Via train to Madrid *pick pocketing central!!
Trip Start
Aug 20, 2005
1
6
25
Trip End
May 06, 2006
Madrid,
Spain
Friday, September 30, 2005
days are wandering into each other now.
From Lisbon to Madrid, took an overnight train with a girl I met from Cali, after our makeshift picnic on the front steps of some large shopping center, wine and all. Very tired from the little sleep I attempted on the train, as we wandered onto the metro in Madris to find our hostel....
stereotypical situation: two cute girls, large backpacks form north America, tired and dazed, might as well have victim on our foreheads. As we were arriving at our stop Shikeena noticed someone touching her hip and.... Whoops... the man drops her passport that he was about to steel. No one batted an eyelash, and he causally walked away.
Welcome to Madrid
Artsy Rebel
! So with this grey cloud over our head only to be lifted back at the ranch where the united nation hostelers were more than we could have expected!
First few days were typical site seeing, museums, parks cafes and galleries. A group of us decided that we needed to see this bullfighting thing the Spanish were so famous for. To Make a judgement call after we had experienced it in person. Never hurts to try something once I figured.
With a neutral attitude in mind I ended up finding some thing out that I never knew about myself, I really don`t like bull fights. After the first bull was brutally killed I had a few unexpected tears down my cheeks. Don`t regret going but it was definatley an intense experience altogether. I did really enjoy the matadors tight pants, a mix between shiny football pants and intricate tapestries with florescent pink knee high socks, and ballet slippers... fantastic!
After Attempting the restaurants we figured it would be a good idea to do a big cook up at the hostel, which all enjoyed
Brook: (uh oh.... policia!)
. After getting caught walking for hours we noticed that everything in Madrid was backwards and would take us double the time to do everything. We retreated into our own backpacking world. After a buzz of pick pocketing around the hostel it came closer to home, a guy from Montana, Kalen had his Digital SLR, passport, Ipod and backpack stolen from a fast food joint and Amilia from Australia got her wallet ripped off. So we felt we need to give a little moral support and fast acting happiness in the form of cheap sangria.
We drank the day away. Later to agree that swimming in the prominent fountain, dead center of town would be the next best thing to take our minds off the problem at hand. 1:00am, 7 hours of drinking behind us, the three of us and spectators, Brook(NY) Amilia (Aussie) took the plunge. Running across the three lane round about...only to be imediatley caught by the Policia! oops. One had a smile and the other did`t. We continued to explain that where we come this is a completely normal activity, and the wine really wasn`t ours. No jail time yet!
The next couple days we spent regrouping the brain cells I had left... must be getting old cause I can`t handle my liquor like I used to! After everyone started heading in their own directions, I figured I should go my way. Valencia sounded nice. Here I am at the Home youth hostel in the heart of Valencia. More entertainment to be had... but I definalty can`t replace the crazy UN hostelers at Los Amigos. It was a pleasant surprise in Madrid: which i enjoyed it thoroughly.
Comments
Keep it (wallet/passport/camera) in your pants!
Well no jail time YET...you've only been gone just over a month!...you kids and your alcohol. Madrid sounds nice though, but it doesn't come close to comparing to pouring rain, and freezing winds here in Vancouver. And I don't care who you are, male or female, who can resist tight shiny pants with pink socks!! Only a matador can pull that nightmare off. The updates are fantastic keep them coming!
XOXO
Kenz