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Did you know that getting a good night's sleep helps your life so much? This is the lesson I learned today. I woke up after sleeping the whole night, not researching scholarships. It was magical. However, this morning I spent working on scholarships and essays. I gave up on being responsible around eleven. Giving up on responsibility for me means dancing and singing to Grease songs in the shower, while making sure water doesn't get in my coffee cup. Go big or go home. That's my motto.
I was pretty stoked on life when I left for Madrid this morning. Still singing "you better shape up, oo oo ooooo!" I boarded the Metro. I mean that sentence quite literally. I got some strange looks. When I got to Madrid, my first stop was Isabel's Plaza, next to the Palace de Real. This isn't like other plaza's I've been to lately. It isn't an open square. Instead groomed shrubbery line path ways and form designs around sculptures. However, everyone is still sprawled across the lawns, benches, and for two especially classy men, right in the middle of the path. The sun dragged business men out for lunch. Since it is next to the Palace and the Cathedral, tourists cover the grounds. I walked through the area then headed to the Cathedral.
Remember how I said the Cathedral was beautiful and I couldn't wait to go inside? Well I did today. And I was right. It's incredible. Not only is the actual cathedral amazing, but the presentation and museum was incredibly well done as well. On top of that, it was Monday which meant few people. For six euros you get a muesum tour, inside the cathedral and the crypt, and an audio guided tour. This "Europe On A Shoestring" advisor recommends seeing this spot when you are in Madrid. And the audio guide was super fun too. Normally, it's that awkard black brick thing you hold to your ear. Well here, you connect to their WiFi. Then they connect you to a site. As you go through, based on where you are, it tells you what you're looking at. I was very impressed. You aren't allowed to take pictures, but I snuck some. Shhh. You go through a museum of amazing art (Yes! Art that impressed even me! Whoa!) and artifacts that are incredible. I also recommend this stop because the audio guide is also well put together. Some audio guides are very long and quite boring. With this one, each stop is to the point and interesting. It keeps you moving along, but gives plenty of information. You work your way through the museum until you reach the stairs upwards.
The stairs lead to the balcony over looking the open courtyard area of the Palace de Real and Cathedral. The audio guide explained how normally cathedrals try face east and west, but this one faces north and south. Do you get that visual? That means the front and back are normally facing east/west and the sides are facing north/south. Hopefully that makes sense. Anyway, they broke tradition in this case because of the Palace. They wanted the entrances to face each other in order to form a unified look of government and church. I liked that visual. I also liked the view from the balcony a lot.
After the balcony, you work your way up the stairs once again. This time you go to the top of the dome. You can look inside at the people exploring cathedral below. Then you go outside to a walkway around the church. As you stand next to the large statues adorning the top of the cathedral you can see for Madrid for miles. It is very impressive. The audio guide tells you what you're looking at from every angle as well. Well done, La Catedral de Santa María. Well done.
Finally, you take an elevator back to the bottom floor. Through a door, you go into the main cathedral. It is massive. It's fairly well lit. Not Sagrada La Familia well lit, but well done. Small chapels wrap around the main alter. I think that's what was most impressive about this church in my opinion. The amount of chapels was impressive. Most have around six or so. But this one has so many! Each one is carefully adorned and gorgeous. I enjoyed exploring these.
The crypt... well honestly, I wasn't very impressed. There was an alter at the front, with benchs going back from there. Obviously, you could have services here. Then side rooms held family graves. (Sidebar. When do you say grave versus tomb? Is tomb with a room around the actual grave? What is the difference? Because I always stuggle with which word to go with. If someone knows the exact terminology, do share.) I wasn't impressed because there were no special notes or anything on any of the name plates. So it was literally a big room of stones with names. I like reading their stories, or something. At least that they were a father or something. But no, name and date. Boom. Well okay then.
After this, I enjoyed a sunny lunch in Isabel's Plaza. I walked around streets filled with stores for a while after that. I peaked in tourist shops and stores filled with handmade crafts. In one souvenir shop, I FINALLY found a España sticker for my waterbottle. Success. I continued exploring side streets and small shops. I love doing this. I feel like you are really seeing the area when you do this. Tourist stops like the cathedral are wonderful but don't compare to just walking the streets until you are lost. As I wandered, a man came up to me in one plaza and tapped me on the shoulder. I instinctively pulled away. He said in broken English, "I'm sorry I scared you. I just wanted to tell you you're beautiful. You need to keep smiling because you have a great smile." Then he left. Well then. Thank you random stranger. That sounds super creepy, but it really wasn't at all. Have to love España.
I decided it was time for my afternoon constitutional. And by that, I mean nap. I decided the perfect place for this would be the Parque de Retiro. I'm really hooked on this spot. Especially next to the lake. Ah, wonderful. I took the Metro there. I slowly walked to the lake. When I got there it had no people compared to Saturday. There will still numerous people but comparatively it was empty. As I walked down the boulevard next to the lake, a man started playing guitar. He was singing Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, John Prine, Bob Marley, and so on. I guess I must be in serious singing deprivation because I sang along with every song, making up harmonies as often as I could. I knew most of them, but the anyone I didn't know I would hum along anyway. I initally sat on a bench next to him, but I moved to a grassy spot behind him. I took off my shoes, working my toes into the field of flowers beneath me. I unabashedly sang outloud to the trees in front of me as the guitar echoed through the park. Man, I do miss my guitar and piano. If someone would like to ship me a guitar, that'd be wonderful. But I loved this afternoon's "jam" session. I loved harmonizing with familiar songs. I loved the field of flowers. Ah, perfection.
I got home in time to spend time with Hugo. Sonia said if he spoke English with me he didn't have to study for an exam on Wednesday. I said I would absolutely help with this procrastination. So Hugo and I talked for maybe an hour or so. We played games and I showed him videos we watched in my spanish classes. He thought those were pretty entertaining. (Billy La Bufanda and Neccesita Ir Al Baño for example, for any RMLHS people out there.) I showed him pictures of Alaska and climbing websites. I asked at the end if he wants to come to Alaska now. He said yes. Sonia said no. Maybe someday. I tried to show him traveling websites because the idea of me inspiring him to travel the world is amazing to me. He seemed pretty excited about it. Awesome. Ending a day inspiring a nine-year-old to travel? Doesn't get better.
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Okay guys. I got a serious lack of response from the last post. I really would like your input because I'm trying to decide what readers would prefer. (If you don't know what I am talking about, go read the end of last post.) I can't do that without hearing back from readers. Please let me know! Thank you! Your support means the world to me!
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