Madrid

Mo had meetings in Madrid on Monday and Tuesday following the big move, so since I had not started my job yet, I tagged along.  For Mo, the majority of the trip was spent working but we did get to do some exploring on Sunday before work began on Monday.  We landed in Madrid around noon and made it to our hotel in the city center around 1:30 in the afternoon Madrid time.  After checking in and freshening up, we met up with Mo’s boss at a cafe at one of the many plazas in town.  I cannot remember which one though. From there we went to Plaza Mayor and had lunch.  There was a really funny “fat Spiderman” street performer that Mo’s boss remembered from a previous visit.  Check him out here https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=124418097599213. After our late lunch we walked around town a little and when we got tired we would stop at one of the many cafes to rest our feet from the walking.  That evening we shared some traditional Spanish tapas.  The favourite among the group was the grilled octopus.  Probably not my favourite because it was very salty.  Though Sunday was a long day due to the early flight, it flew by. 

Monday it rained all day which deterred me from much sightseeing.  I did manage to go out for a couple of hours and walk around and grab some lunch, but ultimately ended up going back to the hotel and settling in to the hotel with my book.  That evening we met up with Mo’s boss for dinner at a restaurant we all really enjoyed.    I even ended up going back there on Tuesday for lunch!

Tuesday was a much more pleasant day weather-wise.  I slept in and when I got up, in lieu of going to the gym, I decided to go out for a jog/walk to get an idea of the area of town we had not walked around on Sunday. After returning to the hotel for a shower I set out to do a little window shopping and then I walked to the Grand Palace.  This is the only picture I took while we were in Madrid.  I promise to get better about the pictures. 

On Tuesday night I was on my own for dinner as Mo had a work function that evening.  I went out for a delicious cheeseburger at McDonald’s (I know, so lame, but it tasted just like it does at home) and retired early.  We had another very early flight on Wednesday morning to return to London.  I think we got up around 4 AM to make it to the airport in time for our 6:30 AM flight.

All in all it was a nice trip, however it would have been more enjoyable if Mo had not been working so much.  I suppose that’s why they call it a business trip though!  It’s definitely more fun to share new experiences with someone else.  With that said, we definitely need to go back and take in more of the sights.  I have a feeling we will go back a few times during the next few years, at least Mo is likely to for future business trips.  Also, I’m sure that the city is much more enjoyable when the weather cooperates!