The Best Kept Secrets of Madrid

The aricle The Tourists Paying €25 to Be Grape Harvesters for a Day in Spain by Jesus A. Canas narrates how tourists are willing to pay money to get the opportunity to harvest Palomino grapes which they later crush using their feet to make wine. Canas explains that the foreigners find this activity interesting as it gives them a new and exciting experience.

Audience

The intended audience for this article entails foreigners and the locals. The main objective of the author is to inform the two groups about the existence of this activity. Canas provides vivid details which certainly make the exercise of harvesting the grapes and crushing them seem compelling that they would want to experience.

5Ws and H Principle

The article features Maritza Vela, who is among the foreigners who had the experience of participating in the harvest, and Cecilia Rodriguez and Eduardo Valderas (the two entrepreneurs who initiated the entire idea). Additionally, it talks about Victoria Miller, who is the person in charge of D’Sherry Explorers, a group comprising of local and foreign wine aficionados who participate in the activity each year. The article majorly evaluates the encounters of the tourists who partake the grape collection.

The piece explores the harvesting of Palomino grapes by willing participants. The grapes are then crushed using the feet to make sherry wine which is famous globally. The foreigners and tourists pay between €15 and €30 for participating in the initiative known as vendimia con nosotoros (Canas, 2018).

The project takes place in Spain, in Jerez de la Frontera. The harvesters walk up and down the vines in the vineyard and snip each bunch carefully, an activity which is usually done mechanically.

A good number of the foreigners taking part in this experience find it engaging and are often looking for something different which is also exciting: “Do you know what it’s like to feel the grapes under your feet?” (Canas, 2018, para 7). However, the typical clients who sign up for the initiative are quite familiar with the world of wine. They are groups of locals, particularly fathers and grandfather, who have previously worked as manual harvesters and intend to make their families get a taste of the experience.

Notably, the entire event is tough and is done similar to the way it was initially. The participants work in pairs and collect the grapes then depositing the harvest inside the baskets. Afterward, they take the basket to the spot where they crush it by kicking off their shoes and grabbing each other’s shoulders.

Structure

Canas (2018) utilizes an inverted pyramid structure as it commences with the most important information, which is the case of Maritza Vela who has paid money for a chance to harvest the grapes. The subsequent paragraphs seek to answer the Five W’s and H questions in decreasing significance.

Style and Tone

The article uses a prose style to discuss the experience of the locals and foreigners in the initiative. The tone in this writing is formal and candid. Canas (2018) uses truthful and factual information to present his ideas.

Part B: Madrid’s Best Kept Secrets

Madrid one of the most beautiful cities in the world, yet it is also so big that it is impossible to know everything even if a person lives there for years. There are fun activities and factors which identify it as a unique and fascinating place for both locals and tourists.

El Jardin Secreto de Salvador Bachiller, an accessories shop, features a hidden paradise at the rooftop along Calle Montera. However, access to the magical rooftop bar remains a secret. During the night, the shop is empty and one has to use the elevator. The excitement of being in this bar makes one feel like they have walked in a garden. The place creates a romantic feeling with flowers present everywhere combined with dim lighting.

Barrio de Malasaña is one of the trendiest places of the town which has seen several changes in the past few decades (Bac, 2014, para 1). Currently, most restaurants and shops live alongside bars and markets. The town is one of the most popular nightlife areas, yet most people do not know that it features a beach. It comprises a beach bar and most of the commonly used facilities. The bottom floor of the restaurant Ojls is an improvised place for relaxing which makes Iberian Peninsula a popular place, the ideal environment to take bears with friends and chilling out. It has fluffy cushions with dim lighting, coupled with a menu that features real culinary delights.

There is a small park next to the Basilica de San Francisco el Grande which is divided into a number of beds of dahlias. The viewpoint is one of the best and quietest places to watch a beautiful sunset. Beside the park is a big church which overshadows this view. Again, there exists a ‘San Isidro’ group of sculptures which were designed by Santiago Costa which contributes to the beauty of the area. It is the best spot for a romantic experience.

In Museo del Romanticismo, there is a hidden and lovely café which is enclosed in a garden. It serves as the perfect place where one can get home-made cakes and pastries which is ideal for breakfast or a quick snack. The museum features a collection of artistic pieces including furniture, paintings, and pianos among others. Since 2009, they have been accessible for public viewing and after massive remodeling.

A very limited number of people are aware about the the Hammam Al Andalus. It is located at the center of the city and makes the visitors have a baby-smooth skin (de Andrés, 2017). Visitors have the privilege of enjoying these services in a beautifully decorated oasis with mosaics. The services, including massage, are relatively affordable making it the ideal destination for tourists and locals.

There are lots of unique and interesting places to visit in Madrid which are worth attending by both locals and foreigners. They offer new experiences and are not popular, yet they are very affordable and thrilling.

References

Bac, M. (2014). The best of the barrios: Malasaña. Retrieved from https://www.timeout.com/madrid/things-to-do/the-best-of-the-barrios-malasanya

Canas, J.A. (2018). The tourists paying €25 to be grape harvesters for a day in Spain. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/elpais/2018/09/10/inenglish/1536593452_206957.html.

de Andrés, S.C. (2017). Off the beaten path: Madrid’s best kept secrets. Retrieved from https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/off-the-beaten-path-madrid-s-best-kept-secrets/