Four Continents 2012

Madrid: 17-20 September

		Our apartment was called Metrópolis and indeed from outside the front door we could see the Metrópolis building and its statue. *
		First destination was Plaza Mayor, in many ways the centre of Madrid. *
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		Nearby was the San Miguel market, with the usual displays of perfect produce. *
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		And the implements for cooking it. *
		It was lunch time, and people were buying food and sitting at counters to eat. *
		Nick had one of these small servings of Iberian ham, priced at €105 per kg. *
		We visited Madrid Cathedral, completed around 1900, and with some striking modern decoration. *
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		Nearby was the Palacio Real (Royal Palace). It was very opulent inside, but no photos allowed. *
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		Next day we went off by Metro to the Mercado de Maravillas, to the north of the city centre. *
		This was more everyday than the market near Plaza Mayor and was full of housewives buying food for their families. *
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		We visited the Reine Sophia art gallery, which has this striking sculpture in a courtyard. †
		And much interesting art work, including a room full of Dali works. †
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		Mercado del Raine restaurant: tapas standing at the bar, bistro snacks at tables near the road, restaurant at rear. We ate at the restaurant. *
		Next day, we went to the house of Joaquin Sorolla, a Spanish Impressionist painter who died in 1923. The house is much as he left it, and displays many of his paintings. †
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		One of the rooms has a painted frieze, including portraits of his wife ... *
		and children. *
		The temporary exhibition area upstairs was devoted to his portraits of his wife, Clotilde. *
		The house is set in an attractive garden. *
		Then across town to the Temple of Debod, which was given to Spain by Egypt in gratitude for Spain's assistance in saving monuments threatened by the Aswan Dam. †
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		City centre buildings seen over the temple's pool. *
		The interior has carvings made some 4000 years ago. *
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		On our last night, we ate at this combined deli and shop. As we left, we bought a supply of assorted meats to have as lunch over the next few days. *

Up fairly early the next morning to check out of the apartment and catch a train to Cadiz.