Snowboarding around Madrid

Ok, I just have to post this. Perhaps you already know there are mountains around Madrid :). And yes, even some higher ones might be found ;). Check this out:

Snow around Madrid

The last link will show you the snowzone. It's an indoor snowboard centre as there are some around Cologne (Landgraaf Snowworld near Aachen but already in the Netherlands - check out my snowboardblog -, Neuss Allrounder or shitty Bottrop). So as every Spanish webpage lacks the really important information as, how exactly do you get there without a car, Katja found out one of the buses (see the end of the page)actually stops around where we live and directly gives us a ride to the centre.
The prices are moderate for 199 Euro for 4 months or 600 Euro a year minus 33% discount if you pay it once.
We probably spend our xmas presents for some new equipment parts :).

And moreover, there are cheaper ways for doing sports here. Madrid offers with some public sport centres a way of saving money and still have fun - centre polideportivos. You really have to know those words otherwise you are unable to find something on google. It's the same with the health system here. They have public 'centros de salud' and moreover varieties of them. With your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) you will get a treatment for free. This is good because most of the privat doctors don't belong to this system. And if you pay the bill to get treated you probably won't get all of it back from your insurance at home. Finally, it's more comfortable and that's the best reason ;).

Besides, Spain has some laws medicine has to be cheap in a way. I can just tell you one medicine I know costs 150 Euro in Germany and here just 20 Euro! Yes, that's true. That's the way pharmacy companies rip you off.

Enjoy your day and stay tuned!

Hiking at Manzanares

We had been hiking on Saturday in Manzanares in the North of Madrid. You just take the bus 724 from Plaza de Castilla for 3,10 Euro one-way and hop off one hour later and around 60km farer away. The mountains go up to 1600m and there are nice hiking routes. In the information centre they have detailed maps which help a lot :). If you're there for one complete day as we did - 25000 steps in total :) - there are a variety of tours.
Enjoy the pics.