Olives without bones

{our sexy legs}

San Miguel Market. It was disgusting on a few levels. I was overwhelmed. At once attracted by interesting options and presentations of food and drink, and repelled by the people milling blithely around the cramped space. I hated the effect it had on me- basically inducing a panic attack. Oh, bless my general anxiety disorder.

I found I had a much better time sitting on the curb outside with the rest of the homeless beggars, eating food bought on the cheap from a nearby grocery store. 
We did grab a few tastes though. I had a small plate aceitunas de la abuela that made me wow. I had never had their like before. I don’t know whose grandmother makes them, but surely it was not any of mine!
{the butcher, the baker and the drunkness}

I can say, if you want a really great touristy food experience, you would be better off going to one of your local friendly Museo de Jamón locations. And it isn’t even all tourists hanging around. There are plenty of the locals who pop in. This place is beautiful– says the one who does not eat much animal product. I cannot think I have ever been to a place like it to make a comparison. Pig legs hang everywhere you look and even drip cured meat sweat in summery heat. Cheeses, crispy pig skins, sliced sausage.. and then there were sweet pastry desserts… yeah, this was heaven for Don Human. The other magic thing is, if you buy a beer for 1 Euro they give you something to eat for free! A small bite, as they say: a meat and bread sandwich or olives, or chicharrones. There is no reason to go thy way starving or unhappy in Madrid.

{ +Jeff Stache we raised a glass to you! }

And oh look, there’s a fire!

While I am in the middle of decompressing from my Spain trip, I get a nice welcome back to baja from the from the workers two lots over. We suppose the property has been bought out because all the businesses are gone and the locales have been gutted. (So long neighbors with the great tamales.)

The guys were over there again; this time doing some controlled rubbish burning and I thought nothing of it. Even when I heard the sirens, I thought nothing… I only noted that the lame excuse for a dog Rocco didn’t howl with the sirens as he usually does… even when I looked out the side door to see that the emergency vehicles had stopped in where the men were working I was only a bit puzzled… what I had to do was turn my daffy head to look further at back of the lot and see a huge plume of dark smoke! Oh! Yes. So there is a situation!

The matter was dealt with quickly and no harm was done, but in this dry climate I was expecting anything to happen when I saw the fire…

No Pisar.

{i win all of art}

I’m on the mother continent with an 11 dollar Mexican haircut. I have to punch (uh, pinch – thank you very much autocorrect bot) myself. Three days into my trip and though my feet are killing me I can’t seem to stop walking up and down all these streets! There are more cafes here that taco shops in Tijuana! How is this possible?!

I know we are in the tourist parts of town, but man, just about everywhere you look you will see at least a dozen people effortlessly put together. So then why are so many people staring my way? I did not expect this in a capital city in Europe. I thought I would be politely ignored. Aren’t there like 50 other more gorgeous people right over there? Aren’t there 50 other better dressed people? Do I have a rabid weasel in my teeth? Is pus oozing from sores on my nose? This prompted Human and I to have a laugh and give ourselves new nicknames. Don Nadie and Doña Famosa. Hugo got the idea from being addressed at the front desk, in all seriousness, as Don; something he’d never experienced before.

It’s relatively quiet in our 4 star joint. Yep, 4 star for less than 100 a night. A splurge still to stay at even a business hotel, but so very worth it. We can see what Spanish TV is like, have internet access and our own bathroom!

{hot water on sore muscles}

I have made it a mission to take a bath every evening while I have the opportunity. The water… Oh the water! It has been so long since I have not been afraid of the water out of the tap! Civilization is the ability to submerge yourself in clean fresh water; it is being able to obtain free, potable water from every public park (and many plazas). After tasting the water from Parque Retiro, I was no longer worried about having to waste vast amounts of money on hydration. I don’t know what they do to the water in the United States (do I even want to know?!), but everywhere I have been it tastes funny. I was thinking Madrid water might be as bad as it is in Phoenix, Arizona and that is why the beer is so cheap! but, no. Oh no. They have great cheap beer (the local stuff is Mahou) and clean water to boot!

{monty python taught me the word ‘bidet’}

Though just about everything is photo worthy I have not been snapping many images. For some odd reason I am not inclined to play over-awed tourist. I mean, I HAVE travelled to the UK after all.. I am not completely ignorant of the wonders and sophistication of the old world.  Heh- That reminds me- our aseos, water closet that is, at the hotel has a bidet. Heh. A 4 star hotel in civilization, indeed.

I am completely upset with with internet access here. All the free access is severely limited. Severely. I won’t get much- any blogging done until after my trip. But I see the beneficial result of this handicap: very few people are sitting at the numerous cafes with their faces buried in glowing devices. There is much socializing in real life. There is much drinking and relaxed feelings shlopping everywhere. I keep looking around wondering who WORKS around here? No one seems stressed out. I mean NO ONE. The old folks are total grumps, but that’s a different story.