The Valley of the Fallen, also known as the Franco monument, is so astonishing I don't know where to start.
For starters, the cross on the hilltop is visible from 40 miles away in Madrid. 
Second of all, people are like ants in the massive scale of the place. 
What it is, is a massive Catholic church built into the mountain-side.
Photos are not permitted inside, but I assure you the sculpture, tapestries, mosaics, domes and arches rival any in Europe. Franco had it built to memorialize those killed in the civil war and, oh by the way, to have himself buried there. 
As we drove up, the adults were ooo-ing an aww-ing about the perfection of nature and artifice combined in the choice of location and the design of every detail. 
Third, everything has symbolic meaning. These stones are set to allow the weeds to make patterns.
The kids meanwhile, had enough rocks and sticks to satisfy even their enthusiasm for them.
Winston was very excited to show us the "house" of sticks they found. He said, "Daddy will have to boost you up." I thought I was going to have to climb this wall, (and Daddy does NOT have to boost me up, thank you very much).
But it turned out to have a stairway built into it. 
There are two Jane Austin quotes here, so anything that sounds particularly clever is probably hers.
And finally, we raced for the car and down the hill to leave before closing time at 6.
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