Madrid

Where to begin.  I guess the beginning : )

I don't sleep well on planes.  Because I left the U.S at a time that didn't line up with sleeping I didn't get any sleep at all.  By the time I met up with Michael it was 4am in the U.S. and lets just say there were a lot of tears shed!  First because the airline lost my luggage.  And second because I didn't realize that in Madrid you can't meet up with your family until after you leave the luggage area.  So the whole hour or so I was waiting for luggage/waiting in line to find out where my luggage was I thought that Michael hadn't come to pick me up!  When you're sleep deprived you start to go crazy- I'm convinced.

So joining him in Europe wasn't exactly the exciting reunion I was hoping for.

Thankfully I rallied and we managed to squeeze in tapas, a museum, cafe con leche, and an emergency clothes shopping trip before dinner! 

Ahh, dinner!  We went to a small paella place that was so amazing!  The food there wasn't necessarily authentic.  The owner has a Norwegian wife so his menu was a Norwegian/Spanish fusion.  It was one of those experience places where even if it wasn't the best paella in Spain the overall night was simply perfect.  

The smoked fish and meats platter.  He smokes it in his personal smokers- he has three!  

Paella.

The owner (on the right) serenading everyone with his guitar.  

He was awesome telling us so many stories, checking in with every table.  

He makes his own balsamic vinegar (delicious) and has a whole wine system devised to explain each bottle to customers-it's hilarious!

The next morning we all indulged in cafe con dulce de leche.  

Can I just say that Spain has the best coffee. 

I think the main thing I'm going to pine for is cafe con leche from Madrid.

Who doesn't love a country where the hang jamon on the wall and slice it to order?

The Palacio Real.  

It's so extravagant that the current royal family is rumored to be too embarrassed to live there.

Churros and Chocolate and more cafe con leche.  Need I say more.  Seriously Spain, I ❤ you. 

We really loved the street signs in Madrid.

The only photo that proves we were in Europe together.  It's at the Botanical Garden outside of the Museo del Prado (which we also visited). 

The best Sangria we've ever had!  Of course we never tried it anywhere else in Madrid- just went back there to get it again.

The beginning of what's known as a tapas crawl!  You go to one of the streets that has a bunch of tapas places and eat a few tapas from numerous restaurants.  That pork was the best thing we had during the evening.

It's almost impossible to tell, but these are homemade toffee waffles with ice cream on top.  

These waffles as dessert were on a lot of menus and they were super yummy!

We both loved the lifestyle in Madrid. 

 Lots of people on walking on the streets all the time- I think to work off all the food they eat throughout the day! The second day we were there we walked around (with some stops to eat/drink) for 7 hours straight. 

Of course the fact that you go home and nap, then go to dinner at 10pm and stay out until 2am was  awesome when you don't have children with you : )

Off to England tomorrow!