Photos and Journal of Madrid

Afterward we walked to the Prado. Our guide did a wonderful job of making us see the wonders of the paintings by El Greco, Velasquez, and Goya. Las Meninas, Vulcan, the moment he is informed by Apollo of Aphrodite’s (Venus’s) infidelity with Apollo (Mars), the several works by Goya including the family of Charles IV and Saturn Eating his Children are among my favorites. But my most favorite was May 3rd, 1808 by Goya depicting the execution of the resistance fighters struggling against the French. It was a powerful complement to the Guernica, which we viewed a few hours later at the Reina Sofia (Madrid’s excellent modern art museum). These are paintings the people operating drones for the military would benefit from studying and contemplating -- the mindlessness and ease of modern warfare, the willingness to kill one another, the waste and moral wrongness. Wars are by the far the stupidest thing we do.

Madrid Is A Beautiful City

I assumed Madrid would be a big dirty city with lots of poverty. Instead what became more and more evident as the train slowed and as we made our way to the hotel on the tour bus, was that Madrid is one of the great cities of the world. It is clean and inviting and full of great culture and history.

The bus ride to our hotel, Las Meninas, was a little like our first vaparetto ride on the Grand Canal in Venice – it was magnificent, resplendent and pulchritudinous – beautiful 17th and 18th century buildings with ornate facades and heroic statuary. We passed the Prado, passed the monument to Cervantes, passed the king’s palace and stopped next to the opera house where the Barber of Seville was being performed (not on the days we were there) and climbed down the steep steps of our bus into Plaza (pronounced “platha” in the Castilian Spanish of Madrid) Isabel II. From there, one block away, we checked into our hotel.

Royal Palace - Madrid

We visited the many rooms of the sumptuous palace built by Charles III – the first Bourbon king, the "best mayor of Madrid."

As a group this was our third day together. And there was potential for trouble. As Mark Twain once said, “I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.” We had made small talk with everyone, but had not formed bonds. I guess I felt most comfortable with Linda, Dwight, Tom and Judy because they had all worked as teachers, but everyone was pleasant. While we waited for Jorge and our guide to secure our tickets into the palace grounds, I became aware of how more than pleasant Bonnie’s laughter made me feel. She seemed to find joy in everything and everyone. In Madrid, Barcelona is pronounced Barthelona and gracias is pronounced grathias. Bonnie said that everyday in Madrid is thunny. The beauty of the royal palace brought out her laughter, the taste of churros and chocolate made her laugh, a smile on someone’s face made her laugh, a bus ride, a friendly horse, a grand church – she found delight in everything. She made the tour much easier. At first I thought she must be an impish angel, but then maybe not -- just a very special lighthearted mortal who lifted all our spirits.

Bonnie

I, in contrast, took myself, as usual, too seriously. The palace is rich with art (two paintings by Goya one of Charles the IV looking stupid and the other of his queen – the toothless queen – looking a little ruthless as well as toothless. The ornamentation in each room is extravagant).

After the excursion through the palace, which is used today by King Juan Carlos when hosting large groups of people, we headed back to the hotel.

Later, we walked through Puerta del Sol and on to Prada-a-Tope restaurant where we ate another fantastic tapas meal -- Morcilla de León, Cecina, Setas a la plancha, higos en escabeche – sausage, dried meats, mushrooms and pickled figs among the many dishes. Annie and I ate with Jorge and Augustine.

Afterward we walked back through Puerta del Sol, a short distance from our hotel. Along the way Margie free spiritedly ran across a street and asked people in a restaurant for information.

Monument to Charles III

At The Entrance To The Convent

From the convent we made our way to Plaza Santa Ana and admired the extravagantly tiled exteriors of several restaurants along the way. In the Plaza we had coffee near the statue memorializing the poet Federico Garcia Lorca. I assume the nationalist forces of Franco assassinated Lorca near Granada, but there are alternative theories on Wikipedia. Every poem he writes startles and awakens the senses in my mind. He was a great poet. In the Plaza de Santa Ana we had coffee.

The next morning after breakfast in a much smaller dining area (one floor below the ground floor) than the one in Barcelona we ate watermelon, dried ham, cheese, bread, yogurt and coffee. We then met our guide. She showed us the oldest part of the city including a convent housing nuns hidden from our sight. Jorge bought cookies from them and shared with the group. Children were riding bicycles to school along fairly busy streets, while drivers were very careful.

Federico Garcia Lorca

We wound our way to the Plaza Mayor, which is the site of the worst kind of cruelty. Even so our guide did not tell us about the bewitched king’s (Charles II) gruesome public execution of nineteen inquisition prisoners. This avoidance I think is a little like China where I was told that the people prefer to look to the future rather than the past. Spain like China has a brutal past. In both places life has been precarious but in Spain the brutality has been colored by religious zeal.

Entrance To Plaza Mayor

Statue of Goya Outside The Prado

From there Jenny, David, Lexie, Graham, Linda, Dwight, David, Mark, Ramona, Annie and I met for a flamenco performance. Three women and a man danced while two guitarists strummed and performed. The participants were very somber – life and death. Jenny’s theory was that the dancing depicted the anger of the older woman being rejected by the man for a younger woman. There were three women, however, so maybe the dance expressed emotions about joys and difficulties in aging. It was mysterious – like a bullfight -- ritualized and very open to interpretation.

Annie and I ate lunch with Tom and Judy in the Prado restaurant. Afterward Judy, Annie and I walked over to the Reina Sofia to see the Guernica. It was electrifying – a powerful call to defy the dogs of war.

We also saw paintings by Miro and Juan Gris. I would like to spend much more time in both museums. Someday maybe we will return to Spain. At the time we took a cab back to the hotel.

Later Dwight, Linda, Annie and I went to a Rick Steves recommended tapas bar and restaurant. We found a table in the back. Annie and I had a cod dish.

After dinner Linda discovered a good ice cream shop and we wondered back to the hotel while she enjoyed her dessert.

View From The Elevator At The Modern Art Museum: Reina Sofia

Our Guide In Madrid

Jorge Buying Cookies At The Convent In Madrid

Our Guide Showing Us One Of The Most Important Places In The World - The Chocolateria - San Gines - Of Madrid

Riding Bikes To School

Tiled Outer Walls

Velasquez, Alfonse X, and Cervantes Decorate The Facade

Quiero Comprar

Quiero Comer

Quiero Beber

The next day we took a bus to Segovia. Segovia! We spent a morning there admiring the Roman aqueduct and the castle that I thought at first must have been erected for a Disney movie. I sat with Dwight in the Plaza Mayor. Charlie came up to us where we sat saying that Annie needed my credit card because she had maxed out hers. We had a good laugh. And we found out that Augustine is an avid surfer who had surfed on the beach near Dwight and Linda’s house in San Clemente.

A View Of The Aqueduct In Segovia

For lunch we ate roast-suckling pig. Annie and I sat with Rich and Claudia who are from Salem, Oregon. Claudia had been a teacher and Rich was a retired law professor at Willamette University. Like me Claudia spoke a little Spanish. The baby pig lunch was fun and memorable. Ramona who is a vegetarian was chosen to cut up the little baby pigs with a plate (a test to make sure they are cooked) and then required to break the plate, which she did by shattering it happily on the floor. Annie ate a crispy baby pig’s ear with enthusiasm.

Roasted Suckling Pig

Chocolate Y Churos

Back in Madrid Annie led me to the Chocolatería San Ginés for churros and chocolate. What a treat! From a nearby table Japanese tourists snapped our pictures and giggled. We scooped out the chocolate with the churros and stuffed ourselves. Afterward we were treated to a wine tasting and tapas near the royal palace. Augustine gave a talk about wine.