Of course the title is in reference to the month I spent wandering around with people after the semester ended. At this point, my sister and I had just gotten to Madrid.
Friday December 22nd 2006
We slept in and decided that we would go shopping. We went to H&M and Jami got some jeans and a shirt and I got a bag. I must admit that I love this bag, its big and wonderful, it is quite similar to a messenger bag... only vertical. Afterwards, we went to El Museo del Prado. i got to see Las Meninas by Diego Valezquez, my favorite painting! It was the original and I finally saw it! We also saw some Goya work and some of Rafael's work. Very Cool. After the museum, we went to eat at a little restaurant, we got a pizza and some ice cream. That was quite an adventure in my Spanish skills, but the waitress was really nice about it. When we were done with the meal, we went back to the hostel and I did a bag transplant and Jami started reading. Apparently that was very tiring. I told her that I was going to go find a post office. She slept and I went wandering around Madrid by myself. I asked at the front desk and the guy didn't know where to find one, so I just kept wandering.
We slept in and decided that we would go shopping. We went to H&M and Jami got some jeans and a shirt and I got a bag. I must admit that I love this bag, its big and wonderful, it is quite similar to a messenger bag... only vertical. Afterwards, we went to El Museo del Prado. i got to see Las Meninas by Diego Valezquez, my favorite painting! It was the original and I finally saw it! We also saw some Goya work and some of Rafael's work. Very Cool. After the museum, we went to eat at a little restaurant, we got a pizza and some ice cream. That was quite an adventure in my Spanish skills, but the waitress was really nice about it. When we were done with the meal, we went back to the hostel and I did a bag transplant and Jami started reading. Apparently that was very tiring. I told her that I was going to go find a post office. She slept and I went wandering around Madrid by myself. I asked at the front desk and the guy didn't know where to find one, so I just kept wandering.
I ventured over to the Plaza Mayor area and asked a few people where I could find one, but I didn't know what it was called. I finally found someone who understood. She sent me to a tobacconist. They apparently sell stamps. As fate would have it, the woman who worked there spoke fluent English. So, I bought 10 stamps to mail the letters Beth told me to send. When I reached the Plaza del Sol area, I stamped, sealed, and sent them. It was at that moment that I thought Rosa would get a kick out of getting a postcard with a Spanish stamp on it. So, I set out to find some more stamps. I asked a cute guy working at a newsstand. I told him, in broken Spanish, that I didn't know the word and tried to describe what I was looking for. He informed me that the word for stamps was sellos and that he didn't sell any. So, I found a place that sold them and bought a few. As I waswalking away, I noticed a sign that said, "Abrazos Gratis" and that was held by a very smiley woman. One of my high school teachers had a video on her Myspace profile that was a compilation of videos from the "free hug" movement. So, I went and got a hug.
So, there I was, wandering through the streets of Madrid at night, not a care in the world. I took some pictures and had a blast. It was about this time that I realized that I had been gone for a while and that Jami would probably be worried.... if she had woken up from her nap yet. By the time I returned to the hostel, she was still asleep. I woke her up and told her about my amazing experiences. I told her that we needed to go out and experience Spain at night. So we did. She got up and we went out. It was amazing! We took lots of pictures of the people and the lights. I went to Starbucks and I got my Spain pin and a couple postcards. Spain really does come alive at night.
Afterwards, we went to the hostel and slept. Basically my best day in Spain! I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to suck in comparison. I can't believe that I am almost home! I am so excited!
I must backtrack for a moment. On the 19th, after the Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, we decided that we were too far away to walk back in the dark so we asked a police officer which bus we should take. While we were waiting for the bus a man started making small talk with us. He sat near us on the bus and told us about advances in the UK, his views on the war in Iraq, what was wrong with the US government, and the history of the area we were in. He was quite nice.
Another backtrack:
21st On the metro in Spain. I had my backpack on and the metro was incredibly packed. I watched a man push his way on to the already full metro, we smiled at each other and marvelled at how the people still managed to squeeze in. He noticed my awe, shrugged and smiled. As more people pushed to get on, the doors began to close. I smiled at him and hi smiled and winked back. The next metro was so packed, in the words of Andy, "I swear I got an STD." It was rough. I think I may have killed someone by pinning them against the wall with mybackpack...
Note: Peanut butter and apples are delicious where ever you go. The peanut butter can be scooped out with any number of different utensils... como boligrafos...
21st On the metro in Spain. I had my backpack on and the metro was incredibly packed. I watched a man push his way on to the already full metro, we smiled at each other and marvelled at how the people still managed to squeeze in. He noticed my awe, shrugged and smiled. As more people pushed to get on, the doors began to close. I smiled at him and hi smiled and winked back. The next metro was so packed, in the words of Andy, "I swear I got an STD." It was rough. I think I may have killed someone by pinning them against the wall with mybackpack...
Note: Peanut butter and apples are delicious where ever you go. The peanut butter can be scooped out with any number of different utensils... como boligrafos...
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