Day 39: Churros & chocolate, Prado, Botanical Gardens

It feels as if we're doing less each day, but it takes longer and longer. How can that be? 

We got up early enough, showered and headed out to Panaria, a coffee shop with a location near the Prado. Coffee, avocado toast, then after a modest wait a churros con chocolato.  Yum!  Then hustle to get to the Prado on time for our 11am tour.

Between Metro stop and Prado we pass the dinosaur statue. Apparently 150 bones were discovered here, enough to gauge the size and reconstruct. 

The Prado museum is massive. It's focused on pictorial arts (painting & some sculpture) from Renaissance through 19th century. The started goal of the collection was to demonstrate the value and contribution of Spanish artists (artists from the empire, which included much more than Spain at some times). Also they do not allow photography. Instead I downloaded high quality images from the web (so then why is photography prohibited??).

Our tour covered a tiny fraction of what is in the museum. We would race from one gallery to another to keep up with our guide (are we all here? let's continue...), skipping dozens of works of art for each one we considered. 

First stop, gallery of the muses. The origin of the word museum, that place where people went to gain inspiration from the muses. 

I actually got a secret photo here. Don't tell anyone. 

Urania, muse of astronomy.

Next we saw for paintings in four galleries that are significant in their own rights, but also show some progression in styles and techniques. 

- Fra Angelico annunciation (mid left)

- H Bosch (El Bosco) garden of earthly delights (top)

- El Greco adoration of the shepherds (mid right)

- Tintoretto the Lavoratory (washing of the feet) (bottom)

Of these the El Greco is most striking to me with the strong use of light and dark, of shadow. Very unusual. 

Next stop the majas, clothed and naked. Apparently the paintings were impounded by the Inquisition and Goya was required to make a statement. They were finally re-exhibited in 1900.

While we're talking about the female body, one cannot skip over Rubens. Who knew that some parts of Netherlands and Flanders were Spanish at that time? Apparently he liked to paint his young second wife in the nude, the blond on the left. Not clear whether she didn't know to object, preferred his painting her to using other nude models, or what. At this point in the gallery the descriptions say some interpretations consider the paintings standard erotic images, while others are making up reasons. 

We'll skip discussion of all the portraits we saw. Were the faces realistic or just idealized images? See the intricate details of clothing and what they say about status of the wearer. Who is being painted and why. Etc. 

Goya painted a pair of images to commemorate rebellion against France, May 2 & May 3, 1808. The rebellion and the rebels being executed. 

We see one image of Charon crossing the river Styx.

And a ceremonial stone table resting on four lions that was referenced yesterday in the Royal Palace. Philip II's table, perhaps a predecessor of the table used today to sign important documents. 

Well, that and 1000s of other pieces is all of it! 

We toodled around on our own for a little while, then escaped for sustenance. Kathy has found a restaurant near the museum and it was great! We had a variety of dishes to share

Hummus with fried eggplant slices drizzled in honey (we could make this at home!!) and grilled shishito peppers, some may be hot. Apparently the Spanish do not like spicy food as a rule, so when they warn you the food may be spicy it is not significant. In Singapore, on the other hand, one should take the guidance quite seriously! 

Quinoa lentil salad with goat cheese. Also delicious!

Today we did not get a glass of wine with lunch, so a nap was only strongly indicated, not mandatory like yesterday. Three hours of standing in the museum will do that to you. 

After lunch, time for some fresh air. The Royal Botanical Gardens are adjacent to the Prado and well worth the visit. It's funny, their thousands of tulips and daffodils are just peeking green shoots above the soil, while Lenten roses are already in bloom. They also have aromatic herbs, medicinal, vegetables, plus many other sections of different types of plants. Beautiful! 

The layout, real French garden style 

Still smiling after 40 days of traveling together!

Profusion of greenery!

We pass the old post office and telecommunication headquarters building on the bus ride home. Such monumental public buildings here! 

Tomorrow Toledo.

Next day home!