Weekend!

Hi everyone,

I can't believe it's Sunday night already and I have to go to school tomorrow. Yes, that's my birthday present--school orientation.

I did have a very good weekend. Saturday I wandered around like usual. Then at night I met the rest of the people in my Winter 4 program and it turns out there are only two more! Julie and Sonya both go to Ohio State but didn't know each other before the program and they're really nice. So far we the three of us get along pretty well. And I'm guessing that I'll probably meet even more people from other study abroad programs tomorrow at the school orientation. Anyway, after the little introductory meeting we went on a tour of the area of Madrid near the Puerta del Sol, but we couldn't actually go through Sol because there was a huge demonstration about the Gaza conflict. Madrid is absolutely stunning at night though.

Today I went to the Parque del Retiro and it was beautiful. Even though it was cloudy there were a lot of people there. Yet in spite of all the people, it was just a calm and relaxing place. I think that I'm going to go back there many, many more times. However, I did have one very weird experience. I had to use the restroom and it was underground. This was strange but not a big deal. Then I walked in and just saw some toilet paper hanging there in the entry-way, but I figured it was just for drying your hands or something so I blew past it. I got in the stall and looked (I always look before doing anything else!)...and there was no toilet paper. So I went out to the entry-way to get some and realized there was a guy in a glass booth that was guarding the toilet paper. So yeah, I don't know if they have a problem with toilet paper theft or toilet paper abuse, but apparently someone gets paid to make sure you don't take too much toilet paper. It was pretty much the weirdest bathroom experience I think I've ever had.

Then I was wandering around the park some more and thinking about going to the Prado (finally!) when Julie and Sonya called. I met up with them instead, so we wandered around Sol until my feet felt like they were going to fall off.

Oh! I should probably explain the picture that goes with this post. Well, remember how Oshkosh had the lions around the city? Well just overnight Madrid got cows. They are everywhere!

Here are the pictures from this weekend: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2124264&l=b2ab0&id=71208608