Yesterday we went into the Thyssen museum, which is just across the street. I went in there many years ago when it had just opened. I was alone that time and afterward kept telling Peggy how great it was. Yesterday it didn't please either of us very much. Too many rooms from 1500 or before. It took forever to get to anything else, and in many of the rooms ahead many of the paintings were out on loan.
Other impressions of Madrid in 2014: One eats beautifully here. In the past one often didn't. Every restaurant we went into pleased us, though we missed Botin's, which we had counted on for it's famous roast suckling pig. Most likely Madrideños consider Botin's a tourist trap and perhaps it is, meaning that tourists have heard of it and go there in great numbers. But you do eat beautifully there, or at least you used to. And their specialty you almost can't get anywhere else. But last night the only table available was at 11:30 PM. So Botin's will have to wait for next time.
And Madrid traffic is horrendous. It didn't used to be. Spain may be suffering economically at this time, but not everybody. On the 4-lane grand boulevards cars go by almost bumper to bumper at 40 mph or more, and there are fences up and down every sidewalk so pedestrians can cross only at the corners.