pretty

Madrid is not a city known for its architectural marvels; even its most notable landmarks are a bit ho-hum when stacked against those of other European cities--one city guide I read referred to Almudeña Cathedral as "not particularly inspiring." Cold burn. However, there are a lot of delightful moments in the winding streets of Madrid de los Austrias, the old center of the city named after the homeland of the Habsburg ruling family. (As a total aside, I spent a very enjoyable afternoon at the Prado exclaiming "Habsburg jaw!" every time I saw a painting of that family's most notable characteristic. Oh, inbreeding. Steve was unimpressed, as you might imagine.)

Anyway, I've been delighted by the array of colorful and interestingly carved front doors in this city:

I also love the sherbet colored buildings and the contrast against the blue, blue skies here. It isn't a terrible place to spend a year.