Solo Segovia

8 February 2024 Solo mode is not my favorite way to travel. Kitty and I so have our schtick down. We help balance each other in any number of ways. Traveling, I can get a bit driven while Kitty is often content to relax in one place: I keep her moving and she keeps me… Continue reading Solo Segovia

Settling In

Madrid, February 5-7. 2024 Our pattern of daily rhythms from our last post continues as we move into our fifth week here in Madrid. We are settling into routines punctuated by errands and less by monuments, but are still encountering wonderful & surprising spaces and people. On Sunday we decide to walk from Chamberí down… Continue reading Settling In

Daily Rhythms

Madrid, February 2-3 We’ve had a quiet two days sticking close to the neighborhood and centering our days around lunch and housekeeping. We seem to have adapted to Spanish time: we are sleeping later (9:00), eating toast for breakfast, lunch at 2:00 or 2:30 and then dinner at 9:00.  Even though our pace has slowed… Continue reading Daily Rhythms

From Artsy to Local

Madrid, 31 January & 1 February 2024 Two more weeks to go.  When we look back our first week, it feels like years ago.   Wednesday, we decide to visit the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum.  It is a private collection near the Prada.  We thought “how big could it be if it was a private family’s collection?”  Boy were we wrong!  Seems it’s… Continue reading From Artsy to Local

Tripea Restaurant

Madrid, 25 January 2024 Today was our highly anticipated meal at Tripea Restaurant. I had read about Tripea in a “38 Essential Madrid Restaurants” article and made a reservation in December. It not only sounded fun and unique, but is located just a block away from our apartment in the Vallehermoso Market.  They have one… Continue reading Tripea Restaurant

El Prado & Royal Botanical Gardens

Madrid, 24 January 2024 Today at last is our planned visit to the Prado.  Talk about planning, reading and preparing.  It is like a strategic planned attack.  Lorena purchased our tickets online and she knows what door to go to and how to approach the building.   We arrive before opening time and are second in the “reserve” line.  Even… Continue reading El Prado & Royal Botanical Gardens

Malasaña & Chueca

Madrid, 21 & 22 January 2024 We had a quiet day on Sunday after our lively romp in La Latina. We decided to stay local, so went for lunch at a neighborhood Asian restaurant. Miix Kitchen was a few blocks away. They advertise as Japanese, but also offer what I’d consider Chinese dishes. We shared… Continue reading Malasaña & Chueca

Tapas in La Latina

Madrid, 20 January 2024 We awake to a beautiful clear sunny day but it is cold for Madrid.  It’s in the 40s and climbs to the 50s before the day is over.  Lorena keeps getting Asheville weather alerts on her phone so we pause to appreciate our weather because this surely beats what is happening at home.  … Continue reading Tapas in La Latina

An Ordinary Day in an Extraordinary Place

Madrid, 19 January 2024 In preparing for the trip we looked at lots of videos & blogs on Spain and Madrid. James Blick & his wife Yolanda have a useful and entertaining series, Spain Revealed. In one interview, they ask a traveler “How would you describe your ideal travel experience?” The woman answered that for her,… Continue reading An Ordinary Day in an Extraordinary Place

A Walk in the Park

Madrid 18 January 2024 We had a slow morning in the apartment before setting out for Retiro Park. The park is downtown adjacent to the major museums and offers about 300 acres of green space. Bus #2 took us on a scenic ride past Plaza d’España and down Gran Via past Cibeles Circle, finally dropping… Continue reading A Walk in the Park