Great weekend in Madrid. We almost didn’t get there, Michelle was running late(!), but we did, and then we almost didn’t make it home we forgot our passports at the hotel(!), but thankfully after a mad dash back to town in a cab, and then return trip to the airport, we did. A couple of amateur travellers really….

We managed all three museums we had on our list, although I have to say by the time we got to the Prado we were pretty well art’ed out. My favorite in Madrid, or maybe even of anywhere, was the Thyssen. Such an amazing and complete collection we spent hours in there on our first day so we were nice and fresh and less tired than by the end of the trip when we got to the Prado. The Reina Sofia was also fabulous although the big reason to go apart from the Dali’s and Miro’s is Picasso’s Guernica, and unluckily for us it was not on view Saturday due to preparation for something to do with the French (of course!). Bummer! The Museo del Prado was as majestic as ever, we visited a temporary exhibition of Velazquez, worked our way through most of the Goya’s and by then with aching feet, and numb senses we retired to the cafeteria before heading to yet another tapas bar for some melt in the mouth Iberian ham and Rioja.

Other than that, we enjoyed our hip hotel, found some great wine & tapas bars (a couple of which we frequented several times), took advantage of the balmy sunny conditions and the 19 degree temperature by eating outside as often as possible, did a little Spanish designer shopping, and walked miles and miles and miles. Considering we were 8 people travelling together, it was extremely well planned and executed, what you would call a very successful weekend break.

I thought a lot about our trip this time last year with Roger to Seville, and as much as Madrid is a very hip and happening Spanish city, and one of Michelle’s favorites, I have to admit I prefer the smallness and intimacy of Seville and Cordoba…