Stage 2 Madrid 2012

Well the overnight sleeper from Paris to Madrid was fine after all reports that there was no room for bike box. Our conductor found a spare cabin to put it in. A very pleasant meal traveling through the flat French country and into our bunk beds. Good fun but a bit like sleeping on a boat.
Arrived at 8 am so hotel room not ready so spent the day at the Prado. Despite the exhibition of art from the Prado on in Brisbane there didnt seem to be any gaps on the walls. Whilst I’m not really into the art of the 15 to 1800’s this collection is truely outstanding. Collected by the Spanish kings of the time and donated to the state. If i recall they have 90 Goyer’s alone, works by Titian Velazquez and a host of others. Goyer was most interesting for me in particular the black period where he was without doubt exhibiting impressionist tendancies. However there are only so many examples of Jesus on the cross one can take.
Next day off to the Reiner Sofia for cubism and Impressionism. I guess as both Miro and Picasso were Spanish not to mention Dali it may explain the numbers. But add in brack and Gris and others all set together in the periods they were created so it was easy to see the whole development process. My most enjoyable room was the Picasso of the same subject matter – artist and subject with 4 Miro’s all toward the final parts of their lives.
4 days concluded with a bus tour of the city through the mass demonstrations against further cuts and the next day a tour of the palace – very over the top and must have had too much to spend. Finally a bull fight. Dont want to see another as the bull has no chance and is really bled and knifed to death – pathetic really. Suspect it may be a dying sport really as few crowds with a lot of tourists