Side Note: I've been camping in San Sebastian since Tuesday with no internet connection. I got back to Madrid today and will be catching up with my posts each day at a time like I been doing. Been righting in my journal everyday just gotta transcribe it all onto here. Going on a day trip to Toledo with some fellow Fort Worth back packing nurses. Then off to Amsterdam on Sunday. Stay tuned for my experience in Pamplona.........its going to be intense!
We awoke this morning with few being hung over and me still being drunk. We pretty much just veged for the first half of the day. Finally everyone got some energy together and we set out into the city. Pablo wanted to take me around to see some of the sights I hadn't seen yet. Maggie, Pablo, Kristin and I went to Plaza de Mayor. It was a huge open court yard filled with street performers and tourists. After walking through the courtyard Pablo took us to San Miguel market for tapas.
Here in Spain it's a big thing to go eat tapas and drink cervezas for the evening. The word tapas is more of a concept, or idea, by definition. Basically its eating appetizers over beer or sangria. This tapas market was like nothing I've experienced on a culinary level. The market is nothing but gourmet style treats. I was in stuff my face heaven!
After trying different types of appetizers, we left the market and walked to a street patio restaurant where we ordered more tapas and cervezas. Patatas ali-oli, patatas bravas, some spicy pork and calamari. How it works is you pretty much pick off of one anthers selection.
After stuffing ourselves senseless, we walked to the cathedral. The cathedral was breath taking. I'd only seen stuff like it on television or movies, but to see something like that in person was just mesmerizing. I was transfixed with every little detail. AFter a very long walk through the cathedral we walked through some gardens. there were fountains, upon fountains surrounded with monumental statues of biblical and historical representations. We walk to a park where there is an Egyptian temple built along time ago. Apparently Spain helped build a bridge for the Egyptians along time ago and in return they built this temple as a thank you.
The park that surrounds this temple is beautiful, with all kinds of different trees and full of all kinds of young people. Groups of friends, couples, individuals laughing, lounging, reading, playing music, drinking and eating, practicing different sports and crafts. We actually stumbled upon a L.A.R.P. session. L.A.R.P. stands for Live Action Role Play. Basically people get dressed up (lets use medieval times for an example) in a theme and battle against others with padded weapons. Kristin and I were both more that ecstatic about finding these people.
The spot we chose to sit and relax was full of entertainment and events. To our right we had a couple drinking wine, eating jamon (cured ham) sandwiches and playing the guitar. In front of us was an asshole Spaniard harassing some poor, simple elderly people minding their own business. So here in Spain, P.D.A. is on steroids and its completely apart of the daily norm. That leads me to the left of us where we have a couple, or more specifically a boy mounted on top of his girlfriend, awkwardly dry humping her every 30 seconds. Along comes a Chino selling cervezas. We buy a six pack, sit back and enjoy this juvenile act of public dry humping. Like junior high kids we cannot contain ourselves laughing at this awkward scene. It's so awkward in fact, I secretly set my camera up to record all the greatness that is their dry humping. Finally the Black Eyed Peas song comes to an end. We pack up our little picnic and make our way into the area of Madrid that could be considered time square. Pablo and Maggie split to go home and Kristin and I venture into Chueca for a few drinks, watch a concert and catch the metro home.
So my time here so far knows no words of description. Everything about this place is so refreshing, new and stimulating. Theres never a dull moment but yet everything and everyone is so laid back. This place is intoxicating and I haven't even experienced the other parts of the continent yet. The people watching here is also great. I could find a city street patio restaurant, which are a dime a dozen here, eat tapas and drink cervezas all day.
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