Mayhem in Madrid

We had an uneventful flight from Nashville to NYC to Madrid. The hotel we booked on Expedia was surprisingly accommodating, letting us check in at 9:30am (kudos to you Hotel Nueva Boston).  Completely discombobulated after about 2 hours of interrupted plane-sleep, we showered and napped comfortably in our room for the next 3 hours.

Upon waking, we were famished, and found a Brazillian Steak House within walking distance. Let it be known: We are NOT vegetarians. The food was good, but not remarkable.

Next stop: The Plaza Mayor

The last time that I was in Madrid was in 1998, and it was for a brief few days, in a jet lagged, 20 something state of mind. Totally different experience.

This time, Thad and I sat at a sidewalk cafe, enjoying a bottle of wine, and people watching.

Enjoying a fantastic bottle of wine in the 75 degree weather.

Trouble starts on our way back to the subway. Heavy police action, in full bomb gear. We counted 27 riot police vans so far.

After being told to "get out now" by a bomb squad officer, we quickly walked as far away as we could.It was about 20 minutes before we were able to catch a taxi outside of the perimeter. Apparently it was a labor dispute of somekind, but very foreign and scary to us. We made it back to the hotel safely, and look forward to a full day in Madrid tomorrow.