Spanish Journey Part One
1.	Madrid

Narrator
Many people claim to know Spain well, but it is a country of many contrasts and surprises. We are going to travel to some of those hidden delights with Spanish television presenter Inka Martí. Being from Catalonia, in the North, she may feel as much of a foreigner in her country as Englishman Robert Elms when he visits his favourite Spanish cities and practises Spanish with famous people.

Inka Martí 
Have a good trip! 

Robert Elms 
See you down South!

Narrator
Whilst Inka sets off for Granada, Robert leaves in search of the real Madrid. Like every modern city, Madrid is a vibrant and tumultuous urban conglomeration. Robert is fortunate enough to be accompanied by actress and singer Ana Belén. Her song about the monument in the Puerta de Alcalá almost reached anthem status in the city.

Ana Belén
[…] Likewise.

Robert Elms 
Ana, you are very much a Madrid person, aren't you?

Ana Belén
Yes, I think I must be one of the few people that live in Madrid that are actually from Madrid.

Robert Elms 
What are the people from Madrid like?

Ana Belén
I think principally people who want to enjoy life, that is the most important thing. They are hard-working, but above all they have a light-hearted approach to life, they have this capacity to party spontaneously. It is a thoroughfare, which means - both a positive and negative aspect - that people from Madrid feel pretty rootless. We are very fluid: people can turn up from anywhere and nobody asks them where they are from or what they do, they just turn up and stay. [song]

Robert Elms
Now, why are we here exactly?

Ana Belén
Well, La Puerta de Alcalá is a very important symbol for us, the people of Madrid, for a specific generation, and I recorded a song here which is called “La Puerta de Alcalá" and which is about all that. Puerta de Alcalá was built by Charles III and the monument has been very much a living thing. All kinds of things have gone on here. The International Brigades came through during the Civil War... and it still has parts covered that show the bullet marks showing how la Puerta resisted during the Civil War. It was here that some of the first demonstrations for freedom were held when Spain became a democracy.

Robert Elms
So, it was a very important time for you?

Ana Belén
I think for everyone of a certain generation... [song]

Robert Elms
Ana, why do you like the park?

Ana Belén
El Parque del Retiro is a very symbolic place in Madrid and it is the lungs in the heart of this chaotic city, it is like an island, it's beautiful, it has.... the scenery is fantastic: it makes you feel like you are really somewhere else. And then it holds lots of memories for me.

Robert Elms
Yes?

Ana Belén
Yes. My parents used to bring us here when we were little; we used to come here with our sandwiches after school; we used to play here and later when I was a little older I used to come with all my friends to go on the boats - to fight and have water battles...

Robert Elms
Rather dangerous!

Ana Belén
Most of all because we'd get home soaked. So you see, it is a pretty chaotic city, a very intense and fun city.

Robert Elms
Great fun!

Ana Belén
Yes, great fun!

Robert Elms
O.K. Let's go. [song]