Day 5: Car Trip

After a traditional Spanish lunch, Tortillas (not Mexican tortillas), Eduardo, Nicole & I drove to 2 villages within the Communidad of Madrid.

The 1st was about a 45 minute drive from their house, called Buitrago del Lozoya. This was my first small village, and the peacefulness was very apparent. There was another fortress around the buildings and a river surrounding.

The next tucked away village was through a long and winding road, that would never be found by a typical tourist...but since when have I been typical? Both of these villages are in the Sierra Mountains, this one much harder to find. This village, named Patones de Arriba is thought to have escaped invasion by the Moores and Napoloean's troupes because of its isolated location. I found myself right smack in the middle of the Goblin City, and from what Nicole says, I will feel it even more so tomorrow in Toledo!

Dinner: I tried Pulpo! (Octopus).

Day 4: Palacio Real, shopping, and a local pub

Lunch was photo worthy today! Nicole made a artichoke & tuna salad, and stuffed peppers. Delicious! I started drinking wine a bit earlier than usual, but hey - it's Friday and I aint got....you know the rest.

Nicole had one class today, so I journeyed half of the way with her getting off in the center of Madrid again, but this time to visit the Palacio Real, the home of the King and Queen.

Next to this massive building was the Catedral de la Almudena de Madrid. I didn't take the tour of the palace, so instead I headed into the cathedral and spent some peaceful time there.

New Yorkers are the best time-killers I know, and my favorite vice is just one of those activities that not only takes up an afternoon, but gets you out of a flash hail storm in a hurry...SHOPPING. The sky soon cleared and I continued wandering the streets. This Friday evening in the heart of Madrid is starting to feel like Time Square a bit, tourists galore. Of course, I don't put myself in that catorgory - I think it's called denial. I took myself to a nearby bar once I found the correct subway to meet Nicole for dinner later on.

When we both arrived back at the apartment, I showed my purchases and we girl talked til Eduardo arrived - then Casa Manolo was the destination for our Friday night out. The local pub was packed, and we were given a table in the back. We talked about the Bull fights, fanatic fans and the possibility of Spain winning the World Cup in South Africa this summer. I actually have a reason to root for a team this year!

Day 3: 1st Solo Adventure

I knew there would be a few days of exploring on my own & today would be the first. Nicole had 2 classes in the afternoon, so her & Eduardo gave me excellent directions to hit a few spots, then make my way to her job in the evening.

My stomach was in knots on my way to the Metro, but I figured if I can master the most intricate MTA system in the world, what could be the problem? Once I had Wu-Tang, Erykah and Tariq in my earbuds, I felt all of my friends by my side & I braved the commute. When I got to my first destination, I was on the correct street, but going in the wrong direction - this didn't take long to figure out, but I still crossed to other side, to avoid looking lost.

My only real goal of the day was to see Picasso's Guernica. The Museo de Reina Sofia is where it is housed, and it very likely will remain. Walking through the first exhibit, I met a lovely man named Geronimo! He was a painter from Mexico, by way of what seemed like every major city in Europe. With his Spanglish, Art History knowledge and sense of humor we had a lovely afternoon walking through the museum together. We both agreed on the annoyance of photographing paintings in museums and why people insist on doing this. He confirmed my notion by stating loudly - "an I.Q. test should be administered before entering any museum." AMEN.

We parted ways, and I continued through the sculpture park, outdoors in the courtyard of the museum. Now, 3-dimentional sculptures meant to be seen in nature can be photographed. I have no problem with that, as you can see. LOL argue with me if you will...

After shooting the Atocha Train Station across the street from the museum, I braved the Metro again to meet Nicole at her school, the International Institute.

It was 7:30pm and I had a wonderful day of exploring, I could see the relief on Nicole's face when she saw me sitting in the lobby - I knew she was worried I wouldn't make it! I then met her co-worker Maria (an Irish girl from Boston). She will be traveling with us to Barcelona next weekend, so the 3 of us Americans headed to one of their favorite spots in La Latina, Toma Jamon for wine and tapas. We had a great time laughing and swapping stories. I am so glad that she is taking the trip with us next week - the 3 Amigas.