Madrid

Wednesay, June 12

On Wednesday our group met in the morning and headed up to Montjuic via bus before catching a high speed train to Madrid.  Montjuic, a large hill on the south side of Barcelona hosts multiple museums and old Olympic facilities.  The high speed rail was also one of the highlights of our trip- sometimes traveling at speeds of 193 mph.  Ater settling into our hotel in Madrid we met as a group and walked to dinner/ wine tasting.

Thursday, June 13

On Thursday morning we met as a group and went to the Royal Palace for a tour of the largest palace in Europe.  It no longer houses any royals but it is used for state ceremonies.  Following the palace tour we explored nearby Austria's neighborhood and found some lovely restaraunts for al fresco dining.  During our afternoon free time, we decided to explore El Retiro Park and a lovely local craft show with handmade goods.

Friday, June 14

On Friday our group went to several of Madrid's art museums, the Prado and the Reina Sofia.  The Reina Sofia houses one of PIcasso's most famous paintings- Guernica.  Guernica is a large, black and white paiting depicting a war.