MADRID!!

Home Sweet Home!!
April led me to Madrid during Semana Santa!

I was invited to speak at an international training about student travel. Of course I jumped at the chance - going to Madrid is like going home for me. I'm a Madrid girl :)

Had decent flights over - straight shot out of Chicago. Made my way to the hotel - great locale - and then headed into center city.
It was SUCH a gorgeous day in Madrid that I wandered thru Retiro Park, saw the Crystal Palace - something new for me.

Hit up Reina Sofia and just spend hours wandering. Rarely do the kids & I get down there to see it, let alone have time to just wandered. Guernica always fascinates me...

Took a stroll thru Puerta del Sol after tapas & sangria in Plaza Mayor.


Real Madrid played Barcelona while we were in Madrid - what a great match! Didn't dare head down to Cibeles for the celebration, but watched much of it on TV. Had to head up to the stadium the next morning.


Here I am with my trusted side-kick, Bob. Red Bus Rules!

Caught a break on the rainy Madrid weather and had a pit stop thru my house...or the Royal Palace. Home sweet Home!

After the grand tour of Madrid, we headed south, in the drizzling rain, to the gorgeous town of Toledo, a walled city surrounded by a moat...gorgeous! Had another fantastic guide, Carlos, and even saw Fernando (he's amazing!). Here's the amazing Red Bus after the skies had cleared up.

A trip to Toledo would not be complete without a stop at the Damascene Factory for some Toledo gold... or to find my knight in shining armor... he's a hard man to track down!!

After our presentation afternoon, we had some free time to wander around... so we headed down to the heart of the city - in the background is the post office/communications building.

Luckily the rains had stopped and we grabbed some yummy Magnum ice cream bars and chilled in Retiro park, people watching... felt sad for the Balloon lady who got run off by the cops since she didn't have a permit.
Fran, Nichole, Courtney & I waiting for Sam near the Fallen Angel statue - one of 3 Satan statues in the world...yet no one knew where the other 2 were located...

We did Flamenco that night - was at a different locale than where we saw it in June. Was amazing! Afterwards, I needed to hit the Hard Rock to pick up a couple gifts...course I couldn't go by myself, so Sam & Bob became my bodyguards and off we went! They're such troopers!!

And, just like that, it was time to go home...or back to the States... Fran was our amazing TD and took such good care of us!
All in all, it was an amazing week in Madrid! Weather was spotty, but tolerable. Met some amazing people on our Rockin' Red Bus and got to talk travel - a girl can't ask for much more!

The amazing Red Bus Staff:

Fran, Bob, Chris, Sam, Courtney, Nichole, & I
Thanks for a great weekend, amigos!