Ole!

So yesterday, after a quick (and I mean quick) little nap, I met up with Ashley and Miguel and their friend Sebastian for some lunch and a walk around their part of town. This city is huge and Im glad to have gotten the chance to see a little bit of it. The BEST part was in Plaza Mayor where an Italian man was dressed in a homemade Spiderman costume. Im talkin about an over-weight, creepy man in tight, TIGHT spandex. Also an observation and complete side-note, the men in Spain like to tuck it to the left. But anyways, I sneakily grabbed a photo of said spiderman at work. One of the best parts about the man was not his outfit, however, it was his posing. One might think as a man/spider hybrid you would pose more elaborately than a right-then-left-then-right contraposto pose. This guy must have thought he was Michelangelo's David the way he worked this stance. Amazing!

So, after that I hopped on the metro and met Miguel after work for a bull fight.

At first I was a little hesitant seeing as these things can be rather violent and cruel. At the same time, I was really excited because my brother, Matt, said this is one thing I must do while in Spain. I am so happy I got to go! We had seats in the 6th row, which provided a perfect view for maximum disgust. At one point I could watch as the blood ran down the bull's body like a waterfall into the dirt. Really it's just another sporting event that I could get into, and simply due to the crowd. People really, REALLY love their bull fighting here. Miguel and I grabbed cheese, chorizo, a baguette and a bottle of wine and headed into the arena. Here are just a few pictures from it. I mean, if you think about it the whole event is rather graphic and morbid, and not for animal lovers. I never really considered myself a PETA advocate, and after this I definitely cannot say I would join their forces. I always knew I had a slight morbid fascination, but after this I can safely say its more than slight. Now don't judge me, but its just an event I really got into and enjoyed thoroughly. I would go again in a heartbeat.

Anyways, after this we met up with the girls and had our own little tapas and drinks at the apartment and finally crashed around 1:30 am. Today we grabbed breakie and then the Venzels and Miguel headed off to San Sebastian for a mini-vacay. I, unfortunately cannot go seeing as my flight is out of Madrid and at the butt-crack of dawn on Sunday. Today I will nap and then head off to the Prado and the Mueso Reina Sophia. There is a free Monet exhibit near the Plaza Mayor I might try to find as well. Today is about art, and maybe tomorrow as well. Miguel's brother, Alfredo, is coming to stay with me Saturday so maybe he will take me around more to see the sights.