Since I literally took 2000 pictures, I thought it best to break these posts up. This is part one: Madrid. Madrid is not exactly the prettiest city in Spain, but it's an obligatory stop, especially since it was an easy direct flight from Chicago. I'm a sucker for direct flights.
Here I am all ready to travel - passport in hand and fascinator on head. Feathered headbands are obvi required for any long distance travel.
We left the US on Nov. 19, and landed in Madrid on Nov. 20th.... at 7:45 AM. I wasn't going to let the lack of sleep stop me from making the most of the big day. We checked in, I took a quick shower to wash the travel off of me (don't you feel really gross after flying hours and hours? I do), quick change, and we were off!
Stop #1: the Royal Palace. There was a time where I was obsessed with the prince of Spain. Come hell or high water, Prince Felipe was going to be my husband. And I was going to redecorate the royal digs. Clearly neither of these things happened. Something about never meeting him making it hard to actually marry him. No matter, I married my own prince, and marrying him didn't require me to move to Spain or become Catholic. I think it all worked out.
Anyway, this time I visited the palace without any dreams of moving in or of redecorating.
On our way to the palace, we happened across an adorable market. It had all sorts of fun food stuffs available from various vendors. I was only there for the churros:
But the cheese was pretty cool too
And all the fresh fruit
And being Spain, there was of course lots and lots of ham everywhere
And now for the fashion. I know that's why you com here. The big thing in Spain was boots. Everywhere you looked there were boots - short boots, tall boots, over the knee boots, heeled boots, flat boots. And everyone wore them -- I saw many many older women (I'm talking 60s and 70s) rocking some pants tucked into tall boots. These women were fashionable and put together at any age.
But everyone else was wearing boots. I felt SO out of place. Mr. EWP kept asking me what was wrong as I grew more and more despondent. "I NEED BOOTS!" I exclaimed. I couldn't handle being so very out of fashion. So we immediately stopped into the first shoe store we saw (luckily there were 2 shoe stores per block), and I started trying on boot after boot. Then I settled on the pair I loved, and threw my euros on the table and told the man I'd be wearing them out of the store.
I was so smitten with the markets in Spain. I was really bummed to be back and not have such a place of wonder and cuteness. Turns out Chicago knew I would be sad, so on Dec. 3rd, only two days after I got back, a cute European-style market opened in the Loop. It has pastries, it has fruit, it has gelato. It's my new favorite place.
We didn't just stuff our faces in Spain. We took in some art, too. Here's Picasso's Guernica. It's so amazing in person. But all I have for you is this pic.
And now for the fashion. I know that's why you com here. The big thing in Spain was boots. Everywhere you looked there were boots - short boots, tall boots, over the knee boots, heeled boots, flat boots. And everyone wore them -- I saw many many older women (I'm talking 60s and 70s) rocking some pants tucked into tall boots. These women were fashionable and put together at any age.
Only problem? I didn't pack any boots. I had them out. They were sitting there waiting to be packed, they just never made it in the suitcase. DRATS!
But this girl was wearing flats, and she made me feel better about myself.
But everyone else was wearing boots. I felt SO out of place. Mr. EWP kept asking me what was wrong as I grew more and more despondent. "I NEED BOOTS!" I exclaimed. I couldn't handle being so very out of fashion. So we immediately stopped into the first shoe store we saw (luckily there were 2 shoe stores per block), and I started trying on boot after boot. Then I settled on the pair I loved, and threw my euros on the table and told the man I'd be wearing them out of the store.
I had my boots and I was happy.
