Madrid Arrival and City Centre Strolls

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I arrived in Madrid from Dublin on Wednesday evening and made it to Guzman al Bueno to stay with Fabi on Wednesday night. Thursday morning I was told that I could no longer stay in the dorms, so I traveled around the area in search of a hostel, which was a difficult task for Easter week. I luckily found one in the vicinity and then walked down to the Royal Palace and up through Plaza Mayor and Puerta de Sol. I wanted to go to the Park Retiro, so Sean and I went there and met up with a couple of his friends and we had a nice day in the park. Thursday morning I woke up early and walked back through the same path only walked all over Plaza Mayor and down past the Prado to the Atocha and rode the metro back. I saw all the buildings in the Madrid area including the Bank of Espana, Palace and Prado, as well as a couple parks and dozens of statues and fountains. Today I woke up early again and walked through Parque de Oeste, which is near the Moncloa metro stop where my hostal was. I walked through the park for hours and hours because the liliacs and spring flowers are all blooming. I ended by the Museo de America and stopped in. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday and I am not too sure what the city will be like, but I would like to visit the National Archaeology museum, the Prado and Royal Botanical gardens and the chapel with the tomb of Goya. I think I will skip some of the other museums because I want to spend a long time in the Prado and Archaeology museum. Sean and I booked tickets for the bullfight tomorrow night off Ventas because there is nothing like celebrating Easter with the purposeless slaughter of an innocent animal for our entertainment. I won't be able to post pictures of the gorgeous and beautiful sites of Madrid until later when I upload them to my computer, but trust me, everything is absolutely beautiful!!!

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