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Showing posts from June, 2012

Heading for a fall?

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You don't see a lot of musicians on the streets of Madrid, but there are plenty of human statues who strike creative poses for hours on end in return for a few euros. Maybe a sign of the grim economic times? On the posh Calle de Alcala , lined with magnificent banks and fancy cafes, it's hard to notice many other signs of Spain's economic woes. Lack of money was certainly not in evidence at the Santiago Benrabeu stadium where over 50,000 fans paid a minimum of 70 euros to hear the Boss and the E Street Band on their Wrecking Ball tour. Springsteen gave them their money's worth in a 3 hour show that lifted Madridian spirits to the rooftops. Yet a local friend told us that while the shops and restaurants look full, people are spending less and those who still have jobs have stopped complaining about them. The question was how much worse it would get before it gets better? On an attempt to visit the Royal Palace we found ourselves in the middle of a milita