Madrid - Day Three

When last you left me I was trying to come to terms with the fact that I’d be sleeping on a sunburnt neck. How did that work out for me? Well, not too badly as it happens. I didn’t notice it frankly, until I woke up at 6. Then it was giving me gyp, you’d better believe it, but never mind, soldier on.

First port of call was actually the Mercado de San Miguel – or St. Miguel Market if you prefer. This is in a renovated Edwardian style wrought iron building, and rather appealing. I made a quick sketch of a guy who seemed to be combining a butchers and a bakers on his stall. That’s cheating, isn’t it?

Back from there into the Plaza Mayor, where I made today’s equestrian statue sketch. Mindful of what happened yesterday I sat in the shade where there was no way the sun could possibly get to me. I’ll be honest, what with the ruff around the neck I thought this guy was Phillip II. Actually it’s his son, Phillip III. Apparently he turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, but then that’s what you often get with sequels, isn’t it?

From there to the Museo Municipal – or the Museum of Madrid. This building used to be a convent I think, and in a city full of baroque buildings, the façade of this one, which I sketched, pretty much out-baroques all of them. I enjoyed the museum itself – and whoever thinks – of course you did, it didn’t cost anything to get in – knows me too well. However the attendants were a little bit, well, let’s put it this way, they really didn’t want you deviating from the order you were supposed to look at things. I earned myself a telling off in Spanish for trying to go into room 8 before I’d gone into room 7. Fair enough.

Not yet museumed out I walked from there to the National Archaeological Museum. Bearing in mind that the British Museum is buckshee, I wouldn’t say that I was overjoyed at having to pay 3 Euros, but if you have to pay, I’d rather pay 3 Euros than 4 if you know what I mean. It’s a hell of a collection, impressive, and it’s a beautifully laid out modern museum. Still, somehow it didn’t quite strike me as being as good as the afore mentioned British Museum, or the Museums on Museum Insel in Berlin which I visited last year. Just my opinion and feel free to disagree.

I gentle walk back towards the hostel saw me nipping in for a wee siesta. Look, I’m 54 now – that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. When I came back out I decided to see how long it would take me to walk to the Atocha railway station – where I’ll be catching the train on Thursday, and also pop into the Reina Sophia Gallery at the same time. Well, just 20 yards away from the door of the hostel I came upon a guy fast asleep, having his own siesta on a bench, while letting almost all of it hang out. I decided he could be my Madrileno of the day – the busker was yesterday’s – and made the quick watercolour sketch you should see with this post.

It took about 15 minutes to walk to the Railway Station – and about 25 minutes to walk back, since most of it was uphill. The Reina Sophia, it transpires, is shut on Tuesdays, so that will have to remain an option for tomorrow. Yesterday, when I sketched part of the Royal Palace, I also wanted to sketch the Cathedral which was right next door to it, but in all honesty it is so massive I just couldn’t find a place to sit and sketch it which wouldn’t have involved me straining my neck. Today though I approached it from a completely different angle, and found a lovely spot, shaded by trees, looking out and across to the side, and I used this angle to make the sketch you should be able to see in on this page.

Now, I know what you’re dying to ask – did you try another Madrid delicacy tonight for your tea? Yes, my friends, I did. Tonight I had arroz con curry – which funnily enough looked and tasted just like curry with rice. What were the chances of that happening, eh?