A Moment in Madrid

On my 9 hour flight home to Europe from the Midwestern United States, I was squeezed in tightly between two friendly (I supposed) women. At first I had my doubts about how restricted the language barrier would prove. The woman on the left spoke enough English to complain that she didn't have the vegetarian meal, but not enough to actually swindle a veggie option off the flight attendant. The woman on the right was evidently spanish as when I asked if her husband wanted to switch seats with me I was answered with a 3000 mile a minute tongue rolling to which I could respond with nothing except wrinkled eyebrows and a hesitant smile. I decided to take a nap.

However, after waking up to begin my own chicken option complete with mini bottle of spanish white wine, I cracked. Sitting in such close proximity in silence was becoming painful..it was time to break out the already broken english.

"Do you speak English?" I inquired directly to the Spanish lady.
And thankfully, she did, very enthusiastically.
Not only did she speak the global language, but she soon gave me an incredible amount of advice for how to spend my layover in Madrid.

She took my handy little notebook to jot down a list of what I could see in 3 hours, which possible bus routes, and the metro stops after leaving the airport. Then after some musing, she drew a map to match. I was touched.

I then discovered how exactly one can semi-comfortably sleep in the middle of an aisle, which was lucky as my consciousness was going on empty. Woke up a few hours later to see that cute little animated plane on the map on the screen about to touch down in the center of Spain.



Belen's advice led me well, I took the metro to the center of the city and walking down to the museums. The air was nippy but just enough to make me forget I had wanted some caffeine, and the leaves were glorious. Early November is the ideal time to visit a place known for scorching heat.

Hotel Ritz

National Library

The ultra famous 'colon', a statue of Columbus

La iglesia

The Museo del Prado found me at the end of the gleaming walk of Paseo de Recoletos. I tiptoed into the nearby church 'de los Jeronimos' as I can never resist a beautiful cathedral. 

After resting a minute and studying stained glass stories, I stumbled upon the roof of the museum.
If I hadn't been wearing heels, I would've scavenged that labyrinth.

I stayed away from respect for the happy little sparrows

The Museum was one of the grandest I've yet seen. Spanish art evidently cannot be rivalled for color and majesty. The morbid visuals of lopped off heads and suffering philosophers were slightly startling, I admit, but English portraits are a bit stiff in comparison. I was disappointed to see my watch, time slipping by, it was time to get back to the airport.

On leaving the museum, I did a double take. Maybe 60 feet away I saw a...man?
My eyes widened and my forehead creased, no...it couldn't be.
I gladly gave the woman (she seemed to have a feminine voice as she thanked me)
a few coins. I was thoroughly amused.

The Palace of Communication (it sounds so much fancier in spanish)

Just as I was thinking Spain had quite a calm pretty capital, I happened upon a protest. Go figure. Even so, nobody was clawing eyes out and the police even seemed a bit indifferent.

Another gracias to Belen, without whose kindness I would have assuredly given up, or at least would not have enjoyed so much on my mini-adventure.