Madrid and Beyond

ALRIGHT HERE IS A RECAP OF MADRID. BIIIIIGGGG OLD CITY. LOTS OF STUFF TO SEE, INCLUDING AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF ART MUSEUMS. I WENT TO A COUPLE AND FELT FAIRLY UNCULTURED CAUSE I WAS BORED. TOO MANY HUGE RELIGIOUS PAINTINGS AND MARBLE STATUES THAT DIDN¹T RESONATE WITH ME WHAT SO EVER. I THOUGHT IF I STOOD IN FRONT OF THEM FOR A LONG TIME AND REALLY GAVE IT A GOOD EFFORT, I MIGHT SEE THE LIGHT. I DIDN¹T HAPPEN. STILL GLAD I WENT THOUGH. WENT TO EL RASTRO MARKET AND WAS TEMPTED BY LOTS OF NEAT OLD CRUSTY STUFF THAT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO GET HOME. THE STREETS WERE PACKED WITH VENDORS, THE MOST INTERESTING OF WHICH WAS A LARGE STAND SELLING EXCLUSIVELY RUBBER TUBING. WAS AT A LOSS FOR THE NEED OF SUCH A STAND, BUT ONE MUST EXIST. PERHAPS THERE IS A LARGE HOMEBREW POPULATION WHICH I DONUT KNOW ABOUT. LOTS OF WALKING IN THE HEAT MAKES YOU THIRSTY... BUT NO PUBLIC WATER TO BE FOUND. UNLIKE THE USA, WATER IS A HUGE COMMODITY. YOU WANT IT, YOU BUY IT. NO DRINKING FOUNTAINS. EVEN IN A RESTAURANT, YOU BUY YOUR WATER (ITS IN A BOTTLE OF COURSE). SOMETHING I DON¹T MIND PAYING FOR IS SANGRIA.... WHICH WAS NICELY LOCATED ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR MADRID LODGING. WENT OVER AND GOT A BIG PITCHER OF IT AND PLAYED SOME CARDS. WE TOOK TOO LONG AT THE RESTAURANT AND DIDN¹T ORDER ENOUGH, SO WE GOT KICKED OUT. ( I UNDERSTOOD THOUGH, CAUSE THEY WERE BUSY). THE THING IS, CHERYL AND I WERE TRYING TO AVOID WHAT WE SO APTLY NAMED, "A HOSTEL SITUATION"... OUR LIVING ARRANGEMENTS. IN A FEW WORDS, OUR HOSTEL WAS PARTY-FUCKING-CENTRAL. TONS OF LOUD YOUNG AUSTRALIAN TRAVELERS WHO LOVED NOTHING MORE THAN CUSSING, DRINKING, SMOKING, AND TALKING LOUD. WE WERE IN A ROOM WITH 12 OTHER PEOPLE. CONSTANT COMING AND GOING WITH RUNNING VERBAL COMMENTARY. THE ROOM TEMP NEVER DROPPED BELOW 85. UGH. WE DECIDED WE WERE JUST TOO OLD FOR THE HOSTELS, SEEING THAT WE WERE THE ONLY ONES WHO SEEMED TO BE ANNOYED AT ALL THE PARTYING THAT DIDN¹T STOP UNTIL 2 AM. TO COOL DOWN DURING THE HOT TIME OF DAY, CHERYL AND I GO TO THE MOVIES. SAW CHARLIE¹S ANGLES AND.... SOME OTHER AMERICAN FILM I FORGOT THE NAME OF. WE MIGHT GO SEE HULK. CHEESY I KNOW, BUT ITS VACATION. BINGO IS BIG WITH THE OLD LADIES IN MADRID. OUR PLAN IS TO GO PLAY ON OUR LAST NIGHT. THIS SHOULD BE A GOOD CHALLENGE FOR US FOR RECOGNIZE THE NUMBERS BEING CALLED OUT. A LITTLE STRESSFUL, BUT I¹M UP TO THE ESPANOL CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY AT 2 EURO A CARD IN AN AIR CONDITIONED ROOM WITH BLUE HAIRED LADIES FOR COMPANY. SPEAKING OF HAIR... (STRAIGHT) LADIES MULLETS ARE ALL THE RAGE!!! HIPSTERS GALORE SPORTING THAT OLD HAIR-DO. AT LEAST IT¹S A LITTLE SPRUCED UP. DID SEE SOME CRAZZZZY "TAILS"... REMEMBER THOSE? THAT IS ONE HAIR STYLE I DON¹T EVER WANT TO SEE AGAIN. REMIND ME LATTER IF I DECIDE TO GET ONE. CHERYL WANTED ME TO MENTION ABOUT MADRID THAT YOU CAN GET BEER FOR $1 AT ICE CREAM STANDS AND MOVIE THEATERS. VIVA LA CERVEZA. OK... THAT WAS ABOUT IT FOR MADRID.... WE MISSED OUR TRAIN FOR BARCELONA CAUSE THE YOUTH HOSTEL DIDN¹T GIVE US OUR WAKE-UP CALL. (BASTARDS). BUT WE GOT THE NEXT TRAIN AND ALL WAS GROOVY. NOW WE¹RE STAYING IN A FANCY HOTEL AND LOVING IT (WE GET BUBBLE BATH AND ROBES.... OUR TUB EVEN HAS JETS!!!) BARCELONA, SPAIN BEACH TIME!! AS SOON AS WE GOT IN, WE DROPPED OUR STUFF AND WALKED TO THE BEACH. STUCK OUR TOES IN THE MEDITERAINEAN AND SIGHED. AHHHH. WE¹VE BEEN BACK A COUPLE OF TIMES, ENJOYING THE BEACH CHAIRS YOU CAN RENT FOR 3 EURO AND THE GUYS WHO SELL DRINKS ON THE BEACH. GOT A DEEEEELICIOUS MOJITO (RUM, SUGAR, MINT, AND LIME) DRINK MADE FRESH AT THE BEACH. SLURP AND SUNBATHE. ITS TOPLESS HERE... SO I JOINED IN. THE BEACHES ARE SUPER CROWDED AND LITTERED WITH CIGARETTE BUTTS... YOU DONUT CARE THOUGH WHEN YOU GOT YOUR EYES CLOSED AND THE SUN ON YOUR BODY, OR YOU BOBBING THE IN THE COOL OCEAN. I GOT A LAME SUNBURN TODAY BECAUSE I FORGOT TO PUT SUNSCREEN ALL OVER: POOR LITTLE BURNT ARMPIT. DID SOME SERIOUS SIGHT SEEING. I LOVE GAUDI, AN ARCHITECT FROM THE 1800´S WHO DID LOT OF TITLE WORK IN HIS BUILDINGS. YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE INFLUENCE OF NATURE IN HIS WORK. I TOOK A NERD AUDIO TOUR OF ONE OF THE HOUSES HE MADE AND LEARNED A LOT. I WAS NOT BORED. BESIDE THAT, WENT TO THE PICASSO MUSEUM AND THE SOME HUGE GOTHIC CHURCH THAT IS AWESOME (OF COURSE IF FORGOT THE NAME). FOOD IS THE SAME DEAL. MEAT MEAT MEAT. I AM ABOUT READY TO RETURN TO VEGETARIANISM, I AM SO BURNT OUT ON MEAT. I DID GO TO SOME PLACES THAT WILL BE POSTED ON MY WEB SITE, SO CHECK EM OUT IF YOUR COMING TO SPAIN. FOUND AN AWESOME PLACE IN THE MARKET, WHERE CHERYL JOKED AROUND WITH THE WORKERS. THEY MADE FUN OF ME WHEN I ASKED FOR SOME PARSLEY SPRIGS FOR MY EGG SANDWICH....I JUST HAD TO GET SOME GREEEEEENS. CHERYL HAD A BAD PAELLA EXPERIENCE, IT WAS STRAIGHT FROM A BOX AND WAS TOTAL CRAP. HAVEN¹T ORDERED IT AGAIN, BUT WILL. WENT TO A LOCALS NEIGHBORHOOD TO GET THE WHOLE ROASTED SUCKLING PIG, BUT THEY WERE SOLD OUT. BUMMER. GOT A ROASTED DUCK WITH GRILLED APPLES INSTEAD. SO CALIFORNIA. THE STEAK WAS GREAT, THAT CHERYL GOT, AND IT CAME ON A WOODEN CUTTING BOARD STYLE PLATE. A DISH THAT I LOVE HERE AND WILL HAVE TO IMITATE AT HOME, IS A MODIFIED GARLIC BREAD. 1) TOAST BREAD 2) RUB WITH RAW GARLIC CLOVE 3) RUB WITH RAW TOMATO 4) ADD DRIZZLE OF OLIVE OIL AND A PINCH OF SALT. YUMMY. ASK ME TO MAKE IF FOR YOU AND I WILL GLADLY. I AM LOVING THE OUTDOOR FOOD MARKETS, WHICH IS TO BE EXPECTED. THE ONLY DOWNFALL IS YOUR NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH THE FRUIT. I¹VE GOTTEN YELLED AT SEVERAL TIMES. I¹VE NOW LEARNED BETTER. YOU TELL THEM WHAT YOU WANT, AND THEY GET IF FOR YOU. THE WEIRDEST STAND AT THE MARKET IS WHAT I CALL, THE BOOTH OF "UNDESIRABLES". ITS WINDOWS ARE LINED WITH HOOVES, SKIN, BLOCKS OF BLOOD, LIVERS, BRAINS, SKINNED LAMBS HEADS (EYES INTACT) AND MORE THAT I COULDN¹T IDENTIFY. WOW NELLY. THIS STAND WAS ACROSS FROM WHERE WE ATE BREAKFAST AND WE¹D HEAR THIS INSANE WHACKING AND WONDER WHAT WAS GOING ON OVER THERE. I WAS AFRAID TO LOOK. I JUST HAVE TO MENTION THAT THE MEAT STAND AND THE FISH STANDS WERE RUN BY WOMEN, WITH A FEW TOKEN MEN. NICE ROLL REVERSAL TO HAVE SO MANY WOMEN BUTCHERS. THAT¹S ENOUGH FOR NOW. I MUST GO SHOPPING, AS ALL OF SPAIN (AND FRANCE TOO) IS "ON SALE" RIGHT NOW. SERIOUSLY, THE WHOLE COUNTRY HAS BIG SALES TWICE A YEAR AND STUFF IS DIRT-CHEAP.

Previous Page
Write Me: burntstargirl@hotmail.com