I'm back home now and other than not being allowed to bring Iberian Ham back into the states, I had a wonderful vacation. The best I've ever had as a solo traveler. Friday morning, I had to get a COVID test in order to re-enter the US. Before leaving for Spain, I had found a place in the Goya neighborhood near the Retiro Park where I could get a test for about $35 so I went there first thing in the morning after I got up and had breakfast. I took the Metro there and then had to walk a few blocks, took a number, and waited about 5 minutes. As I waited, I started to wonder if I would need my passport which I hadn't brough (kept it in the hotel safe most of the time). Sure enough, yes, I needed it. So I had to schlep back to the hotel, get the passport, and return to the clinic, wasting about an hour. Oh well. Finally got the test, everyone was very nice, and I waited for my results in the Retiro Park, sitting on a bench, watching people, and drinking a Lemon Fanta soda (not available in the US). Then picked up my negative test results (yay) and went back to the hotel to drop off my passport and the results and then decided to go to the Prado.
I could have walked to the Prado or taken the Metro to get closer, but all the sightseeing and walking was starting to catch up with me so I took a taxi instead. The line at the museum looked long but I only waited about 20 minutes. During the wait I chatted with a couple from Florence, Italy who were in town for the Madrid Open, having tickets to today's (Sunday) final. We talked about Nadal and Alcaraz and about how we don't like Djokovic. The Prado Museum is one of the world's greatests with works by many artists, but with substantial collections by El Greco, Velazquez, and Goya. It was about 1pm when I entered and I knew I had to be at the Liria Palace for a tour at 4pm and eat lunch in between so I knew I couldn't stay long. During foreign study, we went there about 5 times with our art history teach Marisa (the same one I saw on Tuesday) so I knew what I wanted to see: I made a beeline to Velazquez room where his masterpiece Las Meninas (the ladies in waiting) is displayed along with several other paintings of the Spanish Hapsburg Royal Family. Las Meninas was my favorite of all the paintings we saw at the Prado 30 years ago and it still is. The painting displays several people doting on King Philip IV's daughter the Infanta Margaret Theresa, including two ladies in waiting, a dwarf, a dog, a nun, and a few others. Velalzquez also painted himself in the painting. I stayed looking at it for about 15 minutes and took a picture, before finding out you cannot take pictures of anything in the museum. Oh well. After that, I explored the El Grecos and Goyas. Goya's painting of Charles IV's family is also one of my favorites as each person in the painting has a distinct facial expression showing off their personality. I stayed at the museum for about an hour and a half. At this point, all the walking was getting to me and I was exhausted. In one room, I even sat down on a bench but stood back up when I realized I would fall asleep if I stayed seated. Good problem to have I guess.
After buying postcards of various paintings, I walked back to the my hotel looking for a place for a quick bite to eat. I ended up buying a bocadillo de jamon (ham baquette) and ate it quickly back in my room at the hotel where I was also able to rest a bit and watch some tennis. Finally, it was time to go to the Liria Palace which was just a short Metro ride away. The palace is the home of the Duke of Alba, one of the most important artistocratic families in Spain. The dukedom has existed for over 500 years and the family is far wealthier than the Spanish Royal Family. The current Duke is Carlos Fitz-James Stuart y Martinez de Irujo, the son of the more well known previous Duchess of Alba Cayetana, an eccentric who often appeared in the tabloids, not only in Spain but the US as well, especially when she married for the third time in her 80s to a man 25 years younger. Through various marriages, etc., the family is descended from both Spanish, English, and Scottish royalty. Anyway, the palace has only recently been opened for tours. They let in about 20 people every 15 minutes on a very controlled tour. Most of the tour was by audio guide but we were led around by a docent who pointed out the things being mentioned on the audio. He also made sure we kept on moving. The first thing we were told was not to talk pictures, not to touch anything, not to sit down anywhere, and not to ask questions until the tour was over. I have never in my life seen so much wealth in a private home. The whole time, I was afraid I would break something and be bankrupted. As I mentioned on Facebook there were a number of paintings by Rubens, Velazquez, and Goya, priceless treasures like a 2000 year old statue of Venus, Columbus's log book from his journey to the Americas, a second edition of Don Quixote, and the death warrant for Mary Queen of Scots, signed by her cousin Elizabeth I. There is no way you could put a price on their collection. After the tour, I bought some souvenirs in the gift shop and then went back to my hotel room to pack a bit.
Sometimes when I travel, on my last night I like to return to a restaurant that I had particiularly enjoyed so this time I went back to the Meson de Champiniones (house of mushrooms) where we had stopped on my tapas tour my first day in Madrid. I had the mushrooms again and ham croquettes, along with a Mahou beer and a Tinto de Verano (an easy San Gria made from red wine and lemon soda, a very popular summer beverage in Madrid). I was seated in a different room this time, but still with a cave like feeling, next to some United pilots with whom I chatted. There was also a man playing the keyboard and at various times everyone in the room sang along, especially when he played Mama Mia by ABBA. A lovely last meal in Spain. Afterwards, I bought some souvenirs and returned to my hotel to turn in. Saturday mornning, I flew home.
Some final thoughts before I close. Spain has come a long way in 30 years. I couldn't believe how modern it was and how clean. It has also become much more popular with tourists which there weren't so many of in 1990 (although that could be because I was there in the fall). Along with their wealth has come a more conservative Madrid government and some homelessness which I hadn't seen before, although it's not nearly as bad as Atlanta. When I lived in Madrid in 1990 it was like going back in time: they were still using rotary phones in some places, fashions were different than in the US, and there were subway cars dating from the 1920s. Now fashions seem like anywhere else (probably due to the internet and increased globalization), the subway is modernized, and the suburbs have exploded. Overall, it was good to see that Spain had come so far, but I also missed a little the way it was in 1990, only 15 years after Franco's death, when Spain was finally coming alive with culture, art, music, etc. But I guess you can't go back in time, can you?
Thanks for joining me on this journey. I intend to return and am determined not to wait so long this time.
Hasta luego!
Bill aka Carey aka Guillermo
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