Don’t worry…I’m not going to get all sentimental on you. Just a little blog to wrap things up and thank you all again and again and again for following me along as I taught, trekked through, and took in España, and a little extra Europe, too. Anytime any of you mentioned reading my wordy, dorky blog it meant so much to me! The love I felt and the support I received from all of you while I was gone was amazing and comforting, and I’m so happy to be coming home to all of you. Madrid was an absolutely fabulous experience…but there’s no place like home, and no people like my people.
Anyways, enough mushy stuff! A few notes from this week, (which went by unbelievably fast):
1) Finally went into the famous Reina Sofia museum. It was great—all modern stuff and saw LOADS of Dali and Picasso. The top floor exhibit was all art developed directly after WWII—it had both European and American pieces mixed together—it was interesting to note the differences in reactions. That same day, went and saw the memorial to those who died during a terrorist attack in the Madrid metro. A really moving memorial because they used the giant hole caused by the bombing as part of the memorial.
2) I THINK I had five minutes of food poisoning in a Moroccan restaurant. I was by myself, and had just finished a delicious lamb and cous-cous meal, when all of a sudden I went pale, got the cold sweat shivers, and literally felt the room spin. I think I FREAKED the waitress out, who barely spoke English. I was like, “Um…you might have to call the hospital, can you come check on me in a couple of minutes? I think I am going to be sick in the bathroom.” She just goes, “…Okay.” Haha nonetheless, she did bring me water and seemed really alarmed after she got over being weirded out by me. And I was sick for like five minutes, called poor Dad, and then felt 100%! I don’t know WHAT happened. But it didn’t feel good. I think I know what saved me though…or who. My Granny! She told me to eat yogurt every day when staying in foreign country for the good bacteria, (MATT WALTERS!!!). I bet that good yogurt bacteria had a war with that bad lamb bacteria and keeled it!
3) Went to Alicante Monday-Wednesday. That trip went by REALLY fast, because I didn’t get there until 4:00ish on Monday, and then left at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday. But I did hike up a nice mountain, checked out and read in a mountain castle, spent a day on the beach, and ate yummy hummus and pizza! So a success, in my book. Also, all this week every city in Spain participates in Holy Week, or Processional Week. I mentioned this awhile ago in my blog about Caceres with Keque: all the people of different Christian churches in each city dress up, (Ginny remembers the freaky costumes), and proceed all over the city with big floats of different stations of the cross, (like Jesus carrying the cross, Jesus crucified, Mary mourning Jesus, etc.) Anyways, saw two of these—they were really cool! Except one of them blocked the gelato shop I wanted to go into so I had to wait an hour for everyone to process by. And then I realized that was prettttttty selfish of me during the Easter season, (sorry Mom). I’m glad I got to see them, though!
4) I ate 4 pastries in one sitting yesterday as my last hurrah, and guess what? My last one was my FAVORITE!! A chocolate napoliana. Good thing I had never had it before now, or I would have eaten it every day. Not kidding. (You KNEW I had to end on a food note!)
Am I a completely changed, internationally-savvy woman now that I’ve lived in Madrid for 3 months? Mmm…I don’t know about that. But I AM a grateful, happy woman, (even after the most turbulent flight of my life coming home), and I’m ready to open the next life door. J
All my love and thanks to my best people! I will be seeing many of your faces this week—thank GOODNESS! People who like to eat with me and be weird.
Mary Adelle
My beautiful Gomez girls.
