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"the man!"
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| Posts: 12233 | Location: ny, u.s.a. --> madrid, spain --> the plaza mayor ! | Registered: 30 June 1998 | |
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"the man!"
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Hey all, long time no update on this thread. I was in the Retiro today for the first time since the end of the summer and let me tell you, YOWZERS!!! The main "estanque" (lake) area is all torn up!!! I have never seen the Retiro in such bad shape but they are re-constructing the walkway around the lake and extending it so I guess there is no way to avoid the current state of it all. I did not have my camera with me so you will have to trust me when I tell you that it is a disaster area  Will keep you all updated. Saludos, jer...
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| Posts: 12233 | Location: ny, u.s.a. --> madrid, spain --> the plaza mayor ! | Registered: 30 June 1998 | |
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"the man!"
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Here is the photo of the Retiro war zone I promised you all... CLICK HERESaludos, jer...
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| Posts: 12233 | Location: ny, u.s.a. --> madrid, spain --> the plaza mayor ! | Registered: 30 June 1998 | |
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Don't know that I like the new & improved Plz Santa Ana.....too much concrete, I think. I was told by a guy at Bar Miau that the square cement cubes (that replaced the benches) are designed for sitting, but at the same time to discourage Urban Outdoorsmen from sleeping on them. They play hell with your shins if you're not paying attention where you walk. Was it a portion of C/Huertas they finished off with bricks? Seemed to remember that in May... Thyglow
In Madrid All Things Are Possible...Except Skiiing Through The Revolving Door At The Ritz
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| Posts: 150 | Location: Athens, GA, EEUU | Registered: 02 June 2002 | |
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"the man!"
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Hey thyglow, the Plaza de Santa Ana was indeed engineered with that detering factor in mind. I agree that is could be more attractive but they also had to find a happy middle ground between asthetics and durability since that plaza gets TONS of foot traffic. Yes, Calle Huertas is remodeled and closed to car traffic now. Personally I think it is a huge improvement  Saludos, jer...
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| Posts: 12233 | Location: ny, u.s.a. --> madrid, spain --> the plaza mayor ! | Registered: 30 June 1998 | |
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I also think it is an improvement. They should do that with some more streets in the city centre, and keep cars for other areas which are more "suitable" for traffic. Well,I say this because I�m not a frequent driver (je je je ), but I think everybody will agree with me when I say that the "casco hist�rico" is better seen and enjoyed without so many cars. How on earth are we -literature and history lovers- going to look back and imagine Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molina, Calder�n de la Barca and all those people in the very place where they used to live among such loads of cars (parked and in motion)?
Cuiusvis hominis est errare, nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare
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| Posts: 317 | Location: Le�n (Spain) | Registered: 04 August 2003 | |
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By the way, have you already heard of the project for takin the proximity train (cercan�as) to Sol and Gran V�a? They say that there will be works in these places for a couple of years. If that is true, I wonder how people are going to gather on new year's eve to eat the grapes to the strokes of the clock, not to mention that such emblematic places will be "unpicturable" for quite a long time. That's the price for "progress", I�m afraid (apart from the millions of euros it's going to cost! )
Cuiusvis hominis est errare, nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare
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| Posts: 317 | Location: Le�n (Spain) | Registered: 04 August 2003 | |
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"the man!"
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Yes, hard to avoid that news  Not just a few years of Sol being torn all to hell, it is 4 YEARS!!!  I do NOT agree with the plan AT ALL. Saludos, jer...
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| Posts: 12233 | Location: ny, u.s.a. --> madrid, spain --> the plaza mayor ! | Registered: 30 June 1998 | |
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Wow, just checked out all the photos. This is a really interesting thread. While I was there from Jan-June '02, La Plaza de Santa Ana was torn to hell. It's nice to see what they've done with it. I stayed at Hostal Casa D'Ort the summer before in '01, and they hadn't started yet. I can vouch that there were always people occupying those benches, and that the concrete, while less attractive to some than the gravel, and harder on the knees, does lend to a more durable plaza. Good to see a playground where little people can have something to do while adults do their thing. Anyway, I applaud your efforts of keeping a log of progress in photo form. It really brings me back. I stayed at La Perla Asturiana for a few days as well when I got there, so it's nice to see that photo too. Keep up the good work, JER. Your efforts are enjoyed by many of us.  |
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| Posts: 32 | Location: West Los Angeles, CA, USA | Registered: 25 December 2001 | |
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"the man!"
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quote: "I applaud your efforts of keeping a log of progress in photo form".
Thanks Rocinante, I only wish I had more time to cover more sites for you all. BTW: I think that hostel ("Hostal Casa D'Ort") you mean is the "Hostal Plaza D'Ort" in the Plaza del Angel (just off the Plaza Santa Ana), no? www.plazadort.comCan you confirm? Saludos, jer...
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| Posts: 12233 | Location: ny, u.s.a. --> madrid, spain --> the plaza mayor ! | Registered: 30 June 1998 | |
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I don�t know why they have to take any cercan�as line to sol, the very centre, so to speak. It is just that, a cercan�as, and it has to take passengers to the cercan�as of the centre; that is to say, Atocha, not to the very centre :jeje: . We have the metro already for that. I also doubt seriously it's worth all the trouble and inconveniences for thousands of locals and tourists for 4 years, not to mention for drivers!! Paciencia nos d� Dios con los planes de urbanismo!! Progress, they call it, HAH!!
Cuiusvis hominis est errare, nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare
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| Posts: 317 | Location: Le�n (Spain) | Registered: 04 August 2003 | |
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