It was cool and rainy this morning in Madrid. After taking a cab to the train station we had coffee and croissants in the station.

Then we took a high speed train to Barcelona where it is sunny and warm. Along the way we played bridge. Linda won again.

In Barcelona we, checked into our hotel, had lunch, and went for a walk.

For dinner we had tapas at the same restaurant that we ate at our first night in Spain Llamber Taverna. It was fabulous. The picture below is of our Maitaki Mushrooms.

We had a wonderful day in Madrid today. We had coffee and croissants near our hotel and then strolled through the center of Madrid. We stopped for chocolate and churros at Chocolateria San Giles. We have never had to wait in line there before and but today is Sunday so we did have to wait a bit. It was worth it.

Next we walked through the Mercado de San Miguel.

And then it was on to a guided tour of the Royal Palace. Rick Steves describes it as “Europe’s third-greatest palace, after Versailles and Vienna’s Schönbrunn. It has arguably the most sumptuous interior”. Our guide was great and the opulence blew me away.

After touring the palace we took the metro back to the hotel. I rested my aching feet for a bit and then we went to the Naval Museum. It was fabulous. Spanish naval history is so long, full and complex. I loved all the models. It was fun to see the model of the USS Maine and how it was sunk in Cuba (not by the Spanish).

For dinner we had tapas.

When we left Sigüenza this morning it was pouring rain. It was raining so hard that we decided to skip visiting the Basilica. This is our Parador.

When we got to Madrid we checked into our hotel. Then Duke and I fueled the rental car, returned it and walked back to the hotel.

Then it was off to Museo de Jamon for a snack.

And then to the Prado, one of the top art museums in the World.

For dinner we went to a nearby restaurant, Fuente de la Fama. I started with the octopus with onions.

And the had the oxtail with tempura vegetables.

The staff was super friendly and the food was as good as it looks!

Before leaving Lleida this morning we hiked up to the castle and old cathedral overlooking the town.

Then we drove three and a half hours south to Sigüenza where we are staying in the castle Parador.

As we have almost every day we played bridge before dinner.

We are headed toward Madrid now. Today we left Andorra and drove two and a half hours south to Lleida. Along with he way we saw this church with a stork nesting on the top of the steeple.

Here in Lleida we did laundry. We are staying at a Parador that has been open less than a year. It is built in an old convent. The restaurant is in the former church.

For dinner Duke had snails to start. He shared. They were delicious.

For dinner he and Linda shared a paella made with rabbit, sausage and snails.

And here is desert.