Madrid, Spain

It didn't take long to fall for Madrid, the capital of Spain. A simple walk out of a hotel down a main street into a central square along the way does it. Madrid is beautiful and energetic, with eye candy everywhere. 

Along the way, you might see this monument to Miguel de Cervantes, who is considered to be the greatest writer in Spanish history. Surely you have heard of his most famous work, the novel "Don Quixote." The monument even has statues of Quixote and his sidekick, Sancho Panza. That's one of the most translated books of all time, and some have called it the first "modern" novel. The statue first came into public view in 1929, although other accompanying statues have been built in the square since that time.

Madrid is a big city, checking in at 3.4 million people. It's also compact, as the city sprawl can die out relatively quickly when driving out of the region. Parts of it are very modern, looking like something borrowed from Times Square. That includes some big skyscrapers. But other parts reflect the city's ancient roots, particularly when it comes to architecture. 

I've got to go back someday and look around some more. In the meantime ...