Madrid...continued and more...

We got the Hop On to The Prado and in that the brief rain had stopped we decided to go to the Arboretum and so glad we did as this is one of the largest in Europe and maybe the world....and has species from all over. The colors were just great as photos will show.....just a well spent hour.
We then went into The Prado....which is one of the largest art museums.....and is filled with Reubens and the other Dutch masters, as well as Velasquez.....just magnificent art paintings. The problem.....takes much more than 2 hours....but by 7 we were tired....
Went out to get the Hop On back...and just got about 3stops and driver announced we would not be making certain stops....and I asked why and he said a strike was closing some streets....so we were in our first almost gridlock traffic jam...but upstairs on the bus so could see a lot. He took a different route...so got to see some new neighborhoods.....and got back to the hotel finally about 9.....went around the corner to a  Starbucks for a good sandwich and back to the room.
We leave for the train back to  Barcelona at 10....
End of a fun day in Madrid......and to summarize Madrid....
1. Great wide open boulevards connecting very small one way streets
2. Great roundabouts with fountains
3. Great monumental buildings
4. A beautiful setting with the heavy treed streets and boulevards
5. The big 3:   The Royal Palace, the Cathedral, and The Prado......well worth coming to Madrid to see....but give 3 days at least...
6. There does not appear to be the typical tour buses, so the Hop On seems to be the best way to get around....along with the taxis...

Audy and I both agreed this would be a good extension to the Viking Cruise.......

All for now......