Day 3 Madrid

Remind me later to tell you about some conclusions I've come to since I've been in Europe (especially Madrid).

Woke up early and were out in time for the cleaning ladies to clean our room (although they do it every day anyway). This hotel (one floor--the 8th--in a high rise) is located in centro and we are near almost everything (and if Bob needs or wants a hooker, we saw at least 20 of them this morning on our street).

Please do not chastise me when I tell you about where we had our coffee until you hear the whole story. I love Starbucks coffee but I am always so infuriated when I have to pay their prices. Two doors down from our hotel is something I don't think we have in the US yet, "McCafe." We had real cafe latte, machiato, espresso and better-than-Starbucks pastry. And the coffee was drawn by a barista into white cafe au lait cups, with crema, foam, and chocolate which was decorated by the barista into a spider web on top of the foam. It was also in a very beautiful old buidling with modern furniture and was much more like a European cafe than a McDonalds. Next to it, there was a regular McDonalds, though in the same beautiful  building, so the only thing regular was the food there (which we didn't have).

I have been in search of boots with no heels (I have boots with heels, but I cannot walk far on them with my knee like this); however, because of my humongous dancer's and inherited calves (passed on to my Brynnie, as well), I can never get boots that can fit around my calves. So we started on a quest and there were so many sales that I wouldn't be paying much for them if I found a pair that fit.  Well, in Europe, trust me, no one is interested in helping his or her customers--in expensive zapaterias or cheap ones--I'd try on one pair, I'd say, "Do you have a style that would fit big calves (not saying as much as gesturing and using gross which I think means BIG)?" And everyone would say, "No!" C'mon, I've seen obeser (my new word) women than I walking all over Europe (Madrid especially) and they all had BOOTS! Even the hookers outside our window who were largesse, had boots that fit them--Bob wouldn't go up to any of them to ask them where they got their books. Such a wimp! I about gave up but decided to walk in one more store. No one spoke English and wouldn't stand around to watch my mime routine, so I started helping myself to boots on display if they were my size (which is 9 in Europe). Once they heard me speak English, and if they didn't speak English, they walked away--happens everywhere--even in bars and restaurants. How hard would it be for me to pick up a flat pair of boots and make a gesture with my fingers around my big calf saying, "Gross (big)"? Well it is not hard, and anyone including a deaf, blind mute could've played charades for a minute to make a sale. Finally, Bob sized up a pair and said, "These look like these would fit your big calves." Thanks, Bob. I tried them on; they did. The price said 34 Euros but when I went to the cashier, they were 10! Such a bargain, so now I can "fit in" in Europe; however, you should see the coats on these people, and I have a huge (needs to be for my body), black raincoat. Everyone wears leggings (or tights with long tunic tops), very fashionable boots, chic coats, really trendy hats, long scarves wrapped around their necks in various knots, swags, and crossovers--almost artistic in technique. And here come the ugly Americans in their tennis shoes (well, mine are Sketchers, and comfortable, damn it!) and black trench coats, too-short scarves for any kind of artistic wrapping so they're just tucked into our neck or tied in a knot and non-descript hats that give me hair head and aren't attractive enough to wear inside restaurants, so my hair is a wretched mess when I remove my hat. Add to that that we're FAT, no wonder no one wants to play charades with these "stupid Americans."

This brings me to another idea. When we come home, we both have to be healthier--exercise and eat healthy meals (yeah, right, I think I've said this before---at least 2,304 times). Bob said he thinks I need some kind of goal or reward (and it can't be monetary after this trip). So I got a 50% discount online for a $39 (was 78) 2-hour trapeze class in Chandler. Maybe that could be my motivation! Whaddya think? I wonder if they accept 60-year olds with bad knees and a bad back.

Okay, so after our breakfast at McCafe, we walked around boot shopping and then we hopped aboard the Madrid Vison, a hop-on, hop-off tour bus. It's two bus lines giving tours of the old Madrid section and the new Madrid sections and it is good for 24 hours! We saw many beautiful areas of Madrid, many gorgeous parks and plazas, and marvelous architecture of many different eras and styles. We decided to get off in the La Latina section and spent some time window shopping, listening to music and watching painters in the Plaza Major. It was a nice area and about lunch time, so we decided to find a tapas bar. We passed by many and found the decision an almost impossible one until we saw the Museo de Jamon (ham museum--there are 7 of them in Madrid). Since Matt (who has been living in Spain for two months on a small student grant stipend) had highly recommended it, we decided to try it. And we're glad we did. Bob had red wine; I had a beer. Then, Bob had a Iberico Ham and Manchego cheese plate while had a plate of fried sardines. It was very good and very reasonably priced. We continued walking around the La Latino section but when it began to rain, we headed back to the hotel (shopping along the way so it took over an hour).

Tonight at about 8PM, we meet Matt, Veronica, and my darling Ana in the Plaza de Puerta del Sol, byt the statue of the bear and the strawberry tree. I have a bunch of goodies for Ana (hope Veronica doesn't strangle me because she'll have to pack them even though I bought Ana a little backpack in the Prado to keep the stuff in on the plane). I think we're going to a chocolate and churro place tonight which is not far from our hotel. Ana and Veronica head back to the US tomorrow and Matt is staying an extra day with us in Madrid. Then we'll head to Sevilla by train on Sunday.

We met Matt, Veronica, and Ana and I realized how much I had missed them. We walked a bit to the Chueca section and had a wonderful tapas meal at a place that Matt had visited previously. Then we went to a place that had sipping chocolate and churros. It was wonderful to see them and they all enjoyed our gifts (earrings from Ireland for Veronica and a hair clip from the Canary Islands, a tweed cap for Matt from Ireland, and a shamrock umbrella from Ireland, backpack from the Prado, and a fairy queen statuette for Ana (she's into Tinkerbell and garden fairies). We got home at about 11:30 and we're now ready to go to bed. Goodnight.

Veronica and Ana leave at 12:45 pm tomorrow but are taking the metro to the airport (Matt's going with them) so they have to leave a little earlier in the morning to get there three hours ahead.