3 Hours In Madrid

What does a gal do with her last 3 hours on a sunny morning in Madrid? Well, she grabs a quick bite to go with her espresso (in her Rodarte for Target tshirt and Banana Republic cashmere cardigan)… at a hip, light-filled restaurant… that looks out at the Puerta de Alcalá : Then on a caffeine high she speedwalks to …

Holy Toledo, Batman!

What a difference a day makes. Whereas it was pouring yesterday, the sun is brilliant this morning as I walk to the Atocha train station to catch my ride to Toledo: You can buy tickets online well ahead of time as some routes do sell out quickly, especially during high season and if you do not get a pre-assigned seat, …

A Spanish Dunkin’ Donut

Remember the  Belgian churro I had at the Christmas market in Bruges? It was more like a sweet snack. In Spain, however, the churro is a bland pastry to be dunked in your breakfast hot chocolate, like what he’s doing here…you might say it’s a Spanish dunkin’ donut. On my first full morning in Madrid I have to go find …

Madrid At Night

From the palace I am heading toward the Gran Vía, which is Madrid’s version of Broadway in NYC. On this street there are large shopping centers, movie theaters, hotels, and countless entertainment venues (I walk by the production of Spamalot). To get there, it is a long but fun walk across countless small squares– including the Plaza de Isabel II, …

A Square In The Shape Of A Rectangle

Behind the arch in yesterday’s last photo is the famous Plaza Mayor, a large public square in the shape of a rectangle, measuring 129m x 94m, in the middle of Madrid’s historic center: Surrounding the square are three-story residences with some 237 balconies facing the square. There are 9 entrances into the square: The first photo in today’s entry is …