Ger’s unplanned trip to Madrid
 

Hello all:

Yes, I have only recently returned from a 17-day trip to Spain (from Bilbao to Toledo), but I can’t get enough of glorious Spain!

Since March of this year, I have been working on a very interesting and demanding project that was expected to continue till the end of November. Client decided to push for an early closure and we worked insane hours and managed to complete a couple of weeks early. So, I found myself ‘on the bench’, doing internal work and working from home – a rather pleasant change from the hectic schedule of the previous nine months, when I was away from home 3-4 days a week.

I had a thought! If I am working from home, could I not work from home at a different location? I floated the idea with the Partners, and they said go for it! I LOVE my company 😊.

I considered various venues. Madrid was high on the list, as although I had been there several times, even working on projects with Telefonica over several months, I had not been there for at least a decade, and I had fond memories of the spectacular museums. I also considered Nice and Malaga, mostly for the weather at this time of year. I finally decided on Madrid, as it would offer the right balance between maintaining my work ethic and providing entertaining distractions when I had free hours.

I quickly booked a flight on easyJet from Gatwick (£100 one-way) for Thursday 15th afternoon. I have travelled several times with easyJet and am perfectly satisfied. The website is excellent (better than many of the premium airlines). I choose to book seats in the front rows (about £25 extra) which I prefer as I am a nervous flyer and this also provides fast check-in and boarding and ability to bring both a roller and bag into the cabin. They provide various options for checked luggage (23/26/30 Kgs), which many airlines do not. Cabin crew are always delightful. I also have loyalty, as I have worked on two projects with them, and they are a rather fun and enthusiastic bunch.

Accommodation

I had already started investigating a week before, so I had identified some options. Hotel costs were outrageous, as November is a popular month for conferences in Madrid.

This trip was unanticipated and therefore unbudgeted, so it had to be done on the relative cheap, within reason, of course - I certainly did not consider staying in a student hostel! Therefore, I had to have a kitchen, so I could cook occasionally, and I had to have a working environment. I needed an apartment. I have not rented a holiday apartment on my own for years, so, to be candid, I was somewhat nervous at the prospect.

I set a budget of around £55 per night and did massive searches on Air B&B, and the places where I wanted to stay were way way over that – not surprising for booking so late. Then I had a brainwave. I had three free nights on Hotels.com and they also have apartments. I found a fantastic apartment at about £65 – £80 per night for the stay, but applying the three free nights, it worked out at around £55 per night.

The reality was as good as pictures, and I highly recommend this apartment. You could live here for a year. It has a comfortable double-bed and a pull-out couch, large screen TV, reliable WIFI, well stocked kitchen with dish washer and washing machine, large shower, separate toilet, dining area. Nice décor and spotlessly clean. It is located at the top of the Gran Via, which was not my first choice for location, but beggars can’t be choosers at this late date, and its not a problem, as Madrid is such a compact city, you are only ever about 20 minutes’ walk from anywhere. It is well worth the original price of £65-£80 per day, and far better value than a hotel at the same price point. Possible negatives, if I am being picky: It is on the second floor with no elevator, so anyone who has mobility problems might have a problem. It is an internal flat, so there is limited natural light at this time of year, but would be fine in the brighter months. Here is the link on their own website:

http://reservas.thecharmingconcept.com.icnea.net/establiment.aspx?h=1033&idi=3

Thursday 15th November

Flight from Gatwick to Madrid took off and arrived on time, and I took a taxi (fixed price 30 Euros) from the airport to the apartment (about 30 minutes). Texted the company that I was on my way and they confirmed that I would be met at the front door.

The guy was a 15 minutes late due to some confusion at the office, but there was good communication from the office regarding the problem. On check-in, I was asked for 30 Euros for apartment cleaning (on-line), which had been clearly described at time of booking. I also was asked for 200 Euros as a breakage deposit, again clearly described at time of booking. No surprises. As I said I was delighted with the apartment. It was a home away from home.

I emptied my carry-on and headed out to the local El Corte Ingles Supermarket in Plaza Callao, just 5 minutes walk away, to pick up some basics, like fabulous wine (Albariño and Ribera del Duero), eggs, milk-fed lamb chops, water, whatever I needed for the next few days. Oddly, it took me 30 seconds to find the wine section, and 10 minutes to find the milk! I appear to have an intrinsic radar device to locate the wine section in supermarkets.

I then took the elevator to the top of the building to see the extraordinary roof-top terrace (as recommended by Maristella), which provides a plethora of wining and dining experiences. It was buzzing. I had thought of grabbing something to eat, but I was not hungry and was quite tired. Highly recommend a visit for a glass of wine and a wander through the many interesting food outlets.

https://www.elcorteingles.es/centroscomerciales/en/eci/centros/centro-comercial-preciados-callao

As I said, I started out being somewhat nervous about renting an apartment on my own, with no support systems. By the evening, I was happily ensconced in my ‘home away from home’, munching on Jamón ibérico, drinking a glass of Ribera del Duero, half-watching an episode of Midsomer Murders on YouTube on the TV, while working on my laptop on my internal project. Exactly as I would be doing at home in London.

Once work was done that evening, I did some planning. I needed to deliver my regular working hours over seven days, and then fit in my fun hours. I decided that each day, I would wake early and put in a few hours and work every evening. Then on alternative days, I would either do the sights in the morning or afternoon, and alternatively work in the afternoon or morning. If I did the sights in the morning, I would have lunch out, and it I did the sights in the afternoon, I would have lunch at home.

As I was trying to contain the budget, I decide that I would exploit the “Menu del Dia” available in most Madrid restaurants, and found this site that provided me with delicious dining options at ridiculously low prices: Average of 15 Euros for lunch which generally includes a starter, mains, desert, water/wine/beer.

https://www.walksofspain.com/10-best-restaurants-madrid-lunch-less-15-euros/

I booked one of their selections on-line for lunch on Friday.

Next: Friday: A great cheap lunch and just wandering around Marvellous Madid

Looking forward to more.

Me too. Very interesting and informative,especially the food tour link. bookmarking this for my 2019 Spanish escapade. Thanks

You write the best trip reports!

Fantastic start to your report, Ger! I feel like I’m there, too. And great apartment- vey liveable.

Lucky you ..!
Madrid is a fab. city...,alway interesting to read about it.
unfortunately , for us across the pond, the airfare is a killer ...

I'm counting on you, Ger, to change my opinion of Madrid. I have never been a fan, though I love Spain.

Thanks guys. Update coming soon.

Mellan: I honestly specifically thought of you during this trip, as (from previous travel boards) I know you don't like Madrid. We have similar tastes, and what I will say to you is that anyone that loves art, architecture, food and kind and friendly people MUST love Madrid.

Madrid is simply marvellous! It is elegant, beautiful and vibrant and has the most extraordinary museums and parks. The people are polite and engaging, and always willing to help. I felt immediately at home, even though my Spanish skills are limited to greetings and menus.

What it lacks, is an ancient heritage, as, similar to Washington DC, it was a 'created' capital to unite the country. Like you, I prefer towns that date back to a more ancient legacy - Celtic, Roman, Visigoth.

As a food-lover, just check out the Menu del Dia above. You and Steve will be on the next train South :)

Regards Ger

Friday 16th November

I worked from early morning, and booked a late lunch at La Tragantua, a very tiny local restaurant, recommended by the above article, that packs a big punch. Highly recommended and book ahead.

http://latragantua.es/madrid/?lang=en

Menu del Dia: 15.50 Euro for starters, main course, desert, bread, glass of wine

Starter: Chick pea and Cod soup: Incredibly delicious. Its one of those dishes that you would never be bothered to cook for yourself, as it takes too long, and you would find it hard to get the ingredients

Main: Pork cheeks in Chocolate: I am not a chocolate lover at all, very unusual in my family, which makes me think I am a ‘foundling’. I have always wondered about this meat/chocolate Mexican combination and decided to try it. The smell of the chocolate was divine, and two of my sisters and a couple of friends would have gladly licked the chocolate off the pigs cheeks and stabbed me in the heart to take mine. It was delicious, but I just don’t appreciate the combination of chocolate and meat. First and last time for me. I scraped off the chocolate and enjoyed the pig’s cheek.

Desert: Pineapple – nicely refreshing.

Afternoon:

After lunch, I wandered around the Royal Palace area, but did not go in. All too short, but I had to get home to do some work!

Here are some photos:

https://qq0u.app.link/e/sMwAAOXLdS

I decided to book a Devour tour for Saturday evening, and chose the Tapas, Taverns & History Tour. I had done a similar tour in Seville in April, so I know I would not be disappointed.

Madrid Devour Tour

https://madridfoodtour.com/tours/tour/tapas-taverns-history-tour/

Wonderful photos, Ger. I see weather cooperated.

Saturday 17th November

Morning

Travel Logistics:

I picked up my travel card at the Callao station – easy peasy.

The machines communicate in many languages, and there are multi-lingual assistants around to help the digitally confused. Put your credit card in and it spits out a card: 2 Euros for the card and 12 Euros to populate 10 journeys on it and can be updated forever.

However, every major transportation artery in Madrid has been ripped up and is under construction. It’s a traffic nightmare! Generally, if you are mobile, you are better off walking than taking a bus or taxi from point A to B during rush hours.

The Metro is very clean, and staff are on hand to enthusiastically help you, even if they do not have a word of English, and you do not have a word of Spanish. I had an interesting encounter where the Metro guy pulled in assistance from the cleaner, who had very good English, to help me find my way!

Spanish good manners: the first of many similar encounters!


Museum Tickets

Let’s talk tickets for the major sites. Here is the link you need to review to decide on the tickets that work best for you:
https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-passes?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2 F

You also need to check out when museums are free, but be aware that they may be flooded on free days. Museum website provide information on free days. In general, Sunday appears to be free for most.

Personally, planning to be in Madrid for a week, and wanting to visit the two majors (Prado and Reina Sofia) at least twice, and most of the others, I bought the Annual State Museums, valid for one year - 36 Euros. From the website:

Annual State Museums Pass: with this card you can visit the following state museums as many times as you wish: Museum of Romanticism, National Museum of Anthropology, National Museum of Decorative Arts, Garment Museum, Cerralbo Museum, Museum of the Americas, National Archaeological Museum, Sorolla Museum, Prado Museum and the Reina Sofía Museum.

The pass is valid for one year from the date of purchase. You can buy it at the ticket office and start using it straight away, but it can't be purchased in advance and can only be collected on the day of your visit. To get into the museums, you must show your pass together with photographic ID (essential to prove that you are the pass holder). Price for 2018: 36,06€

For this museum pass, you need to have your passport to purchase at the first museum you enter, get the pass, and present your passport when want to enter other museums.

“
“ The documented history of Madrid dates to the 9th century, even though the area has been inhabited since the Stone Age. The Philip II moved his court there from Toledo in the 1560s. Madrid has been the country's capital continuously since 1606.”

Madrid had a history even before the unification of Spain ..

Unfortunately many visitors stay only around Sol , they never venture to Retiro and
elegant Salamanca district north of the park (or other upscale, residential leafy barrios.)

I bet most tourists are not aware that a river runs through parts of the city with some interesting
bridges (including beautiful Puente deToledo.) parks and sports facilities on the banks.

Saturday 17th November

Morning



Prado Museum

https://www.museodelprado.es/en

I was heady with anticipation at visiting the Prado again. It opens at 1000, and I was there at 0945 – almost first in line and bought my Annual State Museums Pass (remenber to bring your passport!). Just inside the entrance, to left and right, you can check your bags and coats.

The Prado is overwhelming, and I got palpitations at the joy of it. I specifically limited my time to 3 hours, as I know more than that would put me into ‘art overload’ and I would be beyond appreciating anything, and a fire hydrant would look like art.

You need to be selective in the Prado. There are magnificent works of art and, quite frankly, some very uninteresting shite for ME, all mixed together. The difference between Art and Shite is a personal taste.

I have appreciated art long enough to know what I like and don’t like. Each to his own, but I generally avoid the ‘still life’ of ‘dead partridge with vegetables’ genres and the royal portraits of very ugly in-breed retards that ruled Europe for centuries. Both are beautifully executed, but neither genres touch me in the least, so for ME it is not art. Its a personal taste, and different for everyone.

Study beforehand and identify the artists and works you love and seek them out. If time permits, try to do the Prado in 2-3 visits.

Saturday 17th November

Afternoon

After the Prado, I had lunch at La Mucca, chosen for its closeness to the Prado, rather than its menu.

https://www.lamuccacompany.com/



I had a pizza and glass of wine. Both were acceptable. The restaurant is very popular.



After lunch, I walked, Here are the photos:



https://qq0u.app.link/e/4s9ZNezYdS

I went back to the apartment to change and relax before the Devour tour that evening,, which was a highlight of the trip.

OK, Ger, I always take to heart what you do and experience and write about. We'll give Madrid another go....maybe next spring, after Greece. One certainly can't just flip by the art there, though I think that's what my idiot young person self did. . I must have just been too young and too stupid then. I will do a big erase of previous Madrid memories and give it another chance. It's just down the road now, after all. We have loved every minute that we have spent in Spain since we moved here, but it has all been in the Pays Basque and the Costa Brava.

When are you going to get yourself to the Perigord and visit with us?

Thank you very much for your very detail trip report, it is certainly very helpful.

Ger:
Your trip reports are always a great read. I like the way you "roll".

Saturday 17th November


Evening: The Devour Tour: Tapas, Taverns & History Tour

https://madridfoodtour.com/tours/tour/tapas-taverns-history-tour/



I highly recommend it! I had taken a similar tour in Seville in April.

Its not just about exploring the food and wine, it also about meeting up with fellow travellers that are passionate about the same things that you are: travel, food, wine and great company. I had a great bunch of Americans in my group that were so entertaining.

Better than that, our host, J, was from Dublin, my home town. His Dad was from Dublin and his Mammy was Spanish. He was brought up in Dublin and family moved back to Spain in his teens. He is a History teacher for 10-12 year olds, so a perfect host to explore the history of Madrid.



Typical conversation when Dubliners meet in foreign parts:

Me: Where area are you from?

J: I am from X neighbourhood
Me: I am from X neighbourhood! I am from Clon Avenue
J: OMG, I am from Bay Avenue (5 minutes walk from the house where I was born)
Me: My Daddy was born in Bay Avenue, 10 doors down from you lived!

Dublin is a village!

J was a brilliant host, and the other travellers were the kind of people you would be very happy to hook up with, any where.

We had a fantastic night. We went to four different establishments, where we had tapas and beverages, and in between, J entertained us with stories of the history of Madrid

I specifically recommend this tour for anyone who is on their own, as I was. This is a great introduction to Madrid and an opportunity to be in excellent company that has shared interests. Honestly, it is worth money!

Here are some very bad photos:



https://qq0u.app.link/e/iEYAKrX0gS

Sunday 18th November

Morning

I knew exactly where I wanted to be on Sunday Morning.

I love discovering new artists, and thanks to Maristella’s Madrid trip report, I discovered Sorolla:

Museo Sorolla

http://www.mecd.gob.es/msorolla/inicio.html

A beautiful house, full of light and delightful paintings. He lifted my heart.

It is free on Sunday, so get there at opening, or pay on other days.

Here are some photos:

https://qq0u.app.link/e/mGecuC23gS



Next: Lunch at Botin

Lunch at Botin

http://www.botin.es/en

It must be done!

The oldest restaurant in the world, and recommended by Matai Tom! How could I resist.
Book ahead for the weekend.

Yes, it is a bit of a tourist thing, and I was the only non-Japanese./Korean/Chinese person on that floor – I was an ethnic minority!

Its not the best food I had in Madrid, but what I had was very good. The pig was as good as I had had a few weeks previously in Segovia, and thankfully a smaller portion.

I took the 50 Euro menu, which I thought good value:·

• Starter: Castilian Garlic soup with a fried egg. I cook this myself, and its delicious·
• Main: Milk Fed Suckling pig. I love it! At the same time I experience such guilt, as its like eating a puppy·
• Desert: Ice cream·
• Beverages: Half bottle of wine and Half bottle of water

Afterwards, I very briefly visited the Mercado San Miguel, which is highly recommended for wine and tapas and fabulous deserts. Except on a Sunday afternoon, the entire population of Madrid is there. It was heaving with bodies, and I could barely breath, I panicked, as I can’t do crowds and noise, so I exited almost as soon as I entered.

However, it is a highlight.
http://mercadodesanmiguel.es/

I just wandered and enjoyed Madrid on a Sunday evening.
https://qq0u.app.link/e/KfUETKU8gS

Agree with Botin, not the greatest food in the world, but certainly not bad, and if you have the opportunity to visit the oldest restaurant in the world you gotta do it. And yes, if you don't like crowds, Mercado San Miguel is not the place to be. I did like, though. Loving the report, and I hope to get back to Madrid some day. (Garlic soup sounds good).

Botin was actually better than we expected, which was a very pleasant surprise. Lots of families and couples there enjoying lunch.

We went for the bragging rights about going to the oldest restaurant in the world, unfortunately, not had the occasion to brag about it so far :)

Great TR, Ger, thanks!

Thanks for the report!

I 'm happy to hear you enjoyed the Devour tour, as I'm planning to take a couple of their tours next year, in Seville and possibly in Madrid, too. You explained perfectly why food tours are so much fun. I try to do one on my first day in any city.

On Oct. visit to Madrid a friend wanted to go to Botin

We looked inside....full of tourists..nah
moved to Mercado ..also a lot of tourist , but great fun ( when not too crowded)

Monday 19th NovemberI worked from very early morning, had lunch at home and then headed to Reina Sofia for the entire afternoon.

Afternoon: Reina Sofia https://www.museoreinasofia.es/en

It is a temple to modern art, from the early 20th Century to now. I strongly recommend you not try to see the entire museum in one visit, as there is too much diversity. Limit your visit to 3-3.5 hours, and come back another day.

If you only have 3-3.5 hours, then concentrate your time on the 2nd floor, which contains the magnificent Guernica, and several galleries built around that theme. You will never see anything like this anywhere else in the world.


Third Floor

Not knowing this at the time … I started on the 3rd floor temporary exhibitions. There were two excellent exhibitions, and one that totally pi$$ed me off – of the “chair against a wall with a broken teacup and piece of string” variety (I kid you NOT!).

However, the temporary exhibition I visited was excellent. I highly recommend it:

Dorothea Tanning: I love finding new artists

https://www.museoreinasofia.es/en/exhibitions/dorothea-tanning


https://www.dorotheatanning.org/


Luigi Ghirri:

I briefly visited the Luigi Ghirri photography exhibition, and would have liked to spend more time: https://www.museoreinasofia.es/en/exhibitions/luigi-ghirri-map-and-territory


Second Floor:

I was there to see ONE painting which I saw as a child in a history book and it imprinted itself into my brain since the first time I saw it - Guernica.

On a trip to Paris this year, I visited the Picasso museum, where they had a temporary exhibition of various drawings and artefacts from Reina Sofia, but NOT the painting, as it is now too fragile to travel. His sketches were extraordinary, but nothing can prepare you for meeting the actual painting.

I am not ashamed to say that I wept, and I was not the only one. Like the Neolithic caves in the Dordogne, or the celling of the Sistine chapel, this is one of the most moving works of art you will ever experience. It is not only worth the entrance fee, it is worth the trip to Madrid. I visited it four times that day.

The surrounding galleries are also extraordinary. Again, if you only have half a day, go straight to the second floor and stay here for as long as it takes. It is the heart of the museum.

So, I left it at that point, as the day could not get any better.

Although you can take photos in most of the Reina Sofia, they are forbidden on Floor Two.

I had to attend a conference call at 1800, so I made my way to the restaurant, did the call, and had a glass of wine. Lovely restaurant, but expensive, relative to Madrid.

http://www.nubel.es/



Some photos from the day:

https://qq0u.app.link/e/Y5Tx7cnHiS

Tuesday 20th November

This day, I was touring in the morning and working in the afternoon.

Morning:

The Royal Palace is only 10 minutes walk from my apartment:

http://www.patrimonionacional.es/real-sitio/palacio-real-de-madrid



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Palace_of_Madrid



I was there by opening time at 1000, took the audio guide and set out. The Tour takes an hour.

Each to his own, as they say, but royal palaces are just NOT my thing. I live in London, and I have never visited Buck House or Windsor.

The decor is extraordinary, with wonderful artefacts, but is just SO remote from any degree of reality. It was a small elite with an excessive amount of money satisfying their dubious artistic tastes at the expense of the entire populace. Apparently, there are at least 3500 rooms, but no-one has managed to come up with an accurate count.

Like all palaces, it is vulgar in its excesses and the proletariat in me screamed ‘off with their heads’.

If you have limited time in Madrid, I would not be spending it here, as there are far more interesting things to see, but this is a very personal perspective, and I am sure many others will disagree!

I was a bit annoyed with myself that I had visited. I felt I had wasted a couple of hours and I should have known better.


As penance, I walked to Temple of Debod, which was not open (although it should have been), but you can enjoy it from the outside. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Debod

It is considered one of the top 10 things to see in Madrid. I was a tad underwhelmed, as I have been to Egypt. Yes, it is worth seeing if you are in the area. Combine it with a visit to the Cerralbo Museum, which I will talk about later.

I waked to the restaurant – Taberna Rayuela, recommended in:

https://www.walksofspain.com/10-best-restaurants-madrid-lunch-less-15-euros/



http://www.tabernarayuela.com/

Great local restaurant. Food was delicious. Menu del Dia was 17.50 Euros for starter, main, desert, wine and water.·

Starter was scrambled eggs with shrimp·
Main was delicious pork: Secreto Iberico·

Desert was Pineapple.

Pictures from the day:

https://qq0u.app.link/e/Cr2Tte9PiS

Besides the lunch, with was excellent, I did not consider this a great day.

Wednesday 21st November

Afternoon:

Thyssen-Bornemisza


https://www.museothyssen.org/

Of the three major museums, this is the one that is the least intimidating, most accessible and easily enjoyed, as all of the art is both important and attractive. You don’t need to know a lot about art to enjoy the gallery, as you will like what you see.

As an added bonus, there was an exhibition of Max Beckmann. Did not know about him, but want to know more.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Beckmann



Here are some photos of my favourites on the day:

https://qq0u.app.link/e/qyAWXc6RiS

We were a bit surprised at the condition of the Royal Palace. A guide said that the main and principal rooms are kept up, but there isn’t the money for much beyond that. We noticed paint peeling on the windows sills, not just in the odd spot, but all along the corridors. It left the impression of shabby gentility.

Loving this! I love Spain but it’s been probably 8 years since we were in Madrid. I remember it as being quite an elegant city and I’m happy to hear a good word for the Reina Sofia.

Our first day in madrid was an introduction to Spanish culture. At midnight the streets were still filled with families, young people and old people, all together and all having fun. We thought there must’ve been some special celebration but no it was just Friday night in Madrid.

The weather was perfect and we enjoyed sitting in the garden of the Royal Palace feeling the coolness coming off the cascading water in the fountains.

Good memories...

Hello all:



Thanks for following along. More later this evening.

Mellen: Glad I have convinced you! I was talking this weekend to a girl who had lived in Madrid for a few months working, after graduating University. From the UK, she had done her last year, studying Engineering, in Valladolid, not having all but the basics of Spanish – can you imagine? She also had difficulty taking to Madrid, although loving the rest of Spain. What would be the best route from UK to you – via Bordeaux? Previously, went through Brive on Cityjet, but no longer possible, as only Ryanair flies now – NEVER going to happen. Where are you going in Greece? Noever been, and its on my list.

Cafegoddess: Thanks for your kind comments 😊.



maitaitom & sugarmaple: Thanks for the feedback. Agree, the food was better than expected. Elsewhere in the restaurant, there were lots of Spaniards, but I was seated in the section where they had the English-speaking waiters, which was sensible.

Elberko: Second tour with Devour and both great experiences, both with the guides and the enyoyable company.

Danon: I had every intention of visiting the Market, but it was so full it was just unpleasant. Its in every travel article about one of the top ten things to do, so it will only get busier.

Sugarmaple: Interesting about the palace. It is no longer a royal residence and is used only for state occasions, so I guess they concentrate on keeping those rooms up.

Natylou: I found the crowds at night overwhelming – from babies to ancient grannies all out strolling. I live in London: Londoners sprint, while the population of Madrid stroll at a snail’s pace – I found it difficult.

Back soon.

We really liked the Thyssen-Bornemisza. We had the museum explained as "major works by minor artists and minor works by major artists." All your reporting really makes me want to go back to Spain. I might have a GinTonic for breakfast Thanks.

Ger, where would you be coming from? Dublin?

The easiest/most obvious is EasyJet into Bergerac, but Whatever Airline into Bordeaux or Toulouse works, too. Then you're just down the road on a nice train ride.

You can't pay me to fly Ryanair - GOD, I hate that airline!

We are targeting the Ionian Islands, followed by Turkey, for June next year. I have been all over Greece, but not for many years, and not the Ionian islands. Was focused on the Agean, which was fabulous.

Off to Morocco in 4 days - now there's a lovely destination:)!

Thursday 22nd November

I did a marathon the night before re work, so felt I could justify a few hours next day enjoying myself.

I planned a visit to the Cerralbo Museum (recommended by Martisella) and a walk around Retiro Park, as it was a lovely crisp, sunny autumn day, and lunch.

Morning:

Cerralbo Museum (2 hours)

http://www.mecd.gob.es/mcerralbo/home.html

From Wikipedia :The Museum Cerralbo houses the art and historical object collections of Enrique de Aguilera y Gamboa, 17th Marquis of Cerralbo.

From Wikipedia:The museum, which is housed in the former residence of its founder, opened in 1944. The building was built in the 19th century, according to Italian taste, and it was luxuriously decorated with baroque furniture, wall paintings and expensive chandeliers. It features an interesting collection of paintings, archaeology and furniture, including works by Jacopo Tintoretto, Jacopo Palma the Younger, El Greco, Ludovico Carracci, Alonso Cano, Zurbarán, Luis Paret and many more.

I adored it! I got there at 1000, and there were just a handful of visitors – the very helpful and pleasant staff outnumbered the visitors 3 to 1.

I highly recommend a visit. The contents are simply gob-smacking, as we say in Ireland – a marvelous collection, chosen with great knowledge, care and love. I find it so very pleasant to see decorative arts in-situ, as it was used and enjoyed on a daily basis, rather than in a sterile museum setting. Although there are English cards in each room, I recommend renting the audio guide.

Here are some photos of my walk there and the interiors. The photos do not do justice to the pieces. The palace would not be to my personal tastes to live in, mine being minimalist tastes, but you must admire its extraordinary artistry.

https://qq0u.app.link/e/DNB8r2VVlS



Parque del Buen Retiro (90 minutes)

https://www.esmadrid.com/informacion-turistica/parque-del-retiro
(click on the language icon to translate into English)

There are dozens of fabulous public parks in Madrid, and you could spend an entire week just visiting them alone, without ever stepping into an art gallery.

The Buen Retiro Park ( Park of the Pleasant Retreat) is one of the largest parks in Madrid. The park belonged to the Spanish Monarchy until the late 19th century, when it became a public park.

It was a great destination for a sunny, crisp autumn morning, and I wish I had had more time to explore.

Here are some photos, including lunch.

https://qq0u.app.link/e/BgUE9p0VlS



Lunch: Marina Ventura

https://arroceriaventura.com/

Another recommendation from the ‘Menu del Dia’ article posted above. BTW, as a foreigner, you often have to ask for the Menu del Dia, as although it is always published outside, they sometimes don’t offer it to you. Had dinned ‘a la carte’, this would have been an expensive lunch, as it is a very high-end restaurant.

Gorgeous restaurant with an amazing and expensive menu, but a with a relaxed and friendly service. It was packed at lunch on Friday, with the very well-heeled of Madrid.

Highly recommended for the Menu del Dia at 20 Euros for starter, mains, pudding, 2 glasses of wine (excellent selection) and bottle of water. Price in equivalent in London for a similar high-end restaurant – circa £60.

Starter: Garbanzo and cod soup – incredibly delicious and I would probably never cook this for myself

Main: Squid and rice – perfectly cooked and not rubbery

Pudding: WOW. I almost never have dessert, but the crème caramel was too divine to resist

Walked back to the apartment to do more work, to justify the opportunity to be in this great city.

Regards … Ger

Hi Mellen:

I would be coming from London, so lots of options. Like you, one of my options would NEVER be Ryanair. I wouldn't give the b**tard a penny of my money.

Enjoy Morocco. One of my pals sister owns a villa in the centre of Marrakesh, and has started a cooking school. We are thinking of planning a trip there soon.

I am planning my 2019 travel. I 'purchased' an extra month's holiday. So far, I am looking at Puglia and Croatia/Slovenia as the major Spring and Autumn trips, a week in Valencia with internet pals in Valencia for Las Fallas, long weekends in Milan, Paris, Lisbon. I just have to figure out how I can pay for them :)

Regards … Ger

Yes, well, that is always the dilemma, isn't it? Paying for stuff. What a pain.

If you care to share your Moroccan lady's cooking school info for Marrakech, I'm all ears.

Friday 23rd November

A very long morning of work, starting at 0600, and was finally released to have lunch in another of the ‘Menu del Dia’ restaurant recommendations.

Lunch: Vi-Cool: The Bar of Two-Michelin Star Sergi Arola:

http://vi-cool.com/en/home/

Their menu del día costs 13.90€ and covers 4 dishes but it doesn’t include a drink. With water and two glasses of wine, the bill came to about 20 Euros.

1st Starter: Delicious vegetable soup

2nd Starter: Spicy chicken wings, which I did not finish

Main: I chose the burger, as I had not had a burger in months. It was OK, but I could have chosen better I think. I don’t know why I order a burger, as I generally don’t like them

Dessert: Yogurt, fruit and grains. Very nice and fresh

Food was great, but maybe not quite as good as some of the other ‘Menu del Dia’ choices. However, and I progressed through each lunch, I was getting pickier.



Afternoon:

The Prado

https://www.museodelprado.es/en

I had not finished my tour of the Prado on the previous visit, and wanted to get back to see the basement, and a couple of special exhibitions. There was no line-up, so I picked my free ticket up – free because the Prado is celebrating its 200 year anniversary.

I started in the basement, which houses the older works. ·

The Hermitage of the Vera Cruz de Maderuelo, 12th century, beautifully recreated in a church-like setting. ·

Hermitage of San Baudelio, from the 11th century – wonderfully primitive·

Massive amounts of religious paintings from 11th – 16th century, most of excellent quality, but it is a whole days visit to appreciate it all·

Hieronymus Bosch’s most terrifying and nightmarish works – they are SO modern. Clearly Dali just copied him. Don’t miss this room. ·

The Northerners – small, but excellent: Lucas Cranach, Durer - both favourites of mine. Self-portrait of Durer reveals he was quite gorgeous!·

Roman statuary


The basement is a bit of mixture of great and awful art (IMHO).


There are a lot of galleries in the basement for which I have no real affection or interest. The portraits of ugly in-bred royals in gorgeous gowns and jewels are of no interest to me whatsoever. Neither are those later 18th century allegorical and religious massive canvases. SO I just sailed through them.

The problem with the Prado is that if they shipped some of their less interesting works abroad, people would line up for hours to see them, but in-situ, they are competing against some heavy-weights.

That day, there were two temporary exhibitions of interest:


Bartolomé Bermejo: Ends 27th January 2019

Bartolomé Bermejo (c. 1440 – c.1501) was a Spanish painter who adopted Flemish painting techniques and conventions.

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/whats-on/exhibition/bartolome-bermejo/66e35a1d-77bc-aca0-bab3-6788bd54672f

Weill worth the price of admission itself. Magnificent pieces. Beautiful and unique artistry, way ahead of his time.


Museo del Prado 1819-2019: Ends 3rd October 2018

https://www.museodelprado.es/en/whats-on/exhibition/museo-del-prado-1819-2019-a-place-of-memory/6df80b37-1c62-a301-8718-8348f7a81de6

A celebration of 200 years of the Prado. Very interesting and well worth seeing. It contains some of the Prado’s first purchases, and charts its history, and the effects of politics and social pressures during those years.

It was a great day, but I broke my own rule of the 3-hour gallery visit and was beyond knackered at the end of this visit.

It was a lovey evening to walk home to the apartment, open a bottle of wine, watch vacuous TV on YouTube, and think about what I wanted to do on Saturday and Sunday.

Regards … Ger

Glad you mentioned Cerralbo..It was recommended to me by friends who live in Madrid
What a splendid place.
It was not busy when I went, I started talking to one of the staff..he was eager to tell me a bit of gossip...The Marquis married a woman twice his age when he was 27.
She was a very wealthy widow whose son was C’s best friend
The family ( including the lady’s daughter ) traveled all over Europe, collected art and enjoying
their riches. Cerralbo had nine siblings, but decided to leave his house to the city.
He never remarried after his wife died. His friend remained single .
Sometimes it pays to speak the language.

Saturday 24th November

First port of call was the Descalzas Reales Monastery (recommended by Maristella, who’s recent trip report was an inspiration for most of the best destinations on this trip – many thanks Maristella 😊. Highly recommended as planning source.). It opens at 10, and I got there at 0945, to be sure of getting in. Tickets can only be booked on the day for guided tours in Spanish and tour times vary depending on the day, so get the early to plan your tour.

http://www.patrimonionacional.es/real-sitio/monasterio-de-las-descalzas-reales


From Wikipedia:

The Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, literally the "Monastery of the Royal Barefooted", resides in the former palace of Emperor Charles V and Empress Isabel of Portugal. Their daughter, Joanna of Austria, founded this convent of nuns of the Poor Clare order in 1559.

Throughout the remainder of the 16th century and into the 17th century, the convent attracted young widowed or spinster noblewomen. Each woman brought with her a dowry. The riches quickly piled up, and the convent became one of the richest convents in all of Europe. Tomás Luis de Victoria, Spain's finest Renaissance composer, worked at the convent from 1587 to the end of his life in 1611.

Today the monastery houses only a few nuns, and the site is a well-visited national monument. The noblewomen's dowries were often invested into relics and their bejeweled exhibition pieces. Among the many relics on display are putatively pieces from Christ's cross and the bones of Saint Sebastian. Among the priceless art masterpieces are Titian's Caesar's Money, tapestries woven to designs by Rubens, and works by Hans de Beken and Brueghel the Elder.

The museum collection also includes such rarities as portraits of royal children of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from the late 16th century, referring to Polish–Spanish relations that inspired Calderón's La vida es sueño. Portraits of the son and daughter of King Sigismund of Poland were painted by Martin Kober in 1596 and were sent as a gift to King Philip III of Spain.

There were approximately 25 on the tour, Predominently Spanish, with a couple of Germans and Swedish.



The treasures are plentiful and stunning, and I considered it a highlight of the trip. Here are some of the many treasures:

The main staircase: An exuberant display of murals and trompe d’oeil

The Choir: Gorgeous gold alter with a very pretty statue of a young Mary. The polychrome Mater Dolorosa (Mother of Sorrows) will make you weep, the tears glistening in her eyes as she watches her son ensure his ignominious fate

The Upper Cloister: Such treasures in cabinets line the walls

Two extraordinary paintings, among many: The Tribute money by Titian and the Face of a nun, Madrid school

The hall of the tapestries: Cartoons designed by Reubens and woven in Brussels


Photos are strictly forbidden, so I took the following photos from the book (in English) I bought at the entrance:

https://qq0u.app.link/e/pofPRVbAnS



I doubly highly recommend this magnificent place. As tours are in Spanish (not sure if they offer English tours during high season), I would suggest you drop by a few days before, buy the book, study up before you go, and bring it with you on the day.


Shopping

I wandered to the main Cortes de Ingles and found some delightful Spanish-designed dresses for my grand-nieces at 30% off in the Black Friday sale (Desigual - https://www.desigual.com/en_GB) . I received the very best service from the delightful staff. Clearly, I was a ‘foreigner’, and in very broken English they steered me to the first floor, where I could pick up a tourist discount card which gave me and additional 10% off the purchase, which could be used on future purchases for a period of three days (used it later to by a dress for another grand-niece). Amazing! In London, you are lucky to find a sulky salesperson in a department store.

One of my sisters adores gloves and gave me a shopping list of colours to by her for Christmas. I had found this tiny store the day before on Calle Huertas, in business since 1896 and selling directly from the factory - Santacana. That day, everything was 30% off, so I scored another winner.

http://www.santacana.es/en/


I had booked the restaurant at the Palacio de Bellas Artes for lunch, recommended by the about ‘Menu del Dia article (however, Menu del Dia is not available on the weekends) for 1200, as it was the only time available.

However, it was not to be.

http://lapeceradelcirculo.com/menu/

Next: A change of lunch plans and the Archaeology Museum.

Lunch

I arrived at Palacio de Bellas Artes for lunch at noon. I was a bit surprised when I booked it that they served lunch at noon – very unusual in Spain.

It turned out that it was BRUNCH at the breakfast tables and certainly not the dining experience I was hoping for. Anyway, I bloody hate brunch – make up your mind, its one or the other. To me, brunch is just an excuse for restaurants to charge outrageous prices for a couple of eggs and a bit of bacon.

I was now in a quandary, as it is not easy to get a find a good restaurant in Spain on a Saturday for lunch it you have not booked ahead. I tried The Fork, and there was little available in the centre, except Indian restaurants. I called the sister restaurant of Marina Ventura, an Argentinian steak house - Restaurante La Cabaña Argentina, but they had nothing available.

I decided to make my way to that area, around Calle del Prado, as there are loads of great restaurants in the surrounding streets. At 1230, nothing was open yet, but staff were preparing. I popped into the Restaurante La Cabaña Argentina, just in case. The staff could fit me in at 1330, if I gave the table back at 1500.

Excellent! I had a lovely walk through the area for an hour and arrived back at La Cabaña Argentina at 1330, where I was shown to my table.

Restaurante La Cabaña Argentina https://lacabanaargentina.com/

Choice was easy: Rib-eye steak, medium rare, with a mountain of chips, half bottle of good Crianza and a litre of water. No starter or dessert, as the steak was enough to feed a family of four, and it was the smallest one. The steak was just perfect - I didn’t think I could get through it, but I did! To be fair, I only have a steak once every 2-3 months or so, as I never eat it at home.

Bill was 40 Euros, one of the more expensive meals, but worth it.

Next: The Archaeological Museum

Am loving this report. I studied aboad in Madrid many years ago and returned with my husband a few years ago. It was better than I remembered! I studied at the International Institute and rememebered the Sorolla museum, which is some ways reminds me of the Rodin. We visited that and the gardens and mansion are as remembered. We also used Maribel's guides for most of our dinners (and a few lunches) and the places near Retiro that she recommended were casual, fantastic and reasonable. Keep it coming!!