Crosswalk

Time to paint new crosswalks in the neighborhood.

Can you see that the line for stopping is well beyond the stop sign?

There is still a line to stop at before the crosswalk.

This is a couple blocks away and what ours used to look like.

With all the parking on the street cars need to pull out in order to check traffic.

This graffiti will probably get painted over soon.

More Madrid

 On the last day we took a walking tour and visited one more museum.

We started the tour in the middle of Spain.

The first stop was a few steps away at this historic bakery.
Many old pictures on their website here.

We did not stop for a famous Madird calamari sandwich.

We passed through the Plaza Mayor

and admired the bits of history on the seat backs of the lamp posts.

 We saw a line of people near the Almundena Cathedral across from the palace and assumed it was for Ash Wednesday,

but it turned out to be for the changing of the guard.

We saw only the parade of people heading to the Plaza de la Armería, but that was enough for us.

We finished our tour along the Calle del Arenal and collected a few more pictures of tiles.  Here is tiny sampling.

I resisted temptation and did buy any souvenirs!

Outside the museum is a living wall, which is fun to look at from afar

and close up.

The converted power plant had great staircases

and a fun gift shop.

I wish you could have see the exhibit of Philippe Halsman photography, which was so entertaining. He is known for lots of Life Magazine covers and Marilyn Monroe pictures (and lots more), but my favorites were the ones he made with Dali and of people jumping.

from the museum website

Such a great trip!  I'll do one more post after this for all the little bits that didn't fit in anywhere else.

Signs

After some time off we took another self-guided walking tour, this one along Carrer de Petritxol, know for its art, chocolate, and tiles.

The Tale of Mr. Stephen, manners in the 19th century and more.
Read more here(it will need to be translated).

The street is filled with tiles telling about the people who lived and worked there.

Literal translation, "Vehicles, moderate walking and short stops."

Respect and spread virtue in the street.

These two were closer to the cathedral.

And these were in the old Jewish Quarter.

If you come visit we'll take you here!

Pedestrian crossing compliance

My Viennese friend quoted a study, although I couldn't find it even though I had fun looking, that mentioned that there is greater compliance when two figures are shown on the pedestrian crossing signal.  Here are the samples we saw.