Ole!

Now that I'm feeling a little more normal, and it's pouring outside (clearly indicating that I'm supposed to stay indoors all day, right?), I'll catch you up on Spain. I went to see a college friend who was visiting her brother, who lives in Germany but was in Madrid for 7 months doing an internship. Confused? I hadn't seen Nicole since graduation day, almost 5 years ago- unforgivable. She went back to school and got her RN and is now working in Minnesota with more than a few great stories to tell. It was WONDERFUL to catch up and be with a friend who has known me for so long.

I stayed the first two nights with Nic in a place right by her brother's apartment. We went out to dinner on Saturday, hit the Reina Sofia modern art museum (amazing collection, including Picasso's famous Guernica) and had tapas with her friend Bea on Sunday, and then had more tapas on Sunday night. Nicole speaks fluent Spanish (and German), so it was easy to get around with her (and humbling. I suck at languages). Her friend Bea is from Madrid, so she showed us a great neighborhood with a million tabernas, which I walked through more than once when I was on my own. Wine is really cheap in Madrid, and I took full advantage of that- it's way more expensive in Germany, and it's very hard to get a decent red at a retaurant here. Different story in Spain. Loved it!

Nicole and her brother left on Monday for Barcelona, and I was on my own for three days. I moved all my stuff to a hostel in the city center (what can I say? I'm cheap and went for the hostel instead of a private hotel room) and set out to explore. I usually just like to walk and see what I discover, so I did. I found Plaza Mayor, the palace, Plaza del Sol, and the Gran Via within 30 minutes. But I was lonely. I haven't done a lot of solo traveling, and I did a good job of feeling sorry for myself that first day. Especially because I didn't understand that most stores and things close from 2 - 5:30 pm; Madrid looked pretty dead. I walked and walked, then sat in the park, then walked aimlessley some more. Madrid reminded me a lot of Rome, without all the ruins. But, like all large European cities, there's something to discover around every corner.

That night, with my feet aching, I had a sandwhich and wine at a little cafe while I read and tried to duck the cigarette smoke that swirled around me. I would estimate that 90% of the population in Madrid smokes, and it's acceptable to light up everywhere but museums. I probably inhaled about a pack a day of secondhand smoke. Cough cough.

When I returned to the hostel, there were already a few people asleep in my room (there are five bunkbeds, and each person gets a locker; the shared bathroom is down the hall, like a dorm), so I just hit the hay. I was woken numerous times when other guests arrived and got ready for bed. Hostels are notoriously noisy, especially in cities with a big nightlife, such as Madrid. The next night I got smarter and wore an eyemask and took some NyQuil, and I slept much better.

Tuesday morning I set out intending to take the train to Segovia, a small city to the Northwest of Madrid with a cathedral, a roman acquduct, and a castle. But I missed the train. And the bus. Oops. I took myself to another museum instead since the weather was cold and spitting rain. The Thyssen-Bornemisza permanent collection was owned by a woman of Austrian-Hungarian decent until Spain purchased it for $300 million. There was everything from 15th century Dutch and German paintings to some Mark Rothko and Ray Lichtenstein. I really enjoy modern and post-modern art better than older stuff, which is why I skipped Madrid's most famous museum, the Prado. Call me crazy, but that's what you can do when you're on your own.

I had a typical Spanish lunch at 1:30 at a little retaurant mentioned in my guide book. For 10Euros I got 2 courses, a glass of wine, and dessert- the daily menu is a godsend! And after lunch, I walked some more. I felt really safe in Madrid, like most other places here. I took note of the street lined with prostitutes, and avoided that after dark, but for the most part, there were always people walking around, including single women. I had no problems with harassment on the street, unlike my experiences in the states...

I took myself to a movie Tuesday afternoon (Slumdog Millionaire), which is, to me, the ultimate in luxury. The people who worked there insisted that the movie was in English with Spanish subtitles, but there were definitely parts that were not in English...but I got the idea. Loved it. And afterward, found a great restaurant where I had wine, a salad with goat cheese, and salmon. I got used to eating alone- it wasn't really a big deal. I started off hooked to a book, but there are so many people in Madrid eating alone that no one gave me a second glance. I actually found it quite peaceful.

Wednesday, I braved the cold and wind and rain to see the changing of the guard at the palace, the statue of Don Quixote, and the Temple de Debod. I spent the whole afternoon in a coffee shop reading because I could not make myself go back outside. The weather was, in a word, miserable. After the rain stopped, I walked some more, read some more, got dinner and ice cream, and went to sleep. It was a relaxing few days, and aside from being sick when I returned, a great trip. It's good to be back in my own bed, though...I think I'm too old for hostels.