Feast of San Isidro in Madrid

Our last day in Madrid was a Sunday... Meaning, all stores and malls were closed. We decided to join a tour group in the afternoon, but the meeting time was still at 2:30. We had an entire morning with nothing planned so we asked our hotel front desk for some suggestions. They mentioned that there's a Sunday market nearby so we decided to check it out! 

Here are some of the cute things that we found. Great gift ideas too!

I would suggest that you go early. It got really packed in the afternoon and we could hardly get near the stalls! 

We headed back to the Plaza Mayor afterwards for lunch. It's the best place for people watching! haha It was especially nice to sit here on this particular day because it was the feast of San Isidro. San Isidro is the patron saint of Madrid and they celebrate his feast day every May 15. 

Children were in costumes and the oldies danced around in the plaza. It was such a great experience!

We didn't want to go back to Manila without trying some churros so we asked our waiter where we could find the best churros in town... or at least in the vicinity! haha He recommended Chocolateria San Gines, it isn't inside the Plaza but it is within walking distance. YUM!

The Bullfight

During our trip to Madrid last year, we decided to watch a bullfight. 

It is one of the most brutal things I have ever seen in my life. I have decided to exclude the more graphic/ morbid photos because it really is terrible. I have all respect for the brave matadors because it must be terrifying to stand in a ring with a raging bull, but I honestly think the sport is quite sadistic.

We watched on May 15, the feast of San Isidro, so the arena was really packed. The fight started at 7 p.m sharp! 

There were three matadors that night, the one in purple tights is really cute. :) He was also the best one out of the three. No idea what his name is though!

 He's quite bendy. haha

All three matadors won that day. 

As of January 1, 2012, bullfighting has been banned from Catalonia.

Palacio Real, Madrid

I've been wanting to visit the Palacio Real or the Royal Palace of Madrid since the day we arrived. We finally had the chance to do so on our third day! 

We got quite surprised when we saw the long line for the tickets, but it moved fast and we didn't have to wait long. 

Upon getting our tickets, we were handed an earpiece and an electronic device which will serve as our guide inside the royal palace. There's a total of 33 stations, and what I like about this is that you get to go at your own pace! 

Afterwards we decided to stop by the Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena Cathedral which is situated opposite the Palacio Real. The exterior of the cathedral was made to match the colors of the Royal Palace.

 Here I am on top of the cathedral stairs with my beautiful mom :) Must not forget to make a wish once inside! It's my first time in this Cathedral!

Toledo, Spain

After the tour of El Escorial, we went back to Madrid for lunch. The second part of the tour package is a day trip to Toledo!

Toledo is the former capital of Spain and is located 70 km south of Madrid. It took us a few hours to get there by bus, but we also stopped for some souvenirs. 

This is definitely a place worth visiting! Apart from its rich history, I have to say the architecture in Toledo is really fascinating, and it is so different from what we are used to seeing.

El Escorial, Spain

A quick post on El Escorial! El Escorial is a historical residence of the King of Spain. Today, apart from being a royal palace, El Escorial is also a musuem, a school and a monastery. Inside are beautiful tombs of members of the royal family. I must say I did find the place a little eery. 

I wasn't able to take photos inside as it wasn't allowed. But look at how beautiful it is! 

Shop 'Til We Drop!

The best thing about taking a train is that you don't feel sluggish and sleepy when you get to your destination. I really did get some proper sleep in the train! So after leaving all our things at the hotel, we immediately headed out for lunch.

Of course lunch for me meant a cup of spanish hot chocolate and chocolate bread pudding. Both were SO good.

We all agreed to save the tours for the following day... Today, we shop 'til we drop. Woot! 

Cookie Monster's so thin. Please give him more cookies! He's starting to sag! haha

 This building is really pretty. I wish we'd have buildings like this in Manila! The fact that there's a huge Topshop store in there makes me love it even more! 

Please ignore my "candid" pose! I need to work on my acting skills. Heee!

And here I am walking all over Madrid with my mom's new luggage. She bought it at Il Corte Ingles. Quite embarrassing, but hey, she paid for this trip. I cannot complain! haha

Grabbed some pizza before heading back to the hotel. First day in Madrid and I'm in love. More on the tours tomorrow! :)