11 March 04

Today in Madrid…

Jonathan on the Puerta del Sol Blog has written very movingly about today’s bomb attacks in Madrid. I have been following a few of the Spanish newspapers and online news services. A pulling together, everyone helping everyone else, like in New York: even the politicos putting off their campaigns for the Sunday election.

Three days of mourning have been declared in Spain. My heart is heavy for my friends in Madrid and the people I didn’t know but saw when we were there in December, riding the bus, wandering the crowded Plaza Mayor with Christmas trees, enjoying the winter sun…

[Postscript, March 12: a translation of blogs in Spanish about the 11 March attacks can be found here. The translation’s definitely strange. The original Spanish versions can be found here. Bitcora is the Spanish word for blog.]

Posted by at 08:04 PM in | Link |
  1. I share your feelings Pica – I’m glad you referred fellow bloggers to read Jonathan’s account at Puerta del Sol – I have done the same thing at Mulubinba Moments.

    — Jenny    11. March 2004, 22:12    Link
  2. At 1200 hours today, the day following 11 M, as it is now known in Spain, Madrid showed its solidarity with the victims of yesterday’s barbaric acts. For 15 minutes, the entire city stopped. Women and men of all walks of life stepped out onto the street from every building, traffic across the city came to a standstill, drivers exited their cars in the middle of every street, including the Castellana, Madrid`s central artery. For 15 minutes Madrid stood in silent protest. I cannot express in words the palpable outrage felt in this great and usually vibrant city, nor the comfort and strength that we drew from a mere 15 minutes of silence. It was the first of many steps in a healing process that will take considerable time. At 1900 this evening massive rallies nationwide will give everyone a chance to vent their disgust, and will provide a different cathartic opportunity, but midday was a time for reflection, when the tears visible in the eyes of many friends and colleagues were a stark reminder of yesterday’s unforgettable images. Madrid, it’s people at times labelled inconsiderate and apathetic, has shown its true character and has not bowed impassively in the face of 11 M’s hateful attack. I am again so proud to live in this city with its wonderful people.

    — Tim    12. March 2004, 07:37    Link
  3. Tim: thanks for commenting. We’ll be thinking about you all as you go to Cibeles; big abrazos from California.

    — Pica    12. March 2004, 08:23    Link
  4. Slo quera agradeceros vuestro apoyo. Ha sido increble ver cmo el mundo entero se ha volcado con Madrid. No puedo aadir nada a las palabras de Tim, porque no hay palabras para expresarlo. Aparte del dolor, de la frustracin, de ver a los prximos enterrando a sus hijos, a los jvenes despidindose por ltima vez de hermanos, prometidos, maridos, padres,... una de las cosas que ms me ha emocionado ha sido la solidaridad. Gracias por tantas velas, por tanto “En ese tren bamos todos” y “Todos somos Madrid”. Al pasar ayer por La Puerta del Sol, junto con todas las cartas y velas que se haban depositado en el suelo, vi una camiseta de Football, probblemente de un chaval que fu a ver a su equipo, y dej su mayor recuerdo, la camiseta a la que tanto cario tendra, con las palabras “England is with Madrid”. Me hizo llorar que alguien tan ajeno a esto, lo sintiera tan cerca.

    — Carolina    17. March 2004, 00:27    Link

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