Madrid was founded in the 9th century, it is inland (away from the coast) in the mountains at a 650m high( 2,130 ft). There is approx 3,223 million people living there, it easily doubles with tourists. It took me a while to appreciate Madrid. Where as most of the towns we have visited over the years, I fell in love and felt comfortable right a way. Madrid...not so much. I have to say that nothing was set up for for an instant love. We got up at am to catch the train from Fuengirola to Malaga(Maria Zambrano) to catch the 3 hours train to Madrid. We arrived in Madrid around 11 am. Had a quick lunch,
walked to the botanical garden. That part I loved, I was thinking of my cousin Lucie, she works for the Montreal botanical garden. Wouldn't it be a great exchange!!!Of course they do not require as many greenhouses as we do, because of their climate. But we had walked away from the apartment by now.
Google said that the apartment was 23 minutes (down hill maybe?) away from the train station. We had walked at least 15 minutes away from the station, so we left for the apartment 45 minutes later in 24 degree weather, uphill walk. We arrived at the building. 71 steps later we entered our studio apartment. Cozy but cute and clean. I needed a long rest before going back out for supper.
The studio was about 15 minutes from the Plaza Mayor. A beautiful, expensive square with restaurants and shops. We walked up to it .
we also found a food market. There is one similar in Malaga. When you go in there are many vendors of different kind of food. you go around and buy what you want to eat, find a table and eat standing. The cheese was so good.
