Putas and Plumas

This, our second week of classes, was much fun and culminated in Stacy’s birthday last night.  (Actually, we call her Staky or possibly Staqui as her host mom couldn’t say Stacy).  Classes were regular, nothing out of the ordinary happened.  I did learn how to ask for things at a restaurant, which is helpful.  One day, we drank Sangria in between our classes which was lots o’ fun.  They have these cups here that are called minis but this title is oxymoronic.  Minis are gigantic. 

At home I was again scolded, this time for leaving two bobby pins in the pocket of my pants.  This fam situation is not getting less awk as I had hoped.  Hmm Also, the warm milk smells pretty rank, I do not want to eat/drink it.  I think I will just pour it down the sink in secret increments. But on a brighter note, I now eat chocolate cookies for breakfast!  This is odd, but delicious, I wonder if it is usual here.

Last night, Thursday, we went out for Staky’s bday!  It was fun and eventful and so looonng.  The metros close at 1:30 and open at 6, and so we stayed out until the metros opened again because the night busses are impossible to navigate (impeccable logic at work there). 

Here are some highlights:

We had dinner on an awesome roof terrace

We ate cake in a random plaza

It was bird themed as so Rachel wore a peacock dress and I wore feathers in my hair! So avian!

Scary lightning!

See the asterisk below for our brush with the law. (not really do not get worried)

And finally chocolate con churros

I was a great bday party, but unfortunately after getting home at 6, Felicia and I had to be at the Palacio Real (Royal Palace) at 10.  We took a pretty AMAZING tour of the palace, it was so intricately decorated, but unfortunately I was not allowed to take any pics inside. But here is the outside:

After this we went to an awesome market, Retiro (a very superb park), 1^st lunch (not satisfying) and 2^nd lunch (very satisfying! Felicia and I went to THE FANCIEST MCDONALDS IN THE WORLD) it is really impressive!  There are marble columns and the ceiling is gold! Later we are going out for a low-key night hopefully with no car chases or thing of that nature.

And back by popular demand, a continuation to the orderless list:

12. All of the deodorant here is the roll on kind. I hope this works as well as the other kind or I will be a very smelly girl this semester.

13. There are not actually street signs here…there are usually plaques on the corner of the buildings, but not always.

15. The sidewalks are sometimes not sidewalks at all, but secret streets. 

*For example (n.b. this might be inappropriate): Last night Felicia, Stacy and I (unfortunately Rachel was wandering around Madrid at this point and was not there to witness this bizarre event) were walking on a pedestrian street nicknamed Calle Puta (whore street) when we were caught unaware in the middle of a low speed police chase.  Calle Puta is a necessary evil to get to chocolate con churros (another necessary evil). At first I didn’t know we were in a police chase, I was used to small European cars driving at me on sidewalks.  However, there were like ten toy-sized police cars following this other one.  The whores and we were dodging the cops and this crazy culprit but everyone was only going 10mph because the cars were super tiny.  It turned into a foot race and amazingly enough the two criminal guys got away.  But on the brighter side our night ended with 5 am churros!

16. They have We Buy Gold people here too!  Except they wear police-like vests and accost the people on the street. 

17. I hope this is not the case for America… but girls here wear THE MOST RIDICULOUS PANTS I’VE EVER SEEN.  They are like a mix between clown pants, MC Hammer pants, and Aladdin pants.  Here is Rachel modeling a very modest example…usually the crotch is down by the ankles. ( I do not know what Heather is doing/wearing in this picture....but it is very funny)

Here is a more accurate example:

18. The movie theaters are super fancy and have assigned seats- there are ushers and every thing.  Felicia and I went to see Lope again we did not understand it any better but It was still epic.

Ok I am off to meet people in Sol for a hopefully less ridiculous night!

Hasta la vista,

Hilary