We began the day with an amazing self serve breakfast at Catalyna Atacha, what a delicious spread of culinary treats from Spain! I loved the fuet salami, the fresh bread with ovo and tomato salsa as well as the many varieties of hams and cheeses. The delicious Bocadillos, mini sandwiches with peppers and lettuce, were a surprising treat for breakfast and the creamy fresh yogurt with goji berries, nuts, bee pollen and chia topping options was a nice plus. Lots of fruit, fruit juices and delicious coffees were there it all. If only I could repeat, repeat. Instead I have added many of these options here at home to our daily routine.
After breakfast we embarked on our first tour of the day walking toward the Plaza Mayor and through the major historic and popular areas in Madrid. Our group stopped outside Restaurante Sobrino de Botin on Calle Cuchilleros, a favorite of Hemingways mentioned in A Sun Also Rises, where we learned about the history of this restaurant, founded in 1725 and listed as the worlds oldest operating restaurant, but unfortunately our tour continued without stopping to eat or even go inside. I never realized
Restaurante Sobrino de Botin on Calle Cuchilleros, a favorite of Hemingways mentioned in A Sun Also Rises
We continued our walk through this historic section then began our bus tour near the Gate of the Sun or Puerta Del Sol, Madrids famous pedestrian square, a popular and often crowded meeting place in Madrid. In the Middle Ages there was a tower with a sun that was next to the gate, identifying and giving importance to the main entrance to the city. A statue of King Carlos (Charles) III, seated on his horse, reigns supreme in this, the oldest area of Madrid. Our guide Ama said Charles III was the best mayor in the history of Spain. I did see the Tio Pepe sign but missed Madrids famous coat of arms, a statue of a bear and a strawberry tree located at Kilometer Zero, the point from which all the main roads of Spain radiate.
Our bus went further into the city where we could see the influence of the French beautifully displayed in the many examples of architecture in view. The Bourbons from France were responsible for much of the construction of the buildings in the French style that
reminds one of Paris. The shady tree lined Prado Promenade divides the main road that js flanked by elegant neoclassical buildings from the late 1800s. Nearby the National Library of Spain takes up a lot of space on Paseo de Recoletos. This library houses more than 28 million books and is the largest library in Spain and one of the largest in the world. From here we passed the enormous monument to Christopher Columbus in the Plaza de Colon, (Colon translates to Columbus in English). The bus provided a peek at Julia the recent temporary sculpture added here by Catalan sculptor Juame Plensa in 2018, now on the pedestal previously supporting the statue of Columbus. Julia will stand here until December 2020. We saw gardeners replacing old plantings with new flowers for the fall. There are around 3,000 gardeners in Madrid working annually maintaining public gardens. My head was beginning to spin as I rapidly took notes, listened and tried to understand where I was. Independence Square was soon followed by the Entertainment District where on another rainy day in 2011 my husband and I learned that the Spanish evening meal is consumed beginning at 9:30pm, way too late for
Ama pointed out a Military Casino, which in addition to the gambling reference also means private club, especially in this instance. We passed Zara, a Spanish owned department The originator of is now one of wealthiest men in world. There are 10,000 protected building facades in Madrid giving this city its elegant representation of a cultured and sophisticated Spain. New building is happening here too. Construction costs can run around 20,000 euros per sq ft. Many wealthy Mexicans and South Americans have been buying here driving prices up noted Ama.
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