Spain and Morocco 2015

Days 1 and 2 

¡Hola

Being in the big city of Madrid has meant being on the go all day and part of the night.  We are literally in the center of this big city and also in the middle of country.  Here are 3 of the 4 of the travel companions with one foot on the plaque marking the center of the Spain.  

BTW - Click on pictures if you wish to enlarge them!!

The weather is a little warm and we are adjusting to the 8 hour time change, so during the beginning of the journey, we travel by double-decker open top bus where they provide tours.  It’s a great vehicle for seeing a lot . . . and also a good place for a quick siesta. 

Our hotel location is also near much of the historic parts of Madrid such as the Palacio Real (Royal Palace).  

I’ve been thinking some of the new houses are big in St. George.  The Royal Palace has 2800 rooms.   The decor in each of the 24 rooms would be the subject of a coffee table book.  

The view from some of the 2800 rooms would be of the Almudena Cathedral, conveniently located next-door for the King and Queen.

We discovered that we could view an entire Egyptian Temple relocated to Madrid.  It seemed weird, but 50 years ago, the Egyptians dammed up the Nile River and moved the ancient ruins that were to be inundated.  

The Temple of Demod probably does not ring any bells for you, but they have the whole temple, and the historical interpretation was very good.  

There are many art museums in Spain thanks to having so many famous painters over many centuries.  I’m not a Picasso fan but always find something that catches my eye.  Usually the museums don’t allow photography, but this sculpture worked for me.  Look closely and you'll see this from a butcher's perspective.

Our first days have been hectic but fun.   They are memorable already and we’ve just started the journey!