Our first stop - Madrid, SpainEuropean Trip - May 16 & 17, 2002 |
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All Aboard! So we survived our first overnight train and arrived promptly in Madrid. Because of the wonderful guidance given by Rick Steves' amazing Europe guidebook, we knew exactly how to get down from the train station to the downtown, using just the subway and our legs. Madrid was a very cool city, and a nice one to really start our trip at. We managed to reserve a hotel relatively painlessly (compared to later in the trip) and were allowed to check in that morning. Hotel Regente, 4th floor corner room, is an amazing room, as you can see below. That first day, we cleaned up and began our walk around Madrid. We first visited the Prado art museum and the Retiro park before partaking in the wonderful Spanish thing known as a 'siesta'! Yea for siestas! Star Wars Episode II had just come out too, but we couldn't find a place that was playing it in English. So upon waking up 4 hours later, we went to Restaurante Puerto Rico, which was pretty good. Then the best part of Madrid, and one of the best parts of the whole trip, getting chocolate con churros!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh My God -- this is probably the most fattening thing, but it is without a doubt one of the best desserts ever. A huge cup of hot melted chocolate and a big plate of churros. And then at the place we got it, an opera singer also happened to be there and decided to belt out a number of arias. Very cool. Yes, a very cool way to begin our Europe trip. And this was just the first day. |
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Arriving in the sleeper car at Madrid |
Cutting out the sections Rick Steves doesn't have |
Me and Puerto del Sol |
Jason and Wendy there too |
Riding the Madrid subway |
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My X-Files Unruhe moment in the subway station |
Our hotel - our room was on the balcony curve |
View from the room |
Worshipping the good book - Rick Steves' Europe guide |
My head and the view from the room |
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Jason on the balcony |
Wendy enjoying the siesta |
Nighttime view of our hotel |
Absinthe and the middle finger |
I did NOT drink myself to sleep |
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Outside the Prado |
Jason and Wendy in front of the botanical gardens |
Wendy in front of Las Meninas |
Wendy in front of the Prado |
Me at the Retiro Park cafe |
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Me and the Retiro lake |
Me somewhere in the park |
Jason and me at the lake |
Looking at the ducks |
Where to go next? |
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Jason loves the park |
Wendy and Jason at the cafe |
Retiro park lake |
The Patio of the Devil |
Now we're having a good time |
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Wendy and the lake |
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The Reina Sofia museum (home of Picasso's Guernica) |
Jason and I chilling on Reina Sofia's steps |
Jason taking a picture |
Me and Wen |
Plaza Mayor |
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Jason the Alkie |
A buzzed Wendy and Hobie |
View #2 of the drunkards |
Hey, it's me in an alley near Plaza Mayor |
Jason too! |
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And Wendy |
Wendy at Plaza Mayor |
Ooooooooh, scary Hobie |
On our way to the palace |
Contemplative Hobie |
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The Royal Palace Cathedral |
Cathedral, again |
Inside the cathedral |
Europe's third largest palace |
No palace for you! |
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or you! |
Give it up already! |
Madrid Opera House |
Me and Jason at Plaza Santa Anna |
Plaza Santa Anna |
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Me and Jason |
Wendy and me |
Ah, a park siesta - another Spanish favorite |
The siesta |
The thing we have no idea what it was |
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The train platform heading to Barcelona |
Jason and Wendy outside the station |
and me too |
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Shoot me an email if
you have any comments! |
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