Day 6: We arrived in Madrid via an impressive high speed train from Barcelona. It was incredibly quiet and smooth while moving at 120 mph. We had purchased a selection of fruits and cheese at the El Cortes Inglés supermarket and enjoyed lunch on the train.
In Madrid, before boarding our bus, Amanda showed us the turtle pool in the Atocha Train Station. We watched dozens of turtles swimming and lounging in a landscaped bit of the tropics. Apparently, there are nearly 300, including some former pets. After boarding our bus, Amanda gave us a quick tour of key sights.
We joined another couple from our tour to visit the Royal Palace. Photos are prohibited for most of the tour to protect aged fabrics and tapestries. The palace is over-the-top opulent. I wondered how much Spaniards suffered to build and decorate this huge structure. The amount of gold leaf alone was staggering. The Palace, covering 1.4 million square feet, contains 3,418 rooms! The grand staircase is composed of a single piece of San Agustin marble.
In Madrid, before boarding our bus, Amanda showed us the turtle pool in the Atocha Train Station. We watched dozens of turtles swimming and lounging in a landscaped bit of the tropics. Apparently, there are nearly 300, including some former pets. After boarding our bus, Amanda gave us a quick tour of key sights.
We joined another couple from our tour to visit the Royal Palace. Photos are prohibited for most of the tour to protect aged fabrics and tapestries. The palace is over-the-top opulent. I wondered how much Spaniards suffered to build and decorate this huge structure. The amount of gold leaf alone was staggering. The Palace, covering 1.4 million square feet, contains 3,418 rooms! The grand staircase is composed of a single piece of San Agustin marble.
We then visited the neo-Gothic Cathedral and the Crypt Chapel. Both ornate structures are beautiful, and feature lovely lines and arches throughout.
Finally, we hiked over to see the Don Quixote sculpture and the Temple of Debod. Egypt gave Spain this ancient temple saved from flooding by the Aswan Dam as thanks to the Franco regime for help. It dates to 200 BC. It was bizarre to see a Pharaoh's temple in Madrid. I loved it (though not enough to stand in a long, slow line to look at it up close). We also stumbled upon the Teatro Calderon and enjoyed the whimsy of how they were garnering attention for their latest show, The Hole Zero.
Day 7. We started with a visit to the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. This relatively new museum opened in 1992. A relatively small museum, we saw diverse works by Van Eyck, Severini, Dürer, Caravaggio, Rubens, Sonia Delaunay, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Mondrian, Klee, Hopper, and Rauschenberg. Thephotos showcase three pieces I love in their collection.
After leaving the Thyssen-Bornemisza, we strolled through the nearly 20 acres of the Royal Botanic Gardens (Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid). Visiting in October, there were few flowers, but most trees still had leaves. We enjoyed seeing the design of the garden sections, as well as the variety of trees and shrubs. My undergraduate degree in zoology included a study of Linnaeus' classification system for animals and plants. I was fascinated this garden was arranged in three tiered terraces, arranging plants using Linneaus' nomenclature. It made me wish we were there at the height of the growing season to see more plants in bloom.
We selected a small restaurant, la Taperia del Prado, that looked popular with local business people for lunch. The food and service were excellent and we were glad to sit for a few minutes.
We selected a small restaurant, la Taperia del Prado, that looked popular with local business people for lunch. The food and service were excellent and we were glad to sit for a few minutes.
After lunch, we headed to the Reina Sofía National Museum Art Center. Spain's national museum of 20th-century art dates back only to 1992. Its permanent collection covers abstract, pop and minimal art, including works by Miró and Dalí and serves as the home of Picasso’s Guernica. The latter was clearly a destination for many of the visitors. This huge painting uses blacks, greys and whites. I found it alternately repellant, gripping, and an immensely powerful statement against war. We enjoyed seeing other works by Picasso and Miró, though I still struggle to appreciate Dalí. We were exposed to less familiar Spanish artists and saw dozens of paintings by artists from other nations. I was so engrossed the art, I only took one photo.
I headed to the top of the El Corte Inglés flagship store. As in Barcelona, it sports a rooftop food court and a very popular bar. Balcony railings seats border two sides of the restaurant. All were filled and people stood waiting nearby. So, it was more challenging to take photos amid the crowd. But, there are lovely views awaiting one's inspection.
Day 8. We opted for a day trip to Segovia. That is detailed on its own page.
After returning mid-afternoon, we visited the Prado. This is a much older museum, dating back to 1819. I cleverly checked my phone in my day pack, so I have no photos. Bosch, Raphael, Titian, and El Greco were among the many artists that grace the many galleries. Galleries featuring works by Goya were particularly appealing. His painting, The Third of May, is another devastating antiwar painting. The Prado features collections of paintings amassed by Spain’s 16th- and 17th-century monarchs. Not aiming at comprehensiveness, instead, those collectors tried to assemble as many works as possible by their favorite artists, many/most not based in Spain.
After we left the Prado, we happened upon a giant carillon clock on the second floor of the Plus Ultra Seguros building. We were lucky to be passing at 6:00 pm when the carillon plays, accompanied by an elaborate procession of five characters (representing King Carlos III, Goya, the Duchess of Alba, Pedro Romero and Manola). We had a relatively early, non-tapas dinner at a terrific seafood restaurant that one of the hotel desk staff recommended.
Why we need to go back: We did not get to see the, Museo Cerralbo, the Museo Sorolla, the Faunia nature park, or the Museo del Romanticismo, nor to stroll through Buen Retiro Park. nor to watch the sunset from the rooftop bar at Circulo de Bellas Artes.\
Next up: Segovia (or, if you already saw that, go on to Granada)
After returning mid-afternoon, we visited the Prado. This is a much older museum, dating back to 1819. I cleverly checked my phone in my day pack, so I have no photos. Bosch, Raphael, Titian, and El Greco were among the many artists that grace the many galleries. Galleries featuring works by Goya were particularly appealing. His painting, The Third of May, is another devastating antiwar painting. The Prado features collections of paintings amassed by Spain’s 16th- and 17th-century monarchs. Not aiming at comprehensiveness, instead, those collectors tried to assemble as many works as possible by their favorite artists, many/most not based in Spain.
After we left the Prado, we happened upon a giant carillon clock on the second floor of the Plus Ultra Seguros building. We were lucky to be passing at 6:00 pm when the carillon plays, accompanied by an elaborate procession of five characters (representing King Carlos III, Goya, the Duchess of Alba, Pedro Romero and Manola). We had a relatively early, non-tapas dinner at a terrific seafood restaurant that one of the hotel desk staff recommended.
Why we need to go back: We did not get to see the, Museo Cerralbo, the Museo Sorolla, the Faunia nature park, or the Museo del Romanticismo, nor to stroll through Buen Retiro Park. nor to watch the sunset from the rooftop bar at Circulo de Bellas Artes.\
Next up: Segovia (or, if you already saw that, go on to Granada)