La Capital - Madrid

This past weekend, I visited Tessa in Madrid. Although I have been to the airport and train station a few times, I had never actually explored Spain's capital. What an amazing city it is! The history, the art, the culture, the Spanish - it was fantastic.

The highlight of my trip was definitely visiting the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. The "Meet the Artist" project that my 5th graders did really gave me a new understanding and appreciation of art. It was so fantastic to visit this museum and see at least one piece by almost every well-known artist I've heard of - Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Gaugin, Klee, Dali, Pollack - the list goes on and on! I also loved the layout of this museum - it was easy to get around and not too overwhelming (unlike Reina Sofia - fantastic, but a little too much for me). Although it's probably not what most people would say, if you visit one art museum, I recommend this one.

In addition, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Plaza Santa Ana, and Parque del Buen Retiro were beautiful to see. The city definitely buzzes with energy - something I love. The metro system is fantastic in Madrid, so it was easy to get everywhere as well.

Plaza Mayor

Palacio de Cristal in Parque Buen Retiro

One of the best, and most surprising, highlights of this trip was the Spanish. I think I heard and spoke more Spanish in four days in Madrid than I have in six months in Barcelona! Tessa and I had a number of conversations about this - it's crazy how different it is! First of all, everything is in Spanish, not Catalan, which makes a huge difference. It also seemed like the majority of the tourists there were Spanish tourists, not Americans, British, Germans, etc. Because of this (maybe?), everyone in restaurants and bars spoke to us in Spanish. Often times in Barcelona they will switch to English as soon as it becomes clear you're not a native Spanish or Catalan speaker. It really put into perspective how difficult it can be to learn Spanish while living in Barcelona . . .

With that said, as much as I loved visiting Madrid, my heart is definitely in Barca. I think the combination of the beach, the Mediterranean breeze, the size of the city, and the lifestyle makes it a better fit for me. However, I would visit Madrid again in a heartbeat - I know there is a lot more for me to see.