Popular places in Madrid: El Rastro

How could you define exactly what the Madrid Trail is and what it implies for Madrid residents and tourists who continually visit it?

As odious as it may be, perhaps the best start is to go to that elusive, but timely comparison, as odious as they may seem.

Put to this, what best describes our Trail, is the famous story of Ali Baba and the wonderful cave where thieves hid suspiciously suspiciously, their fabulous treasures.

If they put themselves for a moment in the skin of the daredevil Ali Baba and compare the treasure cave with that traditional Madrid neighborhood of La Latina, crowned by the Plaza de Cascorro and assaulted by numerous arteries, which in some cases bear archetypal names, as of the Amazons or the Vara del Rey, they will observe, with astonished eyes, that perhaps because of one of those strange paradoxes of existence, they have gone back in time and are in one of the most exotic markets.

A market, composed of more than a hundred stores and stalls, where all objects, regardless of origin, or time, better or worse preserved, claim their attention, inviting them to buy.

In this sense, some singer-songwriters, like Patxy Andión, already manifested, in the lyrics of their songs, the true essence of the Madrid Trail, when, with a voice between ironic and funny, they recited that of: 'one, two and three, one , two and three what you don't want for the Trail is'.

It should not surprise you, therefore, that within the infinite variety of articles, there are, above all, those objects of some antiquity, many of which were thrown away, broken or even in excellent condition but obsolete.

Objects, which today are worth a small fortune, regardless of whether there is still, as an immutable law between seller and buyer, that ancestral stunt, which we, the Spaniards, have always known as bargaining: how much do you ask ?, how much do you offer? , I give it to you therefore, I offer you this, neither for you nor for me, you give me this and we close the deal.

In that peculiar way, anyone interested in the old, vintage objects, can find and get, more or less at a reasonable price, any object that has caught their attention or, by default, has brought to mind happy Memories of other times, which today, submerged in the infinite ocean of technology, seem to us too far away.

You will find, as you can see in the photographs, entire collections of cameras, of all brands, models and antiquity, which formed an unforgettable part in the history of photography.

The comic book collector will observe, with greedy eyes, the original editions of the superheroes of the unforgettable Marvel house, whose main characters - Captain America, Thor, the Avengers, the Mass, the Fantastic Four, etc. - have returned to be popular today, not only in new digital editions, but also on the big screens of the cinema.

The lover of Art in general, will see authentic reefs of pieces of any era, style and origin, and perhaps for a relatively acceptable price, can be taken home from any figurine of some unknown archaeological site to a magnificent virgin Gothic carving, and even remains of Romanesque frameworks that will make you sigh for the fate of the 12th or 13th century temple to which they originally belonged.

The lover of stamps and old coins, will also find his paradise, getting the oldest, curious and strange elements, which will undoubtedly renew and revalue his collection.

But the Trail is also a place, whose life evolves and adapts to the circumstances and vicissitudes of the time and you will find any object, utensil or modern device, at a much better price than in any of the specially enabled stores or department stores.

You can even get any garment, whether or not of a well-known brand, at ridiculous prices, which also speak of a tradition of recycling and sustainable maintenance, very suitable for a society accustomed to unbridled consumption and that is also learning to control its economy, in times that, after all, are not always as happy as it seems.

In short: the Madrid Trail, even out of curiosity, to respect one of the oldest traditions or to spend a few hours of pleasant fantasy in the world not so lost of memories, is an adventure worth knowing for any visitor who wants Enter the different and transgressive Madrid.

And most importantly, you can savor, in the typical taverns of the Barrio de la Latina, the most peculiar and attractive of the typical gastronomy of Madrid.

NOTICE: Both the text and the accompanying photographs are my exclusive intellectual property.

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