Madrid, September 2, 2018

On a map we saw that not far from our apartment is a park, and oh what a park it is. We thought it might be a good place for morning exercise on this Sunday morning. The walk there was nice taking us through the Lavapies neighborhood, past the Reina Sofia Contemporary Art Museum and the foot of the Estacion de Astocha (the big, fancy train station). Calle de Alfonzo XII is widely divided a tall sycamore tree lined, multi-lane boulevard that separates the Jardin de Botanica from Parque del Buen Retiro. Just a few blocks away to the west lies another huge divided, sycamore tree lined boulevard, the Paseo del Prada on which sits the entrance to the Botanical Gardens and the world famous Prado Museum. We had no idea that our exercise walk would take us near or through some of the very most famous areas of Madrid, and even all of Europe.

We saved the Botanical Gardens for another day and set ourselves out to walk El Retiro (Park of Pleasant Retreat). Wow, just wow! Everyone was out on this early Sunday morning, running, jogging or absentmindedly strolling while checking a smart phone. Mothers were pushing baby carriages, singles were walking their dogs and couples were walking arm in arm. We power-walked.

We felt accomplished in doing two important things at once. We got our blood pumping in the cool morning air and got to experience this expansive, lush green park filled with fountains and statues. The walks through the park are wide and paved with fine, soft gravel. Although the day was young, many people were already in the park doing what they were doing in respectful silence. The only sounds were soft murmurs of conversation, birds twittering in the trees and the crunch of the gravel as we walked or as a jogger passed by. We took in the fountains and examined statues and monuments. We found the dazzling, strikingly beautiful Crystal Palace. This domed and oval building of iron and glass was built in as an exquisite greenhouse as part of the 1887 Exposition of the Philippines, then a Spanish colonial possession. The beautiful structure is now used as an event hall and spot for unique, wonderful art exhibits.

We walked to the grand plaza and tall Monument to Alfonzo XII overlooking a reflecting lake. A collection of rowboats were moored on one end of the lake, probably ready for great use later in the day.

We were curious about Alfonzo and why he deserved such a stately remembrance. Alfonzo XII ruled Spain for only 11 years and died at the age of 27. As king he gave hopes for a stable constitutional monarchy and for most of his reign Spain enjoyed unaccustomed peace and tranquility. His monument is a colonnade showcasing an equestrian statue of the king in bronze and marble. Below it, stairs guarded by great lions lead the way to the lake.

The Alacala Gate, set at the Plaza of Independence just outside one of El Retiro's main entrances is so popular people stand in line to take photos - even on this early Sunday morning. The Gate is one of Madrid's five city gates and is the most famous. Built in 1778 it marked the eastern boundary of the city. Standing tall, its Neo-classical design features three large archways and two smaller rectangular passageways. Each of the archways is decorated with a lion's head. There are four statues on top, said to represent four cardinal virtue, prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude, valuable virtues even today. We believe we saw these same words carved into the base of the monument to Alfonzo XII.

Just out for exercise, we were rewarded with all this!

We spent the afternoon on the Hop On-Hop Off again, this time on the "modern" route. Primary on Stan's list was a stop at the Hard Rock Cafe hard rock café. Someday, we are going to make a count of how many he has accumulated. The noteworthy thing, however, is each represents a city he has visited and each was purchased at the Hard Rock Cafe in that city. He has guitar pins from cities across all of the United States and in the past few years he has collected pins from cities across the globe. Outside the café, we passed a first class fruiteria. In the stalls were heavenly figs, green ones and dark ones. Shoppers were not allowed to touch anything. There's no gentle squeezing to test ripeness. We bought two green ones and two darker ones. Heaven! Pure heaven!

Back on the bus, we passed and added to our to-do visiting the archeological museum with a replica of the Altamira cave drawings and City Town Hall.

We returned to our apartment around 4 but had tickets to a Flamenco performance at 6. I wanted to get there early to snag good seats. We showered up in record time and headed out the door to Cardamondo Flamenco, at Echegaray 15, Madrid . . . guess what, only a 15 walk away. Voila!

They seated us front row seats and the show was fantastic! We counted cultural dances in our minds . . we have seen hula & poi ball dances, African birthday dances, Argentine tangos, Thai finger dances, Parisian can-can, Irish folk dances, and Russian folk dances. Tonight's performance was exciting and entertaining and a little awe-inspiring. Seated only feet from us we could watch the intricate fingering of the Spanish guitar players pouring out rich moving music. The guitars were accompanied only by musicians clapping hands in perfect, complicated rhythm; a singer sang out passionate Spanish lyrics we could not understand, but could feel. The dancers! Oh, the dancers! One at a time, both men and women . . . performed their feelings and emotions of the day. In their dancing they reflected longing, hurt, anger, happiness and power! Castanets accented the dance performed by women in heavy heeled shoes and intimate, shapely ruffled and colorful dresses. The men tall in tight jeans, and fancy Spanish boots danced with fast-moving, complicated footwork and intricate clapping. This was an artistic, earthy, sensual and passionate, and LOUD performance.

Worked up, yes we were after the energetic Flamenco dancing. We just could not go back to the apartment and go to bed. We refilled some glasses and walked out to the plaza across the street, near the Metro Station . . . who knew this would be a gathering place??? But it was! We walked out our door, crossed the street and found the first open park bench. People were walking all about! There was amazing people watching. As we sat down, we could tell the family next to us was locals but what the heck, we tried to chat. They spoke about as much English as we can speak Spanish, but we communicated and truly liked each other. The lady kept saying "tourista, tourista!" and we kept saying "Si! Si!"

Then we met a group of three young people - two studying to be physicians the other one, already done with his studies, was probably the one footing the bill for the other two's evening drinks. We had a ball chatting and laughing with them and learning where they from. The young lady is from here in Madrid, one of the guys is from Italy and the other from London. How they all hooked up I don't know. They gave us their thoughts on where we might stay when we return to stay for 3 months to study the language. They also took the bottom half of our bottle of wine . . . our gift to them.