Madrid
On June 7, I flew to Madrid and met David and his family at a lovely apartment they had rented on Atocha Street. On Saturday afternoon, June 8, they, too, had just arrived. After we all unpacked, we walked to Plaza Mayor to dine on tapas at Mercado San Miguel. The food we had there was terrific and the friendliness we encountered among other visitors presaged the wonderful time we were to enjoy together in Madrid.
Our first set of tickets was for the Royal Palace of the Spanish Monarchs on Sunday, June 9. Pain in my right knee had rendered me worthy of a wheelchair, which David readily obtained at the Palace. My granddaughters seemed to enjoy taking turns to push me around! Click on this album to see the riches we beheld there. It was all splendid, but left me wondering what better uses the wealth brought home from the New World might have had. After two hours inside, we enjoyed a sunny day in the plaza, listening to the Cathedral bells and watching the girls play.
On Monday, June 10, thinking of Shelby on her birthday, we explored Reina Sofía, the museum of contemporary art. Here we saw the original Guernica by Picasso, which I had once worked as a jigsaw puzzle. A response to the Germans bombing the town of Guernica in 1937, it was huge (over 25 feet across) and horrific, depicting the carnage of war that currently assails us daily in news reports from Gaza and Ukraine.
When I saw that Reina Sofia had a whole gallery of Richard Serra, the girls wheeled me over to see works by one of my favorite sculptors. But these were not the immersive experiences I described in my blogpost on Serra. They were just rectangular iron boxes of various sizes–maybe early works in that genre? We were all left wondering! That was the only disappointment in this museum. For more pictures of Reina Sofia art, see the photos in this album.
Though I had studied up on the art, music and history of Spain, I was not prepared for the glorious Spanish cuisine, but Leslie was! She knew just which restaurants would appeal to all of us. After a toast to Shelby’s birthday, we spent two delightful hours at Cafe Macareno. I spent each afternoon taking a siesta and reflecting on what I’d seen. That evening, Leslie and David went out to sample Madrid nightlife.
Tuesday, June 11, was Steve’s and my 58th wedding anniversary! Though we were half a world apart, we talked on WhatsApp and promised to celebrate together soon. He was devoting himself to a major renovation of the North Course at Quail Ridge, while I devoted myself to El Prado, one of the world’s greatest art museums. Remarkably, no photos were allowed inside! What a great idea! Visitors flowed smoothly through the galleries without jockeying for the best shot. We saw works by Raphael, Dürer, Titian, Tintoretto, Velasquez, El Greco and, best of all, Goya–from all periods of his long life. Such wonderful art! I snapped a picture of the statue that greeted us at the entrance: The Defense of Zaragoza by José Álvarez Cubero (1768-1827). The Museum grounds were quite beautiful. Again, here is a Reina Sofia photo album.
That evening, with Steve and our anniversary were much on my mind, we went to see Flamenco Dancing. It was terrific; Steve would have loved it. Leslie found a place that served great food before presenting a one-hour show. Here’s what we saw at Tablao de la Villa. The guitarist played in the tradition of Andres Segovia.
The highlight of my last day in Madrid was touring the Retiro Park with Margot and Nina in a buggy driven by a friendly tour guide. June roses bloomed in lovely gardens, fountains sprayed abundantly, and kids played soccer on several fields. I thought of my father, William Davis Kirkpatrick, who was born on June 12, 1902. Though he never met my children or grandchildren, surely he was smiling down from Heaven.
Madrid, the royal city, welcomes all. I was very fortunate to be with my kind, patient, and helpful family, who spoke Spanish well and were expert guides. I love you all!
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