SPAIN - Madrid

MADRID

Ok, so I didn't take this picture but it is so beautiful of the Royal Palace (Palaceo Real!) We didn't get a picture of the front of the building cause so much was going on at the other side. They were holding a Royal Commencment for foriegn dignitaries, so we weren't able to go inside. But that's okay, cause it was way cool to see all everything going on outside. Lance caught some of the procession on video, there were horses, guards, carriages and trumpets playing. Everyone was in uniform, so it looked really cool. The Royal Palace in Madrid is quite impressive and it said to even rival Versailles.

The beautiful columns in the Retiro Park. One of the many statues in El Parque Retiro
The Crystal Palace in El Parque Retiro in Madrid

Palacio de Communicaciones- Main Post Office, Plaza Cibeles in Madrid

It is such a cool building, can you believe it was the post office?

The other side of the street.Down the street is the Puerta de Alcala

Our hostal was just down the street right in downtown Madrid

Plaza Mayor
Lance in Plaza Mayor There are so many little cafe's in the plaza, we had brunch on the terraza at one of them.Plaza Mayor at night, it is a happening place! After the bullfight we hung out at Plaza Mayor and then to a little cafe to have churros and chocolate - yum!
El Prado Museum

Metropolis - Gran Via Calle Gran Via

Ventas
Plaza de Toros

We saw three different Matadors They each killed two bulls
Bullfighting in Spain is a big part of the culture.It was packed! It was fun to take Lance to a real bullfight!
Posters on a side street kiosc

We ate dinner at this cute little bar our last night in Madrid. It was delicous!

Besides the very first day we arrived in Spain, when we went to El Parque Retiro and the Temple, we really only had one day to see the sights in Madrid. (there is a ton to see, so we didn't get to do everything) We went to the Palacio Real, Plaza Mayor, El Prado Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. Walked down Gran Via and then back to Sol. We also went to a bullfight at the famous Ventas Plaza de Toros in Madrid. The Prado houses some of the oldest paintings in the world by artists like: El Greco, Goya, Valazquez, Rubens, Picasso, etc... The painting you see in your humanities and history text book. We loved the artwork and variety at the the Thyssen -Bornemisza, different than the Prado. I love the city of Madrid and all the beautiful buildings, parks, plazas, statues, round abouts, outdoor cafe's, museums, tapas and water fountains. Everything is so European, so cool, so MADRID!

Thanks to my parents, (who watched the girls while we were gone for 11 days) we were able to go on my dream trip back to Spain. Thanks mom & dad, I love you.