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Conversation Exchanges in Madrid

July 31st, 2010 | Posted by sawidner in Learning Spanish | Stephanie - (0 Comments)

We have discussed in previous posts about learning Spanish while living in Madrid, but another fun way to learn Spanish and meet others is through intercambio or conversation exchanges.

One intercambio I learned about from a friend through Facebook, is Intercambio Idiomas Madrid.  It is a casual mix of students, expats, locals, and newcomers that usually meet at a bar in the heart of Madrid on Wednesday nights.  You can drop in anytime and practice Spanish or English as well as a couple other languages.  Plus you can share stories and get advice from others who have lived in Madrid for while.  They also send out notices through their Facebook group for discounted English movies on Fridays, as well as free tickets to comedy clubs, concerts etc. 

If a one on one conversation is more to your liking, you can find posts at most Spanish language schools for free intercambios with native Spanish speakers as well as Craigslist and the classified in InMadrid.  Some of my friends have tried this with some sucess.  They meet in a coffee shop or other public places for an hour once a week.   

I’ve enjoyed doing converstion exchanges and have found that it can be a great way to meet new friends as well as learn about the Spanish culture, and improve your Spanish quickly.  Let me know if you have had any sucess with language exchanges as well.      

Intercambio Idiomas Madrid http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000806394792&ref=ts

An Oleoteca in Madrid

July 28th, 2010 | Posted by jodiehop in Courtney | Food and Restaurants | Shopping - (0 Comments)

Its no secret that the Spanish like to use Olive Oil in their cooking.  That’s ok – its good for you.  Once on a drive through Andalucia we went through valley after valley of olive groves – seriously as far as the eye could see.  The view was absolutely gorgeous.  And it helped to explain how we here can get olive oil, in copious amounts, for a very low cost.

We had some friends visit a few weeks ago and they were in search of goodies to take home to the States.  And I thought what better thing than something ‘Olive Oil’.  Of course the plastic jugs of Extra Virgin in the grocery stores aren’t the most aesthetic so might I suggest La Chinata in Barrio Salamanca for all your gifting needs (for youself or others).

Here you can find excellent (and very well priced) olive oils, infused and plain.  They have olive oil products such as soaps and creams. You can even find the beautiful olive oil containers you see so often used in restaurants.  Outside of olive oils you’ll find gourmet snack items like crackers, patés, vinegars, honeys…trust me there is plenty you will like.

Be warned this place closes promptly with siesta and often you will need to buzz to be let into the shop.  But go check it out!

La Chinata, Gourmet Oleoteca Madrid – General Díez Portlier 44, 28001 Tel 91 402 75 28 www.lachinata.es

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Swimming pools in Madrid

July 26th, 2010 | Posted by jodiehop in Fitness | Guiri Guest | Jodie | Lifestyle | What's Happening Madrid - (1 Comments)

In the summer, the munincipal and private sports clubs open their swimming pools and it’s a great escape from living with this hot summer in Madrid.

Near me is the popular Canal de Isabel II (Metro: Canal or Ríos Rosas). It is open daily and apparently it gets crowded at weekends. It has a cafe and bar and costs  1.35euros for children and from 2.55euros for adults, so a real bargain.

A better choice comes from Julia, who recently wrote about being a Mum in Madrid…

Centro Deportivo Municipal Casa de Campo : It really worth’s it!!!! I just want to add a new adress for  great swimming-pool that I discovered today. It is a great public swimming-pool close to Casa de Campo (2 mn walk from the tube station Lago) There are three swimming-pools (one olympic, one for babies and one for older kids), trees, cafeteria and shade! What else could we ask ? It is a very good bargain: 4.35 euros/adult and 2,60euros/child under 14. It is as nice as the private over-priced Real Canoe. So go for it!

Comprehensive listings of swimming pools around Madrid can be found at www.madridinsider.com and mapmagazine.com

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I don’t have a Spanish bank account

July 23rd, 2010 | Posted by sawidner in Banking | Stephanie - (1 Comments)

I’m not hear to knock the Spanish banks, they’re similar to most banks in the US and your school can assist foreign students in opening an account here.  However, my husband and I decided to keep things simple and keep our US account, and not open a second account here in Madrid.   This is very easy to do with the era of an ATM at every corner here in Madrid, but there are a couple of things you need to consider.

The first obvious thing to think about is will you need to be able to write checks while in Madrid.  I know of a couple of students here in Madrid who are able to pay their rent and cellphone bills in cash, or even credit card through a paypal account.  Some landlords, however still like to collect rent here the old fashioned way, in person with a check.

A lot of our purchases we have to pay in cash, for instance at any of the municipal mercados or markets.  Also, we haven’t been able to purchase metro tickets with our US credit card or ATM card.  So, in these instances we hit the ATM or Cajero automatico.  You have to be careful of the hidden fees, when using a US ATM card in Madird.  In addition to the 2-3 euro fee to use one of Madrid’s ATM, your US bank will charge the Madrid bank a conversion fee that they then pass on to you.  The catch is you won’t know what this additional fee is, until you receive your bank statement. (this is still cheaper than the conversion fee they charge you at the airport, though)  All the banks like Caja Madrid, Banco Santander, and Caixa have accepted our ATM cards without a problem, and their fees are all very similar.  Also another thing to think about is that our account in the states will refund us the 2-3 euro service fee to use the ATM, but not the conversion fees.

We use our US credit card for purchases in stores like Caja Madrid, because 1) we want the airline miles, and 2) they will normally ask you whether you want to charge this in euros or US dollars.  So, obviously depending on the exchange rate that day you would choose the appropriate one.  There are times when I would have choosen to charge it in euros, because depending on the exchange rate, it all evens out with the conversion fee you pay if you charge it in euros.

So my advice, and also what I’ve heard from others here, is that if you are going to be in Spain for more than year or two, then it might be wise to open a Spanish account.  However, if you are like me and don’t need to write checks or set up direct deposit, then having a US bank account here in Madrid isn’t a problem.

For additonal information on banking in Madrid check out Selecting a Bank in Madrid

El Rastro flea market

July 21st, 2010 | Posted by jodiehop in Courtney | Shopping | What's Happening Madrid - (1 Comments)

El Rastro is the largest open air flea market in Madrid, and with the misnomer of Rastro meaning ‘Trail’ in Spanish, you can easily get lost in the crowds, along winding curves of the market through the streets. El Rastro is located along Plaza de Cascorro and Ribera de Curtidores, between Calle Embajadores and the Ronda de Toledo (just south of La Latina metro station).  It is open all Sundays and public holidays from 9.00 – 15.00.

There are something like 3500 stalls of goods being sold.  You honestly will find everything you need here – from gas masks, to clothing, to power strips, to lawnmowers, to porn, to artwork and much much more.  There is even a section where you can come and trade your football cards (or whatever cards the kids are trading these days).

On one particular El Rastro visit we happened across a massive crowd outside the restaurant Capricho Extremeño.  On one side was the longest, thickest queue I’d seen in Madrid and on the other side were small clusters of Españols happily munching on gigantic tostas topped with things like salmon, gambas, jamon.  Note that I when I say gigantic, I absolutely mean it.  We decided to venture as the locals did – and were not let down. I think this would be a great El Rastro ritual, to help you fuel up to make it out of the labyrinth that is El Rastro.  And then after go to La Latina’s Cava Baja for a Sunday afternoon tapas crawl.

When you visit I want to warn you to be very careful of your things.  It will likely be insanely packed which makes it prime conditions for pick pocketing.  Hold your things very close and try to bring as little as possible.

El Rastro: Open Sundays 900-1500, Metro: La Latina

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