Puerto del Sol is now a big construction site, so the Sunday flea market (or pickpocket’s market as the locals know it) has moved to other digs. At night it is still filled with street performers, and presided over by this famous Tio Pepe sign. I love neon and photograph it wherever I go, so I could hardly resist.

Ate dinner in the eponymous Cervecerio Santa Ana in the Plaza de Santa Ana. Our first evening meal, and our first tapas. Had a huge plate of assorted jamon, a gravlox-like salmon, and some paella, which was just okay. But then, a most mysterious wind kicked up. The temperature dropped about 10 degrees in five minutes. Umbrellas flipped over. Unattended tables and chairs flew into the air. Diners scattered. This went on for about 15 minutes, and then suddenly, as quickly as it came, the great chaos died.

The square cleared out pretty quickly, and never recovered, leaving the place just a little down… Until we were joined by a contact juggler from Quebec who gave a wonderful performance to the absolute delight of my kids.