Traveling through the rest of Spain has shown me how spaces can be used for relaxation and recreation rather than just parking lots. Madrid's Plaza Mayor is a huge open court area filled with shops, artists, and tons of activity. People go there on the weekends to relax and browse paintings being sold by different artists. Most of the places I can think of in the U.S. wind up being parking lots and places for shady dealings to take place where nobody wants to go. I think the more leisure minded Europeans are less concerned about getting a close parking space and more willing to walk and enjoy the city on the way to the destination as well as the ultimate destination. Events like the parade in the picture very rarely happen anywhere in the U.S. But that could be a good thing.
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