Temperature 30• and climbing. We are in Madrid 10am. The hotel van picked us up from the airport which was good of them. We thought we were close by but no it was about a half hour journey and as we drove it seemed Madrid got bigger and bigger. The driver had an English radio station on so were entertained by Neil Diamond. Got to our room grabbed a map and headed out the door to explore. Gulp. Sign language and acting got really good. Made friends with a grandma and cute baby heading to the metro. My first taste of the underground. Half an hour on and we were in the middle of the city temperature rising. Our lack of sleep ( due to excitement and da thort of another adventure) was beginning to make itself known but we ignored our bodies. Had lunch - tapas - sooo sooo yummie Steve had a Russian salad and i choritzos even more yummie.
Our plan was to catch a tourist bus and see the major sights. Had already plotted our points of interest - the palace - the gardens - the parks. Temperature increasing and so was our water bottles. Took lots of photos.
The King of Spain's palace is incredibly BIG and so are the grounds. We sought shade to re-energise, others didnt they just slept and other's ran. We strolled round this huge area very intrigued. Mainly box hedging, conifers and magnolia trees all same coloured flower - cream - fountains and statues.
Jumped back on the bus and listened to the narrator for a while before heading for the gardens headphones are supplied and a dial allows for selection of multitude of languages) Temperature now 34• more water.
Also of note in Spain is the police presence and some were on horseback ( we felt we stepped back in time) and also saw the traders with their white sheets and goods for sale again on the run. We are wiser now ☺️ I did come across a headless suited man collecting money. He was sitting there on a chair, leg moving up and down and toe tapping away. I went to take his photo when he put his umbrella up to stop me. Hmmph. His head was in his shoulder