¡Coronación!

¡Coronación!

Coronation!

The final stop before home was Madrid, the capital. I had originally planned to base myself there and visit Toledo and Segovia during my 2 day stay, also I didn't really fancy the 12 hour journey back to Gijón from Sevilla. 

But that didn't happen....

I was pretty tired after 2 and a bit weeks of traveling and decided to have a break, on my break.

You my be wondering, after 2 previous stays here, what can she have done?

Well...

I wrote a letter and ate some nice food, and sangría, because, you know, on holiday and all that it doesn't count as drinking alone. 

Saw Felipe VI's first public appearance as the newly crowned King of Spain, the second of Spain's democracy post-Franco, after his father Juan Carlos I abdicated a few weeks ago. Had my bag peeped in twice enroute, very secure.

And the accompanying police presence that shut down the Sol metro station for a day and night. Despite no Sol, the city was relatively calm traffic wise and the crowds limited to the Palace. I imagine a British coronation would potentially shut down the whole of London and make everything impassable, but in Madrid it was completely fine.

And the rest of the police who supervised an anti-monarchy/Republican protest, which ended in the plaza by my hostel. 

And to top a royal day off, I witnessed some celestial skies (is it a sign for Felipe?!), which Dad has informed me are in fact 'crepuscular rays'.

I saw the entirety of the Prado, including a special temporary exhibition about Rubens' design for several giant tapestries and another featuring books from El Greco's library. I thoroughly enjoyed re-visiting the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, which is a husband and wife's giant collection. There was also a fantastic Pop Art exhibition called Mitos del Pop (Pop Art Myths), with Warhols and Liechtensteins aplenty, well worth every cent of the entrance fee! The Reina Sofía was, as always, inspiring with exhibitions to challenge and provoke new ideas and thoughts; this time there was one about play grounds and how they have changed over the years and their function within society, called 'Playgrounds: Reiventar la Plaza'. All the old favorites were there and I had a brief chat with a lovely member of staff in one of my favorite rooms, who offered her interpretation of two paintings and told me a tale about another. 

Me sitting in the exhibition that everyone else just looked at (I did ask if it was allowed first)

It was all rather laid back and lovely. I even watched Toy Story 3 on the bus back, and I can confirm that Buzz in Spanish mode is just as impressive, even when the entire film is in Spanish. A fitting end to a wonderful summer trip, as I hurled myself and my, now much weightier, rucksack, upon my holidaying parents at the bus station in Gijón.