The Many Sights of Madrid

This is our last day in Madrid and our last day in Spain.  Tomorrow morning we fly back to Canada after an incredible 3 months of travelling.

But for today.....we are wandering and enjoying the love of wonderment in this amazing city.

Above is the Mercado De San Miguel which is a great market with foods to take away or eat in.

It is like paradise for the eyes....and stomach.

A little early for lunch so we continue onto our destination, the Madrid Cathedral.

This statue below is really interesting....did the Angel Gabriel crash?

It is at the very top of an apartment building??

Statues decorate every corner of this ancient city.

Oh Wow!!!  A Geppetto store....maybe we can find Pinocchio? 

....and we do!!

We purchased a Pinocchio to hang at the trailer.

We found it!  It is huge.

The Almudena Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic church.  Named for the Virgin Almudena.

The Cathedral is built on the site of a destroyed ancient mosque that was here in 1083.

It took more than 300 years from the time they decided to build a Cathedral here in Madrid, breaking ground is 1883,  until it was actually completed in 1993?

The doors are a master piece all on their own.

Below is , 'The Altar of Santa Maria de la Almudena'  which represents the 'Life of our Lord' in 18 painted tablets.

(Below)   The 'Virgin of Almudena' is a medieval icon of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ.

She is the Patroness of Madrid, Spain.

This sculpture is from the late 15th century, early 16th century.

This Cathedral is famous for the colours....a cross between modern and Neo-Gothic designs make it quite unique.

Below is the ceiling and pipe organ.  

Amazing.

An incredible and colourful cupola.

A view of the main nave facing the pipe organ.

A 'Pieta' of Mary and Jesus.  A very tiny one...about 6 inches high.  Still incredibly moving.

From a different angle...the main nave.

The basins with the holy water are so neat.  Looks like and feels like a real clam shell.....but humongous.

The view of the Cathedral from the Palace with little LD standing all alone outside.  An impossible feat with so many tourists.

Again, the Cathedral viewing it from the Palace.

Tourist having fun with buskers.

The Royal Palace of Madrid....a 3,418 room official residence of the Spanish Royal Family....but they don't actually live here?  

Built on the site of a 9th century mosque it has been built and rebuilt a few times.  The present palace was completed in 1755.

It is more than 135,000 square meters making it one of the largest Royal Palaces.

I think it looks a lot like Buckingham Palace?

I spied this dome from the Palace and wondered what it was?

It is a Byzantine Dome which tops the Church of Santa Maria and San Jose.

It is 35 meters in the air, and is covered by colourful tiles that glimmer in the sunlight.

The gardens outside of the Palace.  Apparently the only park with squirrels?  What?

I hadn't realize, we haven't seen ONE squirrel since being in Spain?

We find ourselves in the Plaza Espana on our way to the Gran Via which is a shopping street for those who are so inclined.

We chose to go through the park and find......an artisan Christmas Market!!

Over 100 booths, all inside, handmade and original items.  Gorgeous.

Sad thing is that I do not have one bit of room for one more thing to take home.

Having said that...I did have time for a furry pompom for my purse.

We also bought one of these Feng shui twirly things.  

The prisms are not attached!  You pop it in and tighten the wire on it.....then spin it.

So cool.

Ceramics......but not this time.....

Thank you for an incredible day in Madrid.

I love Christmas Markets in Europe.