Toledo

Toledo is the former capital city of Spain.  Philip II moved the captial to Madrid during the 16th century.  Toledo is an amazing medieval town situated in the region of Castilla-La Mancah (Where Don Quixote was from).  Robert and I had an amazing outing and learned a lot about the city.   

Amigos en Madrid

Both my friends Rob and Bill were in Madrid this weekend.  It was great seeing them and sharing time in this amazing city.  We visited several places and found ourselves in Plaza Santa Ana and had some Sangria, tapas, and vino.  Enjoy! 

Segovia

Almudena Cathedral, Madrid

The site of which the Almudena Cathedral now stands was the site of Madrid’s first mosque.  In the 16^th century, many years after the “Reconquista”, Philip II wanted to build a new cathedral in Madrid dedicated to Santa María de la Almudena.  The church was completed in 1993 (wow!) after centuries of disruption.  It is a beautiful cathedral and I recommend stopping by and taking pictures. 



Plaza Mayor

The Plaza Mayor is a gorgeous plaza in the center of Madrid.  In the past, it has served many functions that included bullfights, markets, soccer games, and public executions (most from the Spanish Inquisition).  Just like in most central squares around the world, there are restaurants, bars, cafes, and tourist shops.  There is even a Le Pain Quotidien from Belgium.  In my opinion try to avoid eating or drinking in the plaza... it is way over priced compared to other parts of the city.  

Parque del Buen Retiro

Parque del Buen Retiro (Park of the Pleasant Retreat) is the largest park in Madrid.  It used to be a park for the royal family but as of the 19th century it has been open to the public.  The park is massive consisting of 350 acres. 

Location:  The park is not far from the Prado Museum and it is also very close to the Puerta del Alcala. 

There was a book festival in the park when I was walking through today. 

Ávila

Ávila is a medieval Spanish town located in the region of Castilla y Leon.  Huge 1,000-year-old Romanesque walls enclose the entire old part of the city.   It was a nice place for me to get away, walk around, and take pictures.  I had an amazing lunch, which included water (beer break), Pato Confitado, and Sopa de Castilla.  I had the opportunity to visit the local cultural center, which included videos and artifacts from the area of Avila, which dated back 2,500 years ago. 

Casa Labra desde 1860

Last year I met a couple from Seville visiting Madrid.  They both loved the city and visited often.  We soon sparked up a friendship and they showed me around the city and introduced me to many places to eat.  One of those places was Casa Labra.  It is a favorite place for people to stop and “tapeo” after work.   Below is the link for their website, pictures,  and a video of inside the bar.  Jeff, I also included a picture of some bacalao (codfish) that I had at Casa Labra today.  Salud!  Here is the link for their website:  http://www.casalabra.es/

Wonderful Wednesday: Palacio Real de Madrid

The Palacio Real de Madrid is the official residence of the King of Spain (Juan Carlos).  However, the King and his family do not live here and the palace is currently  used for state ceremonies.  During certain days you can see the changing of the Royal Guard.  The cost for the tour is 8 euros.  I took the tour last September and really enjoyed seeing the amazing rooms and historical painting.  I have posted a video and some pictures for your enjoyment.  J 

"La Crisis"

La Puerta del Sol is one of my favorite areas of Madrid.  However, every hippie in Spain has occupied the entire square protesting the current political situation.  From what I am hearing from locals is that legitimate parties who were protesting the current government left weeks ago and those who remain are anarchist and hippies with no real complaint.  I took a stroll through the tent city yesterday and it smells of urine and of course marijuana.  La Policia and the La Guardia Civil have done nothing to stop them and from what the papers are saying they do not plan to remove them anytime soon.  That means local shops, independent musicians, and peddlers will suffer economically.