Sunset at the Temple of Debod
That typical afternoon that you are at home doing nothing and doing everything, when you look out the window and something tells you to go out and finish the day as it deserves. But how? If what makes you ‘deleverage you’ it's the sun, which is beautiful, so tracking the sun is the answer.
So, at around 18:37 I leave the house, I catch my motorcycle and I start a race against the clock to see and enjoy the last rays of sun that remain to Madrid on any autumn afternoon.
My tour is going to make history. And not because of its exceptionality, but also because I am going to see the sun set on a chronological tour of the map of Madrid . What better way to start than with the Temple of Debod , the building that blows out the most candles in the city. It was lucky for us that they built the Aswan Dam, but not so much for the huge amount of stones that were buried by the waters. However, the Egyptian government decided to save some and give their friends, read countries, a few temples. And so in the seventies of the twentieth century they left, for example, to New York the temple cared for by the Metropolitan, Turin that of his Egyptian Museum or to Leiden , in Holland, that of Taffa. And here came this one, which is already more from Madrid than the chotis.
It is estimated that it is about 2,200 years old and is dedicated to the god ammon . If you look closely, it has a series of engravings on some of its stones, from the signatures of travelers from the 19th century who visited it in its original location in Nubian , caravans of camels, rowboats or exotic animals. The first rays of sunset flood it little by little, taking out its colors until it almost turns into Prayed for an optical effect. Sitting in front of it is the best way to disconnect and stop time at a perfect moment.
But no matter how hard it is for me, you have to follow the route and I take the Villadiego road towards the Retirement park . I leave the motorcycle at the door of Felipe IV, in a 'Come, Vidi, Vinci' from the parking lot. Without hesitation, I sign a sunset from the lake or one that sneaks through the thousand windows of the crystal Palace , but as unknown and as 'intimate' I prefer the one who turns on the Parterre Square , with views of the rooftops of Madrid and the Buen Retiro House . On a small elevated viewpoint in a symmetrical brick roundabout, an almost cinematic panorama can be seen. I sit on the edge, to be aware of the height, and I don't miss a detail of the show from this improvised amphitheater. Pay attention to the path of the sun and the shadows that grow on the ground. Right in this square, what is considered the oldest tree in the capital continues to grow, a ahuehuete (Taxodium Mucronatum or bald cypress) came from the New World more than four centuries ago. He does have a privileged spot every sunset from his 40 meter height.
The angle of the sun is getting sharper and almost on time, the clock tells me my KYMCO K-XCT 125i with British accuracy and without having to take out the mobile. I have 35 minutes left until the last act of the show . And it is at this moment, when the headlights do not start yet and the light begins to go out, that I am glad that my motorcycle has a LED Light Guide front and back, which makes me see and be seen while I circle. A technology that until now was only used in some cars and multiplies my safety by a thousand.
I head to Vallecas to go up to Uncle Pio Hill , known among the regulars as the Park of the Seven Tits , for its seven rounded hills. As well as Rome , boasts views from each of them. A panoramic view of Madrid as a museum, since there are several canvases that the hyperrealist painter Anthony Lopez has created from this corner. I have been farsighted and I have met with some friends on the third hill to see with perspective the buildings tetris of Madrid that are already silhouetted against a sky in flames. From here we play to recognize silhouettes: the lollipop , the Space Tower , the columbus plug or the Telefonica building.
As the sun creeps over the horizon, I feel that with the excuse of going out to look for the best sunset in Madrid , I have spent the afternoon enjoying the city in a different way, squeezing every second with the speed of both wheels.
With the cool of the night and with the moon over my head, I let the lights of my motorcycle illuminate my way back home. Tomorrow will be another sunset.
Map: See map