Las Meninas - mission accomplished

On December 18th 2017 my book group discussed The vanishing man by Laura Cumming, the main theme of which is a missing picture by Velasquez. Soon afterwards a plot was hatched for a field trip to Madrid to pay homage to the works of the master at the Prado. Our mission was accomplished this morning.

I know that my blip isn't a terribly good photograph. However, I'm pleased that I have captured the atmosphere in the room in which many of Velaquez’s most famous pictures are displayed, including Las Meninas. I am also glad that I managed to snap the shot without being told off by the museum guard.

After our trip to the Prado (where we also saw a lot of other great work, including Bosch's Garden of earthly delights) we took a walk around the Retiro, then stopped off for lunch in the roof top restaurant Azotea at the Circulo de bellas artes (great food and views, but a bit chilly). Our main afternoon destination was the Museo Reina Sofia to view another famous masterpiece: Guernica. On the way there we passed the living wall seen in my extra.

We popped back to our (amazing) apartment for a couple of hours 'rest' (and fizz) before setting out again for more fab food for dinner. The waitress gave us all a small glass of Orejo at the end of the meal. I could develop a taste for this...

Before we came to Madrid we had all been warned about pickpockets here, especially around Puerta del Sol. Early this evening we had a close encounter with one when a young woman unzipped ArcLight's rucksack from behind. I glanced back just at the moment, screamed at the woman to take her hands off ArcLight's belongings, and the criminal fled. I am now ArcLight's official bodyguard.

See also blips for today by Winsford, Ridgeback13 and ArcLight.

Exercise today: walking (25,227 steps).