Checking out La Vuelta
The return from Aranjuez was uneventful (even going into the parking garage did not seem so daunting). With all the activity down near Plaza de Cibeles when we left that morning, we were interested in seeing what was the cause for all that excitement.
We found out pretty quickly. This was Spain's equivalent to the Tour de France which has been active since 1955! http://www.lavuelta.com/la-vuelta/2015/us/
They have twenty-one stages throughout Spain.
The streets were even more alive and bubbling with activity (which I did not think was possible given how lively it always seems to be in Madrid). Some major streets were shut down between Puerto de Alcala and Plaza de Cibeles, and the entire Paseo de Prado and the now closed roads were filled with team buses, pace cars, and police.
To get an idea of the route and closure in Madrid, here's this map
My photographing skills are still not ideal and I need to learn not to take pictures by looking directly at the sun, but as we walked down the closed road to Plaza de Cibeles we took some pictures.
We also saw one of the highest cherry pickers ever which the boys loved!
It was difficult navigating through the dense press of people. This isn't a great picture but does give an idea of the sheer number of fans and spectators.
We were probably 50 feet from the track when a swell grew in the crowd and the cheering and yelling became deafening. Then we saw the blur of all the bikers helmets as they zipped by.
That was good enough for us! After a long and tiring day at the Palace followed by experiencing La Vuelta, we were ready to head home.
Everyone slept well that night (especially Sammy who nearly fell asleep on the stroller ride back).
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