The Prado Museum
More wandering to start my day. I love being outside in the morning because it's the only cool time here in Madrid. Around 13:00, it's in the 90s and it's been at least 100 each day we've been here. In the heat of the afternoon, we went to The Prado Museum. If I'm being completely hIonest, I've been feeling a bit burnt out and longing for home, so I wasn't overly excited at the thought of The Prado but OH MY GOSH, I am so happy we went. That museum was mind-blowingly amazing. The museum is huge, so I researched the most important masterpieces to see and read about each of them, to ensure we saw and were familiar with those pieces.
So what is the above image about? I wasn't exactly sure either, at first. There was a young man painting and shortly after we starting watching him, he left to take a break. I took this picture and then was scolded by security, "no pictures". So I asked her what this painting was all about. She said that students are allowed to spend a month on a painting within the museum. They have to apply and be recommended by a professor. After they are done, some keep the painting, other sell it. I asked why people can paint but no pictures? She said that photographs were banned 15 years ago because people weren't abiding by the 'no flash' rule and they were getting in people's way trying to take pictures. We saw four other easels, while we walked through the museum and one other young man painting. One of the paintings we saw looked pretty much identical to the masterpiece (I know it really didn't, but damn, it was close). So interesting, huh?!
After the museum, it was home for a bit of siesta time and then dinner. Hard to believe that tomorrow, we leave for Barcelona, our last stop on this dream-come-true European adventure. I am so blessed!