The FIRST Weekend!

It just has to be said: España is incredible!

Yesterday morning Caroline (who runs a LOT!) took me running and kicked my butt! We ran for an hour straight through some of the most gorgeous countryside I have ever seen. It looked like a scene out of Robin Hood and the Sherwood Forest! Winding paths, stone fences, GREEN and of course, horses and cows just sharing the area with the running paths. We found our way back into town and then got ready really fast to meet up with Laurel. We all took the bus into Madrid yesterday to meet up with Katie who lives there with her familia.

The four of us went into what is the equivalent of Central Park, but in Madrid. And let´s just say that it actually outdoes Central Park by a million. There were peacocks just hanging out like no big deal. There were sculptures and people laying out sun tanning and then a HUUUUGE pond-lake in the center where you can rent little boats. There were so many people, but surprisingly what I noticed is that it was all very clean! In fact, Madrid is now the cleanest big city I have ever seen. Makes San Francisco look like a garbage dump. I didn´t see homelessness or trash or anything. And on weird smells.

We visitied the Jardin de Botanico (Botanical Gardens). AMAZING! I´m amazed at how respectful people are of places like that here. In America, you´d have to have glass walls or chain link fences keeping people back. Not here, the respect for things is just on a whole different level.

After that we went to El Tigre for tres cidras and tapas! I LOVE THAT THE SPANISH SERVE FOOD WITH THEIR DRINKS!! Smart, once again. These tapas rocked my world. Who needed dinner after that? It was cool because you order a round and they automatically give you plates full of amazingness and it´s all a part of the drink order. YUM!

We then meandered and had some authentic mojitos at Club Havana, a Cuban bar. There was a guy with hair that we decided was either super healthy or super greasy. Hmmm..it was also longer than mine and curlier.

The funny part of the night happened on our way to discoteca or this dance club called Taboo that the girls like. We had decided that all the policia in España are very attractive until we saw this particular group of older and well, shorter slightly pudgier policia. Katie (thinking she was saying this quietly as we walked by) was saying ¨hmm...ugly...ugly....ugly...and...ugly...darn...¨ Well, they heard her somehow and one of them said back as we passed ¨We heard you!!¨ oh shit. So we walked faster feeling sorta bad and laughing a lot. Guess they can´t all be eye candy! hehe

We had a great night at Taboo. It didn´t get really packed until 3 am and we danced for a little bit, but it was soooooooooo crowded on the dance floor that I don´t think my moves were at par haha ;) Laurel made friends with some locals because she speaks great Spanish and it kinda made me sad. I really need to learn or at least I have this huge desire. Need class stat!!!

Laurel and I took the 5:30 bus back out to our town. I fell asleep around 6:45 a.m. Now, that´s a first!!!!

Today has been a relaxing Sunday of playing with the boys and visiting with Silvia and Alberto. This familia amazes me. More on that to come!