Madrid

We are now going to knock off another couple of Spanish cities- Madrid and Toledo!  We were up early to get to the station and catch a very fast train- it went 300kph at one point. We were staying in an apartment again  which was very central and very nice but!  There was a bar across the street and an Irish pub down the street so, on the 2nd morning we went to the pharmacy to buy earplugs!  The lady didn’t seem surprised by our purchase. 

Madrid was a big surprise. It is quite magnificent. So many big buildings and beautiful tree lined streets and big plazas with fountains and statues. The Gran Via is a long street lined with Art Deco buildings - and so busy! People everywhere, especially at Paseo in the evening

We went for a bit of a walk , found this market that had been made into a sort of a good court of tapas which we came back to for tea. 

Dad having his first Estrella beer

The food court! 

These are streetscape pictures of our first walk.  

this was outside the main station

and this was inside 

a sculpture of a bear trying to get berries

I don’t think it is the Centre of Spain but it is where measurements start. 

a king on his horse.

a dapper chap.

And now for the Cathedral! And this was only opened in 1993 after building which took 100 years. 

you could walk up the stairs to the altar!1-

the organ

unusual ceiling. 

and that was our first day in Madrid.