In Full Swing

CASH MONEY: A look at the local currency

Monday night was cold and rainy, but that didn’t stop the crew from rallying for the half-off special at an awesome Spanish restaurant chain called Cien Montaditos. The menu has a hundred tapas to choose from for just 50 céntimos each, and we demolished at least thirty between the ten of us. Matt and I (the Gringos) went with girls from Francia, Italia, México, Latvia and Chile, and it was a night of both hilarity and cultural learning.

CIEN MONTADITOS: A jolly Monday night out with good friends 

     Tuesday was a long day of classes, except that I shared a leisurely lunch with Tere, who skipped her class to eat pizza with me. For the record, the Spanish fast food pizza chain called Telepizza puts Dominoes and Pizza Hut to shame. Eating in the company of a stunner may have made the barbacoa taste that much more delicious, but more than anything I think it was the softer dough. The rain has been relentless, but at least the weather can only get better from here (I hope).

     Today, I had a tennis tryout so I could be placed in the appropriate skill level for class. It was windy and wet and I hadn’t picked up a racket in three weeks, so I figured it was pretty hopeless. To my surprise, I came out cranking ‘em and was placed in the highest level, which I can only attribute to the ping-pong I’ve been playing with the Spaniards in the dorm, which has kept my hand-eye coordination up to par. The tennis class starts Monday, and I can hardly wait to see how I compare to the university’s top talent (I’m pessimistic).

     Even though I write this at 9PM on a Thursday, the most electric night of the weekend, the party won’t start for many hours yet. I figure I still have time to sneak in a REM cycle before catching the last train into the city. When you’re living the Spanish university lifestyle, you gotta get your Z’s when you can!

CITY RACE: One of many painfully awkward events that day - gotta love icebreakers!

EL PRADO: Who thought art could be so fun?

EL PALACIO REAL: The photo doesn't quite capture the true majesty of the royal palace, nor does it do justice to the fact that it was so cold I was shivering like a mobster in a tax office.