Madrid Touristica

Matt's family arrived in Madrid on Thursday morning. Thursday night, we showed them about town. We took them to Casa Labras and had some tapas and copas, walked around Plaza Mayor and then went for dinner at Cuevas de Luis Candelas because everyone was hungry from their travels. There we were serenaded by a band and served by waiters dressed like Luis Candelas the bandit. We had a lot on the agenda for the next day, so we called it an early night.

Mateo y Esteban

Sr. and Sra. Ragucci


Sra. Ragucci and myself

Friday we woke up early, picked up Matt's family in Sol and headed to the Churreria for some breakfast and then went to Palacio Real.


The architecture was impressive and even ostentacious at times. Each room was ornately decorated with gold, marble, velvet, tapestry, scultures, mosaics...

The ceiling above the main staircase.

Matt and his dad taking in the sights above

The most impressive mosaic I've ever seen:


Reyes Catolicos

Matt enjoying the view

La Armeria

After we looked around the Palacio, we went for kabaps and then took the metro down to Atocha to see if we could buy tickets on the Ave for Matt and his family for their trip to Sevilla. They laughed at us seeing it is Semana Santa, one of the busiest weeks in Spain. We got to show them the Atocha Station though...admired some turtles, took in the greenery. They still needed a mode of trainsportation to get to Sevilla, so Matt and I dropped his parents and brother off at the Prado and we went to Mendez Alvaro to check out the bus situation. We got them tickets, relaxed in the park for a bit and headed back to Sol for dinner.

Atocha Station

Sadly my camera battery died and I did not have it for the rest of the night, but after dinner, Matt and I showed Steven some Madrid night life. We hung out in Moore's for a while and played pool, headed to another bar, got Steven some Royals from McDonald's and turned in for the evening. We had to be up early for the next day's activity: Toledo.

We departed around 10.00 the next morning, arriving in Toledo just an hour later. We figured out the bus system and got to the center of town. We purchased tickets for the Cathedral and went to get something quick to eat before entering. We had a pleasant lunch on some steps overlooking the Cathedral. The outside architecture was impressive.





Unfortunately we were not allowed to take pictures, but then again, there wasn't much that was permitted inside. There was however a Caravaggio in the Sacristy that made my day. We didn't do too much sight-seeing because most of it included El Greco and I personally can't stand him and the rest didn't really have any desire to see him. We went sword shopping for Matt and Steven and Mrs. Ragucci and myself admired the artwork and jewelry that was for sale.




I bought some souveniers and a copy of my favorite Goya painting, El Quitasol (yay!-I've been searching for this for years). Matt got a very cool Alfonso X sword. We had some Mazapan, which Toledo is famous for, wandered around the city some more and headed back to Madrid.

A Cathedral made of mazapan


Some beautiful Wisteria growing outside a Convent

We had some tapas with Matt's family, visited Museo de Jamon and called it a night. It had been an exhausting day and the next was only to be more eventful. There was a party going on here when we got back, but we were too tired to even hang out for awhile. The next morning was an even earlier start. We were scheduled to get to the Rastro at 9.00, however we were a little tardy. We got some coffee at Dunkin' Donuts (still commercial, but so different here). We wandered the streets of the Rastro for three hours...broke off into boys and girls. Still as good as the last time. After, we got a bite to eat and headed out again. First stop, Retiro...took in some sun as Matt's family wandered around the gardens and then we continued further out of the city to Ventas, the bullring. I finally saw my first bullfight, and I it was a little disturbing as they were only amateurs. It seemed a little barbaric and very cultural but an intersting experience nonetheless. And what more romantic way to celebrate Matt and my one-year anniversary than a Spanish Bullfight?

Poor little bull

The first has seen his demise...

Cleaning up the ring for the next fight

After the bullfight, we headed to Matt's senora's house and she made an ornate dinner for us and his family. It really was impressive and I was somewhat envious that I didn't have a senora who was that involved.


After dinner we all said our goodbyes as Matt and his family were off to Sevilla early the next morning. I was going my own way...to Amsterdam.