When the guy in front of me got his cab booked the lady behind the counter helpfully leaned over and said that there were no more cabs. I had overheard that the guy in front of me was going near where I lived, so I asked him if I could share his cab. He said ok and we headed out to the pick-up point. Our cab was number 9832.

Sure enough, after a few minutes a 9832 cab pulled up. I loaded my bag in and my recent acquaintance was about to do the same when another man ran up and said this was his cab. He had a 9832 cab booked. He had a booking slip with the number too (as did my friend). I noticed at this time that this cab was an Easy Cab. And just opposite us another 9832 pulled up – a Mega Cabs one this time.

As we got in, I mentioned to the cab driver that there was a minor argument over the other side about two taxis with the same number (though from different taxi companies). He looked at me and said: you should play this number in the lottery then!

Perhaps I should, then.

Probably not the sight most people remember in Madrid. but this one was really good in a silhouette.

And, why should all this happen during evening rush hour? Are they nuts? Do they not know the hardship this causes or is it done on purpose?

My suggestion to the president: take a chopper downtown next time and spare us poor citizens your presence on the roads.

This photo was taken on the recent trip to Kashid. Appu at the Verandah of the hotel at which we were staying.

There are a few photos from the Museo Raina Sofia. This was the only museum that I visited that allowed photography. However its collection is mostly crazy modern stuff. So I picked a few Picassos and Dalis here. Dali’s Girl at the Window is one of his best and is really worth the trip to the museum. Most people would visit it for Picasso’s Guernica – though I could not really find it  to be extra special. The Guernica is one painting they do not allow anyone to photograph. In the neighbouring room, there is a study of the Guernica (included in the gallery above) along with many other details from the grand picture.

Among the three museums, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza was the one I liked best. Strangely, I found the collection of Carmen Thyssen to be the more interesting and nicer. The collection  of paintings range from the 13th to the 20th centuries. They had a special exhibit called Lagrimas de Eros (Tears of Love), which featured famous art pieces depicting love and death.

I had very little time after this for the biggie: Museo del Prado. The importance of this museum is stressed in the fact that all three museums are connected by one road called Paseo del Prado. It has a good collection of Spanish art including many by Velasquez and Goya. I especially liked the painting called Las Melinas (The Young Girls), showing the daughters of the royal household.

Among other sights to be seen are Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun), Espana (where there is a memorial to Miguel de Cervantes – author of the Don Quixote story), some churches (Madrid Cathedral, San Francisco and San Andrea are in the gallery). Thanks to the extreme cold, I did not venture out into each of these places. I did brave the freezing conditions to get some snaps taken here and there. Was I ever happy to get back into the taxi and warm clothes then!

Right in the heart of the city is an Egyptian temple – Debod – taken out brick by brick and reassembled in Madrid. It was offered to Madrid by the Egyptian government as the temple would have been destroyed under the lake created by the Aswan Dam. Around the temple are some nice walkways (file away for a later visit in better weather) and a breathtaking view over some forests and the city.

For another trip to Spain, there is much to explore in Madrid. There are also the other cities like Barcelona and historical sites such as Alhambra to be seen. Till then…