9-12 August
Sunday Flew to Chicago. Sat in a exit row and had SO MUCH LEG ROOM! Fully strethced out.
Long layover. Took an Uber out to the temple (grounds were closed…sad face) and to church.
It started pouring rain when I was there and the storm caused delays with my flight.
So after Ubering back I sat at the airport for like 5 hours. BOR. ING. But at least I was smart and put my feet up for some of it.
The flight to Madrid was uneventful because I slept through the whole thing! 🙂
Monday Got to Madrid just before noon. Made it to my hotel around 1. Checked in early and got settled. Cranked the AC in my room haha. Did NOT take a nap. I know how this jet lag thing works.
Walked out to the nearby mall and Carrefour (had a bocadillo, bought Maizena Espesante, Nocilla, and some other candy to try/take home). Ate dinner at my hotel from my spoils. Went to sleep by 10.
Tuesday Woke up at 3 am and almost couldn’t go back to sleep but I did it! Slept until 8:30 and I feel great! No jet lag!
Went everywhere today!!! Took a few buses and lots of metro trains. Walked so many kilometers 🙂
Russian Orthodox church
Temple of Debod. Random place for Egyptian ruins, but okay.
Cervantes statue with bronzes of Don Quixote and Pancho. They cooperated for a selfie 🙂
Started to get hot so I put off walking outdoors and went to the Prado.
Murrilo and Velasquez say hey.
Spain is so weird. There are no drinking fountains at the Prado. Their solution is to fill up water bottles in the bathroom. Good thing I brought Propel packets that disguise the taste.
Did a bunch of the museum and then took a break and had lunch at the cafe there. Delicious Spanish food, although the tortilla was too runny for me so I just ate around the outside. 🙂 Talked to Ada while I ate so delightful all around.
Spying on Murrilo and the pretty gardens from the window
Some favs. The not-dark Goya stuff is awesome.
Love this Murillo that features Joseph so prominently and seems so casual and natural.
All the El Greco, but I really love this one. Such expressive eyes.
You can’t convince me that Augustus isn’t gay.
I missed Impressionism so I decided to also visit the Thyssen.
Chagall is my absolute fav. Couple of cool ones that I hadn’t seen.
Beautiful sunflowers.
Not a gambler but I enjoy this cubist piece.
A really fun series of portraits where there are no faces, just silk wraps, hair, and greenery by Ewa Juszkiewicz.
Monet branches out and does roses 🙂
Headed out the the Madrid temple and did baptisms. Everyone was so friendly and helpful and no one looked down on me for not speaking Spanish well. The temple was closing soon so I didn’t get to shower…just had to change super fast to do the confirmations.
Catedral de la Almudena was next. Beautiful building right next to the Palacio Real. Very funky modern-ish stained glass.
Gardens of San Francisco…disappointingly unkempt and surrounded by graffiti…would not recommend.
Walked through lots of cute plazas and small streets. Including one called Calle de Madrid which you would expect to be some major thoroughfare, but was in fact this
Stopped at the Mercado de San Miguel for dinner. Got calamares, tortilla cubes in a cone, and incredible veggie paella.
More great taste moments at Chocolateria San Gines for churros y chocolate!
Ended the day at Puerto del Sol and a quick stop at El Corte Ingles for some magdalenas. Took the metro and a bus back to my hotel. So ready for sleep!
TaylorHaps 
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