Partying hard in Madrid

With its sheer variety of bars and restaurants, it's impossible not to have a good time in the Spanish capital

To get an idea of howmuch Madrilenos liketo go out and let theirhair down, I am fedthis one simple statistic:Madrid has more bars thanany other city in the world --six in fact, for every 100inhabitants! Which explainswhy the city is buzzing mostof the night. Where wineflows like water, merriment isbound to follow.
 
       
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In the squares lit by streetlights and a full moon, I feelunsurprised when Iencounter a fire eater, aclown, a man dressed asDracula dancing with awoman in a fairy queen costume,and people partying asif this was their last chanceto live the stuff of dreams.

It is 1 am now and on myway home from a flamboyantnight walk, I stop atChocolateria de San Gines fora feast of chocolate con churros-- fried-dough pastry,some lean and knotted, otherslong, thick and especiallypopular in Madrid -- to beeaten, as instructed by thefastidious waiter, dipped inhot chocolate. As he depositsmy order on the table, hesays with a glimmer of pride,"This café is most crowdedbetween 3 and 6 am whenclubbers come here after aheady bout of partying, fortheir final round ofsustenance."

The sheer energy of it allspeaks of a place that knowshow to live.

Folks I meet, as I wind myway through the city's flamencoclubs, restaurants,pubs, bars and discotheques,inform me that although long,relaxed, family-centric mealsare the order of the day here,I must not, at any cost, miss asampling of tapas, a selectionof small snack-style appetizersand savoury dishes, especiallypopular in the earlyevening.

Usually served with beer,wine or an aperitif, tapas inMadrid opens its gastronomicembrace to include morethan the typical locally borntripe and Patatas Bravas --or sautéed potato in spicysauce. That evening, I findmyself in the Mercado de SanMiguel, a striking, wroughtiron building from the 20thcentury, which doubles as atapas bar during the evening.I end up scurrying from stallto stall trying Paella fromValencia, octopus fromGalicia, seafood and fried fishwith an Andalusian flavour,Catalan potatoes with garlicmayonnaise, pasties fromToledo and the emblematicolives and cured ham --without which, friends informme, a good meal is nevercomplete.

Food, I discover, not unlikethe books I read, is awashwith messages, talking all thetime. When it comes to tapas,its varied nature speaks ofthe openness that typifiesMadrid.

The epicurean godfatherby my side knows exactlywhich bar to head to and forwhat. With a ring of certaintyin his voice, he says, "It'sAlmendro 13 for traditionalSpanish tapas, Casa Patas fordinner with a flamenco show,Taberna Taxacoli for thebiggest pintxos in town, CasaLabra -- which has beenaround since 1860 and wasthe favourite of poet FredricoGarcia Lorca -- for bacalaoor cod."

And as I bar trawl in pursuitof new food specialtiesand culinary delights, I agreetacitly with Epicurus, whoonce famously said, "Pleasureis the beginning and the endof living happily."