Another city in Spain.... check!

Madrid! What a change from San Sebastian... This big city is packed full of museums and palaces and parks. We didn't even touch the surface. Last night we headed out for dinner and found this great tapas restaurant. I don't know why they don't have places like this in the states. It would be SO popular. We had a choice of 100 different mini sandwiches (montaditos) and I chose shrimp, chicken, roast pork and tomato and cheese. DELICIOSO!

Then we shopped around for a bit and check out the west side of town. We saw Palacio Real and the gardens and walked to Plaza de Espana where the Don Quixote statue was... We found ice cream of course and called it a night!

Today we slept late and then headed for Escorial, a nearby city, where we toured the town until we could catch a bus to Valle de los Caidos. The cute little city provided some great shopping although most stores were closed because it's Sunday. We ate sandwiches and then took an hour long bus ride to the monument on the hill. It's a memorial built by Fransico Franco for the people who died in the Spanish Civil War and was also his tomb. It was impressive. We couldn't take pictures inside, unfortunately but it was really amazing. The view of the city was breath taking!
Then we came back into Madrid proper and toured the east side of town where we walked Paseo del Prado. We passed the Prado museum, but of course it was Sunday = closed, saw a bunch of fountains and went to the botanical gardens. They sure know how to grow their flowers here! GORGEOUS. Dinner at a little restaurant and then some more outdoor shopping and Skype time... what a nice end to the week.

Tomorrow we will be headed to Seville and Uncle David and Aunt Carmen have quite the week planned for us. I think tomorrow is a relax day with hanging out by the pool :) xoxo