Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2018/12/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Yesterday my daughter and I spent the day in Madrid. The main purpose of the trip was to visit the two great art museums, the Prado and the Museo Reina Sof?a. Apart from that, we were going to have a good lunch and enjoy the city a bit. Our stay in Madrid was a total of 12 hours, and thanks to the high-speed train that covers the 450 km between Alicante and Madrid in 2:15-2:30 hours (depending on the number of stops along the way), it is a trip easily done as a day trip. Five images. It is 7 a.m. and Monica and I are on board the train, departing at 7:15. I had brought breakfast for Monica, knowing that she would probably not have eaten at home before I picked her up there at 6:30: https://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/i-c68FHVP/A Arriving at Madrid?s Atocha station at 9:35 (yes, that was the station where islamic terrorists killed 192 people back in 2004), we headed for the Prado, about 20 minutes walk, so just perfect since it opens at 10. We were there mainly to see the huge bicentenary exhibition, which includes many juxtapositions of old and more modern interpretations of the same motif, like here. What made me take this picture is the amusing way in which the man is examining the artwork. I have no idea what he was looking for: https://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/i-f4qSL96/A We then went to the section of the Prado that contains the Dutch/Flemish masters. I was especially keen for Monica to see the works of Hieronymous Bosch, an amazing painter who lived 500 years ago. Here is Monica looking at his triptych, Adoration of the Magi, from 1494: https://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/i-m7msQq9/A We spent more than 3 hours at the Prado, so it was time for lunch. For that, we headed to Madrid?s central square, Sol, and a nearby Cuban restaurant which I visited several times and which never disappoints: https://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/i-3cg6TLQ/A After lunch, we walked around Madrid for a couple of hours, including the beautiful Retiro park, and then we headed back to the Atocha neighbourhood, this time to visit the Museo Reina Sof?a, Madrid?s main modern art museum. The main attraction there is Picasso?s Guernica, but there is also an extensive collection of works by Dali and other important 20th century artists, and this time there was also a huge exhibition of art created in Paris in the two decades following WW II, by French and foreign artists who made their home in the city. Monica is a delight to take to such places?she looks at the works thoroughly and really takes her time. When she find a work particularly interesting, she takes a photo of the painting and the artist?s name so that she can research him/her on the net later: https://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/i-wPZTthQ/A We spent 3 hours or more at the Reina Sof?a, and then it was time to walk back to Atocha and take the last train home, at 9:15 p.m. I dropped off Monica at her place around midnight, tired but satisfied. Cheers, Nathan Nathan Wajsman Alicante, Spain http://www.frozenlight.eu <http://www.frozenlight.eu/> http:// <http://www.greatpix.eu/>www.greatpix.eu PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws <http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws>Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/ <http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/> Cycling: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/belgiangator <http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/belgiangator> YNWA