Keeping it real in Madrid. At the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Spain.

Omg! How is it that i’m this excited about football. Since when!! It’s got to the point that i would like to let all the men in my life know that I have been converted, I am sold. Soccer is not a bored man’s game in my eyes anymore. Any Real Madrid game.. count me in. O! the excitement.

Ten minutes walk from the hotel and I was at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. Going in I didn’t know I would feel as passionate as I do now about the game. At first it was just another sight to see on another day out in the city. Boy o boy.. I still find myself smiling at the expeerience that was. I think it’s also the fact that I didn’t know I would have access to literally every part of the stadium which I did and which propelled things from good to great. From the playing field to the changing rooms, from the showers to the nursing rooms.. you name it. Offcourse it would have been great if all the players were there for a meet and greet, but one can’t always have their cake and eat it huh!

But guess what, I had the pleasure of meeting Luis Figo on my flight out of Madrid. I recall hearing his name in the past whenever football championships were going on, but offcourse back then football player name dropping didn’t get my juices running. So i asked who he was so i could have a better understanding of whom i had just interacted with. I got a whole list of names to describe him but most of all that he is a football legend. Who knew! Happy days.


  • drew the curtain to clear skies, sunshine and a beautiful balcony garden, bliss. except it was 12 degrees celcius!!!

  • within no time i had reached the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu

  • just lovely. started my tour of the stadium at the very top

  • down a few floors and into the museum. how about those for football boots. worn in the 1910s 1920s and 1930s. what impressed me even more was that football was already being played back then.. alas!

  • balls from the era, rustic beauties huh! they were certainly more weighty than what we have today

  • plain and simple and nice

  • where signatures and secrets lie. the rustic look to the book, i like

  • into the 1940s and 1950s. lighter on the feet and easier to maneuver in

  • fancy right! such creative medals they had back in the day

  • 1950s to 1960s

  • and then i saw this.. yes please! there were soooo many medals on display, the team has clearly had veeeery many wins

  • Zinedine Zidane. the first player from a few years ago that i had no choice but to learn about. this was courtesy of my little brother who was once a die hard fan.. ile ya damu (as we say back home)

  • the screens were alive, the surround system was loud, the music was inspiring.. this is where i bought into the game. i guess cause i also started recognizing faces

  • so from left to right respectively, the players who wore those shoes were Sergio Ramos, David Backham, Roberto carlos and the last one i forget!!

  • evolution

  • all that glitters.. makes me happy

  • cinderella had a glass slipper.. for football fanatics this would have to be the male version of the story

  • everything was just pleasing to my eye in this musuem

  • catch me on an Emirates flight anyday.. im loyal. jerseys for 2014 to 2016

  • just f.y.i

  • 1980s!! impressive

  • genius idea here. there were numerous sound pipes playing real madrid football songs from eons

  • what a beauty!

  • the grass is definitely greener on this side.. but it isn't real. touched it just to confirm

  • goooooal.. no! i had moment either way

  • o.. i was all smiles going up and down those steps. exploring what we don't see from the back end

  • the hallway led into the changing rooms, the showers and etc

  • assuming the team played a good game, the Real Madrid coach would be just as happy seated here too

  • cheers to a new Real Madrid fan

  • Gracias Madrid. Te amo

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8 Comments

  • Reply Njoro October 29, 2015 at 7:10 pm

    Ile ya damu sio. Shikilia hapo mtu wangu :) you have a great great blog

    • Reply Wairimu October 30, 2015 at 8:54 am

      Haha, Njoro you have made me laugh 😀 Thank you very much

  • Reply Benjamin Ogola October 30, 2015 at 6:42 am

    Ile ya Damu! LOL.. Its taken years but glad you have been converted to a football fan. Now all you need is a jersey, preferably a Chelsea one. 😉 Great Read!

    • Reply Wairimu October 30, 2015 at 9:04 am

      Mr. Benjamin, it’s taken time but finally the seed you planted has taken sprout 😀 But now you say Chelsea!! Alaa! Let me research on which is the better team. Im glad you enjoyed the read, thank you for taking time to go through the post

  • Reply Wesley Mbugua October 31, 2015 at 10:05 am

    Best read Wairimu. ? And good shots too. Now I know what to give you as home coming gift, Zile jersey zangu ndogo za MANCESTER UNITED. ???

    • Reply Wairimu October 31, 2015 at 4:22 pm

      Thank you Wesley. I see you have jokes though, hahaha. So i presume you support Manchester United huh! I never say no to gifts so i will gladly keep the souvenirs 😀 Ni wekee tafadhali. Im glad you enjoyed the read.

  • Reply Wesley Mbugua November 1, 2015 at 11:06 am

    ?? just out here appreciating a lady & trying to make her smile. ??.
    Done, gifts await.

  • Reply MARTIN January 16, 2017 at 10:36 am

    I travel the World through your eye Wairimu. All packed up where to now?

  • Leave a Reply to Wesley Mbugua Cancel Reply