MADRID, DAY 2
As per every morning I’m not hungover I’m up early to miss the queues at the palace. I would note if you are bringing a backpack (handbags allowed) you have to use a locker which costs €1 so have change as I had to hunt for some. Buying tickets on the internet would save more time.
AFTER RUNNING AROUND MADRID I WAS NOW BACK WHERE I START
The palace is beautiful and hard to believe it used to be a home. The dining room table seats 50 and some of the rooms are 8metres tall! I only had a short time as I was due to check out at 11 and have breakfast (it stops at 12!!) after which I met up with Colin who was doing the open top bus tour.
MISSING STOPS
Bit of a disaster to say the least in tracking them down. After figuring out the route, we agreed I would meet them at stop 7 with a coffee but the bus didn’t stop and all I could see was the confusion on Colin and Jeremy’s face as the bus continued to drive on. I figured there was probably a stop a few hundred metres up the road so I bolted after it only for it to miss that stop as well.
The disaster got worse and the plan was for me to get a taxi but within 2 minutes the streets were closed due to a protest – I guess that explains why the bus never stopped! But there was something I knew that wouldn’t let me down and that was the trusty old scooters!
SALSA
We finally got back on the bus and you wouldn’t believe where it took us to – the same street I had run the entire length of.
In Madrid you can come across some great events that would otherwise only be known to locals. Near Colin’s hotel we noticed something going on in the park across the road. It turns out there was a DJ and some salsa dancing, a mix you would only get in Madrid!
Colin and Jers were off to catch a flight and that left only one more thing for me to do, to try all the stuff I hadn’t at Mercado de San Miguel along with another chocolate toasty.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Madrid is a gem and much better than I expected certainly shouldn’t have taken me 32 years to get here!
NEXT UP
Off to the airport for my flight to Mali via Casablanca. Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
130/229
This post is part of the West Africa Series, pt1, click to explore or for episode 1 click here.
To watch the video of my trip, head to my highlights on my Instagram.
