Madrid

On the way back to France, we made an overnight stop at Madrid. We had all been there before so we did not make any real sightseeing or museum visits … nor did we have the time.

Here are few illustrations of what we saw and did. The top picture is of course from Plaza Mayor, where also this charming flamenco dancer performed.

A few photos from around Puerta del Sol, some typical fans – “abanicos” - in a shop window and the crowd in the adjacent crowded street, Calle Preciados.

… and some from a tapas bar and (this time) from the outside of the famous restaurant “Sobrino de Botin”, pretending to be oldest restaurant in the world (from 1725), still in operation*. Hemingway was here also – of course – and refers to it in his “The Sun Also Rises”.

*/ “La Couronne” at Rouen pretends the same thing and was established in 1345, some 85 years before Joan of Arc was burnt on the place in front of it. Of course, real restaurants hardly existed before the late 18th century; you could rather talk about taverns, or just a place to eat, no menu available.

Sorry, but we did not buy any ham… although they are excellent!

Finally, these pictures from the road. You can still see the famous “Osborne” bulls around, but now all in black. The windmills of Don Quixote (Don Quijote) have been replaced by wind turbines.

(You may wish to refer to my previous holiday posts – Bilbao, Salamanca, Lisbon, Sintra – Cabo da Roca – Cascais, Sesimbra.)