El puente

This coming Tuesday, May 15th, is (another) holiday in Madrid, marking the feast day of San Isidro, the patron saint of the city. This give madrileños the opportunity to take advantage, creating a 4-day weekend by taking Monday off ( a large number of people left the city last night, beginning the weekend early). In situations like this, the option of taking Monday off, as a bridge between two existing days off is known as "hacer el puente", or making the bridge. Monday, April 30th, was also a day to "hacer el puente", since doing so in that case resulted in a five-day holiday.

Just thought you might like to know.

The plain people of Ireland: So Tuesday is like a Spanish bank holiday?
The management: More than that. The shops, too, will be closed. Even my beloved Corte Inglés. But there will be fireworks. And Händel's "Water Music".
The plain people of Ireland: "Handel, is it? Did you know that..."
The management: "the Messiah was first performed in Dublin's Fishamble Street?" Yes, I did, actually.
The plain people of Ireland: Funny name, that. Fishamble Street.
The management: Indeed.