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This post will be more of a visual explanation of my adventures. So I will try to keep this part short and let you guys look at my pictures.
One of our friend´s from the States, Amanda, came to stay with Lidia and I for a few days. She studied at Oxford from January until March and then traveled around Europe, ending her trip visiting us in Madrid. We did the touristy stuff during the day and then at night we showed her the real Spanish nightlife. One night, we met up with Carolin and Aizza and went to a salsa party. Before the party, we took bachata and salsa lessons and then we were able to practice with some pretty good dancers. Carolin and I were a bit confused because there were not enough guys so we mainly learned the guy part of the bachata and I didn´t have a partner for salsa. But we eventually got the basic steps down and were able to do pretty well if we had a decent partner. It was so much fun! I definitely want to go back and try it again. Lidia, Amanda and I already decided that we are going
to go to a salsa club in Atlanta, called Loca Luna, and keep practicing next semester.
Two days after Amanda left, we had another friend, Becca, who came to stay with us. We were busy for the entire weekend. On Friday, Lidia took her to the center and to Palacio Real (the royal palace). Then on Saturday we hung around the apartment until dinner time and went and saw a flamenco show. (We also took Amanda to a flamenco show the week before and that is what the pictures are from) We didn´t stay out very late because we had a lot of things planned for Sunday. Lidia and Becca went to the Rastro market and then to two museums. Later, I met up with them and we went to see a bullfight. I don´t really know what I was expecting but after watching the first bull I wished I had learned more about bullfights before because I was a little lost. I appreciate that it is an important part of Spanish culture but I could not get as excited for what I was watching as some of the other fans. After the inicial shock of them killing the
first bull, I was able to relax a little. There was 6 different bulls and everytime they were about to kill them I just had to remind myself that it is the same as hunting but more graceful. After I got home I looked into what exactly happens during a bull fight and found this link. It explains it really well.
Bullfighting 101: http://www.ctcv.org/bullfight101/index.htm
The next day, we wanted to go on the cable car (teleferico) that goes through Madrid so we went to the metro stop we thought it was at and asked around but everyone told us we went to the wrong stop. Then, a bus driver told us to walk about 20 minutes into the park, Casa de Campo, and we would find it. About 30 minutes later we were at a completely different metro stop but still no where near the cable car. We were so hungry, hot and tired we decided just to wait and find it another day. We went to the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch and I got the biggest sandwich I have ever seen. It was so yummy! Then we walked to Retiro park for some sun and to ride
on the boats (since Lidia still had not gone on them).
After the boats, we walked to other side of the park to see the rose garden. We were trying to take a shortcut but we were stopped by a camera crew and actors, horses, and carriages telling us we couldn´t go that way. I don´t know what they were filming but it looked pretty cool. After we visited the rose garden, we went and found the peacocks that I had heard were also in the park. They were so pretty! And we could get really close to them. At this point we had been gone most of the day and were pretty tired. We had an early night since we had school the next morning and Becca was leaving to go back to the US.
This weekend is going to be pretty chill but filled with homework. Next week Lidia and I are going to...wait for it...PARIS so we are trying to get our projects and studying finished before we leave. My next post will be all from Paris so get ready!
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