The Expat Files: Lauren in Madrid

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So this week on The Expat Files, is the multitalented Lauren from Spanish Sabores, Recetas Americanas, Teach and Travel Spain, and now the founder of Madrid Food Tour! Lauren is one of the few Spain bloggers I have had the pleasure of meeting in person, and I always look forward to emails from her blog! Whether she is writing about a trip somewhere cool, a strange recipe to try or about how she ended up in Madrid, there is something for everyone on Lauren’s blog. Now I just need to schedule in a trip down to Madrid to join her new food tour!

1. Describe Spain in 3 words:

Diverse, Incredible & Delicious.

3. What do you think is the most beautiful spot in Madrid? Where can you find the best view?

I still have a lot of exploring left to do, but I absolutely loved visiting the areas surrounding the Guadarrama Mountains– the view from Valle de los Caídos is actually quite beautiful.

4. How did you end up there? What made you decide to move to Spain? Why did you chose Madrid?

I moved to Seville, Spain in 2009 to teach English for a year. But, I met a certain Spaniard there and one year quickly turned into two. We got married and lived shortly in Cadiz before moving to Madrid to seek out new opportunities. We are both entrepreneurs and Madrid is definitely where we need to be (not to mention it is pretty awesome!). Now my husband has a technology start up and I just started my own food tour company! But my heart will always be in Andalusia– on the beaches of Cadiz, in the old quarter of Seville, atop the Alhambra in Granada, or in the Pueblos Blancos of Málaga…

5. Name one thing to do or see in Madrid that is not in any guidebook:

An awesome thing to do in Madrid (that I’m pretty sure wouldn’t be in a guidebook) is to schedule your visit to coincide with one of the 5K or 10K races in the center (there is 1-2 every month or so). Running through the middle of the normally busy streets in the beautiful center of Madrid is an amazing feeling, and a unique experience.

Hmm… it is difficult to say, as so far I like almost everything about Madrid! I suppose I’d say I don’t like the metro at rush hour (who would?) and the air quality isn’t very good, I wish it were better. And in an ideal world, Madrid would have a gorgeous beach!

7. Name one funny cultural mishap or misunderstanding that has happened to you in Spain:

How about the first time I used a public bike in Seville? I wasn’t used to riding a bike (especially around other people) and I crashed into a man. I blurted out “sorry!” (in English) and was absolutely mortified… I also once ordered “churras” instead of “churros” in Granada. If you are reading this and are curious as to what I ordered, check out the definition here.

Lauren Aloise is the founder of Madrid Food Tour. An optimistic entrepreneur and self-proclaimed professional tapa taster, she writes, tweets, and cooks out of her tiny Madrileño apartment.

Have you ever been to Madrid? Are you an expat in Spain? Want to be featured on my Expat Files? Shoot me an email at [email protected]