So I arrived in Madrid Friday morning. I got to my apartment at about 8 am, 2am Eastern time. This is how jet lag happens because I wanted to sleep all day. I set my alarm though in hopes of trying to prevent me being completely off schedule. On Friday afternoon I walked down the street and then found Parque del Retiro which reminded me of Central Park:
I then walked home and became very appreciative of my sense of direction. I have a map and my iphone can even use the gps without any service but i don't want to look lost so I sort of feel my way home when I have the time.
The jet lag continued on Saturday having me sleep 4am-1pm. My goal for yesterday was to go to Plaza Mayor. I tried to google map it on my phone and it said it was right around the corner so I thought ok I'll go check it out. Welllll my google map was incorrect and that was something else with the name Plaza Mayor in it. I suddenly had the feeling I was nowhere close and needed to definitely look at my map. It wasn't before too long I became too impatient and couldn't even find it on the map so I went into a store to ask this guy. I start speaking Spanish and he then says in English, would you like me to speak English? Oh my gosh yes please because figuring out directions of a foreign city is hard enough in English. He then told me it would be like a 30-40 minute walk. I am all for walking but it was 105 degrees out so I quickly said umm no how else could I get there. He told me bus or metro. For some reason I feel more comfortable on a metro so he then explained how to get there. I figured if I was going to take the metro, this was the best way, an American to tell me exact instructions.
After figuring out the metro which probably took me just as long as it would be to walk, I arrived in Sol, the touristy part of Madrid. I felt like I was in another city. My area of the city is pretty quiet and low key from what I have noticed. I start walking around getting lost in the bustling streets filled with shops and restaurants. I then decide I need to find this plaza I came for. Not really knowing what direction to, I finally figured out it has to be the opposite direction of the metro stop. I then asked a security guard at a store which way, they have to be used to these tourists. I walk in the plaza and i was like ahhhh this is definitely it. I grabbed a table at a cafe under a mister and sipped some sangria, all I needed was some Spanish guitar music.
I then went out with a new friend, Tory, who is from North Carolina but has lived here for 3 years. We hadn't met until last night but we had been emailing thanks to our mutual friend, Kevin. She actually lives about a block away which I am very glad to have someone close by. We went out to dinner with some of her friends. It was nice to have a little social life starting.
My friend Mariana gets here Thursday and I am excited so I can have an exploring partner. She will be here for 6 weeks. I am not usually one to go out and venture by myself so the past few days have been interesting. I am taking baby steps as though my friend said I took a pretty giant leap coming over here. Thus far and for the next week I pick a place to see, today was the grocery store since many things are closed and I am still catching up from my crazy last three weeks. I completely unpacked and got organized so I can really start living here.
Tomorrow maybe I will go see a palace...
So on Friday my friend Mariana and I had planed to go the prado museum at 6pm because it is free then. We showed up right at 6 and saw the line around the building. Being that I am not a huge fan of museums or lines, we decided to keep exploring. We saw a church up the hill and walked toward it. We saw people sitting around it and a priest atop the stairs with a red carpet on it. So who was he waiting for?? A few days ago I said to myself, it would be cool to go to a Spanish wedding but how would that happen give that I have about 3 acquaintances here. Well a black Mercedes pulled up and out came a bride! We then see tourists going in the church after she went in. Mariana and I decided well if they are going in, then so are we! We took a seat in the back and watched the wedding mass, all Catholic and in Spanish so I was a little lost but got the gist given that I've been to a few weddings in my day. The groom was English so there was a bagpiper too which just put the icing on the cake! I was very excited to have this culture experience. 
