Arriving in Madrid I felt I could immediately feel 'la crisis'- people selling lottery tickets in Plaza del Sol, more buskers and beggars on the metro and our favourite (and usually very busy) restaurant, Cervantes, actually had empty tables!
But it's much more complex than that. A friend of mine told me the 22 Dec is the big lottery day, and linked to Christmas, so that's why thy're selling more tickets. Not out of pure desperation, it's just something that happens every year!
The city looks glorious. They have spent millions on ensuring that, with the latest Madrid Rio, the river project, topping it all. But perhaps that's the problem.
I went to the Moet Chandon 250th birthday party and here there was absolutely no whiff of any recession. The vintage champagne poured all night long at the celebrity-studded sit down dinner and party that reminded us of past European glory. It was held in the French Ambassador's place, everyone dressed to the hilt and having a great time. Is the European party really over, I ask myself?
But it's much more complex than that. A friend of mine told me the 22 Dec is the big lottery day, and linked to Christmas, so that's why thy're selling more tickets. Not out of pure desperation, it's just something that happens every year!
The city looks glorious. They have spent millions on ensuring that, with the latest Madrid Rio, the river project, topping it all. But perhaps that's the problem.
I went to the Moet Chandon 250th birthday party and here there was absolutely no whiff of any recession. The vintage champagne poured all night long at the celebrity-studded sit down dinner and party that reminded us of past European glory. It was held in the French Ambassador's place, everyone dressed to the hilt and having a great time. Is the European party really over, I ask myself?
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