About 30 miles from Madrid is Torrejon. This base was the base of choice in flying standby into Spain. Excellent quarters were available on base and Retirees usually had no trouble checking in. This base has now reverted to complete Spanish control.

I say, nothing missed. Madrid is just a big, sprawling city. It does have its share of antique shops but it also has its share of gigolos trying to sell you just about anything. One tried to sell me a 1922 Silver dollar. Only a couple problems - one, it did not ring properly when flipped and two, its thickness was too great!

My Spanish is of the school variety, but let me share with you one incident: You could catch a local bus from Torrejon to Madrid. My x-wife and I did this each day. On the first day that we took the bus, just out the gate, the Spanish bus driver, on seeing someone he knew at a stop light, pulled back his window and shouted: "?Hey, hombre, que passe?" I laughed and my x-wife inquired as to what was funny? I told her, "Hey, I know what that guy said! Loosely translated: Hey, man, what's happenin? I soon found out that most of the menu items in a restaurant were of no problem as were most advertising signs we saw. But I won't visit Madrid again.