Madrid, Spain Day 2

SO!!  Day 2 - MUCH more rested than day 1 :)  We woke up this morning around 9am, had breakfast at the hotel, and got ready for our day.  We headed out to buy tickets for a bullfight that we will go to tomorrow night…and on the way, found magnolia trees!!  I always love when I see a magnolia tree - it reminds me of home. 

We decided to follow a walking tour in Rick Steves's book on Spain which WE LOVED.  It started us out in Puerto Del Sol where we visited very shortly yesterday. 

It was filled with entertainment like this…(this guy was literally holding himself up with one arm - that suit had to have been plaster or something to support his weight!)

And these two guys leaned forward in this position for hours, with just barely moving something at different times.  Crazy!

The tour took us into a famous bakery and suggested we try the spanish doughnut…who are we to say no??

Then it took us to the famous Plaza Mayor…a hustle and bustle of tourists, cafe's, shops, and entertainment..

There was even a shop that had MANY bull heads in it from prior bullfights…EWW.

Below is Madrid's Town Hall..I just love the architecture and how everything is so elaborate!  However, the book said that in order to save money, they built it with "cheap bricks instead of the more lavish granite"….ahem.

Time for Siesta…and tapas!

Onto the the famous Madrid Cathedral…it took 100 years to build/complete this.  It was absolutely breathtaking.

It also had a 5,000 pipe organ that is used to fill the walls with music! (I should have included it's picture - sorry!!)

The Royal Palace…2800 rooms, 1.5 million square feet…just a little somewheres to live and eat dinner every night…that's all.  (The Royal family actually doesn't live here anymore…they live in a mansion a couple of miles away - but it's still used for royal wedding and balls…etc.)

Technically, photos aren't allowed inside…so some of these pictures are crooked, blurry, off centered…but I HAD to capture SOME of it's beauty…COME ON!!!

On our walk back to Puerto Del Sol….such a beautiful street...

The most famous chocolatier in Madrid - A favorite of all the locals!  

Chocolateria' San Gines…you get a cup of hot chocolate and churros (and don't be fooled…it not chocolate with milk…it's LITERALLY melted chocolate to drink..)

The churros tasted like funnel cakes from the fair :)

Date night :)

These were DELICIOUS aubergine…basically fried eggplant…which we thought tasted just like fried green tomatoes - YUM!

This course followed an amazing salad with spinach, mozeralla, bacon, olive oil and balsamic..

And one miiiiight think those peppers aren't spicy any longer since they've been sautéed…and one miiiiight put a whole pepper in their mouth and start chewing…and one miiiiight be wrong.  Just sayin'. 

Might I also say, that we made dinner reservations at 9PM!!!  And no one was there.  Other people started coming in around 10PM for dinner…we'll get this culture thing down eventually :)

Below is our hotel.  

It is now midnight…time for bed :)