Slowly, slowly starting to get the watch-strap tan

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Hey there, still in Madrid at the moment, just killing some time before I go catch the train. Found out today that the Pope died. I thought something was going on with all the people crowded around the TV in the hostel, but I thought it was a soccer game. Also explains all the people gathered around a statue of the Pope by this cathedral I went to yesterday. Ah, the joys of not speaking any Spanish.
I finally had a whole entire conversation in English with this guy I met at the hostel, who´s from LA. We were supposed to go to the Parque del Retiro this morning, but I ended up feeling like crap and slept in. I went there this afternoon. Man, there is definitely a reason it´s called ´Retiro´. I have not seen so many old people in one place in my life. Not even at the nursing home. My favourite was the couple, with the younger-looking wife pushing the old old hubby in his wheelchair. Even the server at the cafe I went to for lunch was about 70 years old. Coincidentally, this same park has the first and only statue of the devil. So what does that say about the so-called golden years? And what does it mean if the old people are pushing strollers with babies in the park, too? Something about reincarnation?
Anyways, that´s pretty much all that´s been on my mind today, other than where to stay once I get to Lisbon. Evan, the guy from LA, is supposed to head there too in a couple of days, so we exchanged email addys to meet up. Hopefully, I will find some Internet place there and will keep on blabbing on. Adios!

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