Walter, Carlos, and Michael being tourists

Walter, Carlos, and Michael being tourists
Originally uploaded by AliChen

Madrid is a very walk-able city. Yes, the metro system is very nice but not really necessary if you´re trying to see the scenery.

We spent the day walking around the heart of the city and the neighborhoods so that we could orient ourselves and decide what interested us so we could come back.

Can I just say...thank you Clean Air Act? We had lunch in this lovely place with lovely people. The only down side? You´re in an enclosed area with a bunch of people smoking while they eat. I´d forgotten since it´s literally been years...since before Wisconsin passed their own version of the Clear Air Act that I´ve experienced cigarette smoke indoors.

And if it´s true that for every one cigarette a person smokes the second hand smoke is like smoking two...then I´ve probably smoked a pack and a half today. Needless to say everything smells like cigarette smoke no matter how much walking you do afterwards. (Sorry Sharon, you´re jacket...I´ll have to wash it for you.)

The walking feels good even if my feet do ache a little. I´m hoping the Spanish food will be better for shedding some weight. My love affair with mashed potatoes reared it´s ugly head in both London and Dublin. You can never turn down mashed potatoes. Never. Yum! My waistline didn´t enjoy it so much though. And even though we walked a lot in both of those cities the potatoes had their say.

In Spain, the food is a lot lighter and I´m looking forward to looser fitting clothes. :)

Tomorrow...the Prado!