Views from the City: Birthday Edition

While I am celebrating my birthday in Barcelona, here's a shot from the San Cristobal metro stop in southern Madrid.

Appropriate, no?

Views from the City: Holiday Edition

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Kwanzaa! Given that I live in a country with a strong cultural affiliation with Catholicism, it should surprise no one that Christmas is a major holiday in Spain. That said, the holiday does take on some commercial and whimsical tones throughout the holiday season as the government of Madrid sets up glass christmas trees and lights around the major plazas and thoroughfares throughout the city.

Today's installation features a night time shot of some lights along el Paseo de Prado that I shot while driving to a Spanish Fulbright Association Christmas dinner in a country club on the outskirts of Madrid.


A shot from the north section of Sol at night; note the balls of light floating across the street.


And a daytime shot of Sol, featuring a glass Christmas tree. These 'trees' appear throughout the major plazas in the city during this time of year.

The city also sets up trees that light up around the city. Here is an example of a tree from my neighborhood, Plaza de España:

Views from the City: Palacio de Congresos and Estadio Santiago Bernabau

As I noted in previous posts, Madrid houses a multitude of museums that exhibit some of the nation's most important artists from its vast history. That said, the city's urban landscape also manages to incorporate the work of some of its most famous artists in the architecture and facade of its landmarks.

One of the best examples of these types of landmarks is the Palacio de Congresos, an exhibition space on the Plaseo de la Castellana in northern Madrid. The building features a mural painted by Joan Miro, one of the most influential and prolific surrealist artists in 20th century art. Although Miro initially worked with standard mediums such as canvass and sculpture, he received numerous requests to create public works of art such as Miro's Chicago, which sits in the Loop in downtown Chicago.

The building, which is the property of the city of Madrid, was constructed in 1970; the city added the mural to its facade in 1980. The mural was constructed by ceramist Llorens Artigas under Miro's supervision.


Across from the exhibition hall, one can find the home of Real Madrid, Estadio Santiago Bernabau. For any fan of football (or soccer), the team's reputation does not require any sort of introduction; its record and cache of superstar athletes speaks for itself. Although I have not had an opportunity to see a Real Madrid game, I have been able to witness Madrileno's enthusiasm for their home team whenever the stadium hosts a home match. Of course, the team receives its fair share of derision from the fans of its hometown rival, Club Atletico de Madrid, whose stadium, Estadio Vicente Calderon, sits in the southwest corner of Madrid.


The stadium was built in 1947 and received its latest round of upgrades and renovations in 2006. It has received a five star 'elite' rating from the UEFA, the most prestigious honor for a football ground in Europe.

The Spanish Constitution's 30th Anniversary

Although I do not have much time to write an extended blog entry on a very historic day, I wanted to note that Saturday marked the 30th anniversary of the Spanish Constitution of 1978 that ushered in the era of democracy after Franco's death in 1975.

Given the stability of the U.S constitution's place in the operation of the American government over the last 200 years, the rise of a new democracy -- in Western Europe, no less -- gives one an opportunity to reflect on the challenges that face a post-totalitarian European state as its people create a dynamic and inclusive civil society in a time of major demographic change in the industrialized core of the world economy.

In my case, the emergence of Spain as a major democracy in western Europe has made it an attractive destination for immigrants. As the number of immigrants grow in the country, the questions surrounding immigration have become major issue for the Spanish legal system, which was accustomed to managing emigration during Franco's reign. For instance: How does a legal and political system adjust to the needs of new immigrants? How does a legal and political system adjust to needs of Spaniards adjusting to the changes in their society? How does a legal system incorporate new legal developments within the EU?

The answer to these questions reflect a myriad of views of immigration, human rights, the relationship between individual/group and state/society. Some reflect pro-immigrant sensibilities while others smack of xenophobia and racism. Some reflect sensible approaches to immigration policy while others senselessly criminalize every aspect of the phenomenon. All of these responses, however, reflect the ongoing project of constructing a democratic society, which began 30 years ago. Without the presence of the constitution, it is unlikely that the debate over immigration, much less the opportunity to promote the rights of immigrants, would exist in this country. For that reason - the civil space to fight for justice - one must appreciate the significance of this day.

One quick observation from Morocco: the taxi drivers that serve the train station in Marrakech belong to a union representing the cabbies in the city.

Views from the City: Las Torres Blancas

Given General Franco's aversion to modernist architecture, Madrid does not have many major skyscrapers that dot the skylines of cities like Chicago and New York. The city's urban topography tends to resemble Washington, DC's, with a focus on historical buildings and a strong investment in remodeling older buildings for modern uses. As I noted previously in another post, the Reina Sofia, the modern art museum in Madrid, was formerly an 18th century hospital.

Of course, some towers exist in Madrid and today's post will focus on the most avante garde of the set: Las Torres Blancas. Las Torres Blancas, 'the white towers,' were designed by Francisco Javier Saenz de Oiza in 1968. The towers have since lost their namesake white sheen but maintain the uniquely daring approach to the modern apartment block.

Las Torres Blancas from the Cartagenas Metro stop

Travels!

The next few weeks will see me traveling throughout Africa and Europe in a whirlwind of weekend trips: Morocco this weekend, Dec. 5 - 8; Granada, Dec. 12 - 14; Barcelona, Dec. 28 - 30; and Amsterdam and Brussels, January 5 - 11.

I will try my best to give a quick summary of each trip with some photos as well as a quick update on my work over the next few weeks.