After a busy time in Europe, I ended my trip with a visit to Madrid. My friends Mike and Carmen were tying the knot, and I was excited to celebrate with them! Just like my last week in Lisbon, I was trying to be judicious with my holiday time at work so I spent a few days working remotely. This wasn't much of a loss, because I've been to Madrid before and most of the wedding guests weren't arriving until the weekend anyways. I stayed on the outskirts of the city, and spent most of my weekdays working from the nearby office during the day, and idly exploring the city by night.

I don't have a ton of photos to share, so this should be a quick one!

As typical, the Google office provided an excellent view of the city.
Some of the people in the office had these avatars floating above their desks, which I thought was a fun way to find colleagues' desks while also sharing their hobbies.
The bride and groom set up a cocktail welcome party. What are the odds that both of the babies in attendance coincidentally wore nearly the exact same outfit, down to the bow?
A photo of a cool rooftop installation featuring Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt.
The big night! JD, Wesley, Mike (the groom) and myself.
On the dance floor, after the wedding ceremony. The low light made this one come out a big blurry, but I maintain that it was a cool shot!
Visitors paddle around the lake at Parque de El Retiro.
A statue of King Sancho IV of Castile in the park.
Mary spotted these crazy looking specimens in the park. They're apparently Egyptian geese, but I think their eyeliner looks like they belong in a hair metal rock band.
Some select foods from my time in Madrid. A roasted chicken platter from a Mexican restaurant, a Venezuelan cachapa and (of course) paella with braised oxtail.
And here's some lovely sushi I had, including a fantastic temaki roll.

That's it for Madrid! This trip confirmed my suspicions from the last time I was there, in that it doesn't actually offer a ton for visitors. While there is nearly endless shopping and dining options, there's not much immediately around in the way of attractions, sightseeing or nature excursions. I suspect this actually makes Madrid quite an amazing place to live, since the day-to-day life still has plenty to offer without all of the hassles of being a prime tourist destination. I could see myself spending months there, and having a great time.