Our morning alarm was jackhammers on the busy street corner – Good Morning Madrid! At 8:15am Hannah and I were dressed and eating our included breakfast from Metropol. Robert joined us midway through, for which we were glad. I like making new friends ;) Breakfast consisted of:
- coolers of coffee and whole milk
- coco puffs that looked like fish bowl pebbles
- mini corn flakes
- warm whole milk for cereal
- crispy round bread and jam spreads
- and a mountain of packaged pastries which we stuffed for a snack later
Our daily adventures began at the Royal Palace, again, and we didn’t need a guide thanks to our Rick Steves study the previous afternoon. Inside the palace it was drop dead gorgeous! We tried to hold our composure as we passed magnificent chandeliers (at least 37), intricate carvings on walls and furniture, antiqued sculptures, and fingerprints of ancient royalties. We kept finding rooms to explore on our way out, including the impressive armory and brilliant kitchen/doctors quarters. I HIGHLY recommend a visit to the Palacio Real if you are ever near or in Madrid – coool!
Our feet and stomachs began to protest afterwards, so we found a shady spot under the bridge amongst the birds to have a “merienda” (snack). Afterwards we meandered in and out of shops on our way across town to a restaurant recommended by our Spanish professor. We found the little pirate pub “Maceiras” near the Prado on Calle Huertas (if you care to know). Quaint, under the sea theme, well-priced, watch your purse!
The 33 acres of Retiro Park proved to be a perfect place to rest after a hearty lunch. We strolled to the center in search of “servicios, aseos, baños” alongside a gorgeous lake with paddleboats. Spotted some cute boys tan from the beach amongst all the little kids. Hannah and I found a bench near a glass palace house to read and get some shut-eye. The two boys ended up at the bench next to us! Hannah wasn’t comfortable on the wooden, bird poo-splattered bench, so we moved to the grass. After a bit, the boys strolled over “to see if we had been to the Prado.” They were 24 yrs old from Argentina, different accents, one could salsa (so he said), really chill. We four talked for like an hour sharing Spain experiences and sharing pictures and stories. It was nothing sketchy like we think in America, just four 20-somethings relating their lives for a moment, and then we continue with our lives. I held my own throughout the Spanlish interchange, a “broma” (joke) here or there.
It was 5pm and time to find a train or bus to Toledo for the night. We had not bought our ticket, which turned out to be a bit messy and unlike the easy, line-less stations of Seville. After a bit of confusion and panic, a blonde Spanish man (married, looked German) in line helped us find where to go. We waited in line with him for a while making small talk until we got 2 tickets 20 minutes before the train left! (Divine Timing) The RENFE train was comfortable until my seat buddy was a thick smoker, however the ride was only 30 minutes.
!HOLY TOLEDO! First impression: hottt (42C, 105F) and lots of castle walls. Toledo was a former capital of Spain – like most cities were at one time. The government declared Toledo city a national monument, therefore no modern additions are possible. Shame, because I wish they could pave the roads or something. Everything is uphill to the city center. A taxi driver laughed when he dropped us off at Hotel Diamantista saying that it was a hike to the center…great. However, the Hotel was by the Rio Tajo where old men went fishing with their dogs in the late afternoon. This location had its positives and negatives.
The receptionist came out in what looked like his pajamas, but he swore that they were not. It was a very tranquil place, no hot water, big beds, poor air conditioning, and a tv where we watched “Carlos y la Fábrica de Chocolate.” After checking in we took a bus to the Plaza Zocodover and were greeted by a drum circle with about 15 guys and girls of all ages rocking out on their jimbe drums – tight!
We explored the buildings and got a dose of ancient architecture by sunset. Rick Steves told us to try to get lost and it was nearly impossible since we just went down to get to our hotel. Oh, the route for Don Quixote was marked alongside the road as we searched for a dinner place. We asked an 80+ yr old couple where to grab a bite around town and they told us the directions about 3 times, so thrilled to be talking to American girl. Oh, the old people here are precious and incredibly helpful. Hannah and I on our first night in Toledo ate Greek lamb wraps and cherished our lemon Fantas with unusually massive ice cubes in the glass.
In our hotel that night we found a few surprises. Cold water and no cold air. We tinkered with the air and started smelling something burning so we left it alone. Opening the window was a logical idea until we realized that the lamp outside our window attracted little green river bugs that wanted to snuggle up with us in bed. In the end we went to be sweating and woke up in quite the same humid heat.
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