MADRID

I'm currently on the balcony of my hostel room, overlooking a cobblestone street in Málaga, Andalucía. The pedestrians walking by below are so distracting that I might have to go inside. But, my hostel-mate is sleeping, so I can't really do that. Here I will stay.

Madrid is picturesque and alive, and everything you've heard. But to me, it was intimidating. Every time I left my hostel, I got lost. The streets are curved, and they all look exactly the same.


I also refused to take out my map in an effort to look less like a tourist, which I'm sure was a contributing factor to my persistent state of confusion. I was also trying to change dollars into euros (not a fun conversion, by the way, it's about 1.5 dollars to 1 euro), and the first four banks I visited told me they wouldn't change my money because I didn't have an account with them. But, I finally found a bank that would, so that ordeal is over. Anyway, it wasn't all bad. In fact, most of it was great. I just got an overload at the beginning of all those 'issues' that foreigners have: getting lost while carrying all my luggage, waiting in a really long line that turns out to be the wrong line, going the wrong way on the metro, etc.

BUT:
I had some BOMB churros & chocolate.


I found the Museo Nacional Centro de Arta Reina Sofía, and Picasso's Guernica, and DALÍ (esp. this one, called The Great Masturbator).


The museum was massive and incredible, and I found a botanical garden with tons of adorable stray cats to wander around in for the rest of the day.


So, Madrid was fun. I would love to go back. I'm certain I will go back.. but hopefully I'll be a little less foreign the next time around. I'm not quite as worldly as I would like to think.

And the fear finally sets in.

I leave Tuesday, Sept 22.

As the day of my departure looms closer, my attachment to material things increases. I find it harder and harder to let go of objects: scarves, pencil holders, calendars. Perhaps this is because my attached and stable life will soon disappear into oblivion. No worry, though (I think), because life is based on relationships more than things. Or, I hope mine is, but it seems as though I have far too many articles of clothing for that to be entirely true.

i like to wear aviator sunglasses. i will continue to wear them while i am in andalucía (and very often, because there will be 300+ days of sunlight in the micro-climate that is the 'costa del sol'). thus, the name of my blog: aviators in andalucia.