This was our last full day in Spain. We had no specific goals but wanted to get back into downtown Madrid. We had plenty of Metro tickets but decided to walk to the Metro rather than take the bus as Marlene wanted to stop at the nearby supermarket to get coffee and pastries. That is when we discovered that May 1 is a national holiday in Spain and most stores – including the supermarket – were closed. We found a fruit/vegetable place that was open and got some plums for breakfast.
We wandered around downtown a bit and took a few photos. We also checked the exchange rate at one place and was quoted $125 – down again. Very odd how the exchange rate bounced around during our 6 days in Spain.
We had lunch – a chicken sandwich and chicken strips – at a fast food place called Jollibee’s, It turned out to be just about the best chicken we have ever tasted. Then we wandered the narrow streets of Madrid, admiring the Spanish architecture and visiting a couple of small Catholic churches.
We also visited the Royal Basilica of St Francis the Great, but it was closed. We got some exterior shots in the adjacent garden, however. Then, dog tired, we returned to the hotel, dining on cold cut sandwiches that we got at a shop on the way back. Then we packed and prepared for the long flight home.
