Catching Up!

And there is a lot of catching up to do!

First it was catching up to the world time! Never have I been hit so hard by jet lag! Definitely not as woozy and out of it as yesterday but so glad we mostly road around and had a good sleep to move us along that road to recovery.  

We set our alarms for 8:00 am which might sound late but we both had trouble falling asleep last night.  Way overtired on my part for sure.  Breakfast buffet at the hotel was fine and we each made a little sandwich to carry with us in case we did not find a convenient lunch break.  We were on our HOHO by ten and on our way to the Palacio Real which is the magnificent royal palace.  About a dozen of the rooms are open to visitors but we spent about two hours there.  

Since it is planted high above the city we first took in the view from the spacious armory courtyard, Plaza de Armeria, before entering the new palace.  It is built on the site of the previous Moorish castle which Phillip V did not think grand enough for him.  While bemoaning this idea the existing castle mysteriously burned to the ground!  An Italian architect redesigned and constructed it taking inspiration from the Louvre and more importantly from Philip’s beloved Versailles.  The 3000 room palace is a virtual replica of the symbol of French opulence.  We later learned, that as a side note, the recently abdicated king, Juan Carlos and the new king, Felipe, find it too ostentatious and prefer the 1000 room palace as a more family friendly option! 

We have been blessed with beautiful weather and so strolled from the palace through the Jardin Oriente, past the Royal Opera House stopping at McDonald’s where we got Cokes and Patata Deluxe, and ate our sandwiches. Two things of note here.  Traveling with Elva we go to Mickey D’s a lot because then she can download email to her phone and check Facebook using the ever present and usually speedy free Wi-Fi.  Also, the bathrooms are free and usually very clean.

Other note of interest is that in Spain there are two versions of fries at Mc D’s.  Ones just like we have at home and the ones I ordered because I couldn’t wait to try the steak fries!  Excellent.  I hope they show up at home soon!  Maybe they are already in our stores but I am never there enough to know that.

The day was so delightful with warm fall air and bright sunshine that we continued our stroll down one of the many pedestrian streets all the way to Puerto del Sol.  This center of the city boasts the marker that designates “Km 0”, literally the heart of Spain.  All roads are measured from here.  We found the colorful icon in front of City Hall and dutiful joined the line to take our pictures with it.

Standing guard in their green uniforms and distinctive flat backed, patent leather TriCorn hats are the military police who protect all the government offices.  We had to ask him where the marker was because we had thought from the HOHO description that it was in the center of the broad half circle square and spent quite some time looking for it.  Someone directed us across the street to the town hall and we thought he said it was in the lobby.  The policeman quickly pointed it out.  With faded but colorful stone it would be easy to miss. 

From there we continued to Plaza Mayor which is considered the living room of Madrid.  The expansive square was filled with costumed people wanting to take pictures for a donation, of course.  Not many places to sit unless you want to eat or drink at one of the many sidewalk cafes skirting the cobbled surface.  On two opposite sides of the square massive refreshment of the ancient facades is under way and the noise was a typical construction nuisance.  We admired the square, took pictures and moved on.

Just a half a block away was Plaza de la Villa which is small, not enclosed and is distinguished for having two different types of architecture.  A 15^th century Moorish tower, harsh and square with horseshoe or eyebrow arches, and Hapsburg, Bavarian 1644 construction of the block long Casa de la Villa.  Each was a center of government in its time. 

We continued on to the bus stop but the Cathedral caught my eye and since we had time, Elva and I visited it.  The most amazing thing we noticed about it was that although it appears to be a classic cathedral from times long gone by, it was dedicated by Pope John Paul in 1993!  The ornate bronze doors that from a distance appear to be Bernini depict, upon a closer look, this dedication and were not installed until October 2000!

The interior was unusually bright and cheerful for such an edifice.   The Rose Window high above the right transcept of the building’s cross is of lightly stained glass and in such a multitude of pieces as to make delightful reflections on the floor in front of the altar.  The side chapel had the most magnificent silver tabernacle with lightning shards of gold emanating from it.  We were both so glad that we took the time to visit.

I can say again that the architecture of Madrid is alone a reason enough to visit!

We caught our bus and road to the Prado.  Elva commented that she had a taste for ice cream. Since the doors were not yet open for us freeloaders we searched for a Helados shop and could not find one.  She settled for a Burger King version of a Blizzard.  Good, but not exactly what she had in mind.

The Prado line was quick and we spent the whole two hours there.  We found all the important works including The Annunciation, The Third of May 1808: The Shootings on Principio Hill, Maja Naked, and The Adoration of The Shepherds.  This last one was painted early in the career of Peter Paul Rubens in 1609 and originally hung in the town hall of Antwerp.  When the Spanish Ambassador visited, it was gifted to him and 1612 entered the collection of the king of Spain.  

It hung in the Prado in the Royal Collection some twenty years after first being painted and was visited by the artist.  No one knows for sure why, but many think it was a view of an unsatisfactory proportion that bothered Rubens.  I think that, perhaps, he recognized that yes, indeed, the size no longer was significant in its new embellished surroundings, so different from the site it for which it was created. He was given permission to alter the painting.  He added a strip on the top and on the right hand side greatly increasing the size of the art work.  This increased the finished work by 73%.  Many of the colors were changed such as the central figure now in a deep bright red.  And the artist included himself, bolstering his position as a knight on horseback with golden sword as a self-portrait.  The massive painting anchors the central hall of the permanent collection.

When the museum closed at eight o’clock we went to the bus stop to catch the Ruta 2 bus to tour the old city to see the many fountains lighted and the facades highlighted to enhance their beauty. After waiting a very long time we found out that the Ruta 2 bus was stuck in the traffic of the demonstration against privatizing public education.  By this time, even if it arrived, it would not be able to complete the hour and a half route.  When ten o’clock struck, the buses had to let you off at whatever stop you were, and end service.  Since we did not want to be far from the hotel and confused by the look of the streets at night, we took the Ruta 1.  We were the only ones on it!  What fun.  A giant, double decker bus with us upstairs in the front window enjoying the bright lights of majestic Madrid.

When the tour ended, you guessed it.  We stopped at McDonald’s for Elva to get a decaf coffee and download email.  Since they did not have tea it was another Coke Light for me.  Then back to our room next door and a quick shower and a comfy, firm, warm bed.

And so, dear friends, you now know why I have been negligent in keeping you abreast of our adventures!  I will try to do better.