The Prado and Palais Royal

Yesterday, with Tommy feeling extremely under the weather, we relaxed at the hotel for the majority of the day. This ended up being the absolute best thing for us as we awoke from our three-hour nap feeling refreshed and rested for the first time since landing in Europe. Around 4:00 (or might I say 16:00) we made our way to The Prado via train. My absolute favorite painting was “The Garden of Earthly Delights” (of course). So much color, intricacy, craziness. Naked people, forbidden fruits, creepy beasts; I love it all! That it was painted in the 1700s and evokes such modern and futuristic feelers (yes I know this is not a word) I also think is quite amazing.  

For dinner we walked 100 yards straight out of our hotel to the Mercado San Miguel. This is probably my favorite place we have been in Madrid. Think Spanish AJ’s – only better. Booths with everything you could imagine: mini burgers with delicious sauces, 1000 pastries, fruit, olives skewered with cheese and sun-dried tomatoes soaking in oil, potatoes with spicy sauces, crackers topped with a variety of cold fish (skipped that), and wine. Lots of wine. Wine by the bottle, wine by the half bottle, wine by the carafe, wine by the glass. GIMME. We ended our night sitting on a wall outside the market sipping an unidentified red from the bottle J Tommy was even able to keep down a steak sandwich – success!

the market in action

end of the night

With a plan to catch the 9:30 am train to Barcelona, we checked out of our hotel and arrived at the Estacion Atoches just in time to find out there were no trains available until 2:30. Harrumph. New plan: check the luggage at the station and head to Palais Royal (a five minute walk from our hotel no doubt). This mistake turned into an absolutely wonderful afternoon. Within the walls of Palais Royal we found breath taking rooms, hand-woven wallpaper 100 feet high, and history in every original cobblestone. We ended our surprise extra day in Madrid by enjoying cappuccinos in a small bar. Here, a very old woman tried to share her churros with me and then gifted me with candy and kisses before going on her way.

the cathedral from inside the walls of the palace

the palace - wish i could have taken pictures inside

I am now seated happily next to a sleeping Tommy roo on our three-hour train to Barcelona. The countryside is beautiful. Tonight we stay in a hostel for the first time; I can’t wait to explore the city so many of my friends made their home semester two of our junior year of college.