Madrid Day 4

Our last day in Barcelona - we put on a lot of miles on foot. First we went to the Botanical Gardens then to another Museum where there is a lot of newer Spanish Art including Picasso and Dali. There were non-Spaniards there as well including Alexander Calder (above is a Calder that wa out in the patio. Also above is Plaza Mayor which was close to our hotel. We had dinner in a great restaurant the night before - very old and very Spanish. The specialty was baby lamb cooked in a wood oven - the most delicious ever. Great ambience, food, and wine. We got there early (8 pm) and not another soul was in the place. However by 9 pm there wasn't an empty seat. Only drawback was a lot of cigarette smoke which we managed to tolerate until someone at the next table lit up a cigar. Yuk. Oh well the price you pay....

Here is a candy store we passed on the way to te museum. Lots of little stores like this everywhere. The Spanish economy seems to be doing well. Last night we noticed locals all had full shopping bags as walked through a trendy shopping area.

We have been very careful not to tempt pickpockets so we carry our stuff around our waists. Only problem is that we look like geriatric pregnant ladies.

Here we are walking through the "central park".

After the park Judy & Mike went the Royal Palace. I had already been there. I went to yet one more museum - The Thyssen. It was huge. After I struggled through a lot of old dutch masters I discovered the very extensive Impressionists collection. A number of Van Goghs, Gauguin, Pisarro, etc. It was hard to appreciate them though because my feet were really tired.

We met up back at the hotel and went out to a very nice restaurant not too far from the hotel (also recommended by Rick Steeves). The food was very good but the portions were huge so we had ordered too much food which was kind of a turn off. The other wierd thing was that all the wait staff looked alike and were not very friendly. Mike (in rather bad taste) asked where "are all you people from?". The answer - "The Phillapines". Kind of wierd...