Thewesternprovinceblog

Day 10 – EU4 IRL and a new friend

Hello everyone again! Today was a good day.

Leaving off after last nights rather quiet finish I was up and running in good order to do another trip. Today’s was particularly special because we were off to a very special place. Our first monument from the infamous Europa Universalis IV of the trip. The Grandiose, wonderful El Escorial!!!

El Escorial is one of the many global monuments featured in that game and that was how I found it though people I talked to also recommended me it. Being 50 mins out by train I had to get over there and see it for myself.

Despite some train glitches I get to El Escorial town about 10.50 and have a café con leche con pincho before starting the hike up there. It is about a half hour uphill walk but once I got there I was legitimately awestruck by this place. It is huge and impressive is an understatement. 

I will make a separate post on it same as I did Tordesillas so for now the TLDR version is it was The Hapsburg Spanish Monarchy’s royal monastery and a palace. 

After this back to the gaffe. Getting back drags on hopping round the metro but by about 17:00 I’m back at the gaffe. I have some munch and water etc and chat to Mrs lady for what goes on to be about an hour and a half. Suddenly the doorbell goes and turns out she had another guest coming for the other empty room. 

In he came and we all got chatting. Meet new best friend Jose! This guy is from Galicia but knows this particular part of Madrid pretty well. He is down here because of some company conference event for a few days he has to be at but we get talking and hit it off well. 

We decided to go out for some food and a few beers together. Big up to him I recommended an excellent patatas bravas place 10 mins walk away. Grub was excellent then we had a wander heading back towards the gaffe. We went to a bar and had a couple of drinks. The atmosphere was good as footy was on it was Real Madrid v Levante and Real Madrid had just taken the lead.

Jose is an interesting character and talking he lived in Mexico for 5 years and knows several areas on my route. This is good as he has given me some great recommendations, particularly for natural wonders and more Mayan ruins, as well as some good tips for sizing up if places are safe or not. Rng rolled us a tidy geezer! Yay! he also runs a blog here on IG as well doing different foods@laconadablog- give it a look if your the foodie type.

Our little soirée was brief by Spanish standards as had to be over to El Centro for his event for 0830 tomorrow so he turned in early and I stayed and watched the 2nd half. Actually a bit of good footy for a change without too much amateur dramas. After the game finished I followed suit. Final score was 4-1 to Real Madrid. Vamos Chicos! Buen Hecho!
Unsure of what the plan for tomorrow is…….. Let’s see when we’re up and running.

Overview of El Escorial & Video post:

El Escorial or known but it’s full name of El Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial. 

This huge monastery was built in 1580 although its construction began in 1564. This Monastery was intended to be both a palace and monastery for King Phillip II of the Spanish Hapsburg dynasty and their royal court.

This Monastery was built at the height of the Spanish Empire’s power and shows how far they were above their rivals at the time it was built; it shows Spain’s wealth power during this age to have the money and manpower to spare on such a project they were fighting concurrent wars with France, England, the Dutch Revolt and the Ottomans!

Among all this projection Phillip II built this place to give his father, Charles V, one of Spain’s greatest kings and Holy Roman Emperor a proper burial site. Inside there is a mausoleum where many members of their and the later Bourbon dynasty are buried.

The palace also has an impressive variety of state rooms, cloisters and a cathedral-like church within. It is well worth the visit. Personally I was blown away.