Royal Palace - Madrid

i have had a few day trips with victor who is 10. we have alot of fun together. he is a very smart kid. we end up making fun of each other. he keeps me from being to serious, but remembering that he is a kid and so he has tender feelings. i can´t make fun to much. victor took the majority of these photos.

we went to the royal palace in madrid to see the castle, which is open to the public, and to see the changing of the guards. the first of every month is supposed to be bigger than anyother day. so turns out they do not do changing of the guards from july to september. we think because it too hot. but the castle was great. i can not believe how elaborate everything was! ofcourse i could not take pictures in the castle, but i did buy postcards of my favorite rooms.

there also is a royal armory. that was cool. it had weapons, shields,suits of armor, and horse armor from forever. they even had moorish weaponry and dress from the time when spain was trying to kick out all the moors (islamic). very cool.

as i was looking at the elaborate decorations and the weapons of war, i could not help but think about what my friend janae said. she expressed to me how she used to look in awe at the castles and the amazing structures that have stood for thousands of years...now all she can see is the proof that the many were kept down, left without food, clothing, or shelter. The many were the ones to sweat, bleed, toil, and die for next to nothing (if anything) so that the very few rich could have their elaborate palaces. the many, the people, the masses left little to remember them by becuase they had nothing.

yes, i was in awe over the beauty and detail of this amazing building, but it was tinged with sadness for the people on whose backs this building rests.