My fourth day

 Saturday, March 28, 2026

The day started out a little colder than the previous ones and I add a sweater to my outfit. I had made an 11.15 appointment for the Thyssen -Bornemisza National Museum and set out on foot for the 20 min walk, mostly downhill, through the awakening streets, 

following the Google Maps female voice instructions.

Once inside the museum I see one fabulous painting after the other  - this Gauguin, Mata Mua, from 1892, 

This Vasarely - a nod to our collection ar home:

This Edward Munch, of which I've had a copy since I was at university:

And this seamstress by Edward Hopper that I didn't know:

And so many more. I finalize by seeing an exhibition by a Danish artist, Wilhelm Hammershøi, which show a very different Nordic vibe, so familiar to me

After a snack in the museum restaurant I catch a cab to Chueka,  where the first thing I see as I get out of the car is this cute wirefox terrier called Max - reminding me of my lovely and long gone Sussies

I find a rooftop restaurant on top of the busy Mercado San Anton, where I order tapas, but find that the famous 'patata brava' is way too spicy for me. Then I head back to the hotel for a restorative nap. 

When I wake, I walk down to the Plaza de Oriente, where throngs of people are enjoying the views, the gardens and the setting sun against the background of the royal palace. In the short time I've been here spring has been advancing and each days the buds are greener and the flowers more prominent.

Eventually I start back in the direction of my hotel, stopping for a simple dinner, and then walking home in the dark to digest my impressions of the day.