IN BRIEF MADRID RECOVERING FROM TERROR ATTACK.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

After mourning in the streets and squares of virtually all Spanish cities for the victims of the terrorist bombings on March 11, Madrid is struggling to return to normal.

Visitors to the city will find rail services restored to their regular schedules, though ridership has been down and those who do board the trains - especially the Cercanias commuter line No. 2, along which the attacks took place - do so in a mood of sadness and defiance.

The explosions, which left 200 dead and more than 1,400 injured, occurred on four trains near three different stations.

Security has been heightened at all train and bus stations as well as the country's airports and shipping ports, but travelers should not be affected by delays. The State Department has encouraged Americans in Spain to ``remain alert and to avoid large crowds when possible.'' Updates to this advisory can be found at www.travel.state.gov/spain.html.

All monuments and tourist destinations have returned to their normal schedules. At the Prado Museum, a black ribbon was displayed next to the painting ``Las Meninas'' by Velazquez, perhaps the most iconic image in Spanish art.

AMERICAN HONORS D-DAY: American Airlines is offering discount D-Day commemorative fares to any person born before Jan. 1, 1930.

The program honoring veterans of the Allied liberation of Europe during World War II provides a round-trip ticket to Paris for $604 from central states, $504 from the East and $704 from the West. Purchase by April 15 for travel June 1 through Sept. 15.

To book, call [phone] and cite code STAARfile 2664AZ. For a list of French events commemorating D-Day, go to www.normandiememoire.org.

GALLOP, DON'T WALK: The Central Coast Equine Experience, a three-day fair devoted to horsemanship and training, will be held April 2-4 at the California Mid-State Fairgrounds in Paso Robles.

The event is targeted to all levels of horse enthusiast, from the new owner to the top-level rider. Fourteen clinicians will offer information on the latest techniques for horsemanship, round-pen work, packing, barrel racing, dressage, reined cow horses, driving horses, horse communication skills and traditional vaquero skills.

The event will also include a horse show, a barn dance and more than 50 vendors.

Information: [phone]; www.equinexperience.net. Tickets: [phone]; www.vallitix.com.

PLENTY OF POP: About 100 paintings, sculptures and works on paper that demonstrate the influence of mass culture on pop art in America between 1955 and 1980 will be displayed at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art through Sept. 16.

Pieces by Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg and Roy Lichtenstein are part of ``Pop! From San Francisco Collections.'' Information: www.sfmoma.org.

GREECE IS THE WORD: Tickets for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Summer Games and nearly all the athletic events, which will take place Aug. 13-29 in Athens, are still available.

Each country has one authorized seller of tickets (other than those sold as part of tour packages). In the United States it is Cartan Tours, [phone] or www.cartan.com, in Manhattan Beach.

Cartan accepts online ticket orders; prices range from $14 for events like archery to $410 for the gold medal basketball competition, with an average price around $80.

One twist is that for every Type 1 ticket ordered (those for popular events like swimming or gymnastics) you must also purchase a Type 2 ticket for events like field hockey. This policy was adopted by the International Olympic Committee to increase attendance at less popular sports.