Record-breaking temperatures of 104-105 degrees Fahrenheit made our week in Madrid unforgettable. Even more unforgettable was the amazing hospitality of our friends, Julio and Luz, whom we met on the Camino in 2015. They opened their home, a sixth floor apartment in the Four Towers section of Madrid, to us, along with their delightful family and their sense of culture, history and gastronomy. 

We visited the Prado and other Madrid highlights, and made day trips to El  Escorial, Avila and Toledo. Another highlight of a different sort was a stop at the Official Real Madrid shop.

It was a special privilege to join the 36th birthday celebration of Julio and Luz’s twin sons.

After an interlude with family in Ireland, we’ll be returning to DC.