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Our second full day in Madrid was time to relax and just wander. Emerging from the hotel our plans nearly came to a sudden stop. Overhead the flashes of lightning and crashes of thunder heralded the arrival of another thunderstorm. The receptionist assured us it would soon be gone and so it was. We chose to explore the Gran Via, a street that was redeveloped in the early 20th century. Old buildings were bulldozed, the street was widened and now it has become a shopping mecca of Madrid. Sunday in Spain is usually a day of rest with shops shut and families getting together for fun times. This part of Madrid was different. Most shops were open and locals and tourists took the opportunity of browsing or spending.
Our wanderings took us up a side street to check out a church that appeared to have been there for some time. Our attention was also drawn to the police activity in the street, especially around what looked like a cheap hotel surrounded by sauna parlours. A service was in progress in the church and we noticed two beggars positioned across the doorway. We know begging is common in Europe but we wonder
about the welfare system in these countries, especially for disabled people.
On our way to the Museo de Prado we came across Fuente de Cibeles, a building that was once the Communications Building, or Post and Telegraph Building. It has been completely refurbished and is now the city chambers. The renovations have turned this building into a “must see” for visitors to Madrid, and it is free. There is also an opportunity to take the lift to the top of the tower for city views.
In Madrid on a hot Sunday afternoon a shady park is just what is needed. It was great to find a seat under the trees and relax while people-watching and seeing a squirrel hunt for food. Many people were doing the same, either in small groups or large family gatherings while children played on the brightly coloured play equipment.
From 5:00 pm on Sundays the Museo de Prado (Art Gallery) has free entry so two Kiwis on a budget headed for the gallery. It appears everyone else in Madrid had the same idea. We joined the queue at the 500 metre mark and participated in the shuffle towards the entrance. The officials are well organised
and had us at the ticket office within fifteen minutes. Yes, you need to have a ticket to get in, even though it is free. There are very many famous artists represented in the collection and you could spend days there. However because of the crowds and a long day we chose a selection of famous paintings by Goya, El Greco, Brueghel Velazques and Durer to view and made our way from room to room as we tracked them down. This visit would be one of the highlights of our trip to Madrid and probably compares with a trip to the Louvre in Paris.
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