School Trip to Madrid

March 23-26, 2007

Your mission (should you choose to accept) is to travel with a select group of Upper Sixth students to Madrid, Spain (the city with the highest bar/club per person ratio in the world!). You will spend the days exploring the city as you please then at night take charge ensuring each student gains entry to bars/clubs/pubs of their choice escorting them safely home by 8am for breakfast.

How could we possibly turn down such an offer!

Having experienced Venice (and the many challenges shall we say which come with an international school trip when students can drink), we were only too eager to adventure to sunny Madrid on this History of Art trip.

Despite all arriving with passports, no-one passing out drunk in a shower and flooding the accommodation and no-one falling in any canal, we managed to experience a number of memorable moments.

Highlights included:
- a brief visit to the Museo Del Prado, appreciating (if only on a very basic arty level) the works of El Greco, Reni, Botticelli and Goya to name a few;
- exploring the many centre squares with markets or stalls such as Plaza Mayor, Plaza de la Armeria and Plaza de la Villa;
- sipping Spanish wine while basking in the sunshine, looking up at the Palacio Real (the Palace which caters for those of us who require 2800 rooms!);
- dining on traditional Spanish cuisine and drinking equally intriguing local spirits (both cold and one on fire!)/wines/beers
- Kapital (the largest nightclub in Europe with 7 floors each themed differently) After a bit of a dance and then becoming bored in the tropical oasis provided on the 7th floor, we were happy to sit up on the theatre level and watch Bond (in Spanish!)
- Enjoying chocolate in all forms at Chocolateria de San Gines (choccy cafe – opening hourse 6pm-7am before arriving at the gayest of gay bars ever ‘Joy’ – interesting to say the least (think it was a bit of an eye-opener for the students!)
- El Rastro Sunday flee market (named from the fact that the area was a meat market in the 17th & 18th centuries, rastro refers to the trail of blood left behind when animals were dragged down the hill). With streets surrounding the square completely choked with a cornucopia of stalls selling whatever you fancy – clothes, accessories (Davo got a wicked belt, hand made then cut and adjusted free of charge!), electrical goods, art, food, drink and general junk. Fi thought she was in heaven!

Overall we loved the trip and certainly have counted ourselves lucky to be given such great opportunities.