Juan Carlos | Things that I care about

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Europe Madrid 1974: More on one of my popular blogs

Europe Madrid 1974

Verocchio

Michelangelo

Now, I’m asked tell us more about that first trip to Europe in 1974. The one when you were 17. The one forty years ago.

Madrid was the first city I visited in Europe.

Well, actually I was supposed to go when I was in 8th grade with my PE teacher, but that one fell through because we didn’t get enough people to sign up. There were other trips to choose from including ones to Germany and Salzburg.

The great thing about that Madrid trip was we spent a month studying the art, history, and culture of the countries before we left. Europe has some great art museums. We spent time in Madrid just walking around looking at shops and supermarkets. They had interesting soft drinks and coffees for sale. I am very excited. It is so much fun just walking around the hotel looking at things. We also visited Retiro park, the Rastro, Botins, a bullfight, and my favorite department store in Madrid el Corte Ingles. We also visited the Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace.

There is no king. Other landmarks include the great post office and telecommunications building and plaza mayor.Our trip also included a side trip to the ancient capital of Toledo. Madrid is a lively city with a great nightlife. I returned there in 1975, 1978 and with my wife in 1992. Well with the death of Franco in November 1975, Juan Carlos became King of Spain. He served until 2014 until he

abdicated in favor of his son Felipe VI.

Pulpo in sue tinte

Atlas Rockefeller Center

Atlanten St. Petersburg

We ate most of our meals in the hotel, chicken I think, a few times we got beef. I went to my first discotheque in Madrid. Some of the girls got their nails done at Elisabeth Arden. After a few days in Madrid we flew to Rome on Alitalia.

Madrid has a different culture. Everything shuts down after lunch. Shops close. Dinner often isn’t taken till after 10 o’clock at night. The national delicacy is pulpo in su tinta squid in its own ink.

Edie’s big five art museums, two are in Italy.

The British Museum, London a little different no paintings
Vatican Museum, Rome the atlanten, Gallery of mosaic maps, and of course the Sistine Chapelhttp://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gallery-of-maps-galleria-delle-carte-geografiche
Uffizi Gallery, Florence Botticelli, Leonardo, and Raphael. Now you have to wait in line forever. In 1974 you could just walk right in.
Hermitage

Hermitage, Leningrad/Saint Petersburg I went there twice.
Louvre, Paris the word’s most famous and most visited museum with all those goodies. O, where to begin? You can visit the Louvre for free any day until your 18th birthday. Closed Tuesday.