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November 11- 13th- Madrid, ES- Couchsurfing with Ilde
I arrived at the airport and despite being completely confused by the ATM machine, which I believe charged me $60 American dollars for one transaction, I easily navigated my way to "Sol", the center of the city, via metro (2 years in Chicago definitely comes in handy). I was hoping to meet up with Karen, one of my fellow Pueblo Ingles participants at her hostel. But after walking up and down the street for a good 20 minutes, and asking a variety of "broken English speaking people", I realized her hostel must have been a well-kept secret. Weary from the plane ride and slightly agitated by my mishaps thus far, I felt a little set back, but not defeated and decided the best idea was to walk around Puerto del Sol (the main square) and Plaza Mayor until I was to meet up with Ilde, my couch surfing host. The night is the time when Madrid really comes alive. Here life is made for people like me, night owls, who commonly stay up until 2am or more in the morning. The lights in the square illuminate the Spanish architecture and the warmer air feels so nice on my face. It is a complete change and transformation from England, a welcomed change of scenery.
Wanting to make sure I have plenty of time, I navigate the metro to meet Ilde and arrive at the correct station with about an hour to go, find a café to kill time and order the smallest and strongest coffee that I have ever had (yes, American java is watered down and this tea drinker definitely got the jitters!). Time passed, I made my way to where I thought Ilde's work was to meet him at 9:30, five minutes passed and he was not there…or maybe I was in the wrong place.
Fear started to set in a bit as I began to loose faith in my solo abilities- I made my way back to the metro station to plead information for use of the phone. I called Ilde who was more than upset that I had missed him at his work and fired off the location of a new station and the Starbucks nearby where I was to meet him . I got to the station and found that there were six or more exits to the street. Naturally, I took the wrong one and ended up in a web of dark and shady streets. WHAT AM I DOING? WHY AM I ALONE? I was near tears and must have looked like a deer in the headlights when I crossed paths with a girl of my age who simply said, "Habla ingles"? YES I SPOKE ENGLISH- but never in my life did I expect someone to say this phrase TO ME in Spain! As it turned out my Angel from California, as I now call her, had been in Madrid for 2 months teaching English and had managed to get herself lost on the way to a friends. She was late already and decided to blow it off to escort me the entire distance to the Starbucks and waited with me until Ilde came along. She was to me a reassuring sign that I am never alone.
Along came Ilde, quite an interesting fellow of 40 or so, who was stricter than most Spaniards on time and still agitated with me- but seemingly softer when he was how obviously drained I was. He spoke English well and knew how to host a couch surfer, as I was one of over 100 he had shown around Madrid. After a drink, we went back to his flat and I fell asleep to the sounds of Spanish guitar.
This morning was a fresh start. Rays of sunshine drifted through the window and a shower revived me with hope anew! After Ilde took me to a quick breakfast of croissant and café, I make my way to the Palacio Royal and the Catedral de Almundena.
The stone walls of the cathedral could have seemed unwelcoming but I found myself oddly reassured by the warm candlelight combined with the low ceilings that felt to me like an instant embrace. In contrast the vivid murals came alive, stirring my soul, and I paused for a moment of peace before heading on to the palace.
As you would expect, the palace is grand, but I think it speaks volumes that the King and Queen no longer live there- the magnitude is too great for even royalty. I decide its too great for a couple hour tour as well and head instead to Templo de Debod where I have been told the view of Madrid is stunning.
Templo de Debod is an ancient structure with Egyptian hieroglyphics surrounded by pools of water and fountains. It is a marvel in of itself and the view is as advertised.
Looking at my watch and knowing I don't have exact directions to meet my fellow Anglo Pueblo Ingles participants at a Flamenco restaurant, Casa Patas, I decide to give myself ample time for once. With time to kill, I stop off to see Plaza Mayor by day- slightly anti-climactic as most things I find in Madrid look more magical by night, then a short jaunt into another church just in time to get the final blessing, a small step into a tourism office where I get Google directions from too eager but completely English ill-adept Spaniards and a quick sit in the quaint La Plaza de Santa Ana with my journal and pen. At 2pm I make my way to Casa Patas for a favorite Spanish dish, Paella and red wine that flowed like water!
I am seated with others from my program, including John who is on his 9th time volunteering with the program. He is an 80 something dear fellow with the heart of a teenager- he makes certain that I never see the bottom of my wine glass. After a private, captivating flamenco performance of artistic, stomping storytelling, I head to El Prado with Karen, whom I've just met, for the free night entrance from 6-8 that night. Taking in El Greco, Goya (in both the light and dark days) and other notable, mainly Spanish artists, appreciating the encompassing beauty and laughing occasionally at things that others might not see. I discover in her a similar independent spirit and passion for travel. I realize that this group of people will get me and that I will enjoy my time- and truly feel a part of a community again, if only for a short time.
The night is capped off by Ilde taking me back to the Templo at night, the structure plays with the moonlight casting an amazing edifice glow on the water- even an amateur picture-taker like myself couldn't mess it up. I love Madrid. Every time I look closer I am more impressed, but a small town girl at heart, I'm looking forward to the remoteness of La
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