We have planned only one day of real activity in Madrid, as we have been here before. Last year, our schedule did not allow a visit to the city’s cathedral. We will walk there today, about a mile, covering familiar territory: Plaza Del Sol, Plaza Mayor and on to the cathedral. Ana has been reading a book this summer by a bicyclists who rode through Spain. He mentioned a Museum of the Americas, which is rich in artifacts from the pre-Spanish occupation of South America and the Caribbean. She would like to visit it as well. To get there, we will walk another mile north of the cathedral. 

We enjoy a breakfast on our terrace, but it is cooler and windier than the day before. I check the forecast and see some amount of rain is likely all day. We dress warmer than expected and gather rain gear and umbrellas for our walk. It will drizzle off and on until we get to the Cathedral. We walk through Plaza Mayor for another look and I find a shop to buy a Madrid baseball cap which will be helpful keeping the rain off my glasses. (Note: clicking on the grouped photos will enlarge them.)

A few blocks later we are at the Cathedral. It is big and imposing from the outside, but inside it is  not very impressive compared to those we have seen in Seville, or Cordoba. In fact, the Cathdral in the small town of Avila was more impressive in many ways. At least they didn’t charge to get in. It is still a cathedral and we walk about, discovering from placards that it is relatively new, begun in the 1800s and completed rather recently. Apparently, it did not have any royal support under Fanco, so its completion was delayed for decades. 

We continued on our walk the Museum with intensifying rain. The walk was longer than expected and by the time we arrived the museum was just an hour from its 3 p.m. closing time. Apparently, senior citizen admission is free or our late arrival got us in without a charge? Anyway, we were pleased to have a break from the rains, which were driving by the time we finished our walk. The museum itself was pleasant enough and probably could have been covered in 3 hours. In the one we had, we saw many impressive artworks and practical pieces created by early American natives from the conquistador era or before. One tends to dismiss the  sophistication of the Aztec and Inca civilizations. Seeing some of the archeological finds made these cultures more interesting. 

Turned back out in to a heavy rain, we decided to try the Metro to get back. With some help from a Metro attendant, we reloaded our card and made our way rather quickly and comfortably back avoiding an hour long walk in the rain. Once near our apartment, we survey local restaurants and had a late lunch-early dinner. I went for salmorejo, a cold soup like gazpacho, but with a base of pureed tomato and bread, topped with ham shreds and grated boiled egg. It tastes a bit creamier than gazpacho, which is thinner and has small bits of the vegetables. Then I had seared Tuna. Ana had a Cuban rice dish which was served with a fried egg. Fried eggs seem to be apart of many dishes in Spain. I avoid them. She finished with a plate of ribs and french fries. We both enjoyed our meals and were full enough to skip a late dinner. 

To complete our evening, we walked down Calle Fuencarral to Plaza del Sol, this time with rains holding off. Ana shopped for a new purse and some clothing items. We joined the party in the square below our digs for a beer and some people watching. The pack for an early cab ride to pick up our car at the airport. We head off for Salamanca tomorrow.