STL DPB IN MADRID - ZAPATERIA

A shoe store just off Plaza Mayor in Madrid, closed for the night.             

STL DPB IN MADRID - THE PRADO FROM THE OUTSIDE

We have good news and we have bad news: photography is not allowed in the galleries of the vast Prado Museum. That's it, both sides of the issue. Photo junkies like me get antsy if we can't press the shutter button at will. On the other hand, the policy forces people to put down their phones and actually look at the art. How refreshing.

The collection of European painting is stunning but the crowd control could be better. The line at security was terrible, maybe an hour long, but because we had pre-booked with a senior discount they let us cut the line. We had also purchased a 90 minute tour of masterpieces in English, which revealed so much we would not notice on our own. Five hours was all our old bodies could take but you could spend days there.

             

STL DPB IN MADRID - GRAN VIA METRO

We spent part of Wednesday at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. It's an enormous place based on the collection of a very rich German-Spanish couple that grew and grew, and was eventually sold to the Spanish state. It isn't well known in the U.S. We could only cover a small part of it before our aged joints and muscles said enough.

After a leisurely lunch in the museum's cafe, we took a walk through some of Madrid's great public spaces. The Gran Via is hard to characterize, maybe something like London's Regent Street, full of grand buildings but longer and more varied, The metro stop gives a nod to Paris' art deco system.

Tomorrow we confront The Prado.          

STL DPB IN MADRID - I GOT RHYTHM

We like this city. It has beautiful architecture and fabulous food (but you better like ham). It's clean. The people are delightful, without exception. Taxi drivers and restaurant servers are complimentary when I try to communicate in my limited Spanish (I guess not many Americans try). And, at the current exchange rate, it's very affordable for us. Y'all come.

Two activities on Tuesday. We took a bus tour to the historic city of Toledo, where these old bodies hiked up and down hills for hours. More about that later. In the evening, we went to a fancy dinner and flamenco show at Corral de la Moreria, which is supposed to be one of the top places, but what do I know. Well, this guy from Missouri thought it was drop-dead spectacular, heart-pounding and riveting. We've been to some excellent tango dinner shows in Buenos Aires, where the passion is on a slow burn. Flamenco is white-hot, with the fire of el sol español.

 

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, OR TO KNICK-KNACKS

More from the El Rastro Sunday market. It's not that big, certainly not compared to Portobello Road in London or Feria San Telmo in Buenos Aires, but it's fun and colorful. Even old guy vendors can keep rockin' on while they peddle their wares.                  

 

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MADRID

Shooters everywhere. This was found in the weekly El Rastro flea market in the neighborhood where we are staying. From what we have seen in our brief time here, the city is handsome with old buildings well-preserved. The streets are thronged with people out for a typically late Spanish Sunday lunch. Everyone has been friendly. The hotel where we are staying is a little gem. Glad we came.         

IN CHICAGO - NEXT STOP