October 22nd: Departure for Madrid, España!
So happy to be on fall break at last :)
We got there and immediately started taking the sights in by foot with a great tour from our friends studying here.
There are so many parks and plazas here
Chowing down at Mondaditos with friends
We spent an afternoon at Parque del Buen Retiro - Madrid's version of Central Park. There were so many people out enjoying the beautiful sunshine!
Monument to Alfonso XII - a huge monument next to the pond
Spaniards passing the day away playing chess, paddling boats, reading, and soaking in warmth of the sun.
The glorious monument from the other side:
The bubble man entertaining Niños
A mysterious blue metal tree sculpture that spins
For breakfast we feasted on none other than the scrumptious CHURROS CON CHOCOLATE!!
We continued our cultural explorations at Madrid's premier art museum, the Reina Sofia.
The museum is mostly dedicated to Spanish art. Highlights included works by masters like Picasso, Miró, Dalí, and González. There were also a lot of interesting contemporary pieces as well.
An exhibit of colorful heels
The most moving exhibition was a collection of 151 framed front-pages from newspapers all over the world covering the events directly after 9/11. They were in all kinds of languages, but there was no need to translate the message.
The whole room:
We LOVED all of the crazy Picasso inventions...
González
The most famous masterpiece, Picasso's Guernica. It was enormous! And so complex. The guards who were watching over the painting were pretty amusing - look at their stances. They were taking their jobs really seriously.
Another favorite:
Plaza Mayor
Cathedral Almudena
and perhaps even more alluring by night:
We ate our ham and cheese croissant sandwiches (ham is big here) outside Palacio Real de Madrid - the Royal Palace of Madrid. It is the official residence of the King of Spain and the royal family, but is currently only used for State ceremonies. There are an astonishing 870 windows, 240 balconies, 44 sets of stairs and 110 doors!
The adjoining gardens were beautiful
More photos from wandering around the metropolis:
[Never interrupt a man walking his ferret.]
Glistening fountain
I wonder if people here know about Pike Place Market...
Madrid has an awesome night life. It was great to catch up with friends we haven't seen in awhile!
Before we knew it, it was time to pack our bags again, this time in route to an unchartered continent... AFRICA.
Natalie, which pair of heels did you (want to) try on? So was there a line that you couldn't cross over when viewing the art? I am always amazed at how close I could get in NY museums! Everyone can enjoy a day in the park & a fantastic Bubble Man. . .
ReplyDeleteI am thankful no guard looked at me quite like these did. (Even though they followed me around the whole time (hours) that I was enjoying the art!
Ferrets in Spain? Really? Did you talk to him and tell him about Jack?
Doesn't everyone know about Seattle's Pike Place market and coffee reputation?
Looks like you had a great time on the first leg of your mid-semester break... Warmer weather than Prague, getting reaquainted with old friends, ferrets, and seeing some incredible sites! Spain looks like a very inviting place.
ReplyDeleteAh yes. Fall break at last; a reprieve from Berlin, Sweden, and Prague! Nothing like a nice restful dash across one country with a brief ricochet onto the tip of another continent!
ReplyDelete