A VERY lazy start to the day! We both slept in till NOON! Our bodies must have decided enough with the lack of sleep! First order of business was to find some food, so we headed off to a place I Googled called Brunchit. Given the time of day we figured that was a good bet. Turned out to be a good choice except for the fact that it was waaaay more than we could eat! Waddled back to the hotel to plan what remained of the day. Irv wasn’t feeling too crisp, so he decided to stay back while I gave a go at Rick Steves’ Madrid walk.
It was a very enlightening tour of some of the highlights in the nearby area, with lots of historical and cultural insights. It included Puerta del Sol, the square near our hotel, Plaza Major with a peek into the famous bullfighting bar, La Torre del Oro, where the stuffed heads of some of the more famous toros are mounted. On to the Mercado de San Miguel, a market that is chock-a-block with almost any kind of food you can name. I-only had a peek in, as I thought I would come back with Irv and take a closer look. On then to the Church and Convent of Corpus Christi, where you can buy baked goods made by the nuns of the convent.To do so, you ring a buzzer to be let in, follow a corridor to a turntable where you place your money and make your selection. The turntable is spun around, your money disappears and out comes your dulces and change, without ever having encountered a single live person. On to City Hall, the very impressive Almudena Cathedral, the RoyalPalace, Plaza de Oriente, Calle de Arenal and the Chocolateria San Gines, famous for its chocolata y churros (and open 24 hours!) And finally back to Puerta del Sol.
When I got back to the hotel,Irv was still resting but I convinced him we should go check out the Mercado San Miguel and find a place for dinner. Well, it turned out they were one and the same! There was so much to choose from, we decided just to nosh our way around the market, glass of wine at hand. We had Chinese dumplings, crab roll (me), deep-fried anchovies (Irv) and dulce de leche helado for dessert. Couldn’t believe how many different kinds of food there were!
A walk back to Puerta del Sol then just sat in the square people watching! A good second day here in Madrid.