Advertisement
1. Good morning, Madrid!
"I'm looking for sex? I am horny."
Noticed this outside my window, this morning. What a way to wake up, haha.The internet went out, last night, so I spent part of this morning trying to see if it would work &, also, typing up yesterday's ongoings. I kinda wish I hadn't, though. In the end, I feel like I wasted a lot of time and then, the rest of the day just felt off. :/
Once I left the hostel, I hopped a train and rushed over to the bullfighting ring. It was a really gorgeous building and fascinating tour, though I'm no bullfighting fan. I don't know, there's such artistry in the matador's movements, but watching animals get tortured to death just don't do it for me. :/ Honestly, I don't really know what more to say about it... I'm exhausted, right now, and all I remember was that it was a good tour. Our (British) guide did it both in English and Spanish, though I heard him speak some Italian and German, too. How do people do that?? My brain would implode!
After touring the stadium, I went into the musuem, but we weren't allowed to take photos. It's a shame! They have the matador's outfits (?) on display and they're so incredible. I really, really wanted
2. Metro
A story that someone posted in the metro. I think that's a lovely idea. to take a photo. I think that he said they have real gold on them and that they cost over 6,000 euros! Fab.
Next, I hopped back on the metro and headed to see el Museo del Americas. It's pretty much a collection of artifacts from when the Spaniards settled in the Americas. I was thinking that maybe they'd mention Choctaws & that I could take photos of something that probably belonged to one of our ancestors! I should probably be happy that I didn't find anything, though. All I saw was a map that listed different trips in North America and right by the Mississippi River was "Chocktaw." (I'm guessing the K is so that they pronouce the C like "k," not "th." No clue.)
Anyway, there's no photo of this (or much else) because the battery in my camera died (though I'd charged it all night!) & I'd forgotten the other at the hostel. Well, I rushed back to the room, but when I put my other battery in, I found that this one didn't work, either. :/ I guess my old charger just won't work with these batteries, boo. So, I decided that I'd have
3. Plaza de toros
Bullfighting ring to exchange my money (I needed to, anyway) and head to Corte Ingles (a department store) to buy a new charger and battery. POR DIOS!
Well, as luck would have it, I realized that dammit, ALL of my traveler's checks are in my other luggage at the train station! :/ Que drama! When I went downstairs they told me that the banks closed at 2 pm and, guh, it was way passed that by then. (They were smiley, though, so maybe they didn't mean 2?) Argh, I rushed out, ran to the train station, grabbed a few checks out of my luggage, stored my luggage again, and went to the currency change place at the train station.
They Robbed Me Blind. When she handed me my euros, I wanted to say, "¿¿En Serio?? ¿¿No es más?? (Really? It's not more?)" Of course, I knew it would be a crap exchange rate, but gaaaaah! And I'm not even going to say how much it was, but dammit! I guess that's what I get for putting it until the last minute. Oh, well. Every failure/disappointment/what-have-you is just a learning experience, yeah?
/lies I tell myself to make myself feel better
4. Plaza de toros
Bullfighting ring about the dumb things I do.
Uff... Next topic, please: After getting what I needed from Corte Ingles, I got back onto the metro and headed to El Museo del Traje (a museum about fashion!). Unfortunately, I hopped out and there were no signs or other location markers on the map to tell me where I needed to go. I just chose a direction and as I went on, I stopped some guy and asked him. And you know, the wonderful (seemingly universal) thing about asking for directions is that people always point. Even if you don't know the words for left or right in a language, the person is sure to point left or right. It's brilliant!
Anyway, I went as far as I could go, but once there I couldn't remember if he said to cross the street and go right or just go right. :/ I chose and, I guess, ended up at their university. I walked and walked then, turned around until I ran into another guy. (I swear, I'm not just picking guys. I just pick people, who look SLIGHTLY older than me & might think "Oh, poor helpless
5. Plaza de toros
Statue outside of the stadium. American!") He gave me way detailed instructions, pointed it out on the map, and even walked me a little ways so that I would know exactly what he was talking about. Amazing!
Now, I am not vain enough to think that any of these men would be remotely interested in me, but I'm finding that asking for directions brings out something in some of these guys. I don't know if it's just that they think "Oh, that was my good deed for the day!" or if it's really that they all want to be knights in shining armor. I think that the 2nd theory could prove to be more true. When I ask a woman for directions, she tells me plainly (though well enough so that I understand) and doesn't make a big deal of it. Fascinating. If I'd gone into psychology or sociology, it'd be an interesting study.
Anyway, considering how the day had gone, it shouldn't be a surprise that once I reached the museum, it had only 20 minutes til closing. :/ The woman at the counter told me there was no way I could do the tour in 20 minutes and that I should
6. Plaza de toros
The other side of the same statue. It's in memory of some guy, but I don't remember whom. just return, tomorrow. So, I am hoping to wake up early and get 2-3 more tours knocked out before I have to get on the train to Sevilla. :/ Keeping my fingers crossed!
Hope everyone is well. I'm exhausted and my knees are killing me from all the walking & climbing stairs. I swear to God that when I get home, I better have the nicest culo en Misisipi. :/
♥
Courtney
Advertisement
Tot: 0.1s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 6; qc: 24; dbt: 0.0645s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
