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Published: September 27th 2009
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We just love the sights, sounds, and smells of Europe, though in the case of the latter, sometimes not so much.
Today we started with breakfast at the hotel (hint: push the button marked "Americano" on the coffee machine), then set out to see the art museums and some other sites of Madrid. All day, lots of people were just walking around enjoying a Sunday walk. Strolling down the Gran Via we were startled to see a teepee pitched in front of some sort of multicultural exhibition. We eventually arrived at the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, named for the Baron an Baroness who donated lots of money and most of the artwwork. We foiund the museum very interesting as much for what it did not contain as for what it did contain. There were lots of works by famous masters, but often from less familiar periods of their careers. For instance, there were lots of Gauguins, but very few from the South Seas, and most from his time in France. The Picassos were from his time before cubism. One of my favorites was a Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington's black cook with a white chef's hat. I frankly think he was
painted with more detail than the famous portraits of GW himself. But my favorite of all was a Nicolas Maes portrait called "The Naughty Drummer", showing a little boy with a drum suspended from his waits ribbing his eye and crying because his mother has just taken his drumstick away from him because he was waking up the baby in the cradle.
Next it was on to the Prado. This huge art museum house one of the most important collections of European art in the world, and easily the largest collection of the Spanish masters, especially Goya, Velazquez, and El Greco. Any works later than the 19th century have been moved elsewhere for space rasons. Although there are many masterpieces, some quite recognizable to anyone interested in art, my personal favorite was the triptych "The Garden of Earthloy Delights" by the Dutch Hieronymus Bosch. I can only conclude that he was in serious need of counseling or strong medications.
We stopped for lunch at a small restaurant near the Prado. After a bottle of alborino wine (recommended by Chuck and Lucie) and various tapas (iberico ham, chorizo (completely different from the Maxican variety), bacalao, and delicious fried green
peppers, we headed over to the Reina Sofia museum, location of Picasso's famous Guernica painting. Unfortunately, it will remain unknown to us because the museum closed befoe we got there.
We then walked down through the Plaza Mayor to the Cathedral and the Royal Palace, then back to the hotel for a deserved rest. Today's total: 7.2 km. I think I will have dessert tonight.
The sounds included a man playing Johann Strauss Jr. on a hammered dulcimer at the Plaza Mayor, an old man playing an accordion, and another man playing Mozart on wine glasses set vibrating with rubbing fingers.
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Sherry Webb
non-member comment
Good Evening!
What an absolutely wonderful day! I love it! Have a wonderful, safe, and blessed new day! Love to you both, Sherry