On the first full day in Madrid, Sunday, March 9th, the group began the day by enjoying the hotel’s outstanding breakfast buffet. This is the best hotel breakfast I’ve ever had: freshly squeezed orange juice, flavorful scrambled eggs, Spanish tortillas, churros, sliced ham, nicely cut fruit, honey straight from the comb, and more insane foods, including pastries. I definitely took advantage of the free breakfast over the week.
After enjoying a delicious breakfast, the group met in the hotel lobby, where we walked together to the metro. It was fascinating to experience the insanely efficient and effective metro system Spain has. In only a couple stops, the group only had to walk less than five minutes to reach the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. In this very large art museum, the group all gathered around the Guernica, painted by Pablo Picasso, who was famous for this anti-war message. To be honest, I would’ve had no idea what this painting was supposed to mean if it hadn’t been for others explaining it to me. I also observed a lot of Spanish Civil War propaganda in the museum, which was cool since many of the class presentations, including mine, were about the civil war. Connecting my previous knowledge of Spain’s history with the paintings and sculptures I saw was fascinating.
After exploring the museum, the group met outside and started walking to the flea market (which only happens on Sundays). After being warned about pickpocketing, the group could explore the market. Some of the guys and I went to watch live music played at the flea market. Five guys in total played music and sang, each with a different instrument. Throughout the flea market, so many other items were being sold, from cheap leather jackets to gold chains. Luckily, I speak Spanish because the local vendors don’t speak much English, making communicating much easier. After exploring almost every shop on the street, I ended my shopping with a new silver chain, key chains, and magnets.
At the end of the flea market, a couple of new friends and I met some police men who were willing to take a picture with us, and they gave us recommendations for food in the area. Following one of their recommendations, we went across the street to a restaurant/tapas bar (not exactly sure what this place was), and we ordered steak, which came with two fried eggs and french fries. Because of James Blick, the YouTuber the group watched to prepare for Spain, I knew to ask for “agua de grifo,” which every restaurant is legally required to serve for free (Spain’s tap water is ranked 15th best globally and considered very clean). Upon asking, the waiter sighed and repeated to the counter, “agua de grifo.” He was thinking, “These tourists know too much.”
After eating the delicious meal, I walked around Spain and stopped at any location I thought was cool. When walking, my friends and I stopped to take a picture in front of another famous museum, Museo Del Prado. We never went inside, but the pictures from out front came out nice. The people I asked to take our picture were very friendly and took some nice photos.
I continued walking, and then my friends and I decided to check out the large park, Parque de El Retiro. We hopped on a bus and got off very close to the park. The air was very fresh in this area, and a break from cigarette smoke was much appreciated. I noticed the landscaping was incredibly professional as the trees were perfectly groomed and kept. Continuing through the park, I reached the large pond where a large monument stood.
After taking the metro back to the hotel, I went out for dinner at a Mexican restaurant. The tacos were delicious, but the portion sizes were tiny, especially considering the cost. The waitress recommended a watery drink with cinnamon, so my friends and I ordered it to try. After finishing dinner, I continued walking around Madrid when I encountered Plaza Mayor. There were some cool little souvenir shops and restaurants/places to eat in this plaza. We found an ice cream place not too far away to enjoy the rest of the night.
This day was packed with incredible experiences in Madrid. I walked over twenty thousand steps that day, and my legs were feeling it. Luckily, the hotel beds were comfortable, so I could get a good night’s rest before the next adventure.