madrid - my first solo trip

with the language barrier, i often feel lost. all instructions are in spanish and most espanols do not understand english. it takes effort to do simple things and not being able to communicate is a great discomfort for me. (no, brenda, i´m not interested to communicate with my eyes and body language...)

but i am excited with the new experiences.

i rented a room from a local. and every morning at 9am, i woke up to the sound of children...laughing while they make their way to school. i´ve settled quite comfortably into the apartment now...i have my shoes, socks, clothes, towels and books all over the room.

the heart of old madrid is rich in history. there are many beautiful statues, monuments and buildings. bonitos!

i visited the museo del prado, which is recognised as one of the world´s galleries (si! me! the culture vulture, haha). after 2 hrs with an audioguide, i realised that it was too much ,for my brain and my legs :(( to cover in a day.

then, there was the puerta del sol ("gateway of the sun"). every year, at midnight of new year´s eve, dense crowds fill the square, and people swallow 1 grape on each stroke of the clock (last 12 seconds of the year). it´s a tradition that is supposed to bring good luck for the coming 12 months. (rowena, plz prepare some grapes for this year´s countdown. small, seedless ones puleeeeze.)

fav part of madrid chueca! it´s the gay area of madrid. it has nice shops, cafes and of course toy stores (sorry boys and girls, i´m not taking orders). met 2 brits while in a cafe in chueca. i´ve never been so happy to meet tourists and never been so happy to hear english being spoken. finally! someone i could communicate with. they must be thinking who is this mad woman who couldn´t stop talking.

nightlife madrilenos party all night long. some clubs open only at 5-6am and close at 11am. this city has endless watering holes. i visited one that plays only flamenco music. everyone clapped and danced, flamenco style! ...very lively place, very interesting.

food i´ve tried some weird stuff so far...since i´m always making wrong guesses from a menu i cannot understand. either that or the waitress couldn't understand my orders. anyway, i say skip FABADA...it´s a stew from asturias. basically just a bowl of baked beans (like those sold in cans in singapore except that it´s a bit too salty) with 2 pieces of thick sausages (that look like lapcheong). i´m neutral over COCIDO, a pot of cooked peas with meat. i like anything with pimientos (well-cooked red peppers). the paella here is nice and the many many tapas...yummy.