Search my site


Facebook Twitter Couchsurfing Google Profile RSS (Blog Posts) E-mail Me Trazzler Stumble Upon Sosauce Hostelworld Image Map

Entries in Madrid (2)

Friday
Jan042008

Best internet cafe EVER

map madridLocation: Madrid, Spain

Ok ya, I know it´s only been like 6 hours since I updated last. But I'm not sure how accessible Internet cafés are gong to be in Málaga so I'm just going to get completely caught up now so in case I can't update for a week, I'll at least have a good starting point. (PS - I really like how accessible letters with accents are on this little Spanish keyboard!! It makes typing things with accents really easy... éáíóú muhaha)

Madrid is AWESOME!! I walked down the main street that my hostel is on which is called Atocha and down to near the train station. From there I went into the Botanical Gardens which are a little bare of flowers but nonetheless beautiful. There were lots of fountains and some nice trees and stuff. After this, I walked down tot he Museum de Prado which I really wanted to go into but the line wrapped around the corner so I figured that was not good and called it bad luck. Since I saved money on not having to get a museum ticket, I decided to buy myself a bus ticket on one of the open air double decker tour bus thingies. It rove me all around town past the Palacio Real, Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor. I got off at all of these stops and walked around.

The Palacio Real is where a lot of the garden pictures were taken. It was really beautiful and I've decided that Spanish architecture is definitely my favorite. I really wanted to go out onto the little courtyard that they have here, but it was closed for some reason. There were people in side, so I assume maybe they were realyl there on official business or something. There were police everywhere. They would´'t even let me get close up to the gate to take a picture.

The Plaza Mayor was my favorite. It was just a big open square with buildings on all sides and all these people set up painting and entertaining. There was a puppet guy making puppets dance around, a guy painted all black being a statue, a guy playing glasses of water (think Miss Congeniality, but it actually was working and it sounded soooo pretty!!). There were so many people painting and you could just stand there and watch them and it was incredible. After this, I went to a cute little counter cafe and got their "house special"... a calamari sandwich. They were EVERYWHERE - so I had to try one. It was sooooo good. The calamari was SO fresh and not greasy at all and the bread was fluffy and kind of had a sourdough taste to it so it was salty and yum!! Then I got some caramels from a kiosk and a Gatorade and started my long trek home.

I know there's so much that I didn't see here and this is definitely a place that I am going to want to come back to. I've heard the museums are the best part and I didn't even go inside one. Anyways, off to find some dinner now and to bed early. I have an early train to Málaga tomorrow!!

XOXO

----------------
Now playing: Pearl Jam - Girl
via FoxyTunes

Friday
Jan042008

Oye como va

map madridLocation: Madrid, Spain

Oh man, today has been rough!!

I left St. Marcan this morning at 9:15 by car, arrived in Pontorson and left on a train for Caen at 9:55. From Caen I took another train to Paris then the metro to the bus station to take a bus 1.5 hours to the airport to take a plane to Madrid. Then I took the Madrid subway to the station closest to my hostel and finally got to the hostel at about 12:15 AM. Literally, 14 hours of traveling. I am EXHAUSTED!!!

Madrid is not nearly as scary as everyone had made it out to be . I was really nervous getting in so late because I had heard all of these horror stories about people getting mugged and "don't take the taxis", "carry pepper spray" all this garbage. I felt so safe, never was approached by anyone. There were kids riding he subways by themselves from the airport just like me (but actual kids, like 12 years old). The hostel I'm staying at is sooo cool. It´s really modern and has a bar and restaurant inside it as well as its own internet cafe. Its also in a really cute authentic Spanish building and has a little courtyard in the center and everything.

Well its late so, I´m going to bed... but tomorrow will be jam packed I´m sure.

XOXO

----------------
Now playing: The Rolling Stones - Miss You
via FoxyTunes