The Rain in Spain

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(In case you don't know, there are always more photos after the ads at the bottom of the blog...and sometimes more on page 2. You can enlarge any of them by clicking on the photo)

April 27th

Today was Prado Day...but first, in the late morning, I went to shop at the nearest Humana store, where used clothing is sold to fund relief projects: www.humana-spain.org. I found a linen jacket made in Madrid for $4.00...!

We walked to the park behind the Prado first, and the immense and beautiful Retiro was even better than we expected. It helped that the sun came out while we sat by the lake....

We had alotted 3 hours for our visit, but were getting glazed over after two. We walked through most of the hundreds of rooms, but I skipped those with mostly dead Jesuses or tortured saints.

We walked home, rested, and then went out to join in the Saturday night bar scene on Cava Baja. Thanks, Vicki, for the timely article! It rained off and on, and was windy and cold....It will be the same tomorrow, so we won't go to Toledo til later. We hope to go to the Sunday Flea Market at the Rastro tomorrow...the land of serious pick-pocketing and bargains...then leave for Morocco on Monday, if the tickets we got on Cheapoair (real name) are actually valid....

April 28th

We got up early (for us) and walked down to the El Rastro market, watching some of the Madrid Marathon along the way. After strolling the market, we had coffee in small cafeteria with locals (mostly older couples) and then went back to check our tickets (they appear valid...) and plan our Morocco trip. We will probably return via Tangiers by boat, and not fly back to Madrid.

It's really chilly here today, but not raining! With the wind chill, it feels like 37 degrees! Everyone is complaining and shivering.

This afternoon's excitement includes visiting the train station, drinking a traditional hot chocolate and packing....

Next blog should be from Marrakech!

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Photos

Sunset
As seen from the plaza outside our hotel...We were walking away from this tower, and wouldn't have seen the sun, except people coming the other way were stopping in the middle of street and taking pictures....so we turned around and saw this!

Our hotel
is to the far right, on the fourth floor. I took this from an Italian cafe across the plaza, while I drank espresso and waited for Bill...

Statue by the Artificial lake in the Retiro
Alfonso XII

Tapas Bar
Most were standing room only by 9:00pm. the ones that weren't showing the Madrid vs Madrid soccer game were less crowded...

Bar
There are hundreds in just this small area of Madrid.

Cookies and ice cream for dessert
This is a specialty cookie shop.....

Madrid Marathon
We think these were some of the front runners...

Turtles!
there are 100's in the small pond....

A greenhouse in railstation....
This 19th century station was renovated in 1992 and has over 500 specimens of tropical plants along with the turtles....and it's a working station besides.

Lynn and Salvatore
This exhibit opened today, but the lines were too long. We may go on our way back through Madrid.

Hot Chcolate and Churros
We had them at the renown Chcolateria San Gines. Judy, is this where you went?

Comments

[Perry]

Ticket Scalping?
I hope the Cheap-o-Air tickets are good. I recently bought some tickets through them too.