Madrid Part 3

After touring cathedrals and basilicas, we had the opportunity to attend the Madrid LDS Temple. While far more understated from an architectural and artistic perspective, the temple delivers a peace I do not experience anywhere else. Also, it was refreshing to view religious art that did not depict beheadings or military conquests.

It was delightful to have a temple just a short subway ride away.

Spent the afternoon shopping, with a little break for necessary sustenance.

We avoided the questionable street vendors. But check out their quick getaway setup. You’ll see that the vendor holds ropes in his hand that run to each corner of the sheet. When the police arrive, he quickly gathers up his wares in the sheet, tosses it over his back, and runs off.

Friday night and Saturday gave us the chance to watch more concerts from our balcony. The afternoon jazz concert on Saturday was fabulous, featuring world-renowned artists Paquito D’Rivera, Victor Mendoza, and William Maestre, with a backup orchestra composed of young musicians from the Berklee Valencia School of Music.

While the weather cleared for the jazz concert, midday brought pouring rain, so we watched the Hispanidad military parade online from the warmth of our apartment. Missed our chance to see King Philippe VI and the crown Princess but stayed dry.

I brought my açaí bowl obsession overseas with me. Thumbs up to both the açaí bowls and the wraps at Raw Açaí near Plaza Mayor.

Wonderful concert by Valeria Castro to round out the evening and our week in Madrid. Spain exceeded our expectations. ❤️🇪🇸