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 :)  

Madrid, Spain…Day 1

Survival.  That's what we refer to day 1 in Spain as.  After an 8 hour long flight, which was overnight, in which we couldn't get any sleep due to a crying baby for FIVE hours (oh that poor mom…she looked worse than me!), and getting to Spain and not being able to check in to our hotel for three MORE hours…that's right, survival.  We were SO tired.  I mean, even to type that feels like an understatement.  But we made the best of what we had…so we meandered to the Puerto Del Sol (Gateway of the Sun) Sqaure and just hung out…until we really thought we may not find our way back to the hotel for being in a sleep coma stupor…so we headed back and just hung out in the lobby until they got our room ready :)  We did enjoy some "spanish toast" and cafe' before heading back..

Sitting in the Plaza Santa Ana wondering what to do for the next three hours…can you tell we've had no sleep?? :)

Deciding to go get some breakfast at a nearby cafe'..

The cafe' really looked like a bar...

Then, heading out to Puerto Del Sol (Gateway of the Sun) to stroll around while we continued to wait…we were approached by a man who asked, "Do you want a picture with a REAL bullfighter??"

We were both too tired to argue…so we agreed :)  It costed 1 Euro for the both of us.  No prob!

 We saw this statue of a black bear eating a tree…later we found out that Madrid was known for its many black bears that used to roam the region many years ago.  Perfect for Matt who LOVES all things bears…Chicago Bears, Baylor Bears, etc...

In the square at Puerto Del Sol...

This is a Museum of Ham…"Museo de Jamon'"… Madrid (or Spain, rather) is known for its Ham.  It's everywhere!

After getting to the hotel and getting a three hour nap, we were very refreshed and headed back out for the day!  Time for lunch!

We were able to go to two of Madrid's famous museums…the first being Reina Sofia. 

And the second being the Prado Museum (which I kept calling Prada) and admired it's BEAUTIFUL art!  

By the end of the day, and I mean 8:00PM…(see how light it still is outside??)…we were exhausted, and settled in for a few tapas and drinks at the below "Dolores" tapas bar, then headed back to the hotel. 

Yeah, it doesn't get dark here until after 10:00PM.  CRAZY. Looking forward to a good nights sleep and a full day tomorrow!!  

By the way, we're EIGHT hours ahead of you guys in the central time zone!

Traveling Abroad 2014!!!

We are heading out to Spain today!!  We will visit Madrid and Barcelona.  I am going to try to update my blog with our daily adventures so I will remember everything!

Barcelona:

Madrid:

And  SPECIAL shout out to my Moms!  

Happy Mother's Day to the BEST MOM EVER!  

She ROCKS!!!

Our Saturday…and now we're off!!

We attended Mudbugs and Music yesterday to get one last fill of crawdaddys (to keep it real..) before heading out to SPAIN!!!   

You may have seen a recent post about an "All you can eat Crawfish" Fest that we went to…well, we'll take all we can get :)  

The only disappointing part of this particular festival is that it wasn't "all you can eat" this year (it was last year)…BOO!  What?!?!  You mean I get one measly plate of 15 crawfish on it, with a piece of corn on the cob???  You know, once those craw-tails are broken open for that yummy spicy TINY piece of meat…you may have half a palm full after opening 15…I'm just saying. But we enjoyed the music for a few hours, saw some people from work, and then promptly headed to MOE's like A BOSS. :)  Don't judge.  

Once we got back home, it was time for our pups to get a bath so they are "so fresh and so clean clean" before we leave, and so Heather (our friend who is house-sitting/dog-sitting for us!) won't mind cuddling with these babies!

Matt came up with a genius way to make this happen and not break his back :) 

However, I will say, now "get in the back of the truck" is associated with "bath".  We have to lift Baylor into the truck….Dot will still hop right in, then realizes what she's done, and lowers her ears :)

Sweet Baylor stays as far away as possible…and you can tell by her eyes SHE REALLY LOVES BATHS…:)   Sweet girl.  HA!

There are a million phrases I can come up with in my head right now regarding what she's thinking just looking at her pic…

We finished packing last night around 11pm….and promptly went to bed..

Anything after 10pm, and I'm pretty much a walking zombie.  

Have I mentioned I turn 35 this week??? I'm feeling it :)

TO SPAIN WE GO!!

A Completely Unexpected Surprise :)

When I got home from work last night, I came into the living room and saw a gift bag with this card hanging out.  

My first thought was, "I thought we mailed our mothers their gifts already, right?"  

Then, I realized, my husband sweet puppies gave me a gift.  Aren't they so thoughtful?! And they even put their personal touch on the card :)

Sealed with a paw print…

Look at that sweet paw...

And they each even put their personal touch on the inside…plenty of signage with dirty paws :)  

These are my furry babies!  

And Daddy said they really wanted to get me a new jewelry carry case for our upcoming trip, soooo he let them…those dogs…

This is what I call the "Treat" picture…

The only way to get these two to look at a camera at the same time, is to say the word "treat"…so, now, you have seen their official treat faces :)  It's all serious business now, folks.

Who can be sad on an upcoming Mother's Day when you're surrounded by this much love and blessing?  

Praise the Lord for such a sweet little family we have!

Isaiah 30:18

Therefore, the LORD waits to be gracious to you; and therefore, He exalts Himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice, Blessed are all those who wait for Him.