Madrid is located in the center of Spain. This plaque, in Puerto del Sol, indicates the exact center of the country.
On Our Own
After lunch at a restaurant called Pinocchio, we found the "best chocolateria" according to Federico. The Spanish version of hot chocolate is not like our thin drink. This was very thick, almost like drinking chocolate pudding. Served with crispy chorizos, this was a yummy treat!
Travel Tips
It's easy to get lost in an unfamiliar city when you are on your own. Stop at the TI ( Tourist Information) center for maps in different languages, including English.
Royal Palace
This morning we met our group for a visit to the Royal Palace. We have seen the Palace in Versailles and Madrid's certainly is a rival. We were disappointed to be told that we couldn't take any pictures inside. It has over 2000 rooms. Luckily, they are not all open to the public! The rooms that we saw were lavish with tapestries, drapes of red velvet, huge oil paintings, and gold everywhere!
Historic Walking Tour
After visiting the Royal Palace, we walked around the historic center of Madrid. Our own country's history seemed so young compared to the dates on these buildings.We saw the Madrid cathedral across from the palace. Tom and Bob are overlooking some Roman ruins with a local.
Tapas Dinner
Tonight we joined our group for another delicious tapas dinner. Ham is always part of the meal, as well as seafood and various cheeses. Olives were served with the wine. We learned that Spain makes 44% of the world's olive oil, more than Italy or Greece.