Solar eclipse

I’ve only ever made short stops in Madrid, and this was another one. The end of the road for our Spanish expedition.

Sadly due to bad planning on our part, but having to be back for the start of the new school year, we had to take our leave before the solar eclipse, which was in totality up in the Basque country. The Madrileños were getting very excited for it, although it was ‘only’ partial from the city.

We had just the day and a half to see as much of the Spanish capital as possible. We stayed centrally and the first thing I did was drag my peckish-other-half and hangry daughter to the Mercado de San Miguel.

I remembered it as being a place I loved last time and it was only a 6-minute walk after dropping our bags. I am sure the locals avoid it, but we lapped up the atmosphere and pintxos, apologies pinchos in Spanish.

The vast Royal Palace looked like it needed a bit of a paint job, but we didn’t go inside, we just kept walking and walking eventually getting as far as the Chamberi district, until my daughter’s face read ‘no more sightseeing’ and we headed back to the hotel for a dip in their tiny roof top pool, which happily had a bar. Tickets to which were at a premium for a front row seat for tonight’s eclipse.

Heading back to Florida now for the new school and EFL Championship season!