Madrid

We decided (and booked) to go to Madrid on Wednesday... and left on Saturday morning. So we didn't really have time to build any expectations. It was another early start (taxi at 5am) but we arrived in downtown Madrid at about 10am. We stayed near Plaza del Sol, basically the centre of the city, which is full of beautiful Spanish buildings. 

The Plazas (there are many) were stunning spots to sit and bask, as many Madrilenos were doing. In fact, it seems to be a national pastime - no doubt aided by the deep, deep recession.

We wandered through the heart of Madrid - Puerta del Sol - in search of a coffee where you could actually sit down. Having found one and ordered (in terrible spanish) cafe con leche to start the day properly, we thought it  best to have another.

Batteries charged, we headed on to the Palacio Real (Royal Palace). It is still in use by the Spanish monarchy today, but they were happy to host us for the afternoon.

The palace is typically over-the-top, with ridiculous amounts of marble and mirrors everywhere. As expected, fantastic frescos adorn the ceilings. The royal armory (dozens of suits of armor) and pharmacy (old potions) are contained in out-buildings around the courtyard and are excellent collections in their own right.

We wandered around the Retiro, and came across the Jesus pigeon. 

The other lake was slightly less frozen, so we went for a row.

The rest of the weekend was spend munching on Hay Chocolat con Churros, drinking Sangria, basking in the sun and frequenting art galleries.