I have such lousy friends. I can't believe you people let me think that joining a tour group for 9 days was a good idea. Why did nobody point out that this would drive me bonkers? Actually you all stayed silent for your own amusement, didn't you? You all suck.
I have in essence become one of those people I normally poke fun at. You know the ones. They travel in packs (we have over 50 on our bus. 50!!!!). They wear name badges (I kid you not). They have mandatory wake up calls at an hour that stats with the number 6. It is crazy. We can't even pick our own seats on the bus. You have to find your name each morning (it moves four rows forward or back depending on the side of the bus you were the day before). I have also lowered the mean age of the tour group by about 30 years. People are not making comparisons between me and their children. Nooooooo, they are making comparisons between me and their grandchildren!
I was horrified when I discovered tonight that the loud wannabe middle aged actor/singer in our group was Australian (why can't my people behave?). Meals are quite tiring as you are interrogated as to where you are from and what you do (you can all imagine how well I dealt with that at breakfast at 7am this morning). The next person who asks me when I am finishing university might just wear a drink (I don't look THAT young). You also seem to have to be able to engage on a range of topics at dinner. Tonight I discussed the Stanley Cup finals, the re-emergence of communism in Hong Kong, employment terms and conditions for American academics and New Zealand politics.
All right, enough ranting. Am in Madrid, which has been tiring. I got horribly lost in the airport (it apparently should be intuitive that you arrive, go up a level for immigration, then down three to catch a train to a station where you go up another two levels and get you luggage). I also had a moment of panic at immigration where I blanked on how to say hello in Spanish. Two days in and thankfully those Spanish lessons from 12 years ago seem to be coming back to me.
We've eaten lots of yummy food, and drunk some yummy wine and sangria. Actually "food" might be too broad. We seem to be subsisting on a ham only diet. And just to be clear, that is not a complaint!
Today we went to Toledo (the "religious capital" of Spain).
Toledo is famous for marzipan candy. It is made by the nuns...
Some of those swords were so heavy I could not even lift them. No idea how one swashbuckles with one...
We spent the afternoon touring around Madrid and avoiding the Real Madrid fans.
Below is the main square in the old town. It is where they pronounced kings, and married off royalty.
In the evening, we headed to the Madrid opera house for a fairly spectacular dinner, and listen to some amazing singing. They told us that at the opera house they put screens outside so that people that can't get a ticket can also watch from the square outside.
We also took a stroll past the royal palace...
On the way back to the hotel the key was to avoid that massive party Real Madrid fans were having in the middle of town to celebrate the big win today over Seville. Tomorrow we are heading to the home of Carmen and Don Quixote (and the losing football team), Seville. I'm told there will be flamenco dancing. Hopefully they have sunshine as well, because that £15 umbrella I bought last week at Top Shop isn't holding up...
I have in essence become one of those people I normally poke fun at. You know the ones. They travel in packs (we have over 50 on our bus. 50!!!!). They wear name badges (I kid you not). They have mandatory wake up calls at an hour that stats with the number 6. It is crazy. We can't even pick our own seats on the bus. You have to find your name each morning (it moves four rows forward or back depending on the side of the bus you were the day before). I have also lowered the mean age of the tour group by about 30 years. People are not making comparisons between me and their children. Nooooooo, they are making comparisons between me and their grandchildren!
I was horrified when I discovered tonight that the loud wannabe middle aged actor/singer in our group was Australian (why can't my people behave?). Meals are quite tiring as you are interrogated as to where you are from and what you do (you can all imagine how well I dealt with that at breakfast at 7am this morning). The next person who asks me when I am finishing university might just wear a drink (I don't look THAT young). You also seem to have to be able to engage on a range of topics at dinner. Tonight I discussed the Stanley Cup finals, the re-emergence of communism in Hong Kong, employment terms and conditions for American academics and New Zealand politics.
All right, enough ranting. Am in Madrid, which has been tiring. I got horribly lost in the airport (it apparently should be intuitive that you arrive, go up a level for immigration, then down three to catch a train to a station where you go up another two levels and get you luggage). I also had a moment of panic at immigration where I blanked on how to say hello in Spanish. Two days in and thankfully those Spanish lessons from 12 years ago seem to be coming back to me.
We've eaten lots of yummy food, and drunk some yummy wine and sangria. Actually "food" might be too broad. We seem to be subsisting on a ham only diet. And just to be clear, that is not a complaint!
Today we went to Toledo (the "religious capital" of Spain).
Toledo is famous for marzipan candy. It is made by the nuns...
They also make unique jewelry and silver work (best in the world apparently. How would you demonstrate you were the best? Point out that you made the swords for the Lord of The Rings movies apparently. Kiwis in the group loved that). Some of the silver was cool...
Some of those swords were so heavy I could not even lift them. No idea how one swashbuckles with one...
We spent the afternoon touring around Madrid and avoiding the Real Madrid fans.
Below is the main square in the old town. It is where they pronounced kings, and married off royalty.
In the evening, we headed to the Madrid opera house for a fairly spectacular dinner, and listen to some amazing singing. They told us that at the opera house they put screens outside so that people that can't get a ticket can also watch from the square outside.
We also took a stroll past the royal palace...
On the way back to the hotel the key was to avoid that massive party Real Madrid fans were having in the middle of town to celebrate the big win today over Seville. Tomorrow we are heading to the home of Carmen and Don Quixote (and the losing football team), Seville. I'm told there will be flamenco dancing. Hopefully they have sunshine as well, because that £15 umbrella I bought last week at Top Shop isn't holding up...
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