4-20 to 4-22 2016, Madrid

 

Day 1 - Madrid

We have no agenda for Madrid and left it open to do as we please.  Of course Madrid is a big city, as big as you can get in Spain and there is plenty to see and do.  Even the King lives in Madrid so it must be nice.  There are wonderful museums here including the famous Prado and Flamenco performances are said to be the best in Madrid.  We settle in our nice hotel, the URSO, for the first of three nights.  Following the advice of the wonderful people at the front desk we walk off to an old fashion restaurant that has the look and feel of a multi generation place where the menu has not changed since it opened 50 years ago and it fills every night.  We arrive around 7:30 but the place is empty.  That is until the Spanish people start getting hungry around 8:30 and then it filled up quickly.  We order up a salad to share and it is the best we have had for awhile.  The rest of the meal had no winners but the wine was very good and the walk helped get blood moving and muscles working after our rest in La Rioja.    We decide to have a late breakfast in the morning and call it a night.

Day 2 - Madrid

We take a stroll to look for shoes, and bedding and things we cannot buy in the States.  We have a nice day of shopping.  Sure, we get hit with a rain storm that was not supposed to happen but that is just the way it is in Europe.  Jim and Clyde find ourselves in the 4th shoe store watching Tina and Krim try on every shoe they have when Jim says, "This is our vacation too, let's see if we can find me a hat and a glass or two of wine".  "Fine says Clyde, but make mine a beer!"  So we strike out but soon the beer and wine sounds better than a hat and the hotel sounds better than a bar and there we are in the large beautiful lounge area of the hotel with a beer and a wine and some tapas.  The custom in Spain is to bring a little something to eat when ever you order a drink. It may just be chips but it can also be some delicious olives, like we got.  It is so good we order up another round but Jim is thinking a nice visit to the steam room would be a good idea and Clyde thinks another beer with a newspaper would be even better.  Buy and bye "The Girls" appear with packages and smiles all 'round.  Wine to celebrate and we enjoy the time and prepare for the evening.  But this evening is to be right in the hotel as we hear some live jazz will happen in the lobby and we have front row seats.  And they serve Tapas so it is all good.  A bottle of wine appears, a Tapas of salad, of fish, of vegetables appears and so does the trio of musicians!  The music people serve up American music with their own take and the lady has a great voice, the bass player leads a great line and the music is great and sets a wonderful mood.  Most of us stay till the end at 10.  It is time to call it a night.

Day 3 Madrid

Jim and Clyde are all shopped out but Tina and Krim have a little left so off they go with no fear of the forecast rain.  The last day is always a little strange.  On one hand we hate to see it end as our minds run through all the sights and memories of this fantastic trip.  On the other we are looking forward to getting back to our homes and the convenience of getting around, seeing friends and driving when ever we wish.  Tomorrow we leave for home but we take with us such a trove of memories!   

Already we are setting plans for our next trip. Spain is so wonderful it may be our first stop.  After all, we have an open invitation from our new friends in Toledo - a town with thousands of years of history.