Hi Jer,

What are all the barricades in the Plaza for? It almost looks like there's going to be an Olympic hurdles race, or steeplechase, where the runners have to step into the fountain

I was also noticing at 3:45 PM on a Saturday that the Plaza was nearly empty. I would have thought it would be fairly busy. At least a dozen of us American tourists scurrying around in shorts we shouldn't be wearing, buying souvenirs and snapping pictures.

JP

Hey "Salvage" (Savage). Beats the "H" "e" "double toothpicks" out of me. Not sure why those gates ar like that. Today is the "D�a Europeo de la M�sica" (European Music Day) and there are concerts all around the city including 10 hours straight of music in the Plaza de Oriente but as far as I know there is nothing planned for the Plaza Mayor. Oh well, we will find out sooner or later.

As for the emptiness of the Plaza at 3:45 on Saturday, it is very normal. In the summertime when it is very hot (it is 40� C, over 100� F here today), the peak sun hours leave the Plaza rather vacant. The action picks up after the sun begins to go down and people venture out for "el paseo" (the walk). Usually there are a few silly tourists who are not warned of the heat and wander out into the Plaza to die of heatstroke and be eaten by the pigeons . Anyone who has ever been in the middle of the Plaza on a 40� day will understand why it is empty, worse than a desert at times. It is now 6pm and is still unbearable down there. I just popped down after my "siesta" to drop off some of my multimadrid bookmarks at the tourist office in the Plaza and most people are hiding under the arches and in the Bars or beneath the shade umbrellas on the "terrazas" (terraces or sidewalk caf�s). Even those who have to cross the Plaza choose to walk around in the shade of it's arches instead of passing through the middle, can't blame them. We are in for a doozy of a summer if it is late June and has already hit 40�. "�A la playa!" (to the beach!) and "�S�lvese quien pueda!" (every man for himself!)
Saludos,
jer...