On Sunday after lunch we toured the Royal Palace which is magnificent!  Once we had purchased tickets, we stood in line for quite awhile waiting to get in. They only allow a certain number of people in at one time, but between people watching, taking in all the sights and the street entertainers the time went pretty quickly.

. (Sorry I kept cutting off his head – still trying to figure out my new camera).

Once inside we headed up the Grand Staircase

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and spent the next hour wandering from one incredibly extravagant room to the next.

It seems the former kings were somewhat competitive and each consecutive king would add something trying to outdo the previous king… eye roll. But the results are breathtaking. Here are just a few samples – I should tell you ahead of time, I took the Grand Stairway picture before I found out that photographs were not allowed…ooops.  So the rest are from the internet, but I swear we saw then and they really are unbelievable.

The grounds were just as lovely – quiet and serene.

Next we headed to Retiro  Park. I mentioned it in the last post when I talked about King Charles III. Among the other incredibly forward thinking things he did for his people, giving this park – which had once been a royal retreat – to the people making a public park for use by all. What a great guy!

Anyway, we hopped on the subway and zipped down to the Retiro Exit. This park, by the way, is over 300 square acres – huge and obviously well used.  There were people everywhere – joggers, strollers, segwayers (is that a word?) – locals and tourists alike enjoying the great weather and beautiful surroundings.

 

 

Though Parque de Retiro is  beautiful, we had worn ourselves out so we headed home. We had to rest up because tomorrow  – Museo Nacional del Prado – or in English The Prado National Art Museum!