Una exploracion interisante

An interesting exploration thus far as my third day spent in Madrid draws to a rather tasteful close. This morning was spent at an exhibition that my recent travel buddy was so estatic about called the bodies exhibition. She explained it like this to those who asked: It´s like that scene in Casino Royal where there is an exhibition going on about human anatomy and it´s really neat and just absolutely amazing according to all that I´ve spoken with. This is how I describe it: Not worth it! It wasn´t a bad experience but being (what I´ve dubbed myself as) a fruggle traveler I don´t like to spend money if I don´t have too. And even after two discounts (one in which we received from showing a card from the hostel the other which I received for having an international student ID card) it still costed 12 euros ($18). I know what you´re thinking "Holy crap!" right? Yes well we musn´t forget that American´s are jipped and ripped of anyways with the currency being worth more than our own. But still,I´m cheap what can I say! In greater detail the exhibition was actually rather disturbing. Very insightful and a great learning experience especially so if you´re going into anything medicinal and what not. But it was short for the price as I paid to get into the prada ($5) I was aloud to see four times as much as what was in the exhibition. And before I had arrived I guess there was one tiny detail that was feigned from being mentioned. They were real bodies, real dead human specimens cut open for the enjoyment of an audience. The worst is yet to come as it wasn´t just bodies there were real: lungs (healthy and smokers) real muscles, real blood cells, arteries, veins, bones, bone marrow, tissue, and even the several stages of a fetus. Yes that´s right tiny dead babies in a bottle on display for entertainment and or learning purposes. Starting at a few weeks old all the way to birth, and all REAL! I was slightly preturbed by this to say the least. Worst of all there people roaming around the whole time and I couldn´t even snap an illegal photo unlike in the museum. Not that I might have wanted to anyways. I´m not easy to get queesy but this exhibition had me feeling a little light in the head... didn´t help the AC was broken and it was close to 90 degrees in the mesuem...

After having made a quick race through that I waited for my companion to finish and in the mean while discussed some local attractions with one of the attendants of the exhibition. We takled shopping, we talked food, and we talked futbol!! She gave me a cute little pocket map with better details of the city then the one given to me at the hostel and told me just how to get to our next stop. I had asked her bout taking a tour of the local (and rather famous) estadio del futbol (soccer stadium). She told me it was right there next to the Palacio Real which seemed to make sense since the stadium was for Real Madrid (pronounced ray-al not real like it looks) so we ventured over to see the royal palace (Palacio Real) and the extremely large and grand church that was next door. Well turns out my guide was a liar. After a quick stop in a local bookstore I was told the stadium was on the complete opposite end of town (30 to 45 minute walk from where we were, which was already a 20-25minutes walk from our hostel) SO needless to say that idea was steadily crushed. Instead we self toured as much of the Palace as we could (without paying of course!!) and the same for the church and the beautiful buildings and cafés surrounding it. Many more great pictures to come on Sunday of course. And all along the way to these places window shopped... lots of shopping... we first took a quick detour through the fashion district of Madrid looking at dresses and handbags priced in the thousands... (and that´s in euros) there was an outfit that I´d absolutely fallen in love with but once I realized I´d seen a car on the street for the exact same price I was very eager to put it back.

So after that it had long become Siesta and shops were beginning to close we decided it best to head back and siesta ourselves. My travel partner turned in for the night while I, after having taken a short nap, went out for a drink down the street where I met someone from Denmark and we talked, and talked, and of course drank a little. Adding to the list of adventurous taste testing is Spanish beer or cervesa. Served in a wine like cup it was actually very tasteful and good. Nothing at all like the American beers we are accustomed to. It was very rich in texture and taste. The taste is indescribable, but just know it is good. Comically water and beer cost about the same here and beer is sold in individual cans in the little supermarkets around town. Different to say the least. After that it was back to the hostel where I am currently sitting typing this listening to the other travelers chatting noisely and playing some clapping game all getting ready to go out to the clubs and have a good time. But tomorrow is another early day, the only plans thus far are checking out the stadium (and possibly gettnig some tickets to the game) and a little self exploration. Besides who goes clubbing alone? Aswell, there will be plenty of time for that in San Sebastian where I´ve been told I will be able to learn to surf and even flamenco as well as a few other dances. That should begin Monday though. In the meantime, one more day left in Madrid, then Sunday will be spent at a nice hotel in San Sebastian where orientation will take place and school will begin the following Wednesday. So for now it´s buenas noches (good night),till tomorrow...