Flea Markets, the Prado, and Retiro Park -- Sunday

Today was another lovely day with perfect weather – 70s and sunny, nice and cool in the shade. We started the day at the Madrid flea markets where students haggled for good bargains. Several guys bought cool vintage military jackets from Sweden, Germany, and Russia.

Then we visited the Prado Museum with its masterpieces, including “Knight with his hand on his Chest” by El Greco, “Las Meninas” by Velazquez, “Saturn devouring his Child” by Goya, “Garden of Earthly Delights” by Bosch, and more by Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt, and Raphael. The eighth grade girls recognized Mor’s “Queen Mary Tudor” from English class – she was the (rather unattractive) sister of Elizabeth I, the Queen of England during Shakespeare’s time.

From the Prado we walked to Retiro Park, which is like New York’s Central Park. It stretches over 120 hectares! Our young travelers soaked up the sun, ate lots of ice cream, and watched the crowds. Some students rented rowboats on the large, man-made lake in the middle of the park. From the shore, Mr. B., Ms. H., and Mrs. B. had to instruct Raythan on some of the finer points of rowing, but then Nelson took over, and all was well. Some of us visited the Crystal Palace in the park, an iron and glass edifice inspired by the Crystal Palace of London.

One of the best parts of the trip came next: churros y chocolate. At a great chocolatieria near Puerta del Sol, we dipped freshly fried churros in decadent, thick melted chocolate. While we ate, Valerie gave our travelers a quiz on Paris. Two students won prizes for their seven correct answers.

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