Hotel Indigo is just off the Grand Via in the busiest part of Madrid. With its wide avenues, clogged public transport, and bustling populace, Madrid could have been any big city....
Within a couple blocks of our hotel you could find every American fast foot joint, and even a surprising one from Canada....
...and Plaza Mayor....
And a playful sculpture in Plaza del Callou....
Plaza del Callou also features the Schweppes Building....
A short walk from our hotel was the Mercado de San Miguel. The 100-year-old building has always been a food market, and now houses stalls offering the best tapas, pinchos, and other foods from all over Spain. It is vibrant, tasty, and inexpensive....
Another short walk led us to the Royal Palace and Royal Cathedral. The palace is enormous and imposing....
Spain seems to enjoy statues of riders on horseback....
They even have horse police....
The Sabatini Gardens were a part of the Royal Palace complex. We enjoyed a stroll through the gardens, and especially enjoyed a wonderful string trio, who earned a couple of euros from us....
Not far from the gardens was a great little restaurant called La Mi Venta. Although we sat outside, the seating area inside was an old cave, where hams were hung decades ago....
La Mi Vento had the best olive oil....
As we walked around the area near our hotel, we happened upon a stage set up for a Queen cover band from Spain doing Bohemian Rhapsody. We listened for a few minutes.... "easy come, easy go"....
That about wraps up our short time in Madrid. Certainly interesting, although much different from the places we visited in Andalusia. Next stop.... Sicily....
Click on any photo to enlarge....
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