While the rest of us slept in, Bryan got up early and went exploring Madrid on his own. He ended up at a park he called his “zen place” where a guitarist played soothing music. More on that spot in a later post. But the main goal of the day had to do with food, as usual.
Tracy. Loves. Pizza. It’s a known fact. So when we see a nearby restaurant that has a pizza oven, cold beer on tap, and an old cellar downstairs, we plan to visit ASAP.
But first we had to work up an appetite. We strolled the streets and shops around our Puerta del Sol, listened to some street music, and admired the architecture.
By early afternoon we were ready to sit down, order a round of cold beer, and play a hand or two of Spades. We’d played a full game by the time our tummies started to growl. I don’t remember who won, probably it was Kathy and me :)
We shared two large pizzas - a cheese one and a spicy salami one. Both were handmade and hot from the pizza oven.
As we were preparing to leave, we had a loud discussion about which excursions we might take next. One decision came down to either Malaga or Marbella — both coastal cities with beaches on the Costa del Sol part of southeastern Spain.
The family at the next table over had been speaking to each other in Spanish all through lunch. When they got up to leave, the man said, “Excuse me,” in perfect English. I thought he was going to complain about how loud we were. But it turns out he’d been to both towns and offered some good advice on what to do and how they differed.
Two other guys who were originally from Chicago came into the restaurant a little later. They were traveling around Spain and Europe, staying in hostels along the way. I have to say, we Vacationeers looked and felt a lot more rested and “put together” than these guys did. Having a home base with showers and quiet, comfortable beds really makes a big difference. But we enjoy meeting and talking to folks on our travels, getting to know their stories and telling ours. It’s the Cruise by Land way!
Overall, a relaxing day in Madrid. And we still had one more rest day before our next planned excursion. Luckily, there’s plenty to do and see in our hub city.