July 24, 2024: We took a five-hour train from Seville to Madrid. The long-distance train ride provided much-needed rest and an opportunity to see the countryside. We prefer trains over planes when possible for the comfort and views they offer.

After checking into our hotel, we headed to the Royal Palace of Madrid. Although it is the official residence of the Spanish royal family, it is now used only for state ceremonies, unlike the more actively used palace in Seville. The palace is enormous, and we followed the flow of tourists through the grand rooms, taking in the opulent architecture and decor.

Next, we visited the “Gallery of Spanish Royal Collections,” which houses the royal family's art collection, now owned by the state. The collection is stunning, and we made our way through it quickly, gaining some insights into Spain's history along the way. Then we went to the Cathedral for a quick look.

Our first stop for food was the San Miguel Market, which is similar to the Time Out Market in Lisbon, offering drinks and tapas. Unfortunately, it was so hot inside the building that we only ordered three pieces of tapas before leaving. We found a restaurant near the Plaza Mayor and enjoyed a delicious paella.

Afterward, we strolled back to our hotel and called it a night. Along the way, we tried out Madrid’s churros, which are similar to the ones we have in the States, but we much preferred Seville’s churros—no comparison there.

July 25, 2024: This morning, we visited the Retiro Park before catching our train to Lyon, France. On the way to the park, we searched for breakfast places, but none opened before 9 AM. We ended up waiting in line for a small spot in a residential area to open, but the wait was worth it—the baked eggs we ordered were delicious.

Retiro Park is a vast and picturesque space in the city center, popular with both locals and tourists. We leisurely strolled around the central lake area and admired the gardens and monuments. However, we had to hurry to board our train to Lyon.

There is no direct train from Madrid to Lyon, so we took Spain’s high-speed train to a small city in France, then transferred to France’s high-speed train with a 15-minute layover. Knowing the unreliability of some European train systems and the potential for a French train worker strike, we were concerned about missing the connection, as it was the last train to Lyon for the day. Fortunately, the transfer was on the same platform and went smoothly. We arrived in Lyon at night and rested at the hotel.

This Madrid trip was a short but memorable journey, offering a glimpse into its royal history, art, and vibrant culinary scene. Despite the challenges with the heat and train connections, the experience was enriching and enjoyable.

2024年7月24日：早上在酒店吃完早餐后叫了Cabify送我们去火车站，乘坐从塞维利亚(Seville)到马德里(Madrid)的火车。五小时的长途火车旅行为我们提供了急需的休息机会，同时也让我们欣赏到了沿途的乡村风光。相比于飞机，我们更喜欢乘坐火车，因为它更舒适且风景宜人。

到达马德里后，我们还是叫Cabify送我们去酒店。其实酒店离火车站很近，网约车反而要绕道，好在车直接把我们送到酒店门口。办理了酒店入住手续，我们赶紧前往参观马德里王宫，也是提前网上买好的票。虽然这是西班牙皇室的官方住所，但现在仅用于国家仪式，不再作为日常居住场所，这一点与塞维利亚的王宫不同。王宫非常宏伟，我们随着游客的流动参观了各个房间，欣赏了那里的奢华建筑和装饰。

接下来，我们去了旁边的西班牙皇家收藏馆。皇家家族的艺术收藏品现在归国家所有。这个收藏非常多，我们快速浏览了一遍，同时了解了一些西班牙的历史。

然后，我们去了圣米格尔(San Miguel)市场，这地方类似于里斯本的Time Out室内市场，提供各种饮品和小吃。只是今天的马德里也是近四十度的高温。市场内人山人海且没有空调，热的让人受不了，我们走了一圈后只点了三份小吃就赶紧离开了。之后，我们在马约尔广场附近找到了一家餐厅，享用了一顿简单的海鲜饭。

2024年7月25日：今天我们离开马德里，前往法国里昂(Lyon)。走之前抓紧时间参观一下丽池公园。在去公园的路上，我们想找家早餐店，但大多数店铺早上9点之前都不开门。最终我们在住宅区的一家小店门口排队等候，虽然等了一段时间，但这里的焗蛋确实非常美味，值得一试。

漂亮的丽池公园位于市中心，深受当地人和游客的喜爱。我们绕着中央湖区走了一圈，看看周围的花园和纪念碑。只是我们的时间不多，不得不加快脚步，因为要去赶前往里昂的火车。

在火车站，我们尝试了马德里的吉拿棒（churros），虽然它们与我们在美国吃到的很相似，但我们更喜欢塞维利亚的吉拿棒，两者真的没有可比性。由于从马德里到里昂没有直达火车，我们先乘坐西班牙的高速列车到达法国的一个小城市，然后转乘法国的高速列车，中间只有15分钟的转车时间。考虑到欧洲火车系统有时不太可靠，且法国铁路工人可能会罢工，我们对能否赶上当天最后一班开往里昂的火车有些担心。幸运的是，转车是在同一站台进行的，过程非常顺利。我们于晚上顺利到达里昂，并入住酒店休息。

这次的马德里之旅虽短，却也让我们稍微领略了这座城市的悠久历史、丰富的艺术文化以及充满活力的美食场景。尽管在高温和火车换乘方面遇到了一些挑战，这段旅程还是很愉快有收获的。