Madrid (or Spain:The end)

Madrid is very different from Barcelona.  I thought Barcelona was younger and much more laid back.  Madrid was a little stuffier, older, but definitely a beautiful city.  You really felt like you were in a big city in Madrid.  

We were in Spain for 8 days (plus 2 for travel).  It was the longest vacation we had ever taken and our first time to travel while I was pregnant.  I definitely think our timing for such a long trip could have been better.  I was tired and ready to go home after our first day in Madrid and it didn't help that it was so cold.  I was packed for weather in the 70s or 80s.  It was in the 50s.  I was fairly miserable.

I did try to make the most of our time in Madrid but I think I may need a repeat visit to fairly assess the city.  Here are some pictures from our time there.

The Parque del Retiro was across the street from our hotel

The madrilenos know how to do a park

The bubble man

Boats for rent

Plaza del Sol before the Real Madrid/Bayern Munich soccer game

Churros and chocolate at San Gines

Architecture around the city

Real Madrid's stadium

My favorite statue in Madrid

There are lots of parks in Madrid

Plaza de la Independencia

The national library

The Palacio Real de Madrid

The royal palace again

And one more time

The fanciest post office building in the world

Fountain of Neptune where Atletico Madrid fans celebrate victories

The Prado (my favorite place we visited in Madrid)

Like I said, I was very homesick by the end of the trip.  We pride ourselves by being adventurous travelers and really wanting to try things while on vacation.  This means that I am usually fairly anti-Hard Rock Cafe.  But when you are pregnant sometimes all you want is fajitas and a little of this...

Real iced tea!  With Sweet N Low!  Heaven in a glass.

Pistachio macarons can always snap me out of a funk

I am officially done with blogs about Spain!  Yay!  It only took five months but I hope it was worth the wait.  We really did like Spain and would love to go back a) when it is warmer, b) when I am not pregnant and c) to Southern Spain.  I am still super sad we missed Sevilla.