After a "slight" detour, we are back on the road. As promised, we will continue to update the travel journal and share our journey with you. Unfortunately, due to the economic crisis (aka our budget) we were in Madrid for only 3 nights (no sign of any bailout plan either). We decided to explore the city on foot and adored the hidden quaint streets along the main roads. In one of the corners off Calle Mayor was a chocolatier which served chocolate con churros. The churros were hot and fluffy and the chocolate was rich and creamy. With a cup of coffee, we turned it into an early meal followed by delicious gelato.
During one of our many walks through Parque Del Buen Retiro, we came upon a lake that was surrounded by people laying on the grass as if it were a beach. We joined them for our first of many siestas! It was one of our favorite moments in Madrid, especially since it was followed by people watching. There was a couple furiously groping each other, two spoiled brats who couldn't be bothered by reality, a couple girls who used their dog to start conversations with boys, and a charming little picnic amongst friends after work.
Despite our quick stay in Madrid, we made a trip out to see Museo Taurino. The arena where many bullfights take place. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to see one. We walked through the stadium with a guide who explained all the different stages of a bullfight. It was interesting to see where the bulls were kept, where the toreros were carried out by the crowds, and of course where the first aid was.
Sadly, the day came when we had to leave Madrid. To avoid being tourists, we decided on an authentic breakfast (or so we thought). Brett got a omelette with potatoes which was quite good. However, Grish's vegetarian sandwich turned out to be two slices of untoasted bread with lettuce, mounds of mayo, some kind of smelly vegetable stalks, and egg. Needless to say, we ordered an extra croissant. It was funny to see what a vegetable sandwich meant in Madrid. Every other meal we ate in Madrid was tasty. We also tried an Argentinian place where Brett savoured a perfectly cooked imported steak. There was nothing added to it, the meat was oh so flavorful. Also, we ate at a vegan/vegetarian place called Yerbabuena. The menu was a cacophony of vegetables and spices (half of which we had never heard), but it tasted fantastic.
I know we say that we were charmed by a lot of cities but its hard not to be by Madrid. The people are friendly, the food is good, the deserts are excellent, and the weather is beautiful. Madrid possesses the quintessential European feel that we had to walk so far and long to find in other cities. Our interactions with the natives always left us warm. There seems to be genuineness in the culture that is difficult to explain and probably better experienced first hand.
|  | 
|
