Hola Madrid! - Parte dos - The Antibland Chronicles

Picking up where I left off, here are some more pictures from our trip to Spain. One of my favorite things about Madrid was that you can aimlessly wander around knowing that within a few minutes you will either end up in a bustling plaza or a beautiful garden. The hills which drove us crazy on many days, also made for some insanely awesome sunset views. We also took two day trips – one to Toledo via train; second to Segovia via rented car – both of which ended up being a perfect contrast to the hustle and bustle of Madrid!

**We stumbled on a rose garden in Casa de Campo while looking for the Teleferico cable cart (which was unfortunately closed). Had we lingered here longer, one of my kids would have definitely ended up in a thorny rose bush or the lily pond. Nonetheless it does make for a great spot to stop and smell the roses and ponder on life’s big questions, at least for those who don’t have danger loving children like mine.

**The area around Palacio Royal is very vibrant. It’s a top tourist destination and for good reason. To the north of it lies the Parque Del Oeste which made me feel like I was walking through a valley somewhere far far away. Both places present exceptional sunset views which shouldn’t be missed by anyone in my opinion.

**Midway in our vacation, we took a 30-minute train ride to Toledo. We saw a Costco en route, and could hardly contain our excitement. If we were in a car at this point, I am 100% sure we would have made the pilgrimage to see what the Spaniards buy in bulk. But I digress. The entire town of Toledo is a UNESCO world heritage site. Sitting atop a hill and surrounded by the river Tejo it is exceptionally picturesque. It is also a popular destination being so close to Madrid but in no way does it feel stagey. We had such a good time here. We look an old fashioned train ride around the city (the kids really dug this) and best of all, we loved how there were so many playgrounds, all with amazing views which came in handy during sunsets.

We stopped at a mercado to get lunch and take a break from the heat. My kids promptly took it upon themselves to rearrange the furniture.

Toledo also has the El Greco museum worth visiting. Here is Asha looking at the photo exhibit in the museum’s courtyard.

A beer at the bar while we waited for the train ride home to Madrid. Devang had a Carolina shirt and we ran into an alum. What a small world.

We were on a mostly empty train and Arjun took the liberty to test out every seat.

There was a lot of ice cream eating on this trip for sure!

**Our second day-trip was to Segovia which is north of Madrid. It is famous for it’s Roman Aqueducts which were built around the 1st century AD. It feels unreal to be albe to touch and feel something so old. Like Toledo, this too is a very picturesque city with lots of tiny winding hilly streets.