Okay, Madrid is for Cool People.

A few days before we left to Madrid we basically didn't know anything about it other than the bull fighting. So we did lots of research (meaning Sam did) and we asked around and by Thursday night we had a wonderful trip planned ahead of us. This first picture was our first encounter of Madrid life. It is a bunch of dudes selling crap. . . no seriously it was like used hairspray bottles, used shoes that looked two steps away from falling apart and other stuff that was probably cheaper new from the store than it was from these guys.

Museo del Prado

This was the first attraction we went to. It was so funny to me because there are these historical, old important monuments in the middle of intersections- ancient world mixed with new world= madrid (well more accurately Europe, but for the sake of this post lets just say Madrid).

It's really foreign to the life of an American though.

Once we were worn out from all our hard work site seeing we stopped and got the most amazing smoothies I have ever had. Mine was mango and mine was better.

It's so funny because in Europe McDonalds are classy. They always look super cool with funky colors and modern layouts and lots of them have two floors or a basement.

We ended up booking our hostel really late and so we were placed in different rooms. Me with 4 girls and a dude, then Sam with 4 girls and a Mom. If you couldn't tell neither of us slept that well but they gave us free breakfast and it only cost 18e a night. The hostel was a 5 minute walk from the middle of they city it was so cool! (but not the sleeping seperate part, of course- that was kind of freaky.)

Right in front of our hostel.

Art.

Can you find Sam in this picture?

Her is a close up of where he was. Is that palace huge!

Now try and find me!

Well, if you couldn't find me in that last picture you sure won't miss me in this one (I am the one with the thighs.) This shoes are basically the only ones we have and they rock (my toms and Sam's Nike frees-sorry about the commercial break.)

Then we arrived at my favorite part- the food market! I will give you a moment to drool. Seriously, this market stays open til 2 am and offers a variety of desserts, spanish specialties, fresh fruit, meats, fresh bread, lots of wine, and tons of other stuff that made me weak at the knees. I could have spent all our money here in a heart beat. This was more inciting then any architecture or museum.

We took a break in their huge park, a break meaning he read, I slept. The weather was so good I couldn't resist.

Then we headed to see one last thing before we caught the bus home- the famous ancient bull fighting arena. . . I was so excited to see this.

. . . but when we got their this is what we found . . .

And this is Sam's reaction to the news . . .

They were having the circus inside the bull fighting arena and so we couldn't see inside the arena unless we bought tickets to the circus . . .

So we did!!!
Here is how it all went down. We were looking at the prices and thinking we really shouldn't spend that much money and we were debating whether it was worth it when this lady came up to us and said, "dkfjselifnsgliedkg." Which I guess meant "our two friends didn't show up so we will give you their tickets for half price." I quickly responded to her YES! and I think she knew what that meant. This was the first time at the circus for both of us. And what a great time to do it . . Madrid, Bull fighting arena, Spanish clowns. . . It was all to amazing. We ended up taking a later bus so we could watch the circus and then go back to the city center and eat more.

Being in Europe gives me the right to eat more and eat lots of treats, right? Good, cause I'm not slowing down and we sure know Sam isn't either.