Spain 2018

First look at Madrid, Spain	Checked into the Hotel Melia Madrid Princesa	Lunch at "Cerveceria 100 Montaditos"	Dinner at El Pimiento Verde, Madrid	Capitol Cinema in Madrid
Puerta de Alcala (1778), Madrid	Puerta de Alcala is the oldest triumphal arc in Europe	Puerta de Alcala was the gate of the former walls of Philip IV	Fall in Buen Retiro Park, Madrid	Fountain of the Galapagos in Buen Retiro Park, Madrid
Street Perfomer in Buen Retiro Park, Madrid	Monument to Alfonso XII in Buen Retiro Park was inaugurated in 1922	Fountain of the Artichoke in Buen Retiro Park, Madrid	Palacio de Vel zquez in Buen Retiro Park, Madrid	At Palacio de Velazquez in Buen Retiro Park, Madrid
Palacio de Cristal (1887) in Buen Retiro Park, Madrid	Inside Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace), Madrid	Crystal Palace Lake in Buen Retiro Park, Madrid	Fountain of the Fallen Angel (1922) in Buen Retiro Park	Fountain of the Fallen Angel stands at 666 m above sea level
Gargoyles at the base of the Fountain of the Fallen Angel	Statue of King Alfonzo XII	Our guide called these 'brain trees'	Brain Trees up close	Leaving Buen Retiro Park, Madrid
Jacinto Benavente Monument in Buen Retiro Park, Madrid	Palacio de Cibeles (1919) is Madrid's City Hall	The Metropolis Building (1911), Madrid	Cruzcampo Gran Reserve is the local beer in Madrid	Santa Anna Square in Madrid
Statue of Bear and Strawberry Tree in Puerto del Sol, Madrid	The Bear and Strawberry Tree are from Madrid's Coat of Arms	The 'House of the Royal Post Office' is the seat of Regional Government	Km Zero Madrid marks the spot from which all of Spain's national roads are measured	The Belltower on 'House of the Royal Post Office' officially rings in the New Year in Madrid
Narrow Storefont with Apartments above in Madrid	Oldest Hotel in Madrid (1725)	Gate to Plaza Mayor, Madrid	Plaza Mayor (Main Square) was built 1590-1619	Casa de la Panaderia (Bakery House) (1619) undergoing renovations
Sailor on Plaza Mayor in Madrid	Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain	'Locks of Love' on the railing around the equestrian statue of King Felipe III , Plaza Mayor	Potable water fountain in Madrid	Three-wheel Stretch Golf Cart in Madrid
Plaza de La Villa has 15th, 16th, and 17th Century Buildings on 3 Sides	Plaza de La Villa is the Historic Center of Madrid	15th Century Tower in Plaza de La Villa, Madrid	'Mudejar-designed' door was popular in the 15th Century (Plaza de La Villa)	Old Church near Plaza de La Villa
Madrid's Coat of Arms in the Sidewalk	Almudena Cathedral in Madrid was completed in 1993	The Royal Palace of Madrid (1735-55)	Royal Guards at Armory Square Entrance of the Royal Palace, Madrid	Madrid Mounted Police
Spanish Mounted Royal Guard	End of Changing of the Royal Guard	Traffic on the Gran Via in Madrid	Cibeles Fountain (1782), Madrid	Las Ventas Bullring (1931) holds 23,298 fans
Monument to matador Jose Cubero	La Ventas is the 3rd Largest Bullring in the World	Bar inside Las Ventas Bullring	Flamenco Show inside Las Ventas Bullring	The 'traje de luces' (suit of lights) traditionally worn by matadors
Flamenco	Flamenco	Flamenco	Flamenco	Flamenco
Flamenco	Hotel bed raises up so that maids don't hurt their backs	The Temple of Debod is in Parque del Oeste, Madrid, Spain	Temple of Debod was built in Aswan, Egypt in 2nd Centrury BC	Gateways to the Temple of Debod
The Temple of Debod was dismantled and rebuilt in Madrid in 1968	View of Madrid from Parque del Oeste	Overlooking Madrid Cathedral and Royal Palace	Parish Church of Santa Teresa y San Jose‚ (1916-28)	Adjacent Modern and Historic Buildings in Madrid
Miguel de Cervantes Monument was commissioned by King Alfonso XIII in 1915	Statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza	'Don Quixote' is the most influential work of literature from the Spanish Golden Age	Back of the Cervantes Monument	Fountain in Plaza de Espana, Madrid
The Manzanares River in Madrid, Spain	Farming on the Manzanares River in Madrid	The Church of St. Andrews was built on the site of a 12th Century Christian Church	Garden on the Wall in Madrid has no soil	Back at Las Ventas Bullring in Madrid
Comfort Stop across from the Bullring	Looks like Susan is in Love	Iberian Ham is a specialty in Madrid, Spain	Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is home of Real Madrid Soccer Team	Santiago Bernabeu Stadium was built in 1947
The Gate of Europe towers were designed by the American architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee and have a 15 degree inclinati	Colorful apartments in Madrid	The Central Bank of Spain in Madrid	Cibeles Fountain (1782) is one of the symbols of Madrid	Building of the Americas (1941) Madrid
Last look at Cibeles Fountain before Leaving Madrid	Olive farm on the road to Toledo, Spain	Crossing the Tagus River in Spain	Toledo, Spain was part of the Roman Empire around 17 A.D.	The Alcazar was used as a Roman Palace in 3rd Century A.D and was restored in the 1540's
Overlooking Toledo, Spain in the Rain	Puerta de Bisagra is a 10th Century City Gate in Toledo, Spain	Series of 6 Escalators take visitors up the hill to Medieval Toledo, Spain	Toledo is known as 'City of the Three Cultures' for the historical influences of Christians, Muslims and Jews	The Jewish Quarter of Toledo is designated by three markers
Walking through Medieval Toledo, Spain	St. Mary the White is a former Jewish Synagogue built in 1180	St. Mary the White was designed by Moorish Architects for non-Islamic purposes	St. Mary the White was consecrated as a Christian Church after the slaughter of the Jews in Toledo	Only one Star of David is left in St. Mary the White
The Convent of Santa Ursula (1259), Toledo, Spain	Approaching the Cathedral of Toledo through the narrow streets	The Cathedral of Toledo, Spain (1227)	Officially this is 'The Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo'	Stained Glass in the Cathedral of Toledo
Gigantic Mural in the Cathedral of Toledo	Portal of the Clock (14th Century) in the Cathedral of Toledo	Clock (14th Century) above Portal in the Cathedral of Toledo	"Retable" of the Cathedral of Toledo (1497-1504)	Choir Area in Toledo Cathedral
Music Stand in the Choir at Toledo Cathedral	Choir Members stood but had a small ledge to rest their butts	The Eagle of St. John in the Choir at Toledo Cathedral	Baroque altarpiece consists of figures done in stucco, painting, bronze castings, and multiple colors of marble	The Ceiling of the Sacristy in Toledo Cathedral was painted in 7 months by one man using both of his hands
'The Disrobing of Christ' (1579) by El Greco in the Toledo Cathedral Sacristy	The most important object in the Toledo Chapel is the Great Monstrance of Arfe (1517-24)	The Great Monstrance contains 40 lbs. of 18 karat Gold and 400 lbs. of pure Silver	Side entrance to Cathedral of Toledo, Spain	Tasting the local Mahou Beer in Toledo, Spain
Walls of Toledo, Spain dating to the 10th Century	Modern suburbs of Toledo, Spain	Rainbow after a rainy day in Toledo, Spain	Leaving Madrid	Basilica of the Holy Cross of the Valley of the Fallen outside Madrid
Ranching between Madrid and Salmanaca, Spain	Overlooking Avila, Spain	Walls of Avila completed between the 11th and 14th Centuries are 10 feet thick	Farmland near Salamanca, Spain	Crossing the Tormes River in Salamanca, Spain
Plaza Mayor (729-55) in Salamanca is the most important plaza in Spain	Blank Medallion on column in Plaza Mayor is where image of Franco was removed in 2017	Hornazo de Salamanca is the local meat pie	Hornazo de Salamanca is filled with pork loin, spicy chorizo, and hard-boiled eggs	Monument to the poet Adares, located in the Plaza del Corrillo in Salamanca
Rua de Mayor Strret in Salamanca, Spain	Maestro Salinas (1513-90) was a blind composer & musician and was chair of music at the University of Salamanca, Spain	The University of Salamanca (founded 1134) is the 5th Oldest University in the World	The 'frog of Salamanca' is on the top of the left skull on the facade of the University of Salamanca	Patio de Escuelas at the University of Salamanca
The walls of the University of Salamanca are covered with centuries old markings by students using bull's blood and olive oil	This font is called 'Salamanca' and originated in the 1400's	Compania Street in Salamanca, Spain	The 15th Century 'Shell House' in Salamanca has over 400 shells on the exterior	17th Century Clerica Church was originally known as the Royal College of the Company of Jesus
Church of San Martin (1103) in Salamanca	Stork's Nest on Bell Tower of Church of San Martin in Salamanca	The House of 3 Religions -- Muslim, Jewish, and Christian	The Old Church of San Isidoro in Salamanca, Spain	Street leading to the Cathedral of Salamanca
The New Cathedral of Salamanca was started in 1513 and consecrated in 1733	Inside the Cathedral of Salamanca	Inside the Cathedral of Salamanca	Cupola in the Cathedral of Salamanca	Altar in the Cathedral of Salamanca
Pipe Organ in the Cathedral of Salamanca	Choir Loft in the Cathedral of Salamanca	Gold Chapel in the Cathedral of Salamanca	Madonna and Child in the Cathedral of Salamanca	Apse in the Cathedral of Salamanca
Coat of Arms on Crypt in the Cathedral of Salamanca	Another view of the New Cathedral of Salamanca	Gargoyle on the New Cathedral of Salamanca	Gargoyle on the New Cathedral of Salamanca	Gargoyle on the New Cathedral of Salamanca
Gargoyle on the New Cathedral of Salamanca	Gothic Portal in the New Cathedral of Salamanca	Symbols added to the Cathedral's facade during 1992 restoration include an astronaut and a faun eating ice cream	Rabbit on the facade of the Cathedral is discolored from people rubbing it for luck	The Old Cathedral of Salamanca (at end of street) was built in the 12th Century
12th Century Frescoes in the Cathedral of Salamanca	12th Century Frescoe in the Old Cathedral of Salamanca	12th Century Frescoes in the Old Cathedral of Salamanca	Medieval tomb in the Old Cathedral of Salamanca	In the Old Cathedral of Salamanca
Leaving Salamanca, Spain	Leaving Salamanca, Spain	Roman Bridge of Salamanca, Spain is believed to have been constructed between 27 BC and 79 AD	Roman Bridge and skyline of Salamanca, Spain	Old Aqueduct in Spanish Countryside
Rock Wall Hedgerows in Spain	Ranching in the Highlands of Spain	Sheep grazing near the border of Spain and Portugal