MY FIRST FULL DAY IN SPAIN!

This morning I woke at 7am but failed to leave the house until 10am. I was trying to upload photos onto iphotos and the bloody thing wasn't working. This post will be without photos until I get it to work. And the last post has photos that aren't upright but hopefully I can change that later... It was another scorcher of a day so I needed to begin with a trip to the next door bar for agua con gas, un cafe and bocadillos - bread with jamon y tomate. This was going to turn into a day of jamon. The waiter kindly offered me a second one which filled my heart with the joy of generosity.

Feeling confident and independant, and also a bit shy and vulnerable, I sat sipping my coffee and gulping my water, taking photos, reading a map and flicking through my lonely planet. I felt like a cultured, yet cliche, tourist.

I asked for directions and skipped out of the bar to make my way to el museo de prado. This museum is one of the world's greats and was on a par with the Uffizi in Florence.

The walk to the museum was a highlight. I was wide-eyed and bushy tailed, feeling like I was in Europe for the first time. I kept thinking how my trip to Italy last year had been like a trip down memory lane, full of emotion including melancholy and sadness as well as joy and resolution.

Today I felt present and life felt full of beauty and potential and the future felt open and full of confidence and curiosity.

I was soon in another gastronomical delight of a place for more jamon y pan y agua con gas.

As I walked I marvelled at history and the creativity and genius of mankind.

I also marvelled at the uniqueness of cultures.... and individuals...

 I reflected on my blessings and the love that surrounded me, until I came across another bar and went in for a limonata but came away with another sangria - when in Spain do as the espanoles.

I got excited about the food next to me. Food-aholic!!! Al-coholic!!! Life-aloholic!!!

I marvelled at the the paradoxes and ironies of life, and the modern chain reaction....

I was on El paseo del prado and before long I was standing outside the museo. I was firstly stopped by a lady outside who told me the museum was free from 6-8pm but otherwise cost 12 euro. We chatted and I felt grateful for her kindness, until she brought up the real reason she had stopped me in my tracks. She wanted money for a charity; 5 euros and en cambio I would receive a map of Spain. Not bad I thought but my thoughts related to her manipulation won the psychological dilemma and I told her I only had a credit card and went to the museum where I paid my 12 euro. I told her that I had wondered why she was taking her time to help me save money. We laughed about it and with my blushed cheeks I walked away, in the wrong direction!

The museum was bellissimo, guapisimo, increible, fantastico, and much much more. I had affairs with Velazquez, Rubens and El Greco amongst others; a creative orgy of sorts. But I fell completely and utterly in love with Goya! It is a relationship I will nurture for the rest of my life. I kept going up close to paintings to see the detail that looked simple and in some cases flawed and then I would walk backwards and see them transform before me into embellished and graceful masterpieces. The naked Maja was a favourite, as well as La familia de Carlos IV.

When I left left the museum and kissed Goya goodbye I came across this garden wall. I was fascinated by it. I got really frustrated with an Asian couple (why did I need to say Asian?) who were up close to it and wouldn't let me take my photo. Then I went up close and experienced the smells and colour and up-close visual beauty and understood.

Then, I was off to get more food (jamon based - jamon and brie to be precise) and a freshly squeezed lemon, orange and grapefruit juice!

After that it was straight to the parque del retiro: an enormous park full of tree lined lanes, lakes and palacios.

  There were fountains and waterfalls and the magnolias caught my attention. It must be because of the one I have at home and because it is amongst the few of mis conocidos of the flora family.

The heat was intense but the beauty of the park and my sheer determination allowed me to see much of its grace and beauty. I stopped at almost overy snack joint to buy water.

The main lake was full of boats for hire and the scene was glorious.

Unfortunately I couldn't make it to another museum as it was too late but I did stumble into a bar where I ordered a plate of jamon with bread and 2 beers for 4.99 euro. I smiled to myself reflecting on the idea that by me eating and drinking in Spain I am helping a country in need. That is my kind of social work!

I wandered home full of the joys (and exhaustion) of the day stopping only to buy more water. I then discovered that Madrid is one of the few places in Spain where it is safe to drink tap water. Not sure why an overpopulated urban area would produce safe drinking water but hey, might be on the list of questions to be asked tomorrow!

After a two hour sleep this arvo I made it to a local pub to watch Spain beat Portugal in the semi final of futbol. It was crazy!!! Can't get more cultural than that! It was an Aotearoa equivalent of drunken, colourful, sports culture. The differences were that there was more colour, more expressive passion and less alcohol. But shit, beers for 1 euro, any New Zealander would be off their face!

Until tomorrow!