Dead Madrid

 Madrid is pretty dead in late July and August. Yesterday I went to Centro Comercial Príncipe Pio, Ópera and around the Palacio Real. Arrived at 11:30am, temperature was comfortable. Few people at Starbucks, or on the street. Interviewed 3 people for this blog. Learned about Google for Startups, Y Combinator, Infustera. 

Laura from San Francisco at Sol (el Oso)

1. Favorite food - Spanish coffee and pastries (though she only arrived yesterday)

2. Favorite place (she intends to go) - El Prado

3. Purpose or goal - is considering moving to Spain or Europe

Theo, Petra, Sorin y Adel from Estonia/Romania touring Madrid Centro

1. Favorite food: tapas without gluten (secreto Ibérico, queso Manchego, croquetas de jamón, carpaccio, panna cotta gelatina, specialty coffee)

2. Favorite activity: Real Madrid football game, walking around Madrid, visit to Toledo

3. Plans: plant churches across Europe with M4, develop his consulting company

Duna and Eva from Madrid at Ópera

1. Food - tortilla de patata and croquetas de jamón at El A? on Calle Fuencarral

2. Event - live music, concerts

3. Life plan - get a degree in criminology and use it to teach children 

Akram from Libya on Gran Via

1. Food: Tortilla Española (tortilla de patata) at Cervecería 

2. Activity: shopping at Lefties

3. Plans: start an import/export business of Spanish ceramics

Julieta from Colombia at Plaza España

1. Favorite food: Colombian bandeja paisa. Doesn't like Spanish food.

2. Favorite place: the north of Spain. Asturias.

3. Favorite activity: listening to good sermons by Charles Stanley, Paul Washer, Edgardo Piesco (Colombian in Canada)

Manuela (Span) and Lorena (Argentine) at Plaza España

1. Food: calamares at El Ideal off Plaza Mayor

2. Activity: El Museo Prado

3. Plans: get a mastors degree, live at home, hang out with family