Madrid

This trip was really made possible by my Spanish colleague Eva. She was nice enough to let myself and another gringo, our colleague Jeff, stay at her place for a weekend in Madrid. After arriving late Friday and calling it a night at 4:00 AM (early by Spanish standards), we awoke early on Saturday and took on the city. It was a sweltering 4000 degrees, and if it weren't for the numerous drinking fountains throughout the city, I wouldn't have survived. Just walking around the city all day was really great, stopping here and there for a bite to eat and maybe some sangria. But the streets really do empty out after lunch, during siesta time - and don't plan on getting hungry until about 10:00 PM, that's dinner time. When the temperature finally starts to break, and the sun starts going down, that's when the streets come alive. There really is an excitement in the air like no other place I've been.

This last night, we did it right, leaving the last club at 8:00 AM. At that point, it was time for churros - a traditional fried pastry served with a cup of melted chocolate for dipping (start the day right!). The place we went to was packed with people that had just left the clubs and bars, it was hilarious. All in all, Madrid isn't as pretty as Barcelona, but the nightlife is just as good.