Madrid

Having spent just over two weeks touring Portugal, it was time to start exploring Spain. Finally a language I can half understand.

& what I mean by understand: I could probably tell you that I have a pencil sharpener, in my pencil case and how many pets I have in my house. You know, all the important things you learn at school.

Well where do I start?

The first hour of being in Madrid and I already found my self playing beer pong getting ready to go on a bar crawl with the hostel. Although it’s not as fun as it sounds; the cups were actually filled with water for hygiene reasons..

3 pubs, 1 club and only one rule: do not die. Well with the free tequila shots you’re giving us I can’t promise anything.

Day 1:

Going off 4hours sleep after a decent night out. Fuelling off one coffee. I went and did 30,000 steps on walking tour.

Stop one: *BOOM* the floor started shaking. I was so ready to make a run for it. When my tour guide calmly explained it was gun shots for the changing of guard. Phew. Everyone was so on edge.

Stop 2: I find myself in a church locked in a toilet. Great news. No one can hear me banging on the door and I don’t know anyone well enough to have their numbers yet to contact them. After 5 minutes of panicking I run at the door barging it open shouting ‘omg’.. oh wait I’m in a church I can’t say that.

Praying no one heard that!

Thankfully everything went well from there after I was fed paella.

With the people from the tour off I went on my second night out in Madrid. Again it didn’t disappoint. So with being with a group of 10 all day I only knew for certain 4 of their names. But it gets to a point where you can’t ask what their name is anymore. Kind of awkward. It’s a good thing instagram was invented. Quick add on there and you have everything you need to know. Their name, where they live and what they did in the summer of 2012. Oh and say hello to your dog Fluffy for me.

Day 2:

A different walking tour, a bigger group, the same paella. Can you see where this is going?

This time it was a bigger night out celebrating Chinese New Year. It’s been a long time since I’ve stayed out until 6am dancing. But you know it’s been a good night when you’ve already done 36,000 steps of dancing. Definitely wasn’t doing the 2 step this time (my steps would be a lot less).

When you meet so many people on a walking tour all up for a night out you can’t exactly be the boring one sat in the corner. Well you could but I don’t want to be boring.

Boring like all the people in my hostel dorm. Day 3 and I still don’t know them. I’m getting in from a night out and still managing to get up before them going out to enjoy my day. They may think all I do is drink but least I have stories to tell about my time in Madrid unlike letting everyone know how comfy the bed was!

Day 3:

*2hours sleep*

Left over paella for breakfast. Beats the British tradition of left over kebab!

Another walking tour…. No thankfully this was a day of rest! Fewer steps, more delicious food and a lot of fun with my new friends.

Travelling is strange. You meet people, you get on so well, become best friends with them for a few days. Then you’re all off to different parts of the world, nice to meet you, probably see you never.

Although I have very little to tell you on the historic points of Madrid, I could recommend where you can get amazing food and where to drink. All you need to know right?

Surprisingly after 3 days in Madrid, little sleep and most of the time spent drinking I felt great.

Too chilled in fact that I missed my over night bus to Morocco. I thought it was leaving Madrid at 11pm turns out it left at 10pm. It’s a good job I didn’t actually pay for my ticket already. This is such a me thing to do. Never learn. But I think I’m too much a free spirit to care.

The next bus out of Madrid was to Granada, which from a quick google image search looked nice, so off I go to Granada.

Hasto Luego Madrid I’ve had a ball.. Do you ever use a saying not understanding it?