Madrid Art Museums

The next few posts will be about Spain since I just returned from a 9 day trip and the country is beautiful - the sites, the food, the dancing, the weather.  I was overwhelmed by the Prado, Reina Sofia, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, and Caixa Forum (the Guggenheim Bilbao deserves its own post).

I wish that I had been able to take photographs of the art.

I learned that I love Velazquez.  His paintings are so rich and intense.

I was also thrilled that the special exhibit in the Prado were pieces from The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia.  I've wanted to visit since watching the film "Russian Ark" - a 2002 Russian historical drama film, filmed entirely in the Winter Palace of the Russian State Hermitage Museum using a single 96-minute Steadicam sequence shot.

Seeing Guernica was a moment of such profound feeling.  The grief in the painting was tangible and very real.  I was so grateful to have seen it.

I saw many paintings at all of the museums that I loved and spent hours wandering, reading, and learning.  I also loved the Delacroix exhibit at the Caixa Forum.

A Lovely Madrid Hotel

I wish I had taken a picture of the hotel as I rolled up in a taxi but I was just so happy to have finally arrived.  After a day at work, a taxi to JFK, waiting, a 6 hour red-eye with intermittent sleep, and a taxi driven by a hard rock listening Spaniard, I was so happy.  I was made even happier when they told me that my room was ready at 10 am.  I walked in and saw this very comfortable bed.

The room was clean and well designed.  I love living in this type of space, if even for only 24 hours.

I enjoyed the very large, well-tiled bathroom.

 And I saw this before I closed my eyes.

Thank you AC Palacio Del Retiro in Madrid.  It was my favorite hotel in Spain where I enjoyed the best night of sleep I had while on vacation.