My family flew back home on Saturday afternoon. It was sad to see them go because we had such a good time together here in Spain. But I'll be home in 20 days!
Highlights of the trip:
-Showing them the Prado - I wouldn't mind being some sort of tour guide, really.
-Outdoor dining in November - The day they arrived was so sunny and beautiful (60's F) we were able to sit outside on a terrace and have lunch
-San Lorenzo de El Escorial - we took a day trip to the mountainous northwest region of madrid where there is an old palace and monastery built by the Austrian spanish rulers. It is a very austere and cold building, but very impressive with great views of madrid and mountains.
-Palacio Real - we went inside the royal palace in Madrid built by the Borbones, the french family that ruled/"rules" spain. It was much, much more decadent than the Escorial. The king and queen still use the palace and dining room for special functions today. They don't live there however.
-Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum - one of the three large art museums in Madrid and the only one I hadn't gone to. This museum is great. It is a personal collection that spans all the way from primitive Italian and Gothic paintings to Pop art. It's nice to see the progression in painting.
- Paella- We had a lot of good food. I'd say our actual Thanksgiving was on Wednesday when we went to a nice paella restaurant Balear that turned out to be two blocks from my house. The place was recommended in my Frommer's guide, and it definitely lived up to the reputation. The paella was delicious...I'm making my version of it when I get home.
- Churros were a big hit. Also I think the spanish version of coffee, specifically café con leche, may have hooked my Dad on caffeine again.
-Live Jazz - My Mom and Dad went out three nights to here various live musical acts. Three nights! That's more than they go out together all year ...haha no I'm kidding. I went with them one night to a Blues jam session that was a lot of fun to watch. The lead trombonist was actually a New Yorker. I wasn't able to go to the other clubs, but rumor has it that Mr. Stevens brought his trumpet along to one of the places and sat in for a bit. (Only my family would bring a musical instrument and not a computer on a transatlantic trip. )
All in all, I loved showing my family around the city that I have gotten to know over the past couple of months. I think they were impressed with how well I know how to get around...both on the metro and by foot. Truthfully, I know Madrid better than Boston ...hands down. Even better than Pittsfield, MA but that's not such a loss haha. For me the week felt like a vacation within a vacation. I got to kind of forget about IES crap and hang out with my family! Win win. I know for my family it was rough to travel that far only for a week, but I'm so glad they did because it made my Thanksgiving (and hopefully theirs) one to remember.
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