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(Individual videos can be found below.) |
MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 2013:
I began my trip on Monday morning by flying from Indianapolis to Dallas, Texas.
My flight landed at DFW a little before 1:00PM and my Madrid flight didn't depart until 5:45.
I spent the nearly five hour layover in the American Airline's Admiral Club.
Below is the email I sent from the lounge.
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Hello friends & family, It is travel time again. I am going to spend the next five weeks in Europe. I left Indianapolis this morning at 11:30 and am now in Dallas waiting for my flight to Madrid. I have a five hour layover here in Dallas. It was a smooth flight over here from Indy. We circled downtown Dallas during our approach and I got a nice view of the city. My brother David will like these pictures, you can see Dealy Plaza.   Had some excitement a few minutes ago. I am in the American Airlines lounge and the alarm sirens went off declaring an emergency and stating that the building was being evacuated. Turned out to be a false alarm, thank goodness. It is a nine and a half hour flight to Madrid leaving here at 5:45 and arriving in Madrid Tomorrow morning at 10:10.  I will write more when I get across the pond. Tim |
I was able to get a first class seat using my frequent flyer miles.
I would be flying on a 777-200. The flight left on time.
All of the images below are thumbnails and can be clicked on for a larger image.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013:
Tuesday morning my nonstop flight from Dallas touched down at Madrid's Barajas Airport.
I checked into the Hotel Ritz Madrid in the center of the city for my two night stay.
It is a very nice classic old hotel off of Canovas del Castillo Square.
After getting settled at the hotel I set out to explore the city.
I walked just down the street to Plaza de Cibeles, a beautiful square with
marble sculptures with fountains that has become an iconic symbol for the city.
It sits at the intersection of Calle de Alcala, Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado.
The plaza is a landmark of Madrid and it is famous for the Cibeles Palace (City Hall).
From Plaza de Cibeles I hopped on the double-deck tourist bus and got off at Plaza de Oriente.
Statues of the Gothic kings line the plaza.
The Philip IV monument stands in the center of the plaza.
And the majestic Royal Palace of Madrid overlooks the plaza.
On the other side of the Royal Palace is the Almudena Cathedral.
My next stop was at Plaza Mayor.
Plaza Mayor is rectangular in shape and is surrounded by three-story residential buildings
having 237 breathtaking balconies facing the Plaza. It has a total of nine entranceways.
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Hello folks, Landed here in Madrid on time at 10:00 this morning after a nine hour flight from Dallas. The picture below was taken shortly before landing.  Got to my hotel in downtown Madrid at about 11:30. I am staying at the Hotel Ritz. It is a very nice classic old hotel. I have a very comfortable room. After getting settled at the hotel I set out to explore the city. The square below is just outside my hotel.  There is a lot of interesting architecture in this city.  The square below is just a couple blocks up from my hotel. It is Palacio de Comunicaciones (City Hall), at the Plaza de Cibeles. From here I hopped on the open-top tourist bus and got off at the Royal Palace of Madrid. Below are statues of the Gothic kings in the Plaza de Oriente which is in front of the palace. Below is the Cathedral that sits next to the palace. My next stop was Plaza Mayor. Below is one of the many streets that runs into the square.  Plaza Mayor is surrounded by three-story residential buildings having 237 breathtaking balconies facing the Plaza. It has a total of nine entranceways. It was a nice day here in Madrid, not too hot. Several clouds around to block the sun. I wanted to explore more but my damn feet wouldn't allow it. After several visits to the foot doctor over the last two months. Special orthotics. Cortisone shots. Nothing has helped. It's really pissing me off. Below is another picture of Plaza Mayor. I will write more tomorrow, Tim |
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013:
My first stop on Wednesday was at Plaza de la Independencia.
In the center of the plaza sits the impressive Puerta de Alcala.
This large granite structure used to be a main entrance gate to Madrid.
My next stop was at Plaza de Castilla.
The Caja Madrid Obelisk is erected directly in the center of the plaza.
The Puerta de Europa Towers (Gate of Europe) are situated at the north end of the Plaza.
We passed by Plaza de Colon (Columbus Square) a couple times during the course of the day.
The Puerta del Sol (Spanish for "Gate of the Sun") is one of the best known and busiest places in Madrid.
On the south side of the square stands the old Post Office which serves as the office of the President of Madrid.
The Monument to King Charles III stands in the center of the square.
Madrid is a fascinating city as evidenced by its elaborate architecture.
The Spanish capital breathes with rich history.
The baroque, renaissance, romantic, and other architectural styles are living testimonies to Madrid's grandeur.
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Hola a todos! It was another beautiful day in Spain. I spent all day here in the capitol city of Madrid. I ate breakfast here at the beautiful Ritz Hotel before heading out for the day. My first stop was at Plaza Independencia. In the center of the plaza sits the impressive Puerta de Alcala. This large granite structure used to be a main entrance gate to the city. My next stop was in the northern part of the city. Below is the Calatrava Obelisk seen from the monument to Calvo Sotelo. Behind are the towers of the Puerta de Europa and the CTBA towers. The next stop was Puerta del Sol (Spanish for "Gate of the Sun") it is one of the best known and busiest places in Madrid. The square also contains the famous clock whose bells mark the traditional eating of the Twelve Grapes and the beginning of a new year. This was a very busy and touristy area. Lots of street performers. I know this has to be an optical illusion but it really looked like he was holding that guy on a stick.  It was a beautiful public square. I spent a lot of time in this area. Walking down the many streets that empty into this square.  That's was all I managed to accomplish today since I have to stop and rest my feet every ten minutes. I'm going back out tonight to see the city at night. Today is my last day in Madrid. I am flying to Barcelona in the morning. Tim |
Watch the video below for all the details from my two days in Madrid.
Click on the arrow above to continue to my next stop, BARCELONA, SPAIN!
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