Madrid and the wrap-up.

Writing my final Greece/Spain travel blog makes the end of our trip feel o-fficial.  Combine this with my gifted-ness in the art of procrastination, and you end up with the Madrid blog post almost two-months since our departure.

Le sigh. So it goes in the land of writer's block and woolgathering.

{bullfighting ring with Sarah!}

Even though much time has lapsed -- our time in Madrid still stands our clearly in my mind.  We arrived on Friday evening and met up with my friend, Sarah, who spent her summer in Madrid interning and working on some really cool independent projects on the side.  

Sarah set the bar for Madrid high, taking us to this fantastic Chinese place. It was attached to a parking lot (?!) underneath the Plaza de España, and it was awesome.  I knew it was going to be good when the place was packed out at 8pm (a very early dinner time in Spain).  We wound down the evening with a stroll to the Royal Palace, National Cathedral, and Plaza Mayor.

Saturday (and Sunday) we had breakfast at a churro place Sarah recommended (that was fabulous).  We spent the weekend touring the city. A highlight was the visit to the Museo Nacional El Prado, where we got to see Goya's Las Meninas.  (The experience was augmented by having seen Picasso's study of the work at the Picasso museum in Barcelona.)  

Sarah also spent a good chunk of the weekend showing us all over the city -- we saw the bullfighting ring, went to see the Temple of Debod (an Egyptian temple rebuilt in Madrid).  The temple grounds boasted an awesome view of the city, as well as a great fountain to dip one's toes in and cool off during a hot afternoon.  We also partook in vino tintos (and for Mom, a Dr. Pepper!) on a rooftop bar.  Plus, we ventured into a huge and bustling Sunday market -- where I finally caved and purchased these pants that are strangely popular all over Europe.  (Charlie calls them my 'MCHammer pants.'  The purchase was meant to be ironic/grounded in 90's nostalgia -- but it turns out the pants are actually really comfortable.)

Monday we toured the Royal Palace - which is still the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family (although it is really only used for state ceremonies).  The palace was incredible - one room was done up in floor-to-ceiling with ornate, porcelain decor.  Another room was converted into a 1920s-esque wooden billiards space (and in doing so they just, you know - covered an old fresco with wood paneling to make sure the room fit the theme.  Because, who needs that classical, beautiful fresco when you have a dozen others scattered throughout the public half of your city-home?)

Then we went into the Almudena Cathedral.  (Sidenote -- from personal experience and through conversations with friends - I've discovered the "Although it's ridiculous when you say it aloud -- after a while all the cathedrals start looking alike"  seems to be a quiet, but universally shared, experience. And this sentiment was pretty much my take on cathedrals by this juncture of the trip.)

But alas, the Almudena Cathedral had pleasant surprises tucked away everywhere.  The cathedral wasn't finished until 1994 -- and thus the interior is uniquely modern.  Touring this cathedral was an "a-ha!" moment of sorts, as I found myself reflecting on how much I'd under-appreciated all the previous cathedrals I'd seen that were decorated in the more traditional gothic and neo-classical styles.  I was drawn to this cathedral (same went with the Sagrada Familia), which was decorated in a more contemporary style.  (This led me to deeper reflections on how the practices and structures of faith morph across time and culture to be more palpable and approachable, but let's save that for a rainy day.)

{be still, my beating heart.}

Anyway. The Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral, each in their own majesty, were just a small taste of the greatness of the day.  We spent that afternoon at The Reina Sofia. Again, I had a complete lack of expectations for the museum (my limited knowledge was that it housed Picasso's Guernica), and thus my experience superseded everything I had anticipated.  The best part was in approaching the museum -- and discovering that the museum was hosting a special Dalí exhibit.  (Ellie: say helllllo to that feeling you get on Christmas morning!)

If you ever go to Spain, carve out a solid half-day for the Reina Sofia, and at least thirty minutes to take in Guernica.  What was most interesting for me was the juxtaposition of the hugeness of Guernica with the smallness of The Persistence of Memory, a painting I've been waiting my whole life to see. Words are lacking to capture everything I absorbed in that museum (kind of the point of art, huh?).  And so, as the Reina Sofia was the last stop of our trip - I will simply wind down this post with Barb and Ellie's finds from the Dalí exhibit:

a) 

 The lobster telephone, which my Mom (who spent a portion of her childhood in Maine) loved.

b)  This, tripped-out but awesome, collaboration between Dalí and Disney.

And so ended the trip of a lifetime.  Thanks to my partner (in crime?!), brother, grandparents, cousins, fellow-friend travelers, aunt and uncle, Barb,  Thomas,  and countless others who made it possible.  And thanks most of all to my mom, a world traveler, endurer of endless flights, navigator of narrow and bustling streets, and co-reveler in the simple beauty of all-things-new.