Central Spain

Plaza de Olavides, Madrid (an octagonal 'square'!)

Not a mask to be seen. Atocha Station, Madrid.

It looks like the roof supports are in place, at least on this side.

Sierra de La Cabrera granite. There are a number of great rock windows in this granite sierra.

Accident of course! This ghostly shadow seems to prefer real shoes!

Cantueso. The name of this lavender variety. It used to be thought of as the same as a similar-looking Provençal variety; it looks the same. But DNA profiling proved it was distinct. By the way, the two top 'petals' are in fact modified leaves. ADDED NOTE: It seems I was misinformed. This Wilki link is more accurate and up-tp-date! es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavandula_stoechas

Somosaguas Centro, Metro Ligero (Metro light) station, by La Finca Business Park, where I taught many hours a week at one time.

A pleasing walk along Madrid's River. They sank a motorway below it and freed up the surface to make this totally pedestrian riverside park.

Why this sign is in English totally beats me! I doubt if many of the construction workers speak it all that much! Pleased to see everyone wearing masks. I will take a break from these Stadium / cranes shots for a while and resume when anything more interesting happens, such as the roof finally going on.

Possibly my favourite Madrid park.

Not sure what the purpose of the lighthouse is but there is (or maybe was - thanks to Covid 19 and acess only by lift) a restaurant up there. On the ground are two of the few remaining sections of track from the old tramway system.

The continuing 'improvements' to Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.

Every century or so as Madrid expanded after becoming the capital of Spain, water was needed in ever greater amounts and the mountains to the north supplied it. This is an 18th century ruin showing one of the periodic attempts to keep up with the insatiable demand for water.

I set out on the bus from Madrid in thick fog. I started my walk thinking I had a one in ten chance of emerging through the mirk! So was overjoyed when I did!

This is the main front. I don't think I've taken it from this position before. I understand that this section is actually a church. For historic info in the notes to other shots of it, here is my album: www.ipernity.com/doc/2247598/album/1277734

Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid Football Club.

On a walk yesterday. Vallehermoso, Madrid.

Built in 1980 by Francisco González Valdés and destined to be the Head Offices of the Spanish Medical Council. But the Medical Council couldn't adapt to the circular design and so they declined to use the building. Instead it was occupied by the court / tribunal dealing with constitutional affairs and disputes, and therefore an important institution in Spanish politics. This building is often seen on the news. Unlike most such places, this is some way away from the political centre, being on the edge of the vast Universitaria complex.