Espe, (may I call you Espe?, my best friend is a 'tocaya' of yours )

I have no clue about the weather forecast for the upcoming weekend, I'm just hoping SO MUCH that it stays exactly how it is today....not as cold as the past few days and without a cloud in the sky! B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!!

Weather in Madrid @ http://www.MadridMan.com/weather.html - this includes several links to 5-day forecasts, Madrid live cam, and weather maps.

Have a nice weekend fling in Madrid! ¡AZUCAR!!

Whatch out MMan, too much ¡¡¡AZUCAR!!! can make you start to turn into....HABANAMAN! :p

(I doubt that could ever happen though, don't you? )

I am here and just wanted to let you all know it is AMAZINGLY FUN. I love every sight, every sound and every smell...weather was iffy yesterday but it didn´t stop us from going around for tapas. Too bad it has to end tomorrow. but, it is so wonderful to be here and to be enjoying Madrid with my friends. hasta luego.

Please share more info when you get home!! Trips like these can be so much fun!!

Esperanza: here has several suggestions. You can visit the Museo de la Ciudad (Principe de Vergara 140 (Metro: Cruz del Rayo). They have wonderful models of Madrid (El Madrid de los Austrias, all houses from Plaza de Colon to Plaza de Castilla, old "tranvias", etc.

In Centro Cultural de la Villa (metro: Colon) an exhibition: Madrid, three centuries of Capitality (it is very good).

In Museo del Ferrocarril (Paseo de las Delicias 61 there is a temporal exhibition of royal trains.

Teatro Pavon (Embajadores ,9): Don Juan Tenorio de Zorrilla (theatre) .

Teatro Principe Gran via : La cena de los idiotas de Francis Veber.

Do you like Zarzuela?, in
Teatro de la Zarzuela actually: El niño Judio.

There are several good musicals: My Fair Lady, El Fantasma de la Opera,El Zorro, Tangana (tangos)

Regards
ABP

Phew! the weekend fling is over but it was FANTASTIC! Here is a quick recap: We went Lufthansa by way of Munich on the way over. It was efficient and comfortable, and they did NOT lose our suticases so , it was just fine.

We stayed at the Apartamnentos Gran Vía, which I will write about in another post, but it was very central and just perfect. Our first day we spent walking around Puerta del Sol and went to Casa del Libro to stock up on books. I was able to get a wonderful Antología Personal with a CD of my old professor/poet José Hierro, so I was thrilled! We stopped for some delicious café con leche that just warmed our souls. Walking around Sol was such fun...hearing the Madrileños talking around me, hearing the lottery vendors shouting "para hoy!", etc. I just love it. In the evening we ventured to the Corral de la Pacheca for dinner (mediocre---but a good gazpacho) and the flamenco show. It is an enormous place and quite touristy, but the show itself was rather good.
The next day we hit Zara and the Corte Inglés in the morning and ate at Casa Botín for lunch ( alcachofas salteadas con jamón, setas segovianas, and cochinillo asado...scrumptious!) Botin's has such good memories for us...it was wonderful to be there. We hung around the Plaza Mayor for a while and then down to Plaza Santa Ana for Café Irlandés in a wonderful café on the plaza. We were there for ages...my friends and I hadn't been all together for 15 years...lots to catch up on. and what a place to be. That night we had some rain, yet we went for tapas all around the Plaza Santa Ana and Sol. Most memorable are the pimientos de Padrón. I adore them!

Sunday we were off to the Rastro in the morning...quite empty in January! and we got some goodies there. We went to the Museo del Jamón ( how could you not go to the Museo del Jamón when you are in Madrid? )and it was SOOOOO good. We went for lunch in a simple pub nearby that was quite good, but I don'tr remember the name. Although I wanted to see a play or movie, we never did get to do that...we ended up visiting with some other friends who live near Pueblo Nuevo so we weren't near the theatres.

The next day we were on our way again. Again thru Germany to get home to NY, a long yet comfortable trip back.

Thanks for your encouragement and for indulging me everyone. P. S. I brought home so many things for my daughters, that although they were a bit envious of my trip, they were able to handle me being away. I now have Fanta de limón in my fridge...and conguitos...and Paladín chocolate ...and Vda de Solana caramels, etc.

Glad you enjoyed your 'weekend fling.' Sorry you didn't get to visit el Parque del Buen Retiro Sunday morning.

I hope you didn't put the Paladin in the 'Fridge!'
I mentioned on an earlier post that I had brought back several cans of Paladin (My granddaughters love it). My supply is dwindling. I guess it's time to go back to Spain for some more.

Does anyone know if Paladin (hot chocolate mix) is available in the U.S., or if it's widely available in the E.U.