The Prado

 I really wanted to do one art museum while I am in Madrid.  The Prado is the most well known and I also read that Paseo de Prado is a wonderful avenue to wander down.  I also wanted to have a really good Spanish restaurant experience.  So I chose a 4.5 star restaurant close to the Prado called Murillo - which happens to be the name of the plaza near the Prado.

We got there a little before 2 pm thinking we were early.  As lunch is between 2 - 4PM.  But this is tourist central.  A large group had booked the entire inside tables of the restaurant.  There were maybe 10 tables outside.  I could see on free table outside.  The group before us was a party of 3.  They were told to come back at 3:30.  So we were extremely lucky to get the last table.  And here in tourist central - they don't care that you don't order a 3 course meal.  They just want to turn tables.  The weather is beautiful - it is about 65 degrees.  It is lovely sitting outside.  Our food was wonderful.  It was a perfect experience.  We finished our meal a few minutes early so I got some photos before we went into the Prado.  

RM's filled pasta

You can't take photos inside the Prado and you have to put your backpack into a locker.  Now you have to realize that my lunch was a 1/2 chicken with French fries.  So there was no way I could eat it all.  So at the bottom of my backpack is a take away box of chicken.  On top is my winter coat covering my camera.  So that is what went into the cloakroom at the Prado.  My backpack is green and white so very noticeable among all the black backpacks as they are lined up on the shelves.  I wonder if it made anyone hungry?

So many famous painters at the Prado - but of course no photos.   I could list all the famous painters - but hey it's all the famous European painters.  It was all wonderful.

After we left the Prado we wondered down  Prado avenue and saw many wonder full buildings.

Two different fountains on each end of Prado Avenue.  This is the first one we saw.

The fountain on the other end of the street.

This is the original Post Office.