I love this city.

It struck me this week that I have been in Spain for over a month and I realized that I'm really content here. I do miss my friends and family a lot, and there are things that get on my nerves here (like the lack of Diet Mountain Dew), but I honestly can say that I am having a great time.

I think one thing that has lifted my spirits is that the weather has been gorgeous the past couple days. Madrid is especially beautiful when the skies are blue. Today, I couldn't see a single cloud. Really, the city is an entirely different place when the weather is nice compared to when the skies are gray and it's cold and rainy. All the people walking around just seem happier. Yesterday my friend and I walked from Puerta del Sol to the metro stop near her house (well she walked home then) and it took over an hour, but the walk was just so refreshing that the time passed so quickly. Most of our walk was along the Paseo de la Castellana and I really like that street because although it runs through a fairly commercial area, all of these new buildings sit right next to these old buildings and they just seem to fit together. I think that street will be really beautiful in the spring. Actually I think the whole city will be beautiful when everything is finally blooming in the spring.

Also yesterday in the late afternoon I had to go back to Sol for an ISA meeting and after it two other friends and I wandered around for a bit. I never really get sick of Sol. I've seen it many times now--I've seen a lot of things in the city over and over again--but it still amazes me each time. I'm glad that I'm not getting jaded and that I still feel a bit of a sense of wonder about the sites, even the ones that I see as I walk to the bus stop to go to school every day.

I think I'm going to take a nap now. I have turned into a real Spaniard in that I take a nap almost everyday. Tonight is 1 euro night at 100 Montaditos (this little kind-of-like-a-tapas-bar that we go to every Wednesday) and I want to be wide awake to enjoy the best patatas fritas con salsas in Madrid.