Rain, Rain, Go Away...Numero Uno

Some of the 5 Kilograms of Oranges we bought

Danielle eating an Orange

Market Stall

Though I suppose I should be grateful for the rain, I can’t help but dislike its adverse effects on Madrid. The Metro begins to overflow with people, walking anywhere comes with a free shower, and every museum in the city is crowded with tourists, unsure of what to do without the sunshine. But, in some ways, Madrid is even more beautiful when it rains. All of the stone and marble buildings glisten, the fountains gush forth water in savage jets, and the atmosphere of the small cafes becomes even more charming. This weekend, with the rain coming as expected, my plans to go to Segovia with friends were canceled. Instead, I visited two museums, El Museo Lazaro Galdiano and the Thyssen-Bornemisza, which I have written about many times before. El Museo Lazaro Galdiano is an enormous city mansion near metro Gregorio Maranon, which once belonged to the Museum’s namesake, a profitable entrepreneur. His mansion is filled with breathtaking works of art that he collected over his lifetime, many of which are in their original places. The main formal reception floor is stunning, with painted ceilings, heavy moldings, and hundreds of paintings and pieces of furniture. The first room off of the covered entrance, sports a ceiling devoted to Goya, containing many figures from the painter’s most famous works, including La Maja Vestida. The top floor is currently a temporary exhibition of the family’s smaller collected pieces ranging from ivory statues, ancient textiles, jeweled rosary beads, and even a selection of their dishware and flatware. Highlights In the collection are the numerous Goyas, extensive collection of religious works, some by El Greco, and even a Velasquez. The museum is stuffed to overflowing with the owner´s personal collection, well worth successive trips. The rest of the afternoon was spent showing my friend Leah around the Salamanca shopping district....