Today, all day, we walked through the heart of Madrid and spent the day appreciating the architecture and joie de vivre of the city. Two of the most prominent squares of Madrid are in this area. They are Puerto del Sol and Plaza Mayor. Puerto del Sol is sort of the hub for busses, metro, political demonstrations, etc. It’s very lively, active and filled with tourists as well as locals. It was once the entrance to Madrid through a gate with a carved sun (long gone). The pictures on Flickr will show a statue of the city symbol, Bear with Berry Bush, and the patron, Charles III. There is a pastry shop here that defies description. Mounds of delicious delights tempted us and we gave in to delicious Neapolitans. From here we walked to Plaza Mayor, a vast, cobbled stoned square, described as a grand palace turned inside out. It’s been the stage since 1619 for bullfights, pageantry, and the Inquisition’s horrors, and the spot upon which the war against Napoleon began in 1808. We had lunch outside here in the glorious Spanish sun drinking beer and watching all the peddlers. Next, we visited the Royal Palace, avowed to be the best preserved palace in all the world as well as the 3rd largest. The royals no longer live in the palace (they have a little mansion nearby), but it is still used for royal affairs. The decor was really over the top for my taste. Too much Rococo combined with Chinoiserie left me wishing for some Shaker relief. But, amazingly there were 4 Stradivari instruments. A shame they are under glass and not played. Tonight’s dinner left us both craving something green. I don’t think the Madridians (?) recognize the vegetable family. There is fish and ham enough to feed the world, but nary a steamed broccoli in sight.
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