Day Four-Madrid

 

Early in the morning, we boarded the train at the Alicante Train Station.

The train attendant wheeled a squeaky cart up and down the aisle, selling papers and espresso to passengers.

Two hours later, we arrived at the immense Madrid station. Armed policia were everywhere.

We walked down the street toward the marketplace and plazas, stopping at this charming cafe for breakfast.

We had the most delicious Spanish omelet and freshly baked bread.

The Madrid streets are unbelievable--beautiful old buildings and these lovely trees in full bloom.

Everywhere, there is something amazing to see.

Each shop was more amazing than the one seen before.

Street performers abound. We discovered this mime just putting on his makeup and costume.

Here's the finished product.

Each plaza was crowded with tourists and performers, all under the watchful eyes of armed guards.

This marketplace was very reminiscent of the Pike Place Market in Seattle.

Ham figures prominently in daily diets here.

At this stall, Ollie invested in a bag of meat, then bought bread and cheese at another stall to enjoy with our beer.

We visited an old Cathedral where a section was blocked off to accommodate a mass in progress.

The statuary and architecture were breathtaking

Our next stop was the Royal Palacio--immense, incredible, but no photography allowed after the entry.

Here's the one inside shot I was allowed to take--a view of the ceiling in an entry hall.

There are a multitude of statues and plaza throughout the city.

Here is Plaza Mayor.

The Tio Pepe sign became a navigational landmark for us.

We then walked to the Crystal Palace.

The turtles and pigeons happily co-exist.

There was a beautiful fountain in the middle of the lake.

It was delightful having pizza and cold beer while resting our tired feet at this little kiosk in Buen Retiro Park.