A Taste of Madrid

Today, we were all over Madrid. We met lots of Pat's friends and did some of the top things on our list of things to do during our stay here (and are getting VERY used to the metro).

The first thing on the docket for today was a visit to El Rastro -- Europe's largest outdoor marketplace. People packed the streets to get their piece of the super inexpensive goods. We each found plenty of things to our liking.

After El Rastro, we found croissants and cafe con leche at a nearby shop. Next up: the Plaza De La Puerta Del Sol. It was chilly today (about 40 degrees), but it was still hopping with activity. This is the equivalent to Times Square. Street performers abound. And just around the corner...

The Plaza Mayor. Those who have seen the movie "Vantage Point" would recognize it immediately. But there is a lot of history here (more of which we will learn from Rick Steves tomorrow on our self-guided tour).

Then at about 2:00 (that's when lunch happens here), we met a big batch of Pat's friends for an authentic Chinese meal to celebrate the Chinese New Year. What a fun meal! There were 10 of us representing several countries, speaking four different languages (but of course, everyone knew English!).

Next, we headed to the massive park in Madrid: Parque Del Buen Retiro. Boasting monuments upon monuments as well as some ancient Roman ruins, this park was a fun escape from the bustling city. Pat is training for a half-marathon and he thought he would run while Erinn and I explored the park. This time, the cold worked in our favor. Usually busy, we were able to explore without battling the crowds.

Typically, dinner happens late, and we were still full from our 2:00 lunch, so churros were our next stop. We met another batch of Pat's friends (from Wisconsin and the USA) for churros and hot chocolate at a tasty and popular place near the Plaza Del Sol downtown. Yum!!

Tonight, we finally got to meet Pat's roommate, Rachel. She's from northern England and is very fun. We're going to try to catch up on some sleep and really explore the city tomorrow while Pat is at work. That's all for now! Stay tuned for more from Madrid!

-Katy