Today we have nothing planned. Which means we will be walking far to do very little followed by a nice meal. I am thinking of booking a nighttime (ghost) tour. We have done them before and they can be great fun. I found one and it’s cheap. I like cheap.
For now , I was up at 815 and ready by 845. Everyone else was in bed still. But I don’t pull up the rear of the party. By 1015 I left and bought breakfast tickets and headed up to the terrace for food. Everyone else joined one by one in various states of disarray. I ended up sitting there till 1115 or so. Hey, no plans, remember?
I have just returned to the room, well, actually the WC in the hallway. Morning ablutions, et al. Got to be ready for the day. I can hear, thru the wall, all my family getting ready. Walls are thin and the WC is next to our room. So I am thinking we will be going somewhere soon. Marika has homework to do.
So, our plan, go to Retiro Park in Central Madrid and check it out. A nice Sunday walk. I was thinking we could walk there. I thought wrong. Michael and Emily decided to Uber to the park. Marika is holding back to do homework. She has an online class to finish. So we press on as a group of three.
The Uber problem continues as does the taxi strike. We got an Uber and it took 20 mins. An aside, we have all had recent travelers problems. So we try to stay within striking distance of a bathroom at all times. But, sometimes you get it wrong. We uber’d to the main entrance of the park. A nice 20 min ride through Madrid, which is a beautiful city. Once we got there, I needed a bathroom right away. The only thing around was a cafe. So it wins. I have noted in my travels it it is required you be a customer to get services. Like use of their bathroom. So we all sat at a table in the cafe. I got up immediately and went inside tonuse the facilities. Down a steep flight of stairs, then another, down a hallway past two doors marked “privado” down another hallway pat two chest freezers and a door to the end of the hall through a doorway to the restrooms. Neither door marked, but on each a drawing, from behind of a heavy woman and a heavy man on the other. Very funny.
I gotta say, cause it’s what I do, that the entire trip to the john all was spotlessly clean. As was the restroom. Which also had a fan in it. First I have seen in a month. A pleasant experience.
I noted on my trip out that the restaurant and bar area were just as immaculate and neat as a pin. I rejoined my family the waitress was right there after I sat down. I ordered and Aperol spritz and it was very good. As was Michael’s Sangria. We had snacks which were perfect as well. Can you spot a trend here? I’m sorry I wasn’t really ready for a meal. One more thing, the staff was entirely women. I recommend this place. Sadly, I forgot the name. Corner of Calle Alfonso XII and Calle Antonio Maura.
So we finished our snack and headed into the park. We wandered around a little got our bearings. This park, at 350 acres, is one of the largest in Madrid. And after you walk around awhile you really feel the size. The park itself is very well tended. Almost to a point of disbelief. It’s very clean, orderly, and well groomed. And there is so much turf to cover I felt I could walk for days. There are lawn areas with lots of shade, formal moorish style gardens with fountains, a large rose garden, a lake with boats for rent, another lake full of turtles and ducks and black swans. Lots to see. The lakes are noticeably absent the smell of ponds which I find pleasant. Next to the turtle pond is the Palacio de Cristal which is a huge all glass building that house no more than the art installation you find inside. Very cool and no admission fee.
The craziest thing is in another part of the park. The statue of Satan or the fallen angel. When Lucifer fell from grace he became Satan. So there is a statue here. Strange. I did some scholarly research on this and there is nothing too specific. Some such Spanish Duke late in the 19th century commissioned the statue. It was placed on a pedestal in the park. And no one cared. Or cares now. The Vatican, no less, does not care. Officially. That would never go down in the god fearing U S of A. No sir. We ain’t there.
There was a cafe next to the statue, strangely, we camped there. Marika had called and was on the way. So it seemed a good spot to wait. And, it was nowhere near the quality of the previous cafe. We had some snacks and waited. The Plaza area around the statue seemed to attract a lot of people which is nice as a form of entertainment. Marika showed about 30 mins later. She had a few more snacks with us. Then we wandered out to the park and showed her all we had seen.
So about 530 or 6 we headed out of the park on a trajectory to hit Plaza Mayor. We are going to have bocadillos de calamare for dinner. On last nights tour we saw this place. Sposed to be best in town. I did not know boxadillos de calamare was a thing. But it is. Anyhow, we wandered in that direction and managed to hit it. Half a mile I think. Then we wandered till we found it on one of the offshoots of the Plaza. The place serves a huge volume of here sandwiches. They, have few tables and no table service. And a rather limited menu besides. No matter, we got a table a four sandwich’s. Served on one plate. Hey, best in town, they can cut corners.
The sandwiches were pretty good and I can strike them from my list. But I see no need to go back anytime soon. There are some really excellent restaurants and cafes on the Plaza. Including the oldest in Madrid. All great. Go to one of those first.
Marika needed churros and chocolat. Again. Madrid’s most famous purveyor is right there so we went for churros. I am not a fan. I had a piece of cake. She got her fill, which is important. I held out a little for ice cream. Again, a very well thought of ice cream shop is right there. We just win at every turn. So off for more dessert. I got to tell you, I had an excellent chocolate sorbet, of all things. Hard to believe. It was awesome. Everybody else had the usual mundane flavors.
It was an early end to the evening. Marika still has homework and I gotta do laundry. So we ordered an Uber 19 min wait. He got there a little faster and we were off to home. I did all the laundry. Marika went up to the terrace to do her work, though not before helping with laundry, Michael went out in search of a bottle of wine and Emily went to bed. She is suffering again.
Michael finally showed about 1015 with a nice bottle of Tempranillo. Very nice bottle. He joined Marika upstairs. I finished drying the clothes by 1115 and now I’m finishing this post. All I have left is a cleanup, pack up and go to bed. I already advance ordered and Uber to the airport. We are doing well.