Madrid

Madrid is 3 million people, and we are staying in the center, which means travelling with our bags on the crowded metro.  Here as in the other cities we have been in you would never know that Spain is struggling to come back from a serious recession – everyone is well dressed, and young people shop all day and drink all night.  There is a 25% youth unemployment rate, but they live with their parents.   

We went for a walking tour including the palace and the main square, which has housed many events over the centuries including the hanging or burning of thousands during the Inquisition. 

I visited the Museo del Prado, one of the most important art museums in the world, where I spent three hours just searching out the “masterpieces”.  All have stories of the art and artist beside.  Some of the paintings are the size of a wall, and took years to complete.  One of the most represented artists is Goya, who painted dark and disturbing scenes on the walls of his home, and those have been lifted from the walls and displayed here.

I finally left the Prado, and discovered another world famous private art collection, the Thyssen museum, that happened to be free that day, so I raced through that one but I’m cultured out for the day.  I got lost and found the Gran Via, lined with massive centuries old government buildings, and came across a military ceremony guarded by half a dozen secret service people, where a gun was fired and for a second I wondered if there had been an execution. 

Last night in Madrid but I return here at the end of the trip in another 10 days or so.