I came back from the Toledo trip in time for a seven o’clock anticipated Saturday Mass. Instead of going back to the bus depot, I requested our tour bus driver to drop me off at Gran Via, closest to my hotel street and from there, I walked for less than five minutes to the 17th- century Iglesia de Nuestra Senora del Carmen y San Luis Obispo on Calle del Carmen. This church used to belong to the old San Damaso Carmelite Convent that has since been disentailed. It continues to

After the bullfight tour, I had no desire to gallivant in the Old Town or along Gran Via, even though the sun was still bright at nine o’clock and there were interesting things to see along the avenue. I just went back to my hotel to rest for a bit and have a quiet dinner at a nearby restaurant. Interestingly, my hotel, which had recently been renovated at the time of my visit, featured a Japanese theme. My room, which was on the highest floor, was furnished with contemporary

We left the sports bar after half an hour and proceeded to our main destination – La Plaza de Toros de las Ventas del Espiritu Santo, or simply, Las Ventas, Madrid’s main bullring. The impressive Mudejar-style building is made of red bricks and ceramic tiles, making it stand out from the rest of the structures around it. We did not have to line up, since we already purchased our tickets from the tour company. The only thing our guide did was to give instructions on who goes w

This afternoon was going to be quite interesting - I was sure of that. I was going to see an Egyptian temple, then watch a bullfight. Could anything be even more contrasting than these? I found the storefront where I was to meet my guide for the bullfight trip. She was a young lady in her early twenties, wearing a shirt with the logo of their company. She told me she would walk me to their office where I could pick-up my tickets. Beside it was a bus depot, where the tour bus

On our second day in Madrid, we drove around the city once more, but this time stopped at some of the major landmarks – Royal Palace, Sabatini Gardens, Almudena Cathedral, Basilica de San Francisco El Grande, Plaza de Cibeles, Puerta de Alcala, Buen Retiro Park, Gran Via, and Puerta del Sol, where we had the chance to take some pictures and do some souvenir shopping. By noon, our Tour Director left us at Plaza Mayor to enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants around the ar

We arrived in Madrid in the mid-afternoon and received a grand welcome as we entered the Puerta de Alcala. This is the famous gate erected in 1778 and was the first arch built in honour of the triumph of Europe. Madrid is Spain’s capital city, the seat of government, the residence of the Spanish monarchs, and the centre of politics, economy, and culture. Yet, despite the modern infrastructures, it has preserved the look and feel of its historic neighborhoods. Like school chil