istanbul and craving some Chinese food, check out Changcheng Restaurant.
Changcheng Restaurant
Binbirdirek Mahallesi Peykhane Sokak No:46/1
Sultanahmet, Istanbul
Tel:(0212) 458-6760
Fax: (0212) 458-6759
www.changchengrestaurant.com
info@changchengrestaurant.com
This is the Tripbase Blog Tag. “The aim of this game is to unite travel bloggers in a joint endeavor – to create an amazing list of top travel recommendations across the globe to share with the entire online travel community.” – Katie from Tripbase.com
Without further adieu, here are my top 3 best kept travel secrets. I guess these won’t be secrets anymore.
Terrace View At The Hali Hotel, Istanbul
Travel Secret #1: Art of Cheap Accommodations
Everyone has their own travel style. It’s all about perspective. For me, lodging is minimal. I don’t need a Tempurpedic mattress and a flat screen TV. All I really need is a bed with no bed bugs and a bathroom that flushes. Lodging serves as a storage room where I can fall face flat on the pillow after a 15 hour foot exploration Sometimes I book rooms before I arrive. Sometimes I arrive homeless, which isn’t as scary as it sounds. It’s actually much cheaper.
- Arrive in person
- Tell the hotel/hostel half the number of days you’re actually staying. For example, if you’re traveling for 10 days, tell them 5.
- When a daily quote is given, ask then for lower rates for an extended stay. (That’s where the extra 5 days come in handy.)
- After they give you a quote for the extended stay, offer to pay in cash if they could lower the rates even more.
- Then show them your student ID and ask if they have student discounts. (This works better in youth hostels than in hotels.)
My 8-day trip to Istanbul was only $1270 – $640 for round-trip tickets and $630 for everything else. I spent less than $80 a day, including accommodation, food, entrance fees, transportation and souvenirs. I’d say it’s a pretty good deal for independent traveling.
Kaifeng, China: The beauty of traveling through China is that sometimes, I feel like I'm in two places at once - the past and the present.
Travel Secret #2: Kaifeng, China
In response to my impression at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Erica from Traveling Blissful commented, “I think many tourist sites are too hyped up and leave travelers feeling disappointed, wondering ‘What’s so great about this?’” Popular tourist attractions come with high expectations. The more I travel, the more I realize how exquisite the smaller, less discovered places are.
Kaifeng, China is a place was a place where I had no expectations. It was also a place that blew me away. It was here where I discovered Chinese Jews, people of Jewish descent living in China, and their fascinating history and community. It was also here, the view above, where I realized this: the beauty of traveling through China is that sometimes, I feel like I’m in two places at once – the past and the present.
A Snow Day On The Great Wall of China - Photo by Jabari Bell
Travel Secret #3: Climb The Great Wall When It Snows
Everyone knows that The Great Wall is impressive in length and in beauty. You’ll sweat buckets if you’re climbing it during the summer and you’ll be throwing elbows if you’re visiting during spring and fall. It’s harder to appreciate the context of it’s surrounding when The Great Wall is inundated with tourists and cameras. I’d recommend visiting in the winter, preferably when it snows. Why? Because…
- You’ll see The Great Wall frosted in snow.
- You’ll have The Great Wall all to yourself.
- You’ll see the rolling mountains and the vastness of the land that it sits on.
- You can build a snowman on The Great Wall of China!
- And because the snow makes it’s ridiculously fun to glide down the descending slopes.
Now, how many of you can say you’ve a snow day on The Great Wall of China?
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Now, I’d like to nominate these 5 amazing bloggers to share their top 3 travel secrets on their blog. Tag! You’re it!
- Emma, Aye & Jack at GotPassport
- Keith at VelvetEscape
- Carrie at MySeveralWorld
- Jennifer & David at ApproachGuides
- Talen at Thailand, Land of Smiles
View From The Galata Tower
Related Posts: The Galata Tower & Fish Sandwich
My name is Monica and I was born and bred in New York City. I'm the Account Coordinator at enter:new media by day and an aspiring travel writer by night. Welcome to my escape. 
¡Madrid, Estamos Aquí!
The Grand Bazaar, The Spice Market & A Chinese Restaurant
My 3 Best Kept Travel Secrets
Photo Friday: View From The Galata Tower
The Harem At The Topkapi Palace
