We went via cab to Barcelona-Sants for our train ride, which was pleasant and featured a half-empty cabin for most of the ride. The landscape between the two cities is quite lovely in most parts. As we didn’t get in until 4 pm, we were not settled until a little later, and only managed to grab dinner at El Madroño, a delicious little restaurant with some pleasant outside seating. Our host in Madrid is the Hotel Posada del Dragon, a four star establishment with a restaurant on the ground floor nestled on the Calle de la Baja just south of the Plaza Mayor.
Here we munched on padron peppers and manchego before I dived into a shrimp and avocado salad. The owner was very kind and brought us some extras, like fries and chicken drippings (phenomenal), as well as licor de madroño, served in a small chocolate-covered cone. Absolutely delicious stuff, and the perfect end to a travel day.
Laura and I’s first full day in Madrid was fraught with swift temperature changes first and foremost, with the day starting at 62 and peaking at 91. Tomorrow is pretty similar but things slow down a bit after that. We began our morning with a walk to the Parque del Retiro, a frankly breathtaking, magical place. Kind of like Central Park, but the foliage seemed better, the light of the sun twinkling beneath shaded paths.
We spent much of the early afternoon at the Museo El Prado, an institution devoted to primarily Spanish masters such as Goya. No photos were allowed, so we didn’t get much worth sharing, but it is a neat place to visit.
El Prado is also home to Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights, among other well-known pieces. Goya was talented sure, but seemed like a uniquely miserable guy. El Bosco on the other hand allowed himself to have some fun with it before depicting the fiery pits of hell. Pretty impressive that a dude from Netherlands gets a sweet nickname in Spain.
And then, yes dear reader, another round of laundry. We opted for a spot near the hotel and indulged in some top tier Mexican cuisine across the street at Sahuaro. The tacos were absolutely delicious, particularly the yucateco and guerrero tacos. The ice cream wasn’t half-bad either.
Tomorrow starts off a couple jam-packed days which should prove to be a bit more photo-heavy.