Madrid... Days 1 and 2

Arrived at our Hesperia Madrid Hotel around noon local time Saturday. Having been mostly awake since 6am EDT, needless to say there was not much spring in our steps. But, we soldiered on knowing the worst thing we could do was lay down for a nap.

So off we went for a 4 hour self directed walking tour of the city.
Now this is the same city that when visited in 2013, I suggested I wasn't sold on.

SOLD.

This is a beautiful, lively place with a mix of really old and not so old neighbourhoods.

Statues, monuments and fountains everywhere

Beautiful tree lined downtown streets

The Royal Palace but the King moved out. It's 2800 rooms and he kept getting lost  

Today is Labour Day in Spain and there were sporting events, festivals and political rallies everywhere

Apparently the most famous Bull Ring in the world. You can win bull fights anywhere else in the world but you can't be called a star until you win here.

Soccer anyone? Home of "Real Madrid".

Spring in Madrid. This is "Parque de El Retiro"

A man made lake in the park

Retiro is one square kilometre of spectacular and well used park land, in he middle of the city. A little like Central Park in New York.

We also toured the town of Segovia, about an hour drive north west of Madrid. This is the town from which Queen Isabella I ruled in the late 15th century.  The city is famous for not only Alcazar Castle (which was apparently the inspiration for Cinderella's castle in Disney Land), but also for a Roman Aqueduct said to be constructed circa A.D. 50.

By the way, the first Sunday in May is also Mothers Day in Spain.  So, "Feliz dia de la Madre"

The Roman Aqueduct

 Labour Day or maybe Mother's Day celebrations 

Beautiful Segovia vistas

Cinderella ?

Apparently a full suit of armour could weigh up to 120 pounds

The Moat

Military barracks in the foreground. Cathedrals in the background.

Springtime Poppy blooms in Segovia

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~