Back in the UK

So now it is down to earth with Reading station and GWR.  

So there you have it.  A ten day square/circular tour of Central Spain by train. http://www.renfe.com/
We visited Extremadura and Castilla- La Mancha via the cheap and efficient railway.  We had Tarjeta Dorada's as we are +60 which we purchased for six euros. They last one year.  Our travel was cheap.  One hour journeys were under four euros.  We stayed at apartments found on Airbnb and Booking.com.  They ranged in price from about 70 pounds each per night (Madrid) to less than £20.  We flew with EasyJet from Gatwick to Madrid.  
We had a wonderful and busy time.  Next stop San Sebastian in July, where I will stay put in one spot! 

Final dinner in Madrid

This is where we end up.  A Galician restaurant with good food, service and beer.

Here I am with cerveza La Virgen pilsner, brewed in Madrid and refreshing.  http://www.cervezaslavirgen.com/

 

Parrallida de vegetales(it's a mushroom on the right!)

And here is Hermes, the trusty old rabbit, waiting patiently at home.   I just received a message to say he is missing me.  Better move.

Last evening in Madrid

My chum thinks I am mad when I suggest we hit the outdoor pool, as it is only about 10 degs C. However it is heated to 31 degs and has jets!  She gets in and loves it!
Good old Eric!  (Madrid - Eric Vökel Atocha Suites)

The photo below looks just like my Dad's sixties cine films of me in Scottish locks!  I haven't changed at all!  
A great way to spend our last afternoon, especially after such a busy time

And next....

Reina Sofia

I cannot pass through Madrid with seeing Guernica by Pablo Picasso.  This mural-sized oil painting on canvas was completed in June 1937. 
The painting uses greys, black and white to show the suffering of people, animals, and buildings during violence and chaos. It is a response to the bombing of Guernica, a Basque town, by Germany and Italy in support of Franco.  The painting helped bring worldwide attention to the Spanish Civil War. It is widely regarded as one of the most moving and powerful anti-war paintings in history.  I have seen it three times now and really love it.  It brings tears to my eyes and helps me understand how vital art is to society.   In one of the rooms around the painting there is currently a film showing live news footage of those days.  Really interesting.

Some other exhibits catch my attention.  Violencia by Juan Carlos Romero of Argentina is one.
http://www.museoreinasofia.es/coleccion/obra/violencia
here is suggests that violence arises from poor functioning of society and politics.

On a lighter note, I really enjoy Juan Hidalgo's  Lanas, an installation consisting of 1600 pieces of yarn in all colours except black and grey, with the same number of bells hanging from them at a random distance from the floor of 50, 60, 80 and 100 cm

I also like the Aballi exhibition.  

http://www.museoreinasofia.es/en/exhibitions/ignasi-aballi

Here is a close up of the modern mosaic shown above, interesting after Mérida 

 I enjoy Hito Steyerl's Liquidity inc.  Especially interesting is Guards which is a video of a cop in Chiacago cruising around a gallery with a gun.  Protecting it. See  http://www.aqnb.com/2014/03/05/hito-steyerl-the-ica-liquidity-inc/

Return to Madrid

So it is back to the station for the last leg of our square route around Central Spain.  Here are the people waiting to get on the AVE (high velocity express) from Madrid to Málaga. 

Quite a bit big of me wishes I were going to Málaga.  What a great city!  And here come the AVE!

After settling into the super Eric Vökel Atocha Suites, I decide to make the most of the location and head of to the Reina Sofia Gallery.  http://www.museoreinasofia.es/en

Evening in Ciudad Real

On return from Almagro, we relax with a highly recommended La Sagra IPA, one of the best beers we have tasted.  It is a local castelleno beer brewed near Toledo

http://www.cervezalasagra.es

We decide to eat out.  Guess what? Cafe Guridi is where we have our best meal of the holiday.  It has interesting turn of the century decor with a musical theme being dedicated to

Jesús Guridi Bidaola, a Spanish Basque composer, and key player in the Spanish and Basque music of the twentieth century.  Live events are held here from time to time.

  

https://www.facebook.com/cafeguridi 

Oh and there is beer.  http://cervezasalvaje.com/.  Cerveza Salvaje was on the list to try and we find it.  La Gorda, an American pale ale gets a massive thumbs up too.

We get very excited by our mozarella, cherry tomato and pesto salad.  This might not sound too Spanish but the fish balls (albóndigas) make up for this and are given top marks for taste.  I wanted two more!

So it is back to Madrid tomorrow.  I do not feel like seeing the metropolis but do want to see my home, rabbit and T of N. Needs must!  The airport will not come to me!

Corral de Comedias, Almagro

The Corral de Comedias is unique.  It is the only preserved seventeeth century theatre in Spain.  Comedy Theatres began in family inns and this corral (patio) is no exception.
The Almagro Comedy Theatre was incorporated into the Del Toro Inn in 1628 by Leonardo Oviedo. 
After the closure of these types of theatres was ordered in the eighteenth century, some of them were transformed into Italian style theatres; however, most of them were lost over time. In Almagro, once plays were forbidden; the building continued its activities as an inn (de las Comedias Inn).
The Corral was rediscovered in 1954 and Almagro City Council bought the patio. After the restoration works, the building started a new era of theatrical performances. Nowadays, the theatre is lively all year round, hosting not only plays during the well-known International Theatre’s Festival, but also throughout the whole year.

The Alojería is a ground floor area located in front of the stage where they used to sell drinks known as the Aloja, made with water, honey and spices as well as fruits and dried fruits.  (Alcohol was felt to be not a good idea)

Alojería

El Patio de Mosqueteros (Musketeers’  Patio) is at the side of the central patio of the building, where men belonging to the lowest social classes, musketeers, stood, because they could only afford the cheapest places.

We really enjoy our wander around and love this interesting venue.  To add to the atmosphere, a young actor is being mentored on stage.  

La Cazuela on the first floor in front of the stage was occupied by women, who had a separate access from the men’s point of access, as the two sexes were not allowed to be in direct contact. 

The Aposentos or galleries were located in the upper corridor on the left and right hand sides, and were more expensive. Men and women could be together in the galleries, which were assigned to the wealthiest families belonging to the highest social classes.  I find it all quite divisive but do not dwell on this.  It is history.

He is still working hard when we leave, I hope he does well.