Two hundred years ago yesterday, the people of Madrid rose up against the French occupiers. Yesterday saw many celebratory events throughout Madrid, all but one of which we managed to miss. The one we didn't miss was a spectacular sound, light, music, theatre, acrobatic, firework wossname in front of the Ayuntamiento in Plaza Cibeles. Graeme at South of Watford has some useful historical stuff about Dos de Mayo, if you're interested.
The organisers were tight-lipped about the show, but I heard or read somewhere that there was no need for a big stage because the sky would be the stage. Two huge cranes were positioned at opposite ends of the Plaza, and they were used to lift various pieces of equipment that housed the performers. There were things like a giant treadmill, two gantries with a wall of people hanging from them, a steel cage containing the Bonaparte brothers and a wooden horse, and a gigantic golden puppet.
There was also lots of action on the ground - armies of rebels bearing torches ran through the crowd. The treadmill was rolled around the plaza. Two stretch limos with police escort forced their way to the stage. And in the air, a tightrope walker in Napoleonic costume crossed Calle Alcala from Casa de las Americas to the top of Ayuntamiento - real heart-in-mouth stuff.
It was absolutely sensational.
This looks like a useful site for hotels in Madrid or the rest of the world: Madrid Hotels
