I have spent the past 24 hours in the beautiful city of Madrid. I arrived yesterday around 2:15 and caught the city centre bus from the airport –so far so good. I had google directions to the casa de la plaza hostel from the city centre stop so it should have been a piece of cake,right?
I arrived at my hostel at about 5 pm after almost 3 hours of hopeless wandering. Google uses street names,so does Madrid but it took me 2 hours to realize they are painted onto the buildings. There is no grid here but there are beautiful plazas –plaza mayor and plaza del sol and plaza Miguel –all beautiful and all very close to my hostel –I have walked through them many,many times while looking for this place. Oh well,you can imagine my joy when I finally did find my home for the night.
After checking in and having a quick shower I headed back out to hunt down my first glass of Spanish wine and a bear statue,where I was to meet Pen,a friend of a friend. I took great stock into where home was so I wouldn’t get lost again,but I did anyway.
I did find my wine,the statue and Pen and her girlfriend Judith. They took me to a couple of places for tapas and wine and it was a fantastic first night in Madrid. We’re heading to a blues bar tonight that I’m really looking forward to.
I spent today figuring out this beautiful city. I have a good map now and have even toured the cathedral. I am heading out to the Prado Museum soon as its free from 6 to 8 pm. It really isn’t so much that I’m cheap –really –it’s just that I am going to be here for almost 2 months!
The easy life does end soon. I will be off to St. Jean Pied de Port tomorrow. I catch the first train at 8 am. The real adventure is about to begin.
