But, we were for sure back in Europe! The prices were rough (mainly because the Euro beats the Dollar pretty hard) and the people were snooty and self absorbed which was made even more obvious by the cultures we have been traveling through for the past several months. Overall we really enjoyed our time here and would like to see more of the country. This small taste Spain will keep us longing for more…

(Check out the Spain photo gallery here)

Favorite moments:

• Flamenco show
• Beautiful Segovia
• Fantastic food (when we could afford to eat it)
• Tons of public green space
• Super clean city
• Late night Kebabs

Not so great:

• The beer
• Smoldering smell from our wallets
• Snooty attitude

Total Money Spent Per Person: $322.80

Average Per Day Costs Per Person:

• Lodging: $22.30
• Food: $11.82
• Transportation: $5.58
• Misc: $14.00 (Beer, going out, guides, park entrance, etc.)

Total Average Per Day, Per Person: $53.80

Number of Days: 6

Laying about on an obnoxious Hawaiian print sarong in the park, we were so thoroughly engrossed in our novels that we failed to notice when a young woman came running over to us. Startled, we looked questioningly at her as she hurriedly told us someone had just stolen Saben’s bag.

Making haste, we made our way quickly but cautiously behind and then around the thief as he stood stupidly, wearing the bag and appearing to be looking for someone. Saben wasted no time in getting his bag back, just taking it off the guy’s neck while the thief tried to tell us that it was his friend’s bag and blah blah blah. He didn’t even put up a fight but just wouldn’t shut his mouth. Not caring if he spoke English, Saben issued a series of rather intimidating physical threats accompanied by a firm grip on the thief’s shirt collar holding him on his tip-toes while Lin checked the contents of the bag.

Happy thoughts

Luckily, this thief was a real idiot and hadn’t even gotten into the bag yet. We found out from the jogging girl that he had an accomplice of sorts, who he was apparently waiting on when we got to him and was presumably the same person he was cursing at fiercely in French as they exited the park. The jogger girl said she had seen him inching closer and closer behind us until he finally grabbed the bag without the slightest sound and walked off with it. Of course it was our own fault for not keeping a better eye on our stuff but we never would’ve imagined being robbed (almost!) while we sat right next to our bag (literally inches from our back on the sarong). Surely, we thought, we would hear or see someone coming near our blanket! Well, apparently not! But today we were lucky that a girl was honest and vigilant enough to tell us that someone robbed us. A big thank you to her!!

With a near 3rd robbery under our belts, we took it as a security reminder. After a certain amount of time, people get lazy and it’s those tiny slip ups that open a wide door for thieves. And certainly not every time we will be so lucky. It was again thanks to our lucky llamas (One more time and we’ll have to get llama tattoos…) safely stowed in Saben’s good karma grey bag that saved us from utter ruin and devastation.

Thinking all was right in the world we wondered over to the duck pond to ponder life, the universe, and a couple of other things.

Obviously lost Swans in the duck pond

As we got ready to leave Saben’s (brand new) camera takes a nose dive from his bag pocket into the pond! In an instant Saben had it out of the water and out of the case drying it off but things didn’t look good. After a very thorough cleaning he turned it on only to produce one very unhappy photograph before it crapped out.

Broken...

Saben hadn’t lost all hope so we headed back to the hostel (which oddly enough has hairdryers) and Saben took it apart and gave it an intense drying. 10 minutes later it worked like nothing had happened! Big sigh of relief and a very on edge day…

Unbroken!

Snow capped mountains, ancient city walls, and tiny cobbled streets make for a lovely backdrop while you stroll around the old town fo Segovia. Situated just half an hour by (fast) train outside of Madrid, Segovia offers quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of Madrid, a vibrating city going 24/7. Remanents of Roman, Moorish and Celtic rule as visible in the buildings, decor, and leftover structures like the aquaduct.

Church spires

Segovia Castle

The 8th century wall that surrounds the city had been restored recently in many places so the town retains an old world atmosphere. Wandering through the narrow streets, it seems almost likely to meet an indifferent mule pulling a wooden cart over the rough cobbles. Strolling the perimeter of the city wall seems like a secret, forbidden activity for conspirators or young lovers alike. After climbing the cramped stone spiral staircase to the top of the castle, a breathless viewer can admire the surrounding countryside and get a spectacular view of the mountains peeking from behind the grand gothic cathedral in the center of town.

Cathedral in Segovia

View over Segovia

Throne inside the castle

The chill in the air is hardly noticeable while one’s eyes are so occupied on the splendid view. This charming, quiet and unhurried town is full of history, memories and stories that send me into a melancholy desire to see the town at its height so many centuries ago. Even so it was a most enjoyable day spent ambling through the unmanicured, lush grass heavily sprinkled with miniature white daisies in large patches almost like the last melting snows of spring.

All you can eat Octopus for lunch

In a dodgy little bar in the Indian district of Madrid, 30 very eager patrons awaited the opening of the flamenco show. At half past 10, we all filtered into a tiny backroom lit with suggestive red sidelighting and too many people and not enough chairs. Standing in the back peering over 10 rows of seated heads, we had the best view as the dancers came onto the stage. A singer, guitar player and drummer almost shyly followed the three women, each one beautiful in her own right, as all took their places. The guitar player set her face at the first feeling of her fingers on the strings showing an obviously strong emotional connection with her music. The singer joined soon joined his rough voice with the fluid notes of the guitar, displaying an amazing range for what at first sounded like a limited voice.

Soft lights in the bar

Feeling the beats in their rhythmic clapping, the dancers merely sat to the right side of the stage for several minutes while they transitioned into their roles as dancers. The first one rose slowly, stomping and clapping, whirling and twisting in time with the music. Their faces slowly began changing into more intense expressions of emotion, each one fueling the others. The first dancer, making a brief introduction for herself through her body’s curves and movements, gave way to the second woman. Then the third dancer had her turn and all three rested for a few moments, still clapping in rhythem with the melodically sporadic music of the guitar.

Dancer bathed in red light

Again, slowly, the first woman rose for her performance. She danced with her entire body and mind, her expressions changing with her body’s movements to show such raw emotion in her face it nearly brought the audience to tears. It was clear that she surrended her mind entirely to her body and moved and felt and lived right there, never more alive than when she danced. It was beautiful.

Dancer in motion

The second woman, much younger than the others and by far the most conventionally beautiful of the three, took the place of the first dancer when she had finished her main performance. This second dancer could not even have been human, for her feet stomped and tapped and clicked with such speed that no human being could ever achieve such an act! It was utterly astounding and left the members of the audience with the jaws hanging open, clapping for her crescendo de pieds. It was astonishing.

The third dancer who, on any other occasion would have appeared self conscious and perhaps even unnoticeable, was curvier than the other two women and it was evident that she truly found herself in dancing. She was more expressive of body than face, unlike the other two women, and moved with beautiful agility and flexibility as she whirled and spun across that tiny stage.

All three on stage

The look of power and sensuality, of both discipline and unfettered instinct appeared in slightly different ways in all three dancers’ faces but it was clear that each had surrendered herself entirely and without restraint to her body’s natural instincts and movements. Thus, beauty and power met, creating such an intense emotional display that would otherwise be shared only between two people in private that moved the audience nearly to tears. Never before have I seen a display of such true, blatant emotion, and yet so readily shared. It was as if those women meant to encourage others to find something to bring out his or her own passion, passion so fierce and burning within one’s self that is must be unleashed to be fully human, to be fully alive.

OK, today was more the tourist track than yesterday. We actually went to not one, but two museums! This morning we checked out the Archaeology Musuem which was surprisingly small but still interesting. The best part was the free admission! We planned to get back to the hostel for the ”Tapas Tour’ but no one else showed up so it was cancelled. Unfortunately, everything here is so blasted expensive we end up eating either nutella sandwiches (can’t seem to find peanut butter in this city) or Turkish food. Admittedly, the Turkish fare is far more delicious and filling that a couple pieces of bread of a thick layer of chocolatey-hazel nutty goodness… And it doesn’t precede a wicked sugar-induced stomach ache either.

Interesting carving from the museum

Entrance to the museum

Since the massive line of people (probably close to the equivalent of 3 blocks long) was too much for us yesterday during the free admission hours, we returned to the Prado Museum of Art and paid the 3 euros (students) to get in. There are some interesting pieces of work there but nearly every room is relgious work after religous work. We don’t have fantastic attention spans anyway so after the fourth room filled with dozens of cruxification paintings, we were really really bored (no disrespect intended). We did find some very nice pieces in the “basement” area where it seemed we were the only ones besides a very bored guard.

Impressive painting in the Prado

Even though we knew what we were in for, we spent the evening putting back more of that awful Estrella Damm at the hostel bar (which plays surprising great music!) because (a) we were bored and, more importantly, (b) they were giving away a free plate of paella with every beer!! And it was actually the best paella ever. There! Now we’ve officially had Spanish food–for free!– so we can go on with our nutella sandwiches and occasional splurges on Turkish kebabs.

It’s taking a while but we’re getting used to everyone lisping. When I talk to a Spaniard I can’t help but think, you know if you spoke that way in the States, we would send you to a special school to fix that. I know it’s part of their culture and it’s the proper way of speaking Spanish but coming from 4 months of standard Spanish, it’s tough to make the initial adjustment. In fact, we’ve met quite a few people in Madrid and so far, not a single person has been able to understand us, nor we them. And our Spanish has gotten quite good since we first started, way back when in Honduras!!

After a meager ”breakfast” at the hostel (few ounces of juice and a single croissant).We set out to wander the city like regular tourists on a sightseeing frenzy. Well, without the frenzy part. Our journey first led us through the Botanical Gardens. They’re quite simple but very pleasant with lots of wonderful tulips and screaming school children trying to identify plants. Admission was cheap, 3 euros for students (double for nonstudents). In Madrid, there are student discounts galore and plenty of free events. The Prado Art Museum, for instance, has certain days and hours when admission is free but there is usually a monstrously long line to get in during these free hours so plan ahead if you are brave enough!

Red tulips in the park

Flower in the gardens

Trees in the garden

We enjoyed a leisurely stroll here and there, whatever direction sparked our fancy til we came upon the famed Plaza de Armas. Lucky for us, on this day at that moment while we were passing through, a Spanish swing band was rocking their hearts out more for fun than money. They couldn’t have looked any happier and Lin, being the old timey nerd she is, was completely stoked to have stumbled upon such a sight. Watching for a couple songs, we tossed them a couple euros and rambled on…

Swing band in the plaza

The evening found us in the hostel bar, lamely named Cat’s Cave, that serves a terrible beer (Estrella Damm). The bartender said it was a famous beer from Barcelona, Saben says “poor Barcelona”. It was tough to even choke down a single pint but, refusing to waste beer of any sort regardless of how terrible, we choked down a pint each, and went to bed unhappily sober.

So, we’ve found ourselves back in western Europe once again; and it’s certainly evident. Clean streets that don’t consistently smell like piss, aloof self-important citizens, and utterly useless businesses that call themselves ”pharmacies” but really only sell nail polish and cellulite creams–yes, all the things that make up true ”western” countries. But really, that just isn’t very helpful when a person has a splitting headache or a mysterious skin rash on his or her leg which may or may not be from that ratty looking, odd smelling blanket in a Bolivian hostel. Sure, it is definitely nice to be able to walk any street around any part of the city and it looks just as clean as the tourist areas. Sure it’s nice to have properly refrigerated yogurt and cheese that’s expiration date hasn’t already been met and far surpassed with the new year. But really, it’s disheartening to walk to the streets where 9 1/2 out of 10 people have absolutely no sidewalk etiquette and the metro escalator is some kind of secret death race.

And of course it’s very upsetting to pay $25/night for a crappy bed and shared toilets when the exact same crappy bed would have cost only $5 anywhere in South America. Even our first morning here in Madrid, we can feel the smoldering heat of our wallets (correction: wallet) as it screams from paying $8 for a tiny sandwich.

So despite all its faults, Madrid is actually a very nice city. It’s one of the cleanest cities we’ve ever been to and, given its size, that’s a true rarity. We were lucky with a fabulously warm and sunny day as we spent our first day of vacation getting our bearings and stocking up on bread and nutella (our 2 meals/day for the next week…no joke). We checked into the Cats hostel, which is a very posh place indeed. A historical sight managed but the Madrid government, its interior is a stunning array of Arabic art and stained glass.

Cats hostel interior

We spent the afternoon lounging in the big ”central park” of Madrid, El Retiro. It’s a sprawling green space, one of Madrid’s many–kudos!– where picnic blankets abound and parents play soccer with their kids.

Flowers in the park

View in the park

Capping the day off with ice cream candy bars (a new one of us!) and meandering through the park was a great start to our mini vacation!