Ole Madrid!

The palace in Madrid. Most of the pictures will be a bit gray I'm afraid...
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Osa - Madrid left us pretty breathless. It is a bustling and exciting city which never seems to sleep even when it is pouring rain.....and it rained most of the time we were there. A great (and refreshing) change from Portugal was the noticeably more pleasant disposition of the locals. People were always eager to help and direct and laughed at Korak's never ending humour- that's always a good sign. Madrid, like most cities in Europe, has a historical section and a more modern section. We focused our explorations mainly on the historical part. We did manage to visit one museum, La Reina Sophia where we admired (not appreciated as we are both quite artistically retarded) the works of Salvador Dali, Joan Miro and Picasso (the best of 20th century Spanish artists). By the time we are done with Europe we may actually know the difference between Renaissance and Impressionist art.

This statue sits in the center of the "Major Square" in Madrid. This square was the historical meeting point for major announcements and events and continues to be today.
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Korak - It is hard explain the difference between Madrid and Lisbon.  They both had narrow streets, cobblestones, similar architecture, etc.  Somehow Madrid just had more enthusiasm and energy.  More smiling in the streets, more jokes between people waiting in line, and a bit more organized.  We also managed to spend a good afternoon in the city of Toledo about an hour from Madrid.  A significant part of the city sits on top of a hill within the original walls and fortifications put in place in the medieval period.  There are only a few places wide enough for cars to maneuver and it is a bit like stepping through a time-portal if you can manage to ignore the other tourists and fashionably attired locals.  It is also a great place to buy swords, armor, and old-style pistols.