Madrid's Mounted Police

This morning we took a leisurely walk around the Prado, passing its two entrances (the old and the new one in the large addition with the restaurant and shop). High above the museum is San Jerónimo el Real (Saint Jerome Royal Church). We mounted the many steps up to it, and found this pair on horseback--a man and a woman, interestingly.

The church dates from the early 16th century; although the exterior was almost completely reconstructed in neo-gothic fashion in the 19th century, the interior is quite wonderful, with several excellent early paintings--two very large.

In the afternoon we took the AVE--Spain's high-speed train--to Seville. The trip was incredibly smooth and pleasant, arriving in just under the scheduled two-and-a-half hours (540 km or 335 miles!) Tomorrow we join a British birding tour for a few days in the Doñana National Park on the Mediterranean--we were last there in 1991 and hope it will be as good an experience again this time.