Saturday 16th Sep - Day 17 – Tour Day 1 - Welcome to Madrid

 A much better nights sleep but that bed is still uncomfortable. 

I didn’t wake until almost 8am. I’ll certainly have to set the alarm for tomorrow, as we are leaving for Segovia at 8am.

I went downstairs for breakfast just before 9am. Just ate the same as yesterday. Might fill up a bit more tomorrow. 

I did a check on google and there is an El Corte Ingles department store not too far away, so decided to go for a walk and see if I could find it. 

This time I managed to head in the right direction from the start. Less than 700 metres from the hotel, so very easy to find. And I needed the exercise. 

Taken on the roof of the El Corte Ingles department store

I had been thinking about doing a hop-on-hop-off bus tour, but decided to give it a miss as I wasn’t sure where the nearest pick up point might be, as I haven’t noticed any HOHO buses going past the hotel.

A nice building somewhere along where I walked.

I went for another walk around the block, just after midday but I extended the block out, to cover 2 blocks, still haven’t hit double figures for today. I still have a couple of hours to get that done, before the clock ticks over in around 3 hrs time. I think. 

Nice and cool outside but the humidity is fairly high.

The forecast for yesterday and today was/is for rain. Just didn’t happen during the day yesterday. I know that it rained overnight though.  

Rooftop pool at the hotel

Rather than go walking the streets, looking for a place to eat, I decided to have lunch in the bar/lounge area of the hotel.  This is the view from the table I was sitting at.  Didn't remember to take a photo until I had almost finished the pumpkin soup.   Absolutely delicious.  I'm pretty sure that it was freshly made, as it had that thickness that canned soups just don't have.  Anyway, it was delicious.

I met our TD just after 5;30, when he was handing out the Tags and Insight bag's and Vox's.  Gave the Insight bag a miss, as I already have one of them.  Met a few of the other people on the tour. MaryAnne and Bill and Joyce & Bob from Maryland. Elaine & Ken also from the USA but I didn't ask which state. Pieta & Barry from Launceston and another couple, who's names have totally slipped my mind.  The meal was different, certainly very filling and flavoursome.  When we returned to the hotel I had a drink with Pieta and Barry, before retiring for the night around 8:30pm.  

Have set the alarm for 6.00am, as we are departing at 8am, so need to head down for breakfast at 7am, when they open.

It's now almost 10:20pm, so I'm heading for bed.

Hope I'll have more photo's tomorrow.  Night all