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4hr bus ride from Valencia to Madrid. Countryside is very dry but lovely sunflower fields, olive trees and lots of wind farms and solar panels. Someone threw something at our bus before we had even left valencia and it sashed the window, luckily 2 layers so the driver just smashed off the outer window and we continued on our merry way. Hotel Ganivet in Madrid, really centrally located so we wandered upto Plaza Mayor which is a large concrete plaza with restaurants and tourist shops. Later discovered that all plazas are going to be just concrete squares. Wanders to Puerta de Sol which is the hub of the city, many roaads meet here and the shopping starts.
FLAMENCO SHOW- Got really lost trying to find this place, got a taxi and he didnt speak English and had no idea where we needed to go. Eventually got there about 8.15 and they were expecting us from 730 so we had to really quickly eat dinner before the show which is a shame cos the food was yum. The show was in a room at the back of the restaurant, small round red tables. We had front row seats which was great. There were 2 male and 1 female dancers plus 2 singers and 2 gutarists. The singers were great, they really showed emotion. I had no idea that singing was so much a part as the dancing in Flamenco. The dancing was unreal, kinda like tap dancing with arm swing and 500 percent more emotion. They had such serious looks on their faces and seemed to be in their own world when performing. By half way through they were dripping wih sweat. It was a great show, a really top experience. On the way home we wandered to Puerta del Sol wih at 11.30pm is buzzing. A great street performer who was stopping traffic and mucking around with the passing traffic. Madrid definately comes alive at midnight and still so warm.
18/07
EL RASTRO MARKETS
Held every sunnday this marke is massssive. Standing at the top of one street there were markets as far as I could see plus into the side streets. They had everything from hippie clothes, suveniours, hardware, flea market and the list goes on. Really busy.
PRADO MUSEUM
The must see museum in Madrid that I skipped and Cass visited.
THE RETIRO PARK
Main park in Madrid it is massive with a large pond in the middle where you can hire row boats. Various buskers and street performers. Really hot day so i was a shade seeker. Hardly any grass and most parks are dry stone paths.
JOIN TOUR
Joined our tour tonight at Hotel Praga. Welcome plus dinner - first impressions.. old, old, youngish, old, old, youngish and tour director who did the whole presentation and welcome with his fly down.
19/07
TOLEDO
Took the optional tour to Toledo which is a town approx 1hr South of Madrid. It used to be the capital of Spain. It is an amazing old city on a small hill with magnificent old buildings, cobblestone roads and an old cathedral which was just stunning inside. It had tombs of preists, massive stained glass windows, gold decorations, massive organs. unfortunately we couldnt take any photos. ¨The most interesting and beautiful church i have ever seen. We did a walk through the old town and visited another chaple before a steel workshop which wasnt very interesting and then home.
BUS TOUR OF MADRID
This one was included with our trip, 2 hr tour around Madrid. Saw the toros bull arena, soccer staddium, new Madrid(office buildings), Palace. We got off at Plaza Mayor and headed to St Michales Market for Sangria with Michael, Peter and Adele from the tour (found the drinkers and partiers on the tour quick smart - not everyone was old, just first impressions :)) We then had dinner in Plaza Mayor, free pour vodkas here! (Pags they put you to shame :p)
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