Wanders The World

Ah, the wonders of technology! One minute my post is there and the next it has vanished into thin air. Was this a tech hiccup or a simple case of user error? Perhaps the latter but shhhh….don’t tell anyone. But fear not, I have returned with a fresh update on my Madrid travels. Read below for more!

A year ago I was in Morocco on a group tour with G Adventures where I had an incredible time with a fab group of strangers that are now fast travel friends! What a time it was! Though that trip drew to a close, my travels were continued. Flying from Marrakech, my friend and I touched down in Madrid for several days of Spanish charm. What a great introduction my four days in Madrid turned out to be. It is safe to say that I’m itching to return to this vibrant city and learn more of its offerings

We alighted in Spain’s capital, home to 6.5 million residents, very late yet still found energy to explore this historic yet modern city with only a few hours sleep to our credit. There was plenty of sites and activities to chose from and even more to savour. We jumped right into our exploration of Madrid, primarily on foot and Metro (with a handy tourist pass). And we certainly covered quite a distance, if I do say so myself. There were a number of plazas (squares) we saw including Puerta del Sol with it’s Mile 0 marker, and the grand Plaza Mayor. Our wanders lead us to the Royal Palace, which we admired from outside, and explored the lovely neighbouring Almudena Cathedral. At my urging, we sought out the Royal Church of St James & St John the Baptist, where pilgrims of the Camino Madrid often embark on their journey. As a pilgrim of the Camino de Santiago myself, it filled me with nostalgia and reminders of my own beginnings on the French leg of this historic trail. Alas, no pilgrims were gathered at the time for me to wish them a traditional “Buen Camino”.

We filled our days with an impassioned flamenco show, savored food and delicious wines at Mercado de San Miguel and along the charming Cava de San Miguel, which is peppered with tasty eateries, and enjoyed the freshness of the spring air at El Retiro Park. The Prado Museum held art in esteem, giving us an opportunity to admire paintings such as Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights and The Annunciation by Fra Angelico. We rounded out our time in Madrid by tasting the finest churros at Chocolateria San Ginés, which we nearly missed out on as I was particularly hangry and annoyed with waiting in line. It’s a good thing my friend gently encouraged us to we stay, as those churros were absolutely worth the wait. In fact, I savoured them so much that I even managed to add a touch of elegance to my attire by accidentally spilling some of the velvety melted chocolate on my shirt. 😂

I have to say that Madrid was a wonderful addition to an epic trip. It has certainly enticed me to keep wandering about Spain and see what else this country has to offer.

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All photos taken and owned by Eeva Valiharju / Wanders the World

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