The conclusion of my European adventure takes place in Madrid.  I have to be honest; I had heard a few things prior to landing there and was expecting a quick trip with a few days of catching up on my blog and of course a little sightseeing.  Little did I know how exciting the city was going to be.  I met a great group of people and had such a fun time it made it hard to leave.  Let’s start with the tangible parts of the city.

The very center of the city is Puerta del Sol, where every road out of Madrid is measured from.  This is also a great area for entertainment, people watching and street performers do not disappoint at this landmark.  Within this plaza is also the symbol of Madrid, the small statue of El Oso y el Madroño (The Bear and the Madrono Tree). A short walk west and you hit a number of enjoyable areas.  The Royal Cathedral (recently finished in the early 90’s) sits directly across from the more well known Palacio Royal (Royal Palace). For 8 euro you can venture inside and explore the most current palace for the royal family (merely a figurehead this day and age).  Now that we’ve covered a little history we head back towards the Puerta del Sol and make our way down Gran Via. This is undoubtedly one of Madrid’s most traveled roads and is home to numerous theaters the host live shows as well as cinematic adventures.  A great place to meander, look for a show to catch or just duck into a shop and spend some of those precious euros.  After a few dips in the terrain you find yourself at another symbol of Madrid, the Fuente la Cibeles. A beautiful fountain placed in the middle of a roundabout where the soccer team Real Madrid has hosted numerous parades after European championship victories, a great atmosphere.  One more block west and we really start to hit my favorite area.

Through the archway known as Puerta de Alcala, you’ll find the most enjoyable getaway in Madrid, Parque del Retiro. If I could take one thing back to America with me it would be the outstanding public parks I’ve encountered all throughout Europe, and Parque del Retiro fits the bill.  A substantial green scar on the city, this park offers a great place to mingle with locals and tourists alike, paddle around on a row boat or just sit amongst the soft green grass and catch up on some reading.  I was lucky enough to catch a small area of the park early enough in the Spring where a delightfully fragranced tree had just begun to blossom.  I wish I could have bottled the scent and attached it to my photos, but technology hasn’t caught up with my desires quite yet.  A must visit area for nearly each day you are in Madrid.  If you get tired of the park atmosphere walk about one block outside the central entrance and you’ll find Europe’s second largest museum behind the Louvre in Paris.

Museo del Prado was never really a priority during my last days in Europe but I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it given the fact I have little understanding of art.  Even for the most amateur art enthusiasts you can get lost in this massive collection of classical art for days.  Knowing very little about the aspects of “good” art I couldn’t help but appreciate the pure talent required to complete many of these pieces.  Take your time with this one and soak in some of the most detailed and stunning classical art in the world.

As I said before, it was tough to leave such a wonderful and enjoyable destination but I can’t lie that it was nice to be headed home after 11 weeks of being on the road.  Ironic that I would end my trip in the city in which all roads in Spain begin.  You could easily flip that around and believe that my journey is just beginning.  It’s hard sometimes to really appreciate something until you know you won’t be in its presence much longer.  That’s the most difficult aspect of life to accept at times; but speaking from personal experience on various levels it is the most enduring task, and most rewarding.  When you can be grateful for the places, experiences and most importantly the people you’ve encountered along the way is when you can find yourself to be truly happy.  I am extremely happy to have all of you who have supported and followed my journeys, and only hoped that I have inspired many of you to seek in life that which makes you enjoy it as much as I have these last few months.