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| Churros y chocolate |
We set out at 9 for some churros, chocolate and (King) Carlos III.
“Why are you so interested in Carlos III?” Sierra asked, after the Aranjuez tour, where I’d asked at least a dozen questions pertaining to him.
So I explained to Sierra: My novel is set in Spain under his rein, and our Spanish ancestor may have served in the Royal Army under that king.
The churros we had this morning from Churreria & Chocolatera are bent, piping hot, then dipped in chocolate. While trying to find the entrance to the Palacio Real, Sierra and I (Joy was at mass) sat on a bench and indulged. (Well, she took a bite.)
As they say here, Que rico!
Two was plenty for me. I gave the rest to an accordionist who seemed surprised, then smiled, as he accepted the offer.
Yes, there are plenty of street performers here. I’ve heard Elvis, Jefferson Starship, Perry Como, and a lively band whose name escapes me. At the Prado, a man played classical guitar. In our Metro car, a man brought in a karaoke machine and started singing. They are in the pedestrian tunnels, in front of tourist landmarks like the Palacio Real. Next time Wesley needs to fundraise, he can do this.
Kidding!
It takes a tough skin to perform under these circumstances. And it’s an especially tough way to make a living. I was talking to Ana and Javier yesterday and they said that times are tough; many young people cannot find jobs here. That’s why they want to create opportunities for their children by having them learn English.
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| Palace facade with balcony |
After churros, Sierra and I queued up for an English tour at the Palacio. Our guide would say, charmingly, “Have a look…”
And we did.
I not only looked at the tapestries, gilded furniture, hand-painted porcelain, and art, they also looked familiar to me. I have been learning so much about Carlos III, I remembered many details. He was reportedly austere. If he was austere, I cant even imagine how his relatives with lavish tastes may have been.
The first room of the tour made me smile. It was the Hall of Habaldiers, named after the guards, some Spaniards, some conscripted from different countries, all valiant, sworn to loyalty to protect the king. I smiled because I pictured my ancestor, a Ponce de Leon, entering, mingling and making himself feel at home among his contemporaries.
Another favorite of mine was the throne room (where Carlos III received dignitaries and commoners alike) and the dining room (which was converted from the queen’s quarters – Carlos III was a widower upon assuming the throne – and which is used today to host 120 or fewer guests.
But the icing on the cake was that, when I asked about the balcony from which Carlos III quelled the riots of 1768, our tour guide came out to the huge plaza with us and pointed at the balcony.
*woozy knees*
I told Sierra it’s not like I’m obsessed with this king, just a little.
After lunch, we tried to get a train ticket for 1:50 to Toledo, but the queue for tickets was longer than that. We finally got tickets for 2:50, then arrived on a very empty Metro to Toledo.
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| Toledo alleyway |
The heat made me think of St. George, and we were always looking for shade where we could. Unfortunately many museums are closed on Monday, but still, it was fun to see the beautiful architecture of the citys’ buildings.
We stopped at a cathedral which had a great audio tour. By the time we finished the audio tour, it was 6. Then we had dinner at Alcazar Restaurant. I had seafood paella, a yummy pork stew, and vanilla cream custard. The restaurant had misters, which was heavenly.
I think between the heat, and our poor little legs that have been used a lot, we did not feel overly ambitious. We could have window-shopped some more, or gone to a museum, or walked around. Instead, we took a bus that took us around the city, just in time to catch the Metro back to Madrid.
All in all a great day!
I come home tomorrow. I’ve had the time of my life. I hope it doesn’t take long before my next adventure with my sister. So happy that Sierra could share in the experience tambien!
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