I can’t believe we’re already a quarter of the way into 2018!!! đŽ This is my first blog post in quite a while, as I plan to ease back into writing more regularly. I’ve been looking forward to sharing our unexpected trip to Madrid late last year which I found out we were going on soon after my birthday–what a lovely gift!  This was Ito’s and my first time to the capital of Spain, although we had visited Barcelona years ago, and it was fun getting to know a whole new city again. The weather in November was ideal, with bright sunshine, intense blue skies and enough chill in the air to enjoy layering up a bit.
We stayed in the lovely and historic neighbourhood of Salamanca, which made the perfect base for walking around and discovering the beautiful parks, hidden restaurants, culinary mercados, artisanal boutiques and grand museums that filled and surrounded the area. The more we explored and got to know Madrid a little better, the more we felt we were just skimming the surface and wanted to dig a little deeper…which only means that we were planning a trip back to this beautiful city and country even before we left đ
Sharing a few photos of our trip (this is the first of two blog posts. Read the second part here “Madrid: New Places, New Faces”)…
Aaaaand we’re off!
Enjoying the leafy calles in our posh Salamanca neighbourhood
One of our favourite things was taking walks around the lakes and parks in our area…
…and enjoying the changing autumn foliage
Feeling a little like Alice in Wonderland beside these unusually sculpted cypress trees (broccoli, anyone?)
We were lucky to be staying just a short walk from the Parque del Retiro, a gorgeous, sprawling 19th century park
Exploring other parts of the city
Loving the exhibits of the museums–from the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza to the Museo del Prado–that dotted our area (this was at the CaixaForum)
Admiring the very pretty and jewel-box like Crystal Palace
Taking in the splendour of the Palacio Real, the official residence of the Spanish Royal family
Basking in the sun at the Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol
Admiring the beautiful frescoes on the facade of Casa de la Panaderia, which used to be the main bakery in town (it’s so pretty!)
The imposing Dolmen de DalĂ (by Salvador DalĂ) was just one of many art pieces at our favourite Plaza Salvador DalĂ, which was just a few steps away from our hotel
Indulging in some wine, a tasting platter of the best jamons, a serving of croquetas, and some dessert in our ‘neighbourhood joint’
On our final day in Madrid, as we walked back to our hotel and the shops closed, we stumbled upon this lovely message from Banksy
Hasta luego, Madrid! It was short but definitely sweet đ
*Photos by Ito Ocampo
