Dear Blog Readers
October 28, 2010
Rest Day in Madrid
Sleep in and have a lovely breakfast before heading out to explore Madrid.
Like a pilgrim, we decide to walk to the Madrid Prado Museum, about 15 blocks away. The Museum is huge, no other word to describe it. To better get a feel for it we hire a guide for an hour´s tour. He covers several of the Spanish artists housed in the Museum. We learn more than we would, had we been on our own, about Vasquez, Goya, Murillo, El Greco and others.
While we are observing a room filled with Goya´s work, we run into one of the Korean ladies. Lots of hugs later we inquire about the others and learn they are somewhere in the Museum. Our guide does not find the interruption funny, and promptly inform us to focus on him and Goya and not the Korean lady. Sadly, we do and don´t see the rest of the ladies during the remainder of our visit.
After our tour, we wander around on our own for hours - so much to see, learn and appreciate it is mind boggling. They have a visiting Renoir room so we visit it, with much disappointment - no great pieces, plus the works appear to be prints framed behind glass, guess the originals are housed under lock and key in another European Museum.
After a quick snack at the Prado café I return to a room with some ´dark´ Goya works from later in his life. Our guide had said he was in a deep depression when he did these works and it shows, very disturbing.
We walk back to the hotel and as if we didn´t have enough walking an hour later go in the other direction about 5 blocks to find a large mall to look around the shops.
I think I´ll take the day off tomorrow and write - I´ve had an idea for a YA novel which came to me as I was walking through the forests of Galicia to Santiago. Will get some of it down on paper tomorrow.
Blessings from Madrid,
Yasmin
p.s. Homeward bound Saturday so signing off for now - thanks for the comments - will be back to post photos and updates, plus answer any questions.
Yasmin, my name is Julieta and I am from Panamá. We met a few times along the Camino and on October 18, after Portomarín your husband saw me dissapointed after finding that the number I was looking for was wrong in my guide. He looked it up in his and gave me right number. Thanks to that act of kindness I could call to confirm that the Albergue Casa Domingo was opened and that they could reserve a bed for me. I is run by a Panamanian, daughter of emigrants who returned to Spain and set up an albergue in the old family property. Now that I have found you, I wanted to thank you both for your kindness. I finished the Camino on October 21...Returned home on the 24Th. Hope that our short Camino friendship can be kept in time. Regards,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Katherine, and I am emailing you with a couple questions regarding the Camino de Santiago. I am writing an article on the Camino for my school newspaper, and I am also doing the Camino de Santiago this summer. As well as information for this article, I am also doing this for information for me. Anyway, I would really appreciate your help and input!! Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteHow do you recommend someone trains for this?
How heavy should your backpack be?
What type of footwear do you recommend?
What are the most important things to pack?
Do you recommend hiking poles?
What did you find to be the hardest part in hiking the Camino?
What should people know about this particular trip?
Any stories/comments/etc. you have would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thank you so much for your help!
Sincerely,
Katherine