Spain-Madrid

Park in Madrid, I look so tiny next to this massive structure

Not sure what this is, but it looks pretty in the light!

Famous 100 yr old Tio Pepe sign, first billboard in Madrid

Bullfight

eating delicious tapas (notice us in the reflection)

Madrid. The capital. Definitely the best food was to be found here. And one of the best museums we've ever experienced-The Prado. I believe we spent almost 5 hours in there! Bosch's "Garden of Earthly Delights" made me weep it was so beautiful. I wanted to put it in my sweater and take it home with me. But unfortunatley all those guards probably would notice.

We were only there about 2 days and 3 nights. Our days would with a cafe con leche and some toast with marmalade & butter at an outdoor table near Plaza del Sol. A couple of hours later we would have some tapas. The best ham was in Madrid. Preferably the Serrano or the Iberico (free roaming pigs fed only on tasty acorns). We would get a serving of ham with maybe a cheese plate. So damn tasty. It was amazing that the Spaniards are drinking beer and eating ham as early as 9am! And smoking. Can't forget the smoking. Lots and lots of that.

Besides eating we found some time to squeeze in a walk in their main park (can't remember the name), explored the streets near Plaza del Sol and caught a bullfight. Big mistake. I knew that the bull dies. I knew the basics of it. But when you see it right in front of you it's horrifying. I really don't get it. I tried to enjoy just the beauty of the bullring, the costumes, the pageantry. But nothing can erase the image of this innocent bull being stabbed to death for the amusement of those watching. It was in no way a 'fight'. It was a bull mutilation. And at the end of it all they hook the dead bull up to horses and drag it around the ring amongst cheers. At one point I turned to Dave and said "when do they bring out the gladiators"? It was that barbaric. Needless to say after the first massacre we left immediatlely. Normally 6 bulls are slaughtered in one evening. One was plenty enough for us.

Towards the end of the second day we kind of ran out of things to do. The city just wasn't as beautiful as I had imagined. And not as exciting. But still interesting nonetheless.