Madrid

 Last week I went to visit a dear friend of mine and to see the beauty of the third biggest city in Europe. Despite my high expectations, because everyone spoke so well of the city, I was positively surprised.
 Madrid is huge but neat and surprisingly, well-organized. There are quite a few things to visit, monuments, museums and important historical buildings but if you are not into sightseeing, people watching from a coffee shop will do as well (tip: please make sure you don't have coffee, in Madrid they don't know what that is).
 Such a vivid and colorful city, full of green as well (it has the highest number of trees and green surfaces per inhabitant in Europe).
 Here are some snaps

A bear and a madrone tree, the symbol of Madrid

The Royal Palace, only used for state ceremonies

The park behind the Royal Palace

Buen Retiro Park, an oasis in the middle of the city, you can even rent a boat

Almost perfect public transport, always on time, clean, spacious

Believe it or not, the best coffee I had in Madrid

Plaza del Callao, a small square in Gran Via (a big shopping area) with six movie theaters

Mercado de San Miguel, a 100 years old iron building market with a variety of local products.A bit too touristy for my taste, but a beautiful place

Cheese stand

Various legumes

And alcohol of course, can't go without that in Spain

Hipsterish area, La Latina, great for some drinks and tapas

Ham museum, aka Spanish paradise

Anti-austerity protests in Plaza del Sol

A note on the Bank of Spain "Save the banks, rob the poor, NO!"

The most beautiful building in Madrid, City Hall since 2007, used to be a post office
 

A view from the City Hall. Real Madrid supporters use this area to celebrate the big victories, sometimes even jumping into the fountain

Almudena cathedral, didn't impress me at all

Inside the Neo-Romanesque crypt

I have found countdown traffic lights so useful

Decorated street sign

Contemporary art museum Reina Sofia

The Victory of Samothrace, Yves Klein, in his IKB color