Madrid, snow and a little :(

Phew...what excitement! Yesterday we were

 in Suffolk but the weather forecast was awful...

 (awful for the UK...not awful for anywhere else

 that it used to lots of snow).. so we came back

 to Oxford a day early... and made it home just 

as the snow started in Oxford...hurrah!

 We watched it fall all evening, full of plans for

 walks in the snowy park with the dog today... 

and then it rained! I love English weather!

Pavement pattern in Madrid

 In Madrid last week it was cold, but beautifully

 sunny... we had a lovely weekend.... I'll show 

you a few pictures, not too many.. 

Fernando Botero Statue outside Madrid Barajas Airport

This beautiful statue of a woman sitting on

 the back of bull greets you as you arrive at 
Barajas Airport, Madrid.
  

She is designed by Fernando Botero whose

 art works feature rounded figures, but if you

 are going to look at more of his work, be 

prepared - some of the subject matter 

isn't pleasant!

My hubby works in Madrid - I live in Oxford, UK,

 ..we don't spend much time together, so three

 days alone was bliss...

The Palacio Real de Madrid (The Royal Palace of Madrid)

Outside of The Mercado de San Miquel , Madrid

This place is like a covered market...

but a lovely social place... you buy your

 food and drink from whichever stall you want,

 then sit together at the central tables... 

It is a vibrant, friendly, stimulating place to eat!

The Mercado de San Miquel , Madrid

Statue in Plaza De Oriente, Madrid

This is a street entertainer called Spider man - 
He strikes different poses, and these men were 
joining in... this pose was called 'sexy'! Hmmm...

I noticed that there were far more 

hand-made items on sale in the 

shops..... ahh lovely colourful poncho!

These antique sewing machines would 

have been in my suitcase if they had 

weighed less! 

Sorry - rubbish photo of the inside of the wool shop,
but the man in uniform was cross with me for taking it! 

Yes, I did find a wool shop... I was shocked 

to see that it was PACKED with shoppers! 

It wasn't like our local yarns shops at all.. 

when you walk in the door there is a display

 of samples of all the yarns they carry, and 

handmade items displayed... 

Further into the shop are the yarns on very

 high shelves...in fact the whole shop was

 stacked tot he ceiling! But no balls of wool

 to be seen... apparently you chose your yarn

 by feeling the samples at the front of the 

shop, then go to the back of the shop to 

order by weight...ie: 1 kilo of red cotton. 

There was even a man in uniform who told me

 off in no uncertain terms for touching the 

hanks instead of the samples! 

It makes sense really! Mind you I did feel a 

bit like a criminal when I picked up a 

crochet hook! 

In the wool shop.. a beautiful display of bobbin

 lace-making supplies... I used to make bobbin

 lace, this made me want to dig out my bobbins! 

and Tapas bars.. vino tinto (red wine) and

 tapas... yum yum! 

Catedral de la Almudena - Madrid

This next bit I shall write in very brief, small

 words... I didn't get the job.... :( 

Thanks so much to everyone who wished me well, 

and made me laugh just before the interview...

Onwards and upwards.....

Oh my goodness some beautiful 

squares have come in for the 

Beautiful Blogger Blanket of 2012.. 

I am going to post loads this week to catch up!