Urban shots

The only statue of Franco in Madrid (and an equestrian one at that) stood here or very near here. One night in 2004, the authorities quietly removed it.

Superior street art, commissioned by the town hall and now painted over with inferior stuff (I think this original artwork had been commissioned for a year only).

Nuevos Ministerios and Azca, Madrid

Showing examples of some of the artist's more ghoulish and morbid moments in his art (and there were many).

A new walk for me but a typical one on the way to another class in a business park, this time in Alcobendas, near Madrid.

Hospital de Maudes, Madrid. In fact the storm had swirled about and come and gone a couple of times that day but this third revisit turned out to be the big one. I got home just in time!

Looking down to the Rio Manzanares (almost dry at this time of year) and towards the Millennium Bridge. This is a new walkway and pedestrian area following the river. 15 years ago this was a motorway but it has been cleverly buried beneath the river.

Sol station was on the original Metro line 1 (100 years anniversary this year). I knew it well from the 1980s. When I came to teach in Madrid 25 years later, I wasn't aware that it had also become a mainline station and a new line linked the termini of Chamartin in the north and Atocha in the south. If I'd been aware of it I could have saved 100s of hours of unpaid travel time! DOH!

Hospital de Maudes.

A building site in Rios Rosas, Chamberí. Madrid.

It's a touristy place but eerily empty midweek in September.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2_2HCWjSVI Sight and sound.

Intriguing mural crossing the wall from just above the door.

The sun has caught the harbour nicely here. In the distance is Godrevy lighthouse. It's is a view to the lighthoiuse from Talland, a large house not all that far from here that inspired Virginia Woolfe to write "To the Lighthouse", although the book is actually set in Scotland. Sight and Sound (no reason except that I understand from a recent "silly season" Times article that there were only 8 recorded Nigels born last year in the UK and yet I know or knew very many, two of whom lived in St Ives in the 70s and 80s. Naming fashions change very quickly!). www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHTrJGeKhYA

I knew I was lucky and I knew it wouldn't last. This was in 2012. I think I've seen maybe 2 spectacular sunrises or sunsets since then!

Chamartin Station car park on derelict land and the Four Towers. Sight and sound; www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cAn98BmUtQ A totaly stupid video and a nonsensical song but I found it very catchy!

Tres Cantos railway station and reflections in the windows of the Siemens offices where I used to give classes. (And I think I can see my reflection too!). According to John Fitzgerald; "It's stunning on black!" Sight and sound and one of the best ever sub 3 minute pop songs, on a par with The Undertones' 'Teenage Kicks' (And also the best MIMED performance I think I have ever seen!) www.youtube.com/watch?v=14ViwvgtvbA