Many Spaniards begin their day with churros y chocolate, so we did too... at noon. We ate breakfast at noon and we didn't feel out of place.

The great thing about walking in Madrid is how the small, narrow streets explode onto something big, like the Palacio Real. The Spanish royal palace is now open to the public as a museum of sorts, but is still used for official functions from time to time. It sits on a bluff overlooking the rest of Madrid to the Southwest and it's fun to imagine all the royalty of generations past using the palace like we might use our home... Photo #2. Across the street from the palace...

Puerta del Sol is a great place to take photos at night, though it's a huge tourist spot as well. Many street performers play music or act like statues for money, but the real interest lies in the "old" feeling of the area. The Tio Pepe sign, for example, has existed in the same spot since the 1930s. Photo #2.