Exploring Madrid

Recovered a bit having caught up on sleep, for the rest of our days in Madrid we saw some of the main sites like the lake and the Crystal Palace in Parque Retiro, and the Palacio Real. But the highlight was probably the spontaneous water balloon fight the kids invented with balloons we extracted from the water fountain drain with two sticks and filled from the nozzle of our water bottle. That and watching Uruguay get off to a good start with three points against Egypt. Gooooollll JoseMa!!!

We also took full advantage of our travel insurance - a pediatrician paid a house call to the kids at our Airbnb apartment and Noelia consulted with a doctor via video conference on a phone app. The 4 of us are now pumped full of antibiotics and our coughs are subsiding.

The fountain and flowers that welcomed us to Parque de El Retiro.

The lake en Parque de El Retiro. The sun was brutal so we didn't go out on the row boats, instead we sat by the lake people watching and taking our daily dose of ice cream - sometimes twice daily :)

The steps to Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace inside Parque de El Retiro.

How to convince Augusto to take a picture when he's not in the mood? Make it a silly face competition!

Why are the kids too tired to walk when we're sightseeing but as soon as we stop for a "break" they have all the energy I'm the world to kick the soccer ball without another kid or wrestle with daddy?

Sticks provide hours of entertainment. The Fountain of the Fallen Angel.

Ready for war!

Battle royale!

The Temple of Debod - this ancient Egyptian temple was deconstructed to save it from a flood when a damn there was being built - Egypt gifted it to Spain and it was reassembled in this park in Madrid. 

Don't recall who this is. Maybe Christopher Columbus (Colón in Spanish).

Lunch break! The kids spend all day asking "when are we going to get there", and "there" is a park with a playground.

All aboard the Teleférico - the cable car that lands you in this giant park park called Casa de Campo, which used to be the royal hunting grounds, now home to a zoo. 

   

Taking in the view.

Lots of piggy backing going on for Augusto who is a little jealous his brother gets to cruise most of the day in the stroller.

Palacio Real - the Royal Palace, though it's no longer inhabited by the monarchy.

Beautifully detailed iron door at the cathedral nexy

Outside the Cathedral next to Palacio Real.

Thank you Titi for this last minute gift! The ball has traveled the world with us now and saved the kids from boredom countless times.