Madrid: Two days like this (Day 2)

Awoken Sunday morning by a string quartet in the street outside. We later breakfast down towards the Paseo del Prado where there is ham, there is egg and there is potato. I am joyous as I neck my coffee.

With rain threatening are umbrella-less state we enter the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum where there was an exhibition of Architectural paintings - perspectives, legends and ruins. We are inspired and our imaginations are decorated with new ideas and ideals. An expensive bottle of Coca Cola follows.

Later, enthused, we are further motivated by a selection of world food at San Anton Market in Chueca. I take a glass of white wine, AB Vermouth as we soak up the noise, people watch, lean on the bar, sample some sushi, watch plates of food go by.

We then meet dear friends who we met at Active language in Cádiz, five years ago, where all this started. First we meet the big-eared-tripper who is as impulsive as ever and seems to have had another haircut by a man with poor eye sight. He leads us to meet Seblon in Barrio La Latina who has cloned himself and we enjoy small beers standing in a crescent shape.

Next, Seblon and his clone lead us to Barrio Lavapies where AB and I settle a curry score we had decided earlier on in the day. It was a wonderfully, fresh, herby and light curry and it went to the top of my Bhoona list which is the style of curry I have almost always eaten due to my Dad’s recommendation back in 1996. (Restaurant Moharaj C/ Ave Maria, 26)

Friends reunited again after the curry with SB and the boys. The flat capped one (D) is in full flow and is dryly punctuated by the other (J). They are quite a team as a waiter with century old eyes puts plate after plate of tapas on the bar for D to consume with his luminous drink. After a red wine, AB and I drift back to the hotel, full and fatigued.