Ok, before I get on to Madrid I have my story of embarassment for the day:
So I had class today and I have a block of 100 minutes of class with a 10 minute break in between and I always grab a bag of chips to snack on. The vending machine I go to jams sometimes and I have to shake it to get my chips, whatever it is fun. So today I go and there are a ton of Spanish kids loitering around the vending machines, it must be their passing period. So I put my change in and press number 11 to get my chips. The of course get stuck, and the Spanish kids seem to have a quick fix for it. There are atleast 4 Spaniards yelling at me in spanish and I am like a dog when there are tons of people screaming its name, I have no idea what to do. One girl takes a run and jumps into the machine; my chips don't drop. I start shaking it, the chips don't drop. A Spanish kid comes up with a hanger, but finally realizes there is no place to put it. Finally a professor comes up and starts shaking it with me while speaking directions to me in Spanish on how I should be doing it. (He doesn't know I don't understand) At this point I have 15 Spanish kids around me sort of paying attention to what is going on. I stand around and contemplate my next move for a minute when a girl from my class comes up and is like I will buy the next bag and they will both drop. So she puts in her money, presses the number 11 and the chips start coming out, but get stuck on my bag! The group of Spanish kids that have surrounded us start going "AAAAAHHHHHHHH." I literally feel like I should be getting paid for this entertainment. The girl turns bright red in embarassment as all these Spanish kids laugh at our misfortune. Now I am MAD, this machine has made a fool of me in front of a culture that I can't explain myself to. I try to light heart it and ask the crowd in Spanish who is next to try and buy a bag of chips, they laugh. I come to my senses and bear hug this machine. I am wildly shaking it and finally ONE bag of chips drop. They start cheering! I grab my bag of chips and I go to the girl in English "I think this is enough embarassment for one day." We leave the other bag and head back to class, obviously a couple of minutes late.
So Madrid with Dad was definitely a better time.
I knew it was going to be a good weekend when I got to the airport 2 hours early and they offered me an earlier flight for free! So I get to Madrid nice and easy and navigate my way to Dad's hotel. I am getting really good at this public transportation thing. We put my bags in the room and head out to walk around. We take a bus to meet up with a friend of mine in Puerta Del Sol. A beautiful place. We sit down and hang out with me, dad, Luisa, and a bunch of his working buddies. They are really good fun and seem to know how to have a good time. We then headed to a restaurant where I tried to show them that I was legit Spanish; I wonder what they thought.... Dads coworkers call it a night but we have definitely not gotten enough of Madrid. We stay out walking around the town for a few more hours then head back to the hotel. 7 hours later its up and out on to Toledo. We head to the train station which is HUGE. Definitely bigger then Union Station. We get a number to get into a line that resembles the DMV. Except for 10 times longer. We wait a little over an hour and go try to get tickets to Toledo. Of course they are sold out! What to do?! Lets walk the streets of Madrid. We walked around to some bars grabbed a few drinks and then ate at a nice restaurant which had some outstanding food. Around 3 o' clock it was time for a Siesta. I guess I did teach these people something about Spanish culture. A nap is necessary in Spain. We wake up and decide to go find Mexican food. In Spain there is not a huge selection of Mexican food.....I don't think I know a place in Bilbao. We don't find the Mexican place and settle for Chinese. That completely worked out because I haven't had Chinese here yet. We decide to call it an early night and head to bed around Midnight. I buy dad one of my favorite things in Spain; a Buena Bar, but I don't think he enjoyed it as much as I thought he would.... Saturday we get up and head out to walk around Madrid some more. My favorite part of Madrid is the "SMALL STREETS" where cars can not drive on with the abundance of stores, restaurants, and bars. Dad buys me a scarf in an attempt to make myself look more European and we walk around to the bars and eat tapas and have drinks. We also checked out a ton of hotels, many which seemed really nice. Don't worry Mom, Dad is taking care of you! We finally find a mexican restaurant and eat! I was sooo happy. We head back to the hotel and Luisa calls me and we decide to meet up. We walked around for a bit and I have now found out that Madrid is more beautiful at night. The streets are full of people and the buildings are all lit up. The whole city feels alive at 8 o' clock. She decides she is going to head home around 10 o' clock and I decide that I am not ready. I walk around for a bit looking for a group of people to talk to and make friends with. I head to some bars, make some small talk with some Spaniards and then find a place called Dubliners. Oh there are definitely Americans in here to have a good conversation with. The first thing I hear is some guy trying to explain to his girlfriend who happens to live in Spain how when he says the word "No" he is actually speaking spanish because it is the same word. We start talking and they tell me they are heading to the same club that I went to last time I was there. I deny it on the grounds that I am not dressed up and I don't feel like paying for a taxi (what a smart traveller I have become). I head back to the hotel and find the same bar that dad and I had been hanging out 2 nights before and pop in. It is filled with a bunch of older business men and a group of kids that seem to be my age. I order myself a beer and go and talk to them. They were really cool kids who were definitely having a fun night. I decide its time to head home and get back a little before it was time for dad to wake up. SPANISH NIGHTS!!!! I vaguely remember saying goodbye to my father in my comatose sleeplike state and wake up at 1030. My flight is not for another few hours and I remember dads coworkers talking about a Thai place close to the hotel. So I start walking and find it. It is only 12:00 so lunch service is not started. I decide that I will settle for McDonald's. My first experience of such a sort in Spain so far. Delicious I must say. I take my bags, and head back to the airport and have all the time in the world. Whatever, so I finally get home and the first thing I do is try out the new Nike + Ipod running gizmo dad has given me. What an amazing invention that thing is! It basically forces me to run because it is like playing a game. Lets you know how far you have gone and basically forces you to keep running. Well its time I got back into shape after a week off.
Well this week is pretty relaxing...nothing big going on, but Friday we are going to the southern part of France with school and Friday night I will be heading to the Pirinese Mountains to snowboard for the weekend.
I have uploaded some pictures:
The first picture is of me and dad outside on the street on Thursday Night
The second picture is walking the streets with Luisa on Saturday night
The third picture is just a cool angle that I took of a street in Madrid.
That is all for now I am extremely tired and Much love from Spain!