Felipe & Letizia at Excavation of New Metro Madrid Line: February 2, 2005

[Elsa M.]

From ABC:

http://www.abc.es/abc/pg050202/actua...rias_metro.asp

The Princes of Asturias visited today, at noon, the works to extend the line 1 of the Metro of Madrid, where they observed excavations that will take the suburban line until Ensanche de Vallecas. The great-grandfather of prince Felipe, Alfonso XIII, inaugurated the line 1 in 1919, that united the Puerta del Sol and Cuatro Caminos. Don Felipe and Doña Letizia, that were accompanied by the president of the Community of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, the vice-president first of the regional Government, Ignacio González, and the mayor of Madrid, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, also visited the Centro de Control de Metro, located in the station of El Alto del Arenal. The Princes took the metro from the station of Congosto to El Alto del Arenal.

[lucys]

The EuropaPress article has a very funny story about today. Apparently, after they visited the control center they were suppossed to have lunch with the President of the Community of Madrid and her husband, the offices of which are at the Puerta del Sol, smack in the middle of Madrid. So Felipe and Letizia decide that since they are all visiting the metro, they should travel on the metro.

"...the princes chose to travel in metro to the Real Casa de Correos, where they were going to have lunch with Aguirre and her husband, Fernando Ramirez de Haro. Accompanied by the president and the mayor, Don Felipe and Doña Letizia traveled seated in a metrocar in the midst of the astonishment of their fellow travellers. In the beginning, the metro users did not know what was happening, when they saw it was the Princes they wanted to see them close up. The maximum sense of expectancy and surprise took place when the citizens verified how Don Felipe and Doña Letizia exited the metro car at Puerta del Sol station."

The story: http://es.news.yahoo.com/050202/4/3vzh4.html

A photo (video grab): http://www.telemadrid.com/imgNoticias/02T1AR04.jpg

[lucys]

Photos from Getty Images (note Felipe needs to watch his head getting in and out!):

[Elsa M.]

Photos from GettyImages:

[Blueice]

Thanks Elsa and lucys, lovely photos as always. I love Dona Letizia's coat, so classy. The make up is excellent as well. Being forced to watch his head whilst passing throught the door is very charming and one of the things I like about men.

[Elsa M.]

The official photo, from La Casa del Rey:

[Emily]

...but I enjoyed looking at both sets of photos and the news story about the metro ride! Thank you! I wonder if either of you can help me with this question: am I understanding correctly that the new metro line extends to the town of Vallecas? Back in the late '70's I taught English to children in the town of Vallecas. At that time, it was quite a hike of metro, bus and walking to get there each week. This would make it an easy trip from Madrid!

[Elsa M.]

Originally Posted by Emily

am I understanding correctly that the new metro line extends to the town of Vallecas?

Yes, Emily, you understood it right. The excavations will make possible the extension of the Line 1 until Ensanche de Vallecas.

[marezdote]

Originally Posted by Elsa M.

May you perhaps give us the link and I'll try to sum it up.

Sorry I forget to paste the link. Here it is..http://www.informativos.telecinco.es/dn_24562.htm

[marezdote]

Originally Posted by lucys

Felipe needs to watch his head getting in and out!):

At least he ducked this time. Remember when they were on their honeymoon and he bumped his head when they went on a balcony to wave to the crowd below.

[lucys]

Getty Images has added a bunch more photos.
Wireimages also has some--but we'll hve to wait for our trusted AnnaR for those!

[lucys]

One more from ABC--down in the tunnels with sexy hard hats!

[Anna_R]

Pictures from Wireimage

[Anna_R]

Second batch from Wireimages

[Sue-]

Many thanks for the pictures Here more from seegerpress-online.de

[Anna_R]

Third batch from Wireimage

[Anna_R]

The remaining two

[Anna_R]

From Casa Real

[Elsa M.]

One more article, from Elmundo:

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2005/02/02/madrid/1107361406.html

[Elsa M.]

Originally Posted by marezdote

Sorry I forget to paste the link. Here it is.
http://www.informativos.telecinco.es/dn_24562.htm

In case you haven't realised, this article includes a link to the respective video.

Here's a short translation:

The Princes of Asturias traveled by Metro, as millions of Madrilenians do everyday, and visited the excavations which will make possible the extension of the line 1, the same one that was inaugurated in October of 1919, by the great-grandfather of Don Felipe, King Alfonso XIII.
The Princes began the visit in Vallecas and there they put the hard helmets, to see the excavations. From there, they went to the station of Congosto, and, after narrowing the hands of numerous neighbors of Vallecas who approached to see the Princes, and passing through the ticket office, they entered the Metro, before the astonishment glances of all the users of line 1. The Princes traveled to the station of Alto del Arenal. Here, Don Felipe and Doña Letizia could compare the former wagons of 1923 (when Alfonso XIII made the inaugural trip) and the present ones. The president of the Community of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, gave the Princes a photo of that innaugural trip, and invited them to have lunch in la Puerta del Sol, at the Madrilenian Presidency.