TW
2

I was in Madrid this week and I was rather shocked. Not only do Madridleños think Majorca is the island of corruption, the Spanish capital is cheaper than Palma. I was chatting to a taxi driver who enquired where I lived and when I answered Majorca, he said "oh, the island of corruption". Well, unfortunately I couldn’t really disagree when you take into account that a number of former top politicians on the island are in jail and even the King’s sister is standing trial here. So Majorca has gone from paradise to the island of corruption; well at least in the eyes of some. What I found interesting about Madrid is that you can dine out at a top restaurant for the same price as a relatively average meal in Palma. Casa Lucio is legendary in Madrid. It is famous for its "huevos rotos" or broken eggs. It is so famous that its owner recently appeared on one of Spain’s top cookery programmes. Now, there is a long waiting list for this restaurant. I got lucky and there was a free table on the night. Dinner for two with wine came in at 75 euros. I was so amazed I even took a photograph of the bill. Sadly, I have been charged similar if not more for a very average meal in Palma. The next night I enjoyed a fantastic dinner at one of Madrid’s more up-market restaurants and I was still rather impressed by the price. It is not often that you find that prices in a capital city are lower than those in a regional city. But it was not all super cheap. Two coffees in a Madrid hotel ... 18 euros.