madrid
we got into madrid yesterday evening. after a MISSION of a subway ride dragging our luggage up and down multiple flights of stairs (apparently madrid doesn't believe in accessibility), we finally made it to our PIMP of a hotel. it's a suite style hotel with 20-ft ceilings, space-age looking lighting, a spiral staircase, and a SICK main bathroom with jacuzzi bath. when i walked in, i thought i was walking into a "the real world" house.
madrid is nice. i can see why doug can go on and on about how he would want to live here. it's a big city but with a small town feel. people are really nice (unlike in barcelona), and i feel a lot safer here. barcelona was sketchy 24/7 and i was always looking over my shoulder, but madrid is different. we spent some time shopping around the main area, and just getting ourselves oriented with the place. i went to the royal palace which was absolutely BEAUTIFUL.
we went to a bullfight- which was definitely the cultural highlight of the day. i read in so many sources that madrid would be THE place to see a bullfight. basically there are different "rounds" in every bullfight so they all follow a pattern, but the bulls get heavier and heavier so it becomes more exciting as the 2 hr bullfight proceeds. first the bull runs into the ring and several of the semi-matadors try to make him run around the ring to tire him out. then there are two men that come out on blind-folded horses and they stab the bull twice in the back with spears. the bull bleeds a bit. then there are three matadors that come out with these short poles that they poke into the bull's back once again. the bull bleeds some more. sometimes the poking sticks don't stay and/or the matadors miss. then the REAL matador comes out with his red cape thingee and teases the bull until kingdom come. once he decides that the bull is tired enough, he will take his sword and stab it straight down the bull's back, hopefully going through the heart. sometimes they miss and both the bull and the spanish audience get more pissed off. but eventually it happens. after this, more semi-matadors come out the tease the bull some more until it crashes on its knees and/or lies down on the ground. then the matador takes a knife and stabs the bull several times in the head, mushing the brain. then the bull dies. there were 5 or 6 rounds in the bullfight that we saw- so we witnessed 5 or 6 bull deaths. i can definitely respect what they're doing for the sake of keeping their culture intact. apparently in barcelona, they don't kill the bulls b/c it has to be more tourist-friendly. but i'm glad that we saw the real thing. kate was really emotional in the first round and started crying. but animal cruelty in factory farming is MUCH worse. so i understand that we can't be hypocrites and be all high and mighty like bullfighting is inhumane. it's just a part of the way things are.
the girls went clubbing AGAIN tonight and i went out for some night photography AGAIN. i only got around to two sights since i left at 11pm, and i guess they switch off the lights past a certain time. i'll finish it up tmrw.
the girls leave for ibiza late tmrw evening. i have one more day left in madrid on my own before i head to santiago de compostella. that city is the end of the st. james pilgrimage and it's HIGHLY historical. i studied the church extensively in my first year history and art history elective course. so i will be nice to see it for myself.
madrid is nice. i can see why doug can go on and on about how he would want to live here. it's a big city but with a small town feel. people are really nice (unlike in barcelona), and i feel a lot safer here. barcelona was sketchy 24/7 and i was always looking over my shoulder, but madrid is different. we spent some time shopping around the main area, and just getting ourselves oriented with the place. i went to the royal palace which was absolutely BEAUTIFUL.
we went to a bullfight- which was definitely the cultural highlight of the day. i read in so many sources that madrid would be THE place to see a bullfight. basically there are different "rounds" in every bullfight so they all follow a pattern, but the bulls get heavier and heavier so it becomes more exciting as the 2 hr bullfight proceeds. first the bull runs into the ring and several of the semi-matadors try to make him run around the ring to tire him out. then there are two men that come out on blind-folded horses and they stab the bull twice in the back with spears. the bull bleeds a bit. then there are three matadors that come out with these short poles that they poke into the bull's back once again. the bull bleeds some more. sometimes the poking sticks don't stay and/or the matadors miss. then the REAL matador comes out with his red cape thingee and teases the bull until kingdom come. once he decides that the bull is tired enough, he will take his sword and stab it straight down the bull's back, hopefully going through the heart. sometimes they miss and both the bull and the spanish audience get more pissed off. but eventually it happens. after this, more semi-matadors come out the tease the bull some more until it crashes on its knees and/or lies down on the ground. then the matador takes a knife and stabs the bull several times in the head, mushing the brain. then the bull dies. there were 5 or 6 rounds in the bullfight that we saw- so we witnessed 5 or 6 bull deaths. i can definitely respect what they're doing for the sake of keeping their culture intact. apparently in barcelona, they don't kill the bulls b/c it has to be more tourist-friendly. but i'm glad that we saw the real thing. kate was really emotional in the first round and started crying. but animal cruelty in factory farming is MUCH worse. so i understand that we can't be hypocrites and be all high and mighty like bullfighting is inhumane. it's just a part of the way things are.
the girls went clubbing AGAIN tonight and i went out for some night photography AGAIN. i only got around to two sights since i left at 11pm, and i guess they switch off the lights past a certain time. i'll finish it up tmrw.
the girls leave for ibiza late tmrw evening. i have one more day left in madrid on my own before i head to santiago de compostella. that city is the end of the st. james pilgrimage and it's HIGHLY historical. i studied the church extensively in my first year history and art history elective course. so i will be nice to see it for myself.