Art Adventures - by Patricia Banks©
Published February 2020 in Nanaimo Magazine and Voyager Magazine
Published February 2020 in Nanaimo Magazine and Voyager Magazine
We had a small window of time between trains. And ours was the last connection of the day, so we dared not miss it. How could we make the most of this valuable slice of time? I inquired at the desk: “Do you speak English?” A middle-aged, pleasant, dark haired woman, with kind eyes said: “Yes, a little.” Enthusiastically, I asked: “If you had three hours to experience something unique and interesting, within walking distance to and from the train station, what would it be?” She promptly showed me a map and with pen to paper, highlighted routes and attractions, proposing several thrilling opportunities.
With our luggage stored, we were free of encumbrances. We made our way through the triple height, four thousand square metre, Victorian style, steel and glass green house, of Atocha Station. The fragrance, colours and atmosphere of these botanical gardens enveloped us with a harmony of tropical birds calling out to each other. We exited through this paradise onto the sun-drenched, busy streets of downtown Madrid!
Our countdown was on… two hours, fourty-five minutes remaining… Quickly making our way by foot, along Paseo del Prado, we hugged the high wrought iron fencing which enclosed the beautiful formal gardens of ‘Real Jardin Botanico’. We caught glimpses of intriguing buildings and church spires; oh, I wish we had more time! Our destination presented itself.
The Prado – Museo Nacional del Prado! We now had an hour and a half to engage with centuries of masterpieces. The choices were daunting. We followed the advice of a thoughtful Docent. The only words I have left to describe the astounding artwork protected in the Prado are similar to Marco Polo’s description of his travels: “I didn’t tell half of what I saw, because no one would have believed me.” I see the future holds another Art Adventure to Madrid! Cheers, Patricia
With our luggage stored, we were free of encumbrances. We made our way through the triple height, four thousand square metre, Victorian style, steel and glass green house, of Atocha Station. The fragrance, colours and atmosphere of these botanical gardens enveloped us with a harmony of tropical birds calling out to each other. We exited through this paradise onto the sun-drenched, busy streets of downtown Madrid!
Our countdown was on… two hours, fourty-five minutes remaining… Quickly making our way by foot, along Paseo del Prado, we hugged the high wrought iron fencing which enclosed the beautiful formal gardens of ‘Real Jardin Botanico’. We caught glimpses of intriguing buildings and church spires; oh, I wish we had more time! Our destination presented itself.
The Prado – Museo Nacional del Prado! We now had an hour and a half to engage with centuries of masterpieces. The choices were daunting. We followed the advice of a thoughtful Docent. The only words I have left to describe the astounding artwork protected in the Prado are similar to Marco Polo’s description of his travels: “I didn’t tell half of what I saw, because no one would have believed me.” I see the future holds another Art Adventure to Madrid! Cheers, Patricia
