Hola Madrid !

The World Famous Museo Del Prado

From the last views of the Moroccan coast

To the first views of rainy Spanish towns

So there wasn’t much to report for Monday, as I left my hotel in the early morning to go to the airport, caught my flight to Madrid, and finally arrived and settled into my hotel room.  The flight was easy, and coming into España through customs was a breeze. It took a while for my bag to show up (I shouldn’t have checked it), and then there was a longer-than-expected wait for the hotel bus. 

Once I arrived at the Marriott Auditorium Hotel, almost three hours after landing, everything was great. The room is perfectly adequate, and there is a terrific Bonvoy lounge on my third floor, which provides food and beverages (Sangria on tap) almost all day long.

Tuesday morning dawned cloudy, but at least the rain had stopped. My plan was to head into Madrid on my own, using public transportation, and then ride the hop-on, hop-off bus as listed in the Rick Steves Madrid guide. The hotel posted directions for getting into the city, so I was all set to try it on my own. 


I crossed the highway on the pedestrian bridge and caught the bus without a problem. The fare was two euros. There were no seats available, as it was quite crowded, and the traffic was very heavy, which slowed down the transport time. At least a third of the people on the bus were getting off at the Canillejas (can-uh-LAY-us) Metro station, so it was easy to make my exit. I was able to purchase a transporte card and add four rides to it at the machine in the station, whisk through the gates, and soon found myself on board the train heading for downtown Madrid, keeping a close eye on the names of the stops. I left the train when it arrived at Callao and made my way to street level. 






Google Maps pointed me toward the Puerta del Sol, where I hoped to catch the tour bus. Oops! The hop-on, hop-off bus went out of business, according to the girl running the kiosk, but there was a city tour bus (actually three different ones) that covered both the same routes. Just no getting on or off. She sold me the needed ticket and I headed for the Museo del Prado, about a fifteen-minute hike, where both the “Historic Madrid” and the “Modern Madrid” tours board.  


Puerta del Sol


Because it was there waiting, I got on the modern tour bus first, and then the historic tour bus second. Most of the photos are from one bus or the other, but I focused mostly on monuments, statues, and other points of general interest. 

Madrid Scenes:


The National Bibliotech (Library)


Home of the Real Madrid FC








Miguel de Cervantes of Don Quixote de La Mancha

Francisco Goya, famous Spanish 18th century artist




Christoper Columbus is still a hero here. 


Jambon (ham) “Musee”





Now Playing


Neptune, of course

One of two lions guarding the entrance to Parliament

Busy, busy streets



A churro with an AMAZING pure chocolate dip is the last stop on my tour for today.


Basically, Madrid is just another really big, pleasant city with lots of people, lots of traffic, and lots of history. Everyone is very friendly, and many try to be helpful when one appears lost, hesitant, or confused. Shopkeepers and restaurateurs are eager to get you inside, but are not really pushy. It’s really nice to be able to walk around, hear the wide variety of languages being spoken, and just be relaxed and enjoying the day (and staying alert for pickpockets).

Tomorrow: Another trip into the city if the weather permits. (The forecast isn’t great.) I hope to hit a museum or two. 

Adios until then. 

NEXT: Time to Head Home

Previous Post: Au Revoir, Maroc

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