In the afternoon we go on a tour outside the city to El Escorial, the historical residence of the King of Spain. This residence dates to the 16th century and has been used as a monastery, basilica, royal palace, pantheon, library, museum, university, school and hospital.
By Yvon Fruneau [CC BY-SA 3.0-igo], via Wikimedia Commons
This building is one of several UNESCO World Heritage sites we visit on this tour.
The next stop is the Valle de los Caidos, the Valley of the Fallen. Conceived by the Spanish dictator, Francisco Franco, to commemorate the fallen fighters of the Spanish Civil War, today it is a very controversial site, just check out the link I provided. Franco was still in power in 1969 so not so much then.
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By Godot13 [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons
I made a note in my diary about the 500 foot cross atop the Rock of Nava on the Guadarrama Mountains, so I must have been impressed.
When I read Dan Brown's book "Origin" last year I recognized so many of the sites that I visited in Spain, including this one, that I was determined to read my diary of the trip. The book inspired me to post about the trip on this blog. Thanks Dan.
We spent our evening sitting in our room rehashing the trip and planning out what was to come. Three nights in the hotel, meals, two tours, and miscellanea cost me $22.79.
I'd be curious about those $4 shoes. Did seem like a bargain even back then.
ReplyDeletebetty
I honestly had no recollection of them until I read the diary.
DeleteI think the shoes were not cheap but not hugely expensive. I hope you wore them a lot even if you can't remember them. The memorial site does look impressive but I can understand why it is controversial. The palace has seen many changes in its long life.
ReplyDeleteI found an old ad from 1968 that had shoes for $7.
DeleteNever made it to Madrid. An impressive palace and cross. Only know the Alicante area where my parents lived.
ReplyDeleteWe shall return. Funny cause I thought Europeans traveled all over the continent.
DeleteReally? Seriously? A woman who can't remember her shoes? No pix of them?
ReplyDeleteThank you for that comment. I haven't laughed that much in ages!
DeleteYet again your pictures are tempting me to visit somewhere new! Further to your reply to Jo, although I live in the UK with easy links to Europe I've seen very little of it, yet I've travelled extensively across most other continents!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Keith's Ramblings!
Like us Americans who go to Europe and never visit the Grand Canyon.
DeleteCanadians too! I've never been to western Canada, but have been all over Europe. (Mind you, hubby and I were both born there, so we're drawn back.)
DeleteI'd say $4 shoes were a bargain back then. ☺ Lovely to see some of the sights in Madrid. We wanted to add it into our upcoming trip, but sadly, there will only be time for Barcelona.
ReplyDelete