Better late than never?

This is a blog I wrote last week and never quite finished. I guess it's a good thing that I've been too busy to get back to it! I'll write a more recent update soon, but for now, here's what I've been meaning to tell you:

Un Día Perfecto 
September 13th, 2011

Today was so lovely I'm going to blog about it.

First, let's start with some quick highlights from yesterday.

I ate a pear that I think was delivered to me by the Lord himself. Why are Spanish pears so  delicious?!

I got a SIM card. I royally pissed off the short-tempered 17-year-old chica with her gums pierced (yes, gums) who worked at the phone store in the process but ah, such is life. Her frustration actually amused me to the point of laughter... she also needed a reminder that the phone is "touch screen" not "jab-screen." Maybe I should have reviewed some Spanish mobile phone vocabulary before this endeavor.

I got an apartment! This one wins for the great success of the day. I'll be living in Ventas, a little residential area to the east of El Centro. It's nice and I'm so glad I'm not homeless anymore :) The landmark of this area is the Plaza de Toros where they drug, beat, and slaughter innocent animals for sport. I mean, it's cool and historical and stuff... but let's be honest. I hate bullfighting. The building is pretty grandiose, though, no?

Vale, now for my perfect day!

This morning I decided to act like a tourist. It's not my favorite thing to be... especially in Spain. It's kind of like putting a sign on your back that says "pickpocket me!"

But it was great.

I took the metro to Puerta del Sol which is the "kilometro cero" of Spain- basically,  on the roads, every distance in the country is measured from this point. I grabbed a café con leche from La Mallorquina which has dozens of amazing pastries. Of course, instead of choosing myself, I  enjoyed the pastry handed to me when I asked the server which is the best while standing at the crowded bar space like an authentic Madrlieño. I think it was just some puff pastry glazed, filled with the nectar of the gods, and sprinkled with almonds.

Then I walked down Calle Mayor where the streets are filled with all sorts of hustle bustle. But not the "I'm late for work and I wear suits everyday" kind of hustle bustle... just the excitement and liveliness that always fills these streets. I had an idea of where I was going, but when I saw the Palacio Real, I re-routed.

I saw the Palace from the outside only in 2008 when I stayed in Madrid for a couple of days with my study abroad program, but this time I got a much closer look. I wanted to go on a tour with a Spanish speaking guide but I didn't want to wait an hour for the next one so I got this dorky audio-guide thing that you hold up to your ear 'como un teléfono' and it was worth it.

The palace took my breath away. Every room was more intricate and stunning than the last: hand-woven tapestries, frescos, silk, and porcelain from wall-to-wall, chandleries hanging from every ceiling, and a royal dining room table that seats 140. You have to see it!

Here's a sneak peek-

This is the main entrance and part of the courtyard
in front of the gates

Palace Cathedral

                                     
Palace Gardens                                                          

 






    Inside the main entrance


                                                                               
So, after my visit to the Palace,  I grabbed my first gelato of the trip and lounged in the conveniently placed park right across from Palacio Real in the Plaza del Oriente. Then, I spotted a cute little restaurant and decided it was lunch time.

This is why I love Spain: you can dine on a delicious salad topped with fried calamari while gazing at the  Royal Palace and the passersby in pleasant 80 degree weather with the faint sound of an accordion coming from elsewhere in the Plaza. Perfecto.

So after a little shopping, I'm back at the hostel for my last night here.

_________________________________________________________

In walks  my new Australian roommate, Simone. This blog never got posted because Simone moved in and got me out of my "staying in at night" slump.

That night was a blast! It started with tapas and wine and it ended with dancing and wine. We hung out with a bunch of fun people from the hostel: a couple New Zealanders ("kiwis"), a couple Australians, and a guy from The Netherlands. I learned almost an entire new English vocabulary that night and laughed so much it could almost have been considered an abs work-out.

What surprised me the most about all of these people from the other side of the world was that their lifestyles permit them to take off and travel the world if they so choose. They are all people (from mid-late 20s to 40s!) who have jobs or have had jobs that allowed them to save up enough money and vacation time to just go on world adventures for months and it makes me think a lot about America. One of them asked me "It's pretty typical to graduate college, leave for a year, and then go back to work forever, right?" Yes, it is...

I mean, wasn't that my plan? All of a sudden it doesn't sound so great. I really hope I can find a job and a lifestyle that allows me to never stop learning about the world through travel. Americans are slaves to the "2 week vacation" rule and the long work hours. It's rare that we ever stop for a moment and enjoy doing nothing... but don't worry, I've had plenty of time lately to do just that.

Again, sorry about the lazy blogging. More stories from Spain to come- stay tuned!