SEGWAYS RENTAL REVEALS AN UNKNOWN MADRID
Hello, I am one of the guides that you see passing every day on the segway device from here to there with a line of tourists behind.
Today I wanted to tell you a little about how the rental of segways can reveal things about Madrid that you did not know or imagine.
Madrid is a very old city, and as such, it has a wealth of stories and little-known places that we guides tell our visitors. So that they enjoy more of what they see. They say that if you know more about things, you enjoy them more, and I think that is the case.
Here I leave you a small review of some curiosities of the many that we treasure in Madrid. I hope you enjoy it and don’t stop taking a tour with us when you visit the capital of Spain. For example:
WHERE DOES THE CUSTOM OF TAPAS COME FROM IN MADRID?
In reality it is not confirmed but they say that King Alfonso XIII, while in Cádiz, asked for something to drink, and, so that no sand fell into the glass, they covered it with a slice of ham. The king liked the gesture so much that he brought this custom to Madrid. Others say that King Alfonso X’s doctor recommended to the monarch to decree mandatory the custom of accompanying wine with some food, since he himself suffered from heartburn from how much he drank.
DO YOU KNOW THAT THE HOUSE OF THE PÉREZ MOUSE IS IN MADRID?
The story of this mouse also has Alfonso XIII as its protagonist! The writer Luis Coloma wrote the story of the tooth fairy for this king when he was a child, on the occasion of the fall of a tooth of the monarch. Coloma tells us that the home of the Pérez family was a box of Huntley cookies, which was in the basements of the Prast confectionery, at 8 Calle Arenal in Madrid. Today the Pérez Mouse Museum is located right there on the 1st floor.
WHERE DOES THE SENTENCE OF MADRID COME TO HEAVEN?
The author is said to have been Blessed Mariana de Jesús. This co-patron of Madrid is buried in the Iglesia de las Mercedarias on Calle de Valverde 15, and every April 17, her uncorrupted remains are exposed for her devotees to see. Yes, it is a somewhat morbid tradition, but, for tastes … Others say that in reality the phrase is “From Madrid, the sky”, since in the past the only beautiful thing that Madrid had was the sky. But no one really knows its origin.
WHAT IS MADRILEÑO CHOTIS?
The chotis is the typical dance of Madrid. But actually the word comes from the German word Schottisch (Scottish), which was a German polka that was danced in central Europe and was said to come from Scotland.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A CEMETERY FOR PETS IN MADRID?
Yes, and it is fascinating. It is called the Last Park and it is in Arganda del Rey, in Madrid. In many countries of the world there are cemeteries for animals, and Madrid could not be less. It is worth seeing how people care to adorn the graves of their faithful companions almost more than the graves of humans. Some 4,000 pets are buried here. Rates range from € 90 to € 5,000; the latter lined in Italian marble.
DID YOU KNOW THAT MADRID HAS BEEN A PLACE OF MEETING OF TEMPLARS AND MASONS?
There are many vestiges in Madrid of these 2 orders. The Chapel of the Stock Exchange, for example, is said to have been one of them. Nowadays it has been turned into a very chic restaurant. It is located on Calle de la Bolsa, also known as Las Leñeras because in it the bundles of firewood that were used for the Inquisition burns were stacked. In the Middle Ages this chapel was the Hermitage of Santa Cruz, associated with the Order of the Temple and years later the meeting place of the first Masonic lodge. Many streets in Madrid also refer to people associated with the Masonic lodge: Antonio Machado, Argüelles, Echegaray, Goya, Ortega y Gasset … Another statue associated with this lodge is that of Baldomero Espartero, in the Retiro Park.
Have you been curious about continuing to listen to stories from Madrid? For that we wait for you at our place in Plaza San Miguel, (Tel: +34 637 263 886) where you can rent a segway without a guide or with a guide, as you like.
Madrid is inexhaustible!