A day off the motorcycle to explore Madrid the third largest city in Europe.

With no riding an alternatice mode of transport was needed as our Hotel was well outside the main area of Madrid.

Greg's phone app had a Uber taxi arrive and eposit us at the railway station for about $24.

Then they joys of discovery how does this Metro work?

A ticket is first priority so with only vending machings we began and worked for a while until it clicked in order to purchase a ticket one must first acquire a ticket (Opal) type card. Once that was worked out it was a $5 combination metro ticket loaded onto the newly purchased $4 ticket card and down the stairs to the correct platform and a veru modern efficient train arrived clean and on time and took us one station!

We wondered why a local tried to get us off the train but it was going in the right direction. We sat. We returned to the original station. We returned back to that one stop up the line got off crossed platforms and we headed into the city all underground. A couple of station changes and we arrived at Sol the centrte well almost of Madrid Old City.

I soon found a nice cafe for breakfast as our hotel wasnt opening the restaurant as the day before was a bank holiday and today was May day holiday and well sucks the next day was also a Military Parade day.

I had two small sandwiches when I only wanted one but no the deal was two so luck for Greg one was Tuna and he was glad of it.

We saw the Red Bus Hop on Hop Off kiosk and approached. Hi mr & Mrs Tourist today is May Day so the buses only start at 3pm, and yes that's all the other companies City tour.

So we spotted many "Guides"standing in the square with signage Free Walking Tours. When was free last free we asked and were told the tour is free but we hope you will show your finacial appreciation at the end ( of the free tour).

We were tagged to an English speaking guide for the next two hours who showed us the four main squares, the cathedral, The Palace, Government building both present and past.

It was actually very interesting with "highlights"we would never have seen such as 100yrs of continuous business plagues set into the footpath. The oldest Watchmakers premises, Botins Cafe Officially the longest continuous restaurant in the Worls! Booking in peak summer maybe over 8 months in advance but at present on work days you maybe lucky and get a booking that night to try their suckling pig as the window states "Join in what Adam & Eve experience"That is not really how old it is.

We also saw the oldest barber as a prelude to Seville and enjoyed a couple of shop experiences without purchase pressue.

I must admit I did become the first to take up the opportunity at one cafe where outside a berry bush grew. From these berries a liquor is made and served in a waffle cone coate with chocolate. So drinkig become a matter not of haste but certainly not a drawn out affair. That's only half the experience you are also served fresh whipped cream and a conserve made from the berries that you fill the cone with and so to say safely ëat your glass". This whole experience less then $5.

The walking tour finished at a bar and yes the first drink was free then absolutely no oblligation to stay for more drinks or lunch.

We had seen a crepe shop during the walk and I was able to navigate back for a delightful crepe of strawberries and cream with a large Infusion cup (Earl Grey tea) with a refill)

It was remember May Day so we made our way back to the square to join with the many Police and the usual leftist (ABC,SBS,CNN etc) media to watch the usual "rent a crowd", Unemployables, professional never ending Uni Students and the officials of the Spanish Communist party offer solutions to help the workers gain more rights in a broke country by working less.

Come 3pm and the que for the Red Bus had grown beyond one full double decker coach load so we listened to the German Munich Bayern fans at a nearby by drinking spot as they lubicated their vocal cords before moving out to the stadium to watch their football team play the locals,Realmadrid. (it was a 2 all draw)

Our not one but two red Bus tours one being the Madrid Historical and the other Modern Madrid show many different types of architecture both for Federal buildings and for housing accommodation. We did pass the stadium also and the large number of photos in the album will let you miss a thousand words.

We did get off to visit the Madrid Cathedral and The Palace but alas my camera had cried fowl my battery is dead and the spare well it was back at the motel however you will see plenty.

We were intending to Uber back but the morning price of $35 had leaped to $80 and was flucating by the minute so we grabbed a Big Red Bus back to the square had a social drink on the pavement supper at a nearby restaurant and tried to educate the waiter a 19 yr old on his first day however the owner oversaw and we left contented except for Gre's raw hambuger meat after asking for iy to be well done in Spanish!

The train journey back was a little more crowded but still efficient and we remembered (Thanks Kerrie) the changes and survived a platform out of operation to eventually at the closest station to the Hotel secure a Uber this time for $10. Added to the fact that older people get a 55% discount on the Big Red Bus the day was well spent and inexpensive for such a major city.