I now know the difference between Barcelona and Madrid....EVERYTHING!. Hard to beloieve these sisiter cities are in the same country. They are as different as night and day. First off my hostel is not new and in the best neighborhood in the city...Uhm it is in the older red light district. Hmmm something to be said for the upgrades and things to watch for in the marketing. There is a 5th bed in the middle of the room where usually would be a coffee table or center table I get to have a bed with an asian woman sleeping on it. Funny how all over the world they come in at the crack of dawn and leave around 5am to catch some flight that must only transport crazy asian travelers, they shop at the high end stores as they alll have a bag or two from YSL/Gucci or somewhere that shows they spent a butt load of money on non-essentials and they will only eat at restaurants that have rice dishes?? Go figure. Anyway the moral of my rant is that Madrid ain't the same as Barcelona.
I went to church/mass this morning and the goal of international religious experience is to be entertained as I can't understand what they are saying. Fortunately, the Catholics are big on the floor show so there is alot of replies, sign of the cross, standing, sitting, kneeling, sitting, more kneeling ooops forgot to stand...that and the pure awesomeness of the surroundings. I tend to sit in back not the way back as that is reserved for the old codgers just like at home that don't seem to be able to get to church on time. They always straggle in loud as you please like how dare the preist start without them. It is a riot to watch. The second best part of church internationally is being able to pick the best church with the most overwhelmingly beautiful interior as I spend alll my time looking around rather than listening to the preist as I don't know what he is saying. Note to those that know me...I have attended church every Sunday except 6 this year, match that to your own record before you reply sarcastically. Having attending a catholic mass in my day i was aware when they said the Lord's Prayer and managed to mangle the english version against thier Spanish so that at least we ended together. The Cathedral i attended was not too far from my hostel and was absolutely beautiful....meaning i was entertained and blessed during the same hour. I may have been at the early bird mass as there wer only about 20 people attneding but as I left I saw that there was another crowd crush of elderly coming in so possibly they have multiple services. It was a nice way to start the Sunday's adventure.
After mass I went to the Sunday market in the Latin quarter. Talk about a crowd of people. gotta say it is alot of older folks digging into the old antique stores and the rest is tourist trash/souveniers,,,how many scarves can anyone really wear...but if you needed essentials; socks, underwear, bras they were on sale as well as wool coats, furs and men's suits as well ass the mottley pile of XXL size clothes that are hawked loudly, picked over intently, and basically left on the table all for 5euro. Needless to say I purchased nothing today as I just am shopped out. Neither Spain or Italy are my kinda shoppers paradize and anything they have i can get at home and I don't like to shop at home, so enough about that. Then of course as it started to rain rather heavily the umbrella hawkers are always ready for that quick 5euro sale...fortunately for me I have my trusty orange with white polka dot pocket size umbrella that i was given in Japan. It is not masculine, but it has kept the rain drops off my head on various occasions so for a freebie it has well served it's purpose. I see many an umbrella cast to the street as it failed to open, broke one of the collapsable arms or the fabric came loose from the arm causing it to fail in it's primary duty. Mine neither large or impressive does the job. Funny how my funny little umbrella mirrors life so often. Everyone wants to be the same and then the minute there is a breakdown they are cast aside for a newer mor efficient model, when the odd hard working one seems to just keep on plugging along. Lesson...maybe.
I did take full advantage of today's siesta hour(s)...like all six of them, amazing what winter rain does for you motivation. One word, two syllables...Draining needless to say it is now almost 11pm and I just finish eating, taking a short evening stroll and am now ending this blog....back to bed...what a great day in Madrid!
I went to church/mass this morning and the goal of international religious experience is to be entertained as I can't understand what they are saying. Fortunately, the Catholics are big on the floor show so there is alot of replies, sign of the cross, standing, sitting, kneeling, sitting, more kneeling ooops forgot to stand...that and the pure awesomeness of the surroundings. I tend to sit in back not the way back as that is reserved for the old codgers just like at home that don't seem to be able to get to church on time. They always straggle in loud as you please like how dare the preist start without them. It is a riot to watch. The second best part of church internationally is being able to pick the best church with the most overwhelmingly beautiful interior as I spend alll my time looking around rather than listening to the preist as I don't know what he is saying. Note to those that know me...I have attended church every Sunday except 6 this year, match that to your own record before you reply sarcastically. Having attending a catholic mass in my day i was aware when they said the Lord's Prayer and managed to mangle the english version against thier Spanish so that at least we ended together. The Cathedral i attended was not too far from my hostel and was absolutely beautiful....meaning i was entertained and blessed during the same hour. I may have been at the early bird mass as there wer only about 20 people attneding but as I left I saw that there was another crowd crush of elderly coming in so possibly they have multiple services. It was a nice way to start the Sunday's adventure.
After mass I went to the Sunday market in the Latin quarter. Talk about a crowd of people. gotta say it is alot of older folks digging into the old antique stores and the rest is tourist trash/souveniers,,,how many scarves can anyone really wear...but if you needed essentials; socks, underwear, bras they were on sale as well as wool coats, furs and men's suits as well ass the mottley pile of XXL size clothes that are hawked loudly, picked over intently, and basically left on the table all for 5euro. Needless to say I purchased nothing today as I just am shopped out. Neither Spain or Italy are my kinda shoppers paradize and anything they have i can get at home and I don't like to shop at home, so enough about that. Then of course as it started to rain rather heavily the umbrella hawkers are always ready for that quick 5euro sale...fortunately for me I have my trusty orange with white polka dot pocket size umbrella that i was given in Japan. It is not masculine, but it has kept the rain drops off my head on various occasions so for a freebie it has well served it's purpose. I see many an umbrella cast to the street as it failed to open, broke one of the collapsable arms or the fabric came loose from the arm causing it to fail in it's primary duty. Mine neither large or impressive does the job. Funny how my funny little umbrella mirrors life so often. Everyone wants to be the same and then the minute there is a breakdown they are cast aside for a newer mor efficient model, when the odd hard working one seems to just keep on plugging along. Lesson...maybe.
I did take full advantage of today's siesta hour(s)...like all six of them, amazing what winter rain does for you motivation. One word, two syllables...Draining needless to say it is now almost 11pm and I just finish eating, taking a short evening stroll and am now ending this blog....back to bed...what a great day in Madrid!
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