One day in Madrid

I decided to stay in a part of Madrid that I hadn’t been in for a while — near La Latina. It’s close to the plaza mayor and a little gritty. My hotel was a standard-issue Catalonia chain hotel in a beautiful old building. Nothing special, but the location I wanted.

I spent most of the morning wandering around, peeking in at the edges of the Rastro, the Sunday flea market turned junk fest, filled with scam artists and pickpockets. I very much enjoyed an hour in the Museo de San Isidro, located in a building on the spot where the patron saint of Madrid is said to have lived (the well where he miraculously revived his son is in the courtyard). But most of the museum is dedicated to the pre-history of Madrid— a wooly mammoth skull, artifacts from early settlements, some Roman mosaics, with timelines challenging my ability to comprehend.

Since it’s Sunday, public spaces are even more mobbed than usual. Finding a free table in a café to have an agua con gas was a challenge!

In the late afternoon, I walked over to the Retiro, an enormous park filled with gardens, statues, small lakes and thousands of madrileños. Wonderful way to spend the last few hours here.

Tomorrow I fly home, so this trip is done. I love Madrid!Read more