MAdness?!! THIS IS MADRID!!!

March 25
Missed breakfast which was rumored to be good. We headed out towards El Escorial(sp?) which I constantly refer to as La Parrilla in my photo captions. The story behind this is that a saint was martyred via grill and a monastery was built in the form of a grill by Carlos II (Charles V of the HRE) in order to suck up to the Catholic constituency. (Ferdinand the Catholic left a daughter who was rumored to be crazy and the last thing anybody wants is a crazy queen) Anyway, we toured the monastery and you can see the various pictures on facebook. I also bought a few postcards because we aren't allowed to take pictures. (Note: You will never be allowed to take pictures inside any national monument or any national museum. Thus this will be the first and last time I say this.)

Later, we visited El Valle de los Cayidos (The Valley of the Fallen). The monument was constructed after the Spanish Civil War by P.O.W.s and people who wished to be reintegrated into Spanish society as punishment. If you've seen the pictures, you'll realize that this was anything but easy.
The monument rests on the highest point near Madrid with a cross that reaches the clouds. Oh and Franco is buried inside. I did a little solo Jazz on his grave while the guard's and guide's backs were turned. :)