Spain: Madrid - One More Day

By Saturday we had pretty much done and seen everything that we wanted to see in Madrid with one exception.  We had yet to visit the LDS Temple in Madrid.  Saturday was the one and only free day on the whole trip, so that is what we did with it - we went to the temple!

It took some work to find the temple, but after a long walk, and a few rides on the metro, we finally found it!  We left early, but by the time we got there it was much later.

The Madrid Temple is more contemporary and simple in style than other temples.  I thought it was strikingly beautiful, and the cypress and olive trees we so appropriate.

We had a wonderful experience in the temple.  This temple serves people not only from all of Spain, but from Portugal and parts of France and Italy as well, so everything is done in many languages which I found very interesting.  The session we happened to be in was full, and happened to be in Spanish so Dennis was able to understand, but I had to wear earphones.

I loved that they had all-white Spanish fans for the ladies who were a little warm.  They really do use those fans in Spain.  All the women carry them with them everywhere and flip them open when they get a little warm.  Why don't we do that here instead of finding the nearest piece of paper?

We were so glad that we used our only free day to visit the temple!  It was wonderful.

We took the subway back, but decided to get off a few stops from our hotel so that we could explore part of the city that we hadn't seen yet.

This is Retrio Park, Madrid's answer to Central Park in NYC.  It was huge and just beautiful!

There was a large lake in the middle surrounding a large monument.  People were everywhere, rowing boats on the lake and enjoying the beautiful fall day.

I could see why the park was such a popular place.  I thought these little ones walking their dogs were just too sweet.  There were street performers everywhere, like this "midget" with the large backpack.

A area of the park with more formal gardens was near the Prado.  So pretty.

Out a different fancy gate and back into the busy city near our hotel.

After stopping at our hotel to change our clothes, we decided we needed one last taste of Madrid - there was one thing I was dying to try ever since I had heard of it, but it could only be found in a little shop, which is kind of a trick to find, so we decided to go on the hunt.

But we got distracted once again by the bakery we always walk past near our hotel...

the one with the rotating window display.

This time we couldn't resist and had to indulge.  We shared a pestino which is Spanish for heavenly fried honey goodness!  Why didn't we stop in earlier in the week?

The statue of the bear and the strawberry tree is revered as the symbol for the city of Madrid, don't ask me why.

We kept looking for our destination.  I knew it was behind St Gines church, near a used book shop.  Ooo, I think we are getting closer!

In an alley tucked behind the book shop we found what we were looking for - the Chocolateria San Gines!  This is not your typical chocolate shop.  They only serve one thing here, something I was super excited about.  We placed our order...

and found a tiny cafe table in this pretty little alley and watched the world go by as we waited.

Here it comes!  Oh happy day!

Churros and chocolate!!! It is a Spanish speciality, and I had been wanting all week to try it here.  Spanish churros are smaller than Mexican churros with no cinnamon sugar on them.  But it is the chocolate that is so amazing here!  It is rich hot chocolate only a thick as pudding!  The churros are dipped in the the thick rich chocolate!  It is truly heaven!

I was so bummed that we discovered this place on the last day rather than the first day, because I would have totally come here every day if I could have!  It really was that heavenly!  We bought a bag of the chocolate mix to bring home for the boys.  It cost a ton, but the thought of saying goodbye and never having that chocolate again was too much for me.

A bit more exploring and a few more souvenirs to shop for.

We were told that this Kukuxumusu shop was the place to get fun t-shirts in Spain.  They had some cute cartoony shirts, though most of them were pretty crude, even x-rated - even some of the kid ones!  We found a few tame ones for the boys, though.

One final stop in the Plaza Mayor, just to say goodbye to the crazies.

Our last walk through the streets of Madrid and all of the silly street performers.  By far the most annoying of all were the babies!  Grown men dressed up like babies left alone in strollers.  They would cry like babies with the most annoying crying that you wanted to toss them a few coins just to shut them up, but you also didn't want to for fear you'd just be encouraging them.  I am NOT going to miss those babies!

Back at the hotel Dennis took a siesta while I pulled out my watercolors and painted the pretty rooftop, mosaic, and window of the building across the street, high above the busy streets of Madrid while listening to the glockenspiel bells playing.

What a great way to spend our last day in Spain!

Spain: Only in Spain!

After our delightful day in Segovia, we had a nice little siesta, then headed downstairs to do some more exploring of the city.  Just as we came out of the hotel, this van happened to drive up and 3 finely costumed gentlemen got out.  It took us only a second to realize these were the real deal - matadors!  Of course, this is Spain.  What else would they be?
Everyone had been talking about the big bull fight that night.  It was the last one of the season and one of the best bullfighters in the world was going to be there.  People in our group had be scrambling to find tickets because it was sold out.  We had no plans to go to the bull fight, but it was pretty darn exciting to see the matadors themselves.
Their costumes were beautiful - so intricately embellished!  They must cost a fortune.  And of course I loved the pink socks!

The matadors hopped out of the van quickly and made a dash into the hotel like they were rock stars avoiding the paparazzi.  But since we were guests at the hotel, we followed them inside.

The three of them just waited in the lobby for a while.  I knew from reading Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, that traditionally, matadors go to a hotel to get ready for the bull fight because it is bad luck for them to get dressed at home.  We were told by some of the folks at the hotel that these were the lower matadors that were trying to work their way to the top.  They were like assistants to the main matador, and would get in there and distract the bulls and such.  The lower matadors usually have their suits decorated in silver, where the main matadors are blinged out in gold.  These guys were here waiting the big star matador who was getting ready upstairs.  They traditionally come to the hotel and escort the matador to the bull ring.

Now it was interesting watching these guys as they paced the floor.  They were serious as a heart attack, and you could cut the tension with a knife.  Apparently getting in front of a two ton angry bull is no laughing matter and these guys were really trying to get in the zone and ignore the gawking American tourists.  Nobody dared ask for a photograph.

That is why I was horrified when Dennis decided to try to get a little closer. He snuck over behind them and was kind of hiding behind that spiky little plant, touching the leaves like he was totally interested in that tree and completely oblivious that there were three matadors standing there.  It was hilarious!  I was mortified.  Finally he pops out from behind the plant so he is standing right next to the guy, who is completely ignoring him, and wants me to take his picture!  Look at the stupid smile on Dennis' face!  Too funny.

The other two matadors, who are apparently not stupid, saw what Dennis was doing and gave in and offered to take a picture with him, just to get rid of him, I'm sure.  So of course, I handed my camera off to someone and jumped in the picture myself! I think this picture is hilarious.  We are the happy tourists and they are just so serious and it is pretty obvious that having their picture taken with these two fools is just about the last thing in the world they want to do at that moment.

And of course, as soon as we got our picture, all the other Americans had to jump in and get their pictures taken too!  Poor guys.

They were saved only by this.  The main matador, all decked out in red and gold came hurrying through the lobby with his entourage like some kind of mega rock star.  He was in and out and into the van so quick that I could hardly get a picture, and the other matadors were right with him.  Off to the bull fights!  It was pretty exciting and we felt so lucky to have happened to be there just at the right moment, even if we did make fools of ourselves.

Only in Spain!

I kept thinking about that matador that night, hoping he was safe.  I later heard that a matador got gored that night.  Hope it wasn't true.

After our fun little adventure with the matadors, we decided to go exploring some more.  We were happy as clams to find a pressed penny machine for Derek.  We had assumed there would be none in Spain since they don't use pennies there, but sure enough they had a pressed Euro machine! Cool.
A restaurant had decorated their walls and ceilings with intricate Spanish hair combs, mantillas.  I thought it was beautiful.

Colorful street vendors where you can buy flamenco and bull fighter posters custom block printed with your name. Fun.

Only in Spain!

Someone pointed is in the direction of an antique flea market that ran the length of one narrow street.  It was just so awesome!

I love this kind of thing!  Dennis and the other couple we were with weren't so interested, but this was right down my alley, so they were kind enough to humor me with a walk through it.

 Up above they had hung open white umbrellas as a kind of canopy over the street.  I thought that was just so fun!

Old globes, silverware, vintage prints, and everything cool you could think of lined the narrow street under pretty canopies and white umbrellas.  Everything was displayed so eye-catchingly!

I really loved the pillows make from ticking, and that rocking horse.

I wish I could have taken it all home, but at least I got to shop with my eyes, and take some of it home with my camera.


I did take home something, though - a wood block print letter "V" from the basket above.  Dennis didn't get it, but I just had to leave with something, right?  I was happy.

What a treat!  I'm so glad we ran across that place.

Around the corner we ran into something else very fun.  A flamenco store where the flamenco dancers come to get their chunky heeled noisy shoes and flouncy dresses.

I LOVED the window display!

Oh how I wish I could have gotten a pair of those, though I doubt they would have anything in my size - except maybe in mens.

Only in Spain!

We found our way back to our favorite people watching spot, the Plaza Mayor where we sat for a while under the umbrellas and sipped Schwepps Limon and watched all the craziness.

We especially liked the fat Spiderman who was willing to take pictures with folks, for a few Euros, of course. And the meat shop with the bull heads lined up on the wall.

Only in Spain!

After getting our fill of crazy people watching we made our way into the Mercado San Miguel, the beautiful covered food market that we had seen many times from the outside, but had never had a chance to go inside.

It was awesome!  Busy, crowded, and filled with all kinds of the most beautiful and mouthwatering foods!

Hot, freshly fried potato chips (we had some of those!) and gigantic pans of bright yellow paella.

In the meat booth there were tons of tasty jamon of course and every kind of sausage you could think of.

Small chorizo looked like fingers in their little paper sleeves.

Only in Spain!

And then there were the nuts and pastries, of course.  Brightly colored macaroons,

Fluffy, delicate meringues,

And cookies of every shape.

There was also ice cream, Italian gelato, to be precise.

Everything was beautiful and looked mouthwatering!

There was also a flower booth that reminded me of the flower markets in Paris. Delightful!  Only this one had a selection of pretty hand painted fans.

Only in Spain!

We walked a little further and found this colorful little candy store that was just something to behold with its long Italian licorice strands and gummies in every shape and size.

Rainbow swirled suckers and pacifier lollypops.  It was every kid's dream, which is why Dennis loved it so much.  Like a kid in a candy store.

We couldn't help ourselves.  We bought our boys the plate of various large gummies on the bottom right.  They got quite a kick out of it.

Of course, we deserved a treat too, so we found another gelato place and got a few double-deckers.

The gelato was amazing - as good as anything we have had in Italy. Unfortunately, you can not find good gelato in the States, which is why it is crucial that you go to Europe as often as possible.  I was so happy to have my gelato fix!

A fun little cookie shop where you chose your cookies and then choose a darling tin to put them in.  The cookies were delicious (free samples) and the tins were just adorable, but both were a bit pricey, so we didn't get any.

Finally, we made our way back to the Puerte del Sol.  This was Friday night, and this place was crazy busy!  Street performers were everywhere!  Here are some Guatemalan acrobatic dancers, and there is a Mexican mariachi band.

I could NOT believe how many people there were there!  This was about 11o'clock at night and the streets were PACKED!  No wonder they call this the Times Square of Madrid!  Just look at all those people.

Only in Spain!