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  Madrid Activism: Bilingual list of local grass-roots groups
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- Madrid’s golden age of commercial ceramic art
  
  Fighting for the future of El Rastro
  
  Captured: The neighbourhood spirit of the Rastro under lockdown
  
  Bodegas Rojo: Carabanchel Alto’s living museum of niche wine and spirits
  
  Pilgrimage to El Coleccionista: Lavapiés’ iconic comic book store
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- A brief guide to Spain (written under Franco)
  
  Down the rabbit hole into Madrid’s 100-year-old metro system
  
  Seven secrets of Retiro Park
  
  The inspiring wartime art of bomb-proofing windows
  
  Haunting map of Madrid’s forgotten bunkers reveals Western Front
Art
- Gracias por su visita: A no-frills photography project about the Spanish tortilla
  
  Madrid’s golden age of commercial ceramic art
  
  Map created under lockdown locates all graffiti artworks in Tetuán
  
  The art of being a Madrid muse
  
  The secret street stickers of Madrid’s people
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HOME
No Frills
- Gracias por su visita: A no-frills photography project about the Spanish tortilla
  
  Seven no-frills decades of Estrecho’s Bar Los Pepes
  
  10 Madrid No Frills bar backgrounds for your Zoom get-togethers
  
  Bodegas Rojo: Carabanchel Alto’s living museum of niche wine and spirits
  
  Míticos, típicos y no-frilleños: Malasaña’s 10 best bars
Features
- El Alamín: The utopian ghost town on the outskirts of Madrid
  
  Forget the Alhambra: This is Granada No Frills
  
  Colour and chaos in Catania, Sicily’s ‘other’ city
  
  Latest obsession: Madrid’s no-frills Christmas spirit
  
  Porto No Frills
Untold stories
- We need to talk about racism towards Madrid’s Chinese community
  
  As Lavapiés’ food banks endure, it’s time to get involved
  
  We need to talk about Madrid’s ‘Tourist Saviour Complex’
  
  #Regularización Ya: The Spain movement calling for an end to institutional racism
  
  Madrid Activism: Bilingual list of local grass-roots groups
Living Museums
- Madrid’s golden age of commercial ceramic art
  
  Fighting for the future of El Rastro
  
  Captured: The neighbourhood spirit of the Rastro under lockdown
  
  Bodegas Rojo: Carabanchel Alto’s living museum of niche wine and spirits
  
  Pilgrimage to El Coleccionista: Lavapiés’ iconic comic book store
Lost & Found
- A brief guide to Spain (written under Franco)
  
  Down the rabbit hole into Madrid’s 100-year-old metro system
  
  Seven secrets of Retiro Park
  
  The inspiring wartime art of bomb-proofing windows
  
  Haunting map of Madrid’s forgotten bunkers reveals Western Front
Art
- Gracias por su visita: A no-frills photography project about the Spanish tortilla
  
  Madrid’s golden age of commercial ceramic art
  
  Map created under lockdown locates all graffiti artworks in Tetuán
  
  The art of being a Madrid muse
  
  The secret street stickers of Madrid’s people
Course
- The MNF University course for Bloggers Of The Future!
About

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Register was last modified: July 25th, 2019 by Madrid No Frills

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Latest Posts

We need to talk about racism towards Madrid’s Chinese community
9 September 2020
As Lavapiés’ food banks endure, it’s time to get involved
27 August 2020
Gracias por su visita: A no-frills photography project about the Spanish tortilla
10 August 2020
We need to talk about Madrid’s ‘Tourist Saviour Complex’
6 August 2020
Madrid’s golden age of commercial ceramic art
20 July 2020

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September 21, 2020: the day the once-invisible bor

September 21, 2020: the day the once-invisible borders dividing Madrid's rich and poor became real.

I can't believe this is actually happening 🤦🏾

#ayusoconfinatetuprimero #SanidadPublica #ayusodimision

Kontigo siempre 💕

Kontigo siempre 💕

We grudgingly accepted confinement last time, even

We grudgingly accepted confinement last time, even with many of us sure it was doing more harm than good to the majority of Spain's population.

We are seeing the results of the strictest lockdown in Europe now: tens of thousands of missed cancer diagnoses, an increase in obesity, depression in children and suicides in young people, among many other problems including a mass uptick in foodbank use.

But those were unprecedented times – we stood together, bit our tongue, held our breath and each others' hands, and hoped for the best.This time round, the people understand the situation better.

We're fully aware of the failings of the Madrid government, who have dragged their feet at every national request to increase testing, contact tracing, the number of doctors and amount of aid to the most vulnerable. Now look at us, we've got the highest case numbers in Europe – again!

Last night, hundreds gathered on Sol angry at Ayuso and the regional government’s failings, and horrified at their subsequent punishment of the people who they failed the most (read last post).

Stay informed. Keep an eye out for dog-whistle racism and classism (blaming immigrants and the working-class for the increase in case numbers). Know that the lawmakers are not always right, and that we can change it if we fight hard enough ✊🏽

#ayusodimision #SanidadPublica

📸 Photos by @tamarshemesh_photography.

Let’s call it what it is: Aporophobia (the fear

Let’s call it what it is: Aporophobia (the fear of poor people).

One of the local government's latest pandemic measures could be to soon confine Madrid’s poorest neighbourhoods, restricting movement of anyone living in the areas of Puente de Vallecas, Villaverde and Usera.

Earlier this year, I pulled some maps together to analyse how ancient street layouts influence household income and the way in which districts vote. What I found was a haunting connection between poverty and Madrid’s ancient working-class settlements, which now lie well within the city limits of the sprawling Spanish capital, namely Puente de Vallecas, Villaverde and Usera, as well as Lavapiés.

Despite the geographical integration of these neighbourhoods, they remain characterised by small property size, large household occupancy, low income, a high percentage of manual jobs, high ethnic diversity and, more recently, high numbers of Covid-19 cases.

But instead of increasing testing, allowing more workers to be furloughed, and upping care and support for parents with young children, Isabel Diáz Ayuso, the president of the Comunidad de Madrid, is discussing all but locking up the poor and patrolling their borders. Oh, with the exception of going to work so that they can continue protecting the assets of the 1%.

This is aporophobia in action. It’s caused by systemic racism and capital-driven classism, among many other factors fuelled by the 1%’s fear of seeing their privilege dismantled.

🕗 There is a protest against these potential confinement measures scheduled for 8pm tonight at Sol. I'm not advocating that you go. You decide.

📸 Photo taken pre-pandemic.

As part of this blog's expansion into the wider wo

As part of this blog's expansion into the wider world, I've opened up my travel articles to everyone! Here's my very first one, which features Valencia's crumbling rebel town, Cabanyal 💕 (link in bio @madridnofrills).

To my Patrons, your Ticket has been upgraded and now grants you exclusive Early Door access to upcoming articles! 👀🔎 Find out more by visiting my Patreon page, www.patreon.com/madridnofrills ❤️

When's the last time you bought a newspaper? I've

When's the last time you bought a newspaper?

I've only recently started buying newspapers again, about once a week. I enjoy them because they force me to read stories that the algorithms don't let me access. Hell, I'm even trying to do the cryptic crossword! And this is where I buy them: the kiosk.

Did you know that many newspaper kiosks around Madrid are run by the third and even fourth generation of the same family, and have been in the same spot for decades?

Some things have changed through the generations, however. With the decline in demand for printed press, kiosks have adapted by selling magnets and museum tickets.

Fortunately, the newspaper kiosk remains a firm member of our diverse collection of small, local businesses, but needs our support in these difficult times.

Consider going for the newspaper again, and recycle it when you're done. It will help you stay sane and grounded in these overloaded times, while also remaining plugged into the world around us.

It's also fun to chat with the owner about what's on the front page! 🗞️💁🏾💬

Photo 1 taken pre-pandemic.
Photo 2 taken recently.

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