This week was a slow week of running around town and doing things that needed to be done or staying at home setting up Kyran's new work lab, for his new role as a travelling inventor.
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Fist things first tho, some of you may have noticed the photo to the right that was posted on my Facebook page earlier this week about guessing where Kyran was.
The answer is: we were at the Royal Palace in Madrid, and Kyran is standing in the Armoury! He really enjoyed it because he loves all things related to killing stuff for some reason...
Royal Palace
The Royal Palace is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family, but is only used for state ceremonies.
The armoury is considered one of the best in the world and consists of pieces as early as the 15th century.
Despite many wars the armoury still retains some of the most important pieces of this art in Europe and the world, including several signed by Filippo Negroli, one of the most famous designers in the armourers' guild.
The direct antecedent of the Royal Palace is the Royal Alcazar, a
fortress built on the same site where the baroque building stands today. On Christmas Eve 1734, the Alcázar was destroyed by a fire originating in the rooms of the French painter Jean Ranc. It was not detected quickly, due the warning bells being confused with the call to mass. Silly buggers.This fire lasted four-days and completely destroyed the old Alcázar, whose last walls were finally demolished in 1738. Overall we really enjoyed the Palace and it's stately rooms and bountiful ornaments - every room was amazing!
Below: Almudena Cathedral
The Neo-Romanesque crypt houses a 16th-century image of the Virgen de la Almudena. Nearby along the Calle Mayor excavations have unearthed remains of Moorish and medieval city walls.
The cathedral seems to have been built on the site of a medieval mosque that was destroyed in 1083.
FUN FACT
The capital of Spain use to be Toledo but was transferred to Madrid in 1561.
Left: View of the Puerta de Sol (Means the door of the sun) from the Plaza de Cibeles.
The Puerta de Sol is the center (Km 0) of the radial network of Spanish roads.
The square also contains the famous clock whose bells mark the traditional eating of the Twelve Grapes and the beginning of a new year.Left: A Giant 'lucky' Frog donated to the city of Madrid by the Casino Gran Madrid-Colón
Above: Casa de America
Casa de America is a public consortium that aims to strengthen ties between Spain and the Americas, especially Latin America. This approach is encouraged through the organization of seminars, conferences, round tables, exhibitions, keynote talks, screenings, concerts, conferences, presentations, workshops, etc
Above: Some thing for your amusement... A bob cat hanging in mid air off a crane, guess no one is going to steal it there. 
Left: The Bear and the Tree is part of Madrid's coat of arms. The shield is Argent, a bear sable supported on a strawberry tree (vert fructed gules).The Coat of arms of Madrid, the capital of Spain, has its origin in the Middle Ages
(For more information)
Above:The Plaza de Toros
I'd like to mention that we did not set out to see this dreadful place but as we happened to stumble upon it we thought we would take a photo.
It has a seating capacity of 25,000 and is regarded as the home of bullfighting in Spain.
The bullfighting season starts in March and ends in October; bullfights are held every day during the San Isidro Fiesta, and every Sunday or holiday during the season. Bullfights start at 6 or 7pm and last for two to three hours.
Bullfighting
The bullfight, as it is practiced today, involves professional toreros (of which the most senior is called a matador) who execute various formal moves which can be interpreted and innovated according to the bullfighter's style or school.
The bull is first been weakened and tired by lances and short spears with barbs which are thrust into and then hang from the bull.
After the bull has been hooked multiple times behind the shoulder by other matadors in the arena, the bullfight usually concludes with the killing of the bull by a single sword thrust, which is called the estocada.
In Portugal, it is illegal to kill a bull in the arena, so it is removed and either professionally killed or treated and released into its owners' (ganadero) fields.
On a more personal note, I think this is a terrible and primitive tradition that should be outlawed and the toreros/ matadors castrated.
Left: A Strange looking building that we noticed along our journeys.
Colunbus Towers or Torres de Colón is a highrise office building.
The building constructed in 1976 was designed by the architect Antonio Lamela.
Right: Kyran newest toy a Laboratory Power Supply, it allows for him to set what ever voltage and current out put he wants.
A Recipe: Horchatta
2.Someone mentioned to my aunty that where the chuffa is grown has rats etc.. she first
soaks the chuffa in a water bleach combination.
Then the chuffa is rinsed and put with water through the food processor that you can see in the middle.The processor extracts the milk and leaves the woody shells.
3. The woody shells are then mixed with water and put back through the processor in order to get the most out of the tubers.
4.Once the milk(on the right of the processor) has been filtered twice it is then put through a cloth to remove the finer woody particles.
5.The final product. In Spain the milk is known and sold as Horchatta but it is more commonly mixed with sugar and cows milk. In this case it is completely natural and unflavored for maximum nutrient value (it is said that it has the same nutritional value and can be compared to a mothers breast milk).
FUN FACTS- Chuffa:
Aslo known as: Cyperus esculentus, nut grass, yellow nutsedge, tiger nut sedge, or earth almond.
It is native to most of the Western Hemisphere as well as southern Europe, Africa, Madagascar, the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent.
It has become naturalized in many other regions, including Ukraine, China, Hawaii, Indochina, New Guinea, Java, New South Wales and various oceanic islands
Despite its name, tigernut is a tuber. However, its chemical composition shares characteristics with tubers and with nuts.
It has been reported to be a “health” food, since its consumption can help prevent heart disease and thrombosis and is said to activate blood circulation and reduce the risk of colon cancer.
- This tuber is rich in energy content (starch, fat, sugar, and protein),
- Minerals (mainly phosphorus and potassium),
- Vitamins E and C (making this tuber also suitable for diabetics)
(For more information)
Right: Some sewing was also done the yellow flowers were all made but yours truly as i have discovered these wonderful petal stencils.
MOVIE OF THE WEEK
I was recommended this movie by one of my family and it is a cracking movie if you understand Spanish and the Spanish and Basque cultures.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2955316/
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