Hello Group! I´m writing JUST before my siesta after lunch of garbanzos y chorizo, 4 small chuletas de cerdo (pork chops), bread, a pear, and Mahou beer. Zzz... Zzz... I spent the whole morning...well, the late morning and half the afternoon walking about the Glorieta de Carlos V (a.k.a. Plaza de Atocha) and visited the Atocha train station and shot some video of the Botanical Garden/Rain Forest inside and the rest of the time walking about Retiro Park, the Botanical Gardens, el Estanque (lake), the Palacio de Cristal, La Rosaleda (the rose garden) and stopped in at El Brillante for 2 cañas of Aguila which each came with a free tapa of one green olive and one smelt. All were great! I´m saving the bocadillo de calamares for later because I was on my way home for this great lunch. Tonight, I´m not doing much of anything I don´t think. Might meet with some friends.

Roger, I´ll call you today. Puna, I´m loving the smells too -- even the ones of city sewers and "fertilizer" on the grass they´re replacing in a section of Retiro Park. Eddie, I´m happy to make my way to the website, upload my daily accounts, and share it all with you good people. I´m sure (most of) you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy doing it.

Bought my ticket today in Atocha for the Tren de la Fresa to Aranjuez and will go on Saturday the 14th. I´m excited!!! I´m dozing off. Time for a siesta. Until later!

Saludos, MadridMan