Escorial and Aranjuez
Escorial and Aranjuez are done by most tourists as day trips from Madrid, so AlteCocker is placing them in the Madrid section of photos even though she did them from Salamanca. She stayed overnight in Escorial. Further details can be found on the Salamanca blog. In addition to Escorial, AlteCocker did visit what is called the Valley of the Fallen, a site built by prisoners where Francisco Franco is buried. There is a huge cross that can be seen from the highway. There are still some Spaniards that venerate Franco, but the site is very controversial. It is something you see because it is close to Escorial. It is not a site most foreigners would make a special trip to see.