Prado

🚧🏗️🚧UNDER CONSTRUCTION 🚧
(but getting closer)

We amazed ourselves by waking up at 11:30- guess we needed that sleep!

Our room was equipped with a small kitchen: fridge, an electric stovetop with 2 burners, a microwave, sink, and plenty of cups, plates, utensils, and a saucepan or 2. But how to turn on a burner so we could heat water to make some coffee? Fortunately, the housekeeping lady was in the hall outside, so we asked her. She in turn contacted someone else who demonstrated it for us.
We enjoyed a late continental breakfast of coffee, enhanced by bread & other leftovers from the Cervecería and purchases from last evening.

Meanwhile, the conclave in Rome was underway! We turned on the TV to catch the coverage; it was clear that by that time there had already been 2 votes, resulting in black smoke.

We hung out in the room, trying to download the app for our 5:30 Prado audio tour. Mine wouldn't download at all- Pat's downloaded - more on that later.

We walked to the Prado- about a 15 minute walk, and were quite early, so decided to stroll around the building. On the other side was the Royal Botanical Garden- €1 each for "viejas". So worth it! We saw lots of irises, including what Laurie dubbed the Hokie irises, and some other like-colored flowers. There was a vegetable garden, complete with a scarecrow!

At our scheduled arrival time, we entered the museum and went to the audio desk to see if they could help. Turns out we booked with a third party- so not their problem. Pat tried to activate her app, which wanted her to purchase something to establish and account. No go. I sent an email requesting a refund of the difference between entry fee and what we'd paid. We'll see what kind of review they earn.

We took off on our own. There was a special El Greco exhibit that included "The Assumption" from the Art Institute in Chicago.

We saw a lot of other El Greco works in his gallery, and proceeded to Velázquez, where we spent a lot of time. When I visited Pat with Mom & Dad in '74, my favorite painting was of Prince Baltasar Carlos on a horse. He was probably 5 or 6 in the painting. I remember thinking, I will probably never see it again. And there it was. Photos aren't allowed, so the posted picture is from Internet. I got to see it again.

The wonder of the cellphone and internet - as we walked through the Velázquez gallery, we were able to piece together the family of Philip IV (father of the young prince), which we need to learn much more about. It rivals the Borgias!

About that time, we were ushered out- it being 8 pm. We sat outside for awhile, and I started receiving texts about the newly-elected Pope - he's from Chicago! Then it was time for something to eat. We noticed a cafetería across the street- but along the way was a sweet shop- "Turrons Vicens" (est. 1775). The young lady at the entrance was giving samples, and it worked. We got some snacks for future enjoyment before proceeding to the Restaurante Prado. Sangría, tapas, and pizza with Los Borrachos (having just seen the original in the Prado).

Afterwards a walk back to the hotel, past the illuminated Post Office and Cibeles Fountain.Read more