Day 2 & 3: More Airplanes, Karma, and Downtown Madrid

Location: Julio Montero Street 13, Madrid 28034

Approx. Hours of Travel: 18 1/2

Cleanliness: 10 :)

Comments:

• We arrived in London at 2pm their time. EVERYONE wanted to know if we were going to the wedding. I felt like I was missing out. But then again...I'm American, not English.
miniature Fanta; typical in London


• Our last length of the trip to Madrid was smooth and just as planned...it was too good to be true. And it ended up being too good to be true.
• Remember when I said I was worried about losing our baggage? Well look what was missing on our ride to Rafael's place on the subway...
• You guessed it. It's one thing to lose luggage when I in America...but I don't speak spanish. Plus, we planned on meeting Rafael at his subway at 10 and we were already late. PLUS I was super tired and even more hungry (which everyone knows it catastrophic for a girl like me). So what did I do? Took an anxiety pill and repeat to myself "the bags will come the bags will come, the bags will come"
• Fortunately we still were able to meet up with our friend. Rafael is fantastic. He loves celtic and bluegrass music and contact improv dancing so we had an immediate connection. Aside from this, he fed us a very authentic meal consisting of a Spanish torilla (like a thick omelet with potatoes and onion) and choriso (delicious dried sausage).
  tasty
  
  
  He also let us borrow towels and clothes to sleep in. We slept on his foldout futon that actually is the same as my sister, Kristen's.
• The next morning we walked to Rafael's supermarket and bought food for the day. He made another extremely tasty meal (can't remember name!) with pureed tomato, olive oil, salt, and garlic spread over fresh baguettes. It REALLY hit the spot!
  outside Rafael's Apartment

what I bought myself at the Market
• I took a nap.
• They FOUND OUR LUGGAGE
• Trent and I went to downtown Madrid it was absolutely fabulous and enjoyed architecture, churches, and the live music!
  Trent checking out the bikes of course
  
  
  
  Pig leg anyone?
  
  
  
  
  
  One of the many churches
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Favorite part of our long walk


• We found a great little tapas place (which we now know is the most expensive in madrid...) and ate gelato and olive oil potato chips
  tapas bar
  
  
• We came home to ripped-up luggage (yes, i did just say ripped. Iberia said they'd pay for our torn luggage but I have a feeling it will be as easy as finding 451 decimal of pi), made a delicious spaghetti carbonara for Rafael, and took showers (hence the 10 on cleanliness...it was a 3 just an hour ago)

Things we're thinking: Will El Escorial, the largest monastery in the world, and Segovia, an ancient city, be everything people tell us it will be? Will I have more crazy dreams tonight about soccer, craigslist, and job hunting? Will our bowels be able to handle the water and new interesting diet? How many pictures will I actually take? Should we watch bullfighters?

Chao!