Our European Adventure: Madrid

One week into our journey and we've made it to Spain!

And we crossed the Prime Meridian!

Oh yeah, It's also really hot!

Despite the warm weather, our stay in Madrid was packed with all the tourist trappings. Royal Palaces, Cathedrals, Museums, souvenir shopping for flamenco attire along with all the sangria and tapas we could manage -- this promised to be a busy few days.

Our first day was devoted to simply exploring the city. And not a mile from where we were staying was the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas. While most of the rest of Europe builds large stadiums for their local football (soccer for you Americans) teams, Madrid has added the third largest bull fighting ring in the world to their list of sporting complexes. I don't have any specific interest in bull fighting but I also wasn't expecting to cross paths with a 20,000 seat stadium devoted to the spectacle while walking to the metro.

Our first metro stop took us to Puerta del Sol and breakfast, of course! The girls loved the water fountain in the square and found a street nearby named after our dear friend and my former MBA classmate in the UK (who is from Spain!). From there it's a short walk to Plaza Mayor with it's numerous restaurants lining this very large square courtyard. But it wasn't time for lunch yet so we continued on to the Cathedral de Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena. Which is as large as it's name is long. In fact when we entered the first time we unwittingly went into the crypt thinking it was the main cathedral entrance. The chapel inside the crypt was beautiful.

But then we came around the corner and found a different entrance that took us into the actual Cathedral! The ceiling was stunning, but the alter screen was the largest I think I've ever seen. Each of the images is roughly four feet tall and standing at the base it feels enormous!

After a quick lunch, with the required sangria, our afternoon was devoted to strolling the tree lined lanes of Parque de El Retiro and letting the girls chase pigeons and play on the playgrounds while Amanda & I took in the sights of the city.

Since the heat was not expected to subside during our visit, the second day was spent inside. First at the National Archeology Museum and then at the Museo Nacional del Prado. The archeology museum was fascinating and very well done. The recommended path, which is also the only logical path once you enter the museum, takes you from prehistory through protohistory to roman settlement and on to Moorish conquest and the end of the Medieval Age. There are some additional displays on the "Modern Era" which focus on the different dynasties that have ruled Spain since the end of the Medieval Age and overall it was very insightful. Amanda however thoroughly enjoyed all of the mosaics!

just outside the Archeology Museum

life imitates art??

On our way to the Art Museum the girls found lunch, a giant archway and I found the Naval Museum.

Don't tell my father-in-law the girls' level of interest in the Naval Museum

Unfortunately, pictures are not allowed inside the Art Museum so alas no more pictures from our second day in Madrid.

On our last day in Madrid we got up early and made our way directly to the Palace. Palacio Real de Madrid is perhaps the most impressive Royal Palace I've ever seen and I like to think I've seen some good ones (Buckingham, Windsor, Hampton Court, Versailles, Catherine Palace, The Winter Palace etc.) And while it's not necessarily the largest of the ones we've been to, there is a certain feeling to it that belies adequate description. It's somehow both more approachable yet equally stately as the others at the same time. Perhaps it's due to the fact that it's still in use whereas some of the others on my list are strictly museums now. Or maybe it's all the chandeliers! But whatever the reason, it was very nice!