Gatwick is much easier these days, they've conquered the queues; and what better way to start the holiday than the Wetherspoon's beer festival?
Madrid is less than two hours away and it was easy to reach the centre on the cheap, fast and efficient metro.
We stayed in Chueca, a barrio to the north of the centre, but in easy walking distance. It has many bars and funky shops. Our first tapas crawl was in Plaza Santa Barbara.
If you buy any food in the Cien Montaditos chain(including patatas fritas or a big plate of the best olives ever) you will be rewarded with a jarra of Mahou from the tap for just 1E.
http://www.100montaditos.com/
Look for the sign
Next day we explored.
Palacio Longoria was designed by José Grasés Riera in 1902 as a residence for the banker Javier González Longoria. It is now owned by a Spanish writers association.
The Thyssen-Bornemisza Gallery opened in 1992. Anyone who can prove they were born that year, is entitled to free entry. The private collection of the late Baron Hans-Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza consists of over 700 paintings, and originally came to Madrid on loan. In 1993 a purchase agreement was signed with the Spanish state. The Baron's decision to sell was influenced both by his wife, Carmen 'Tita' Cervera, a former Miss Spain, and by the offer to house the collection in the then-empty 19th century Palacio de Villahermosa.
The gallery houses many impressionist works: a Degas dancer, several Van Gogh's , and some of Gauguin's African influenced works as well as early Flemish and Italian art. It brings us into the last century with Picasso, Lichenstein , Bacon, Dali and Hopper.
My paseo del Arte (20 E) allowed me to visit the Thyssen-Bornemisza Gallery as well as The Prado and Sofia Reina galleries on another day.
La Casa del Abuelo is a traditional standing room only bar where we enjoyed Gambas a la Plancha (on the recommendation of P) and a caña with A (thanks for the company and local knowledge!)
As in all Spanish cities, small privately owned food and clothes shops still flourish in Madrid
and for K and J....
We also visited Caixa Forum Madrid, which is a post-modern art gallery in the centre of Madrid, Spain. It is sponsored by the Catalan-Balearic bank.
Next morning it was cold and wet and my soul mate went back to the UK.
I found a good way to cheer myself up.
El Museo Reina Sofia was opened in 1992 and is situated in an 18th century hospital and newer wing. It houses 20C art.
The highlight of the collection is Pablo Picasso's Guernica (1937). This is the most important political statement of the 20th century, 'en mi opinión'. It bought tears to my eyes when I saw it in the Prado in 1986. My 2012 experience was no different.
We watched Ken Loach's Land and Freedom (1995) to enhance our sombre mood
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_and_Freedom
The Prado was overwhelming, but I wouldn't have missed this superb and huge collection of European masterpieces. The most important work for me is el 3 de mayo. This is a must after Guernica and sadly relevant 200 years after it was painted by the wonderful Francisco de Goya.
In 1985, Atocha Station was remodeled, and in 1992, the original building was taken out of service as a terminal, and converted into a concourse with shops, cafés, and a covered tropical garden.
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