A walk around Old Madrid.

The paintings on this building that border the Plaza Mayor are not unique as  building decoration,but  they are some of the most colourful I have seen.

Most of the buildings are five stories of apartments above shops. There is a myriad of different patterns in the ironwork on the balconies.

Lunch was had at the Mercado de San Miguel where there are stalls selling produce and you can also buy tapas or tastes. Built in 1914, it is the last remaining market constructed from iron in Madrid. When it was refurbished in 2008 it was glassed in and offers a vast choice of delicacies.

All the street signs in Madrid are hand painted on glazed tiles. You will often also see these outside restaurants advertising the name and specialities of the establishment inside. This fine example was outside a restaurant and stood about five feet high.

And of course there is always another beautiful set of doors nearby!

Then there were these beautiful tiles on the underside of one of the balconies, which raises the question, what did the top look like?

The rest of the afternoon was spent at the Palacio Real, Royal Palace which is unbelievably lavish. It was commissioned by Felipe V in 1734 with much of the opulent decor reflecting the tastes of Carlos III and Carlos IV. The present king lives in a more modest papace but it is still used for state occasions.