Back to School

Back at it again, this time from a vintage café/bar on calle de Espíritu Santo. I just finished camping on the outskirts of the city for the last two nights. Definitely, the cheapest way to stay around Madrid, but it obviously has its drawbacks. It's about a 10 minute walk to the nearest Metro station and then another 20 minutes into center city. But, if you're up for a little extra travel time, this is a great alternative to getting a place in the city. At the campsite bar, I got to hang out with a few Brits who were on a tour of the Iberian Peninsula. They were going to car camp all over Portugal and Spain. I asked them how long they were planning on camping. They both looked at each other, then back at me, and said <'til we feel like going back home> The only thing I could think was: AWESOME!!! I almost joined them. Here are some pics of my palace at the great CAMPING OSUNA:



So, I stopped camping around noon today and took the Metro into the city to move in with my host family. That's right. I signed up to take a one-on-one course at a Spanish Institute for the next three weeks. My focus will be on retelling the history of Spain and Madrid through its countless monuments, museums, gastronomy, and architecture around the city. I hope my teacher is ready for me because I am full of questions. On a side note, it's nice to be a student again after having been a teacher for the last 5 years. I can't wait to get started. First class is tomorrow from 3:30 to 5:00.

So, my host mom is great. Esperanza is her name and she's a talker. Coming from a long line of talkers on my dad's side, I have only now met the woman who can challenge my grandmother to a talk-off. But, I've been well trained by Tita (my grandmother) and today was my time to shine as we squared off for about an hour. Now, you may think that an hour doesn't seem so long, but the amount of time we talked wasn't the thing. It was more about the fast-paced back and forth of it all. All topics must have been covered two or three times. And, there were at least 15-20 non sequiturs thrown my way, which really kept me on my toes. All the training I had done with grandma had now paid off. I felt like I was running in a race. Not a marathon but a 10k with a road full of potholes, cars (driving directly at me), and Blazer and/or Nitro from American Gladiators shooting at me with nerf balls in the event of Assault. (That's right, I just used an American Gladiators analogy. If you're too young to remember the event, look it up online. You're really missing the image I'm trying to set up if you don't remember.)

Anyway, it was fast but still long enough to wear me down. But really, Esperanza seems great! Can't wait to get to know her over the next 3 weeks.

So, that's where I am as of 8 pm on Sunday night. There's another student who will be staying in the apartment. He'll be joining us later tonight. More on him and and an update on the class in the next post. Stay tuned!

Finally some time to write

Well, it been way too long since my last post. I've been busy taking in the city and meeting some pretty interesting people along the way.

So, last Saturday I went to the season opener of the Real Madrid season. What a game! Having bought a VIP ticket, I was really able to see the players up close and watch the game from the midfield line. Fabulous! I got to sit with some season ticket holders. I had two young guys on my left who I got to know pretty well, especially after hugging and cheering with them after all three Real Madrid goals. These were great guys who lived the game. Die-hard fans who knew everything about the team. It was a privilege to sit with them. Now, to my left I had a pretty surly guy in his 60's who loved to hate the team. I'm sure you all know a guy like this. He loves the team but is always insulting the players and is always pessimistic about everything that happens on the field. To my surprise, he even found a way to find something wrong with the team's play even when they scored. Just imagine, you've got me and these two other guys jumping on each other each time there's a goal or near miss and this old man mumbling under his breath with a stern look on his face all game long. It was priceless. He must have hated us by the end of the game. Here are some pics of the star-studded event.

Make sure to check out the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyFmXLGcZkY

As you can see, it was a blast. There are many other pics and videos but, as always, they don't capture the full experience of actually being there. Recommendation: When in Spain, go watch a game. You won't be disappointed.

The most recent news. Carolyn will be coming to visit! I'm excited to show her some of my favorite cafés and bars around the city. She'll be staying from September 25-28. I can't wait to see her again!

Well, I'm off to a café/bar/bookstore (only in Madrid can you mix the 3). I'll let you know how it goes. It's supposed to be a pretty fun place to hang out. Hasta pronto...

HELP...CAPRI SHORTS EVERYWHERE!!

You know you've made it to Europe when everyone is wearing Capri shorts. And I do mean everyone. So, I made it! After a long day of traveling, it was nice to take a load off at the hostel. I got to the room at about 4 pm (Madrid time). I didn't sleep much on the plane but who can really sleep when traveling coach and sitting next to a guy with the bladder the size of a walnut. REALLY! I stopped counting after the 15th time he woke me up to use the bathroom. 15!! Come on!! Aside from that, the remainder of the trip was pleasant and uneventful.

So, I'm staying in a really small room but it's a private room, it's got its own bathroom, and A/C! Anyone who has ever stayed at a hostel knows this is the equivalent of flying 1st class to Europe. What can I say, I'm a name dropper. I told them my buddy, Mike, was writing a book about China and that I was thinking of writing about my experiences in hotels & hostels across Spain. What do you know...instant upgrade. (No, that's not really how it played out. It was a lot less cool than that. The thought, however, did cross my mind.) So, I got exactly what I paid for, a nice air conditioned room for the next 3 days. Here are some pics of the room.



Like I said, it's not a palace but it gets the job done. I walked around the city for a few hours after getting settled. I had a great paella and sangria at a quaint, little place a bit outside Plaza Mayor. It's been a great 1st day. I made it to Spain. Let's see what adventures await.

Off to Spain for 3 months

So, I'm off to Spain for 3 months and I'm psyched! I tried to pack a light load since I will be hiking El Camino de Santiago de Compostela for about a month of the trip. Here is a rough idea as to what I'll be up to in Spain. I start in Madrid, then Salamanca (one of my favorite places to stop), then to Pamplona (really excited since I've never been), then hike from Pamplona to Santiago (420 miles more or less), then fly to Barcelona, then Valencia, then Sevilla, then back to Madrid for the return flight to the US.

I may head to London if the mood strikes me, maybe even Paris. Let me know what you think about my plans. Anyone up for joining me?

Next post will be from Madrid. See you all soon.

¡Chao!