Breathtaking Madrid!

Yesterday we took a touribus around Madrid and saw all of the major attractions of the city. We then got off at the central park, and walked for miles and miles among exotic trees and flowers which create amazing combinations of scents. Heading back to Plaza Mayor and La Puerta del Sol, we walked down Calle Atocha, the same street where the famous Arabic baths are located. We stopped at several lovely shops along the way. In Plaza Mayor there was a Columbian party celebrating the day of a saint. We were told to wait but one hour after the time the show was supposed to start, technicians were still preparing the stage, therefore we decided to leave. We wandered through more shops on La Calle de Carmen, and eventually arrived at Plaza del Oriente, an amazing Italian-style plaza rounded with statues and fountains. There, people were gathering to watch the live transmission of the opera Madame Butterfly, directed by Placido Domingo. World renown Chilean soprano Cristina Gallardo-Domas was performing on the stage of the opera theater, but as the indoor seats had been completely sold out, the organizers had set up a large screen outside. By the time the show commenced, around 5,000 people had gathered in the plaza. I wish I could explain the magic of the moment - it was so emotionally intense watching the plaza filled with opera lovers! Liana and I watched the entire performance, while Ben and Heather went for dinner and drinks at a nearby terasa. The opera lasted from 9pm to 1am, and its dramatic end took our breath away. Liana LOVES this musical genre, and she invited me to join her at the New York Opera for the best world performances.