Gran Melia Fenix Madrid

... It was amusing to watch. In the Plaza, there was more of a selection. One man was dressed as a soldier in camo, one person was dressed as a rainbow goat (see the picture), there was a woman dressed as a fruit bowl but I didn't take her picture. It was stupid. There was also an Indian. Then, there were the three characters: Mickey Mouse, Tigger, and Winnie the Pooh. Could these costumes be any more cheesy?!?!?! Of course, all of the kids LOVED ...

Just had myself a mango ice cream.  Yummo.  Marty and I had a tight-**** dinner in the hostel tonight because our tickets to Barcelona cost a ridiculous amount of money and I just checked my credit card account.  We leave for the last city on our list tomorrow at 10:30am.  It took us forever to book the tickets because at first we were lazy, and then we didn't know when we were going to go, and then we didn't know whether to take the bus or train or what.  And then ...

... was delicious and it finished with a huge scoop of ice cream and chocolate sauce - simple pleasures eh? Andrea and I decided to head back to the hotel for an early ish night. The boys decided to find a pub. We later discovered that Pete and Rich decided not to in the end and also headed back to the hotel as it was busy but my husband the beer monster stayed out. I'm glad I decided to retire given that the pub conversation consisted of cricket and not much else!

We've now been here almost two complete days. We made all our connections, although the Madrid airport was a little confusing. The kids were so tired after 24 hours of traveling, Blair had to carry Jillian onto our last flight because she was out cold! Our flight from Madrid to Malaga was bumpy and scary! I'm glad the kids were asleep--Blair and I thought we were going to go down. We arrived safely however, and found ...

... 11pm waiting for the airplane or the crew to fly it. One funny story is that while waiting, some crazed woman like ran up near the ticket counter (which was empty, pretty much nobody was around except us poor waiting passengers) seemed to motion to some woman sitting down, then ran through the jetway doors setting off the alarm. Needless to say, a lot of us seemed quite surprised. Probably the most amazing part is that the ...

30 March Day 5: Madrid, Spain After a great deal of searching, we finally found an internet cafe. I'm sitting here, people around me speak and I understand nothing of what they say. I couldn't even order. It can be stressful and only makes me wish I was fluent in another language even more. Beyond the vast communication barrier, I'm having a wonderful time. This morning after toast, Alex, Matt, Lindsay, and I went to the Museo Nacional Del Prado. We ...

... t really change back with out really thinking about it. Also in Barcelona, right before we left, I got another hole in my ear! It definitely hurt but I am in love with it now. I think the only reason it hurt so bad was because the shop didn't have any thin rings so he had to gauge it right after the pierced it. I knew that was the case but I was just like whatever. So now it is finally starting to heal! It is on the bottom of my cartilage on the outside...I know that doesn ...

... next ten days, but my heart hasn't started racing yet. This work is comprised of three exams and three papers, which carry the weight of my grade (because here in the Spanish school system your total grade is summed up by at most one exam, some participation and if your lucky, a paper). Might I remind you that these papers have to be written in Spanish. The research paper is working out nicely (actually I haven't started it yet, maybe that's why it is working out ...

... much advertised and there are more Don Q and Sancho Panza statues than ever before. The next region before AndalucÌa that we passed through was JaÈn, its landscape, with groves of olive trees and vineyards and wheat, sometimes planted in alternating fields, a foreshadowing of a perfect meal. At one point the hills are covered with olive trees for miles. I was glad to have seen all those olive trees before some of the group ...