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  • Day 10

    A Lovely (hot) Madrid Day

    September 1, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    We both had quite a reasonable sleep last night...I took a pill as by actual bedtime I felt quite perky (as you do with a 9 hour time change) and Amr had a phenergan as he is still coughing and it seems to help, and also induces sleepiness. So we set off, had our favourite breakfast - me a fresh OJ, pastry and coffee, he the OJ, coffee and churros. We go to a nearby special churros cafe, where you see them being made freshly, and they are so fresh they are too hot to eat at first....yum for Amr, I just have a nibble!

    I was too spaced last night to comment on the ambience of Madrid. We haven’t been here before quite as into summer (though it is September 1 today, and I hope it settles into autumn soon!)...and it is HOT. The app said it would reach 35° today, and it probably did. It was 33° when we were having dinner around 8.30pm! But it is dry heat, and almost bearable in the shade, if you are not exerting yourself! But apart from the heat, there is still a summer vibe - people relaxed everywhere, not looking dressed to kill, just having fun. Today is Saturday, so probably even more relaxed. Anyway, it is a Madrid we haven’t seen before. And it also is lovely to feel familiar with the central maze of streets...the buildings are so beautiful...only rarely is there a 50s monstrosity!

    Anyway we met Omnia at 10 having breakfasted, and solved the heat by going to the Prado. (Actually in the morning the temperature is quite moderate, only hot by mid to late afternoon)....So we had a lovely time there, finding the works of Goya, Velasquez, El Greco and all the wonderful things....they said Caravaggio but we found only one small one...likewise Rembrandt!!! But who can complain about the Prado!!

    After that we had a little break, and regrouped at 4.30 and Amr introduced Omnia to his churroseria as she hadn’t experienced them - another pleasant air-conditioned break. Then we had a wander, in the heat but keeping in the shade as much as possible, down the Gran Via, to the Jardines de Sabatini and past the Royal Palace where we may (Amr and I) go tomorrow afternoon for a visit inside. Omnia leaves about midday to get a plane back home, and she has already “done” the Palace.

    By this time it was almost ok for dinner time! Restaurants don’t serve dinner before 8 pm, but tapas is all day....it was about 7.30 and we knew a place in Plaza Angel (diagonally adjacent to Plaza Santa Ana) where we wanted to go. Omnia said she didn’t want to come to Spain and not have paella, and we knew it was on their list. It was a perfect place, and a perfect time. We could people watch the constant parade, but not excessively crowded, the sun was finally thinking of setting (Spain is on main European time, but should really geographically be with the UK...consequently the sun rises later and sets later here). So we sat and drank lots trying to rehydrate, and had our favourite tapas of pimientos padron, baby squid a la plancha, and calamari, while waiting for the seafood paella....yum...

    Now back in our room, and hoping our bodies know it is nighttime! (I may take half a pill to make sure!).
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