Veinte y seis

Here's a look at my 26th birthday in Madrid... enjoy!
Here's Cordae, Giovanna and I on Friday night at La Comedia. I should have known we would end up there at least ONCE on my birthday weekend! (Please note the black shirts and glasses)

And here are the birthday shots Giovanna's husband, Aaron, bought for us. Straight-up rum... yuck.No, your eyes aren't deceiving you... that IS hookah at the table next to us.

Steve, Nina and I at Malatesta for my birthday dinner!
This is me blowing out my candle next to my pizza-dough/nutella birthday cake! YUM!

Caitlin, Nina, Cordae and me - dancing at Dreams in Madrid.

Turning 26 is grounds for a cartwheel contest, no?

This is my best attempt at an angry face when I was racially profiled at AK Bar and couldn't get in at 4am... and I really had to pee. Happy Birthday Me!

So as you can tell, my birthday was a great time. I got home around 5am and proceeded to sleep for 4 hours and wake up to go see my parents, who had arrived safely from Boston around 6am... when I called the concierge to check in on them around 9, he told me that they had gone shopping and would be back in a few hours. My parents are so self-sufficient.

We've had a great first couple of days touring the city. They're coming with me to school tomorrow to help with the kids' Halloween parties. I can't wait for another person in my life to experience the madness of Spanish preschool. Good times.... I spent the past 3 days making 150 pumpkin masks so that my students can perform with them tomorrow and probably rip them/drool on them before the end of the day. YAY!

Can't believe October is almost over! It's starting to get cold here (tear) but I'm excited to see how they do-it-up for Christmas.

Keep reading, everyone! I'll try to be better at updating.

Love you!

That is NOT what I thought waving the white flag meant...

So I went to a REAL bullfight today. I was able to witness first-hand just how seriously Spaniards take their bullfighting. Some interesting tidbits...

1. The picador (a man on horseback) uses a pica (lance) with a steel point to weaken the bull's neck muscles so that its head is lowered for the kill. Often the bull will ram his horns into the horse in retaliation.

2. One of the matadors was so entertaining that the entire crowd stood up and waved white flags at him. After a quick consultation with a Spaniard, we learned that this means the crowd wants the matador to do a victory lap around the ring and he will receive one or two of the bull's ears as a prize. (ew)

3. The Ventas Bullring in Madrid is the biggest in Europe.









and here I am, getting ready to see my first bullfight!!!












Now, there's no need to worry. I have spent my free time doing some slightly less violent things here in Madrid. For example...

I have eaten lots of yummy food. This is the cake Cordae, Lindsay, Nina and I downed at the Food Festival at Plaza Santa Ana. Mmm...








I have gone dancing with my Simmons friends.









I have seen Scottish bands play at small, semi-sketchy venues in downtown Madrid.









AND I have appreciated the incredibly "talented" street performers at Plaza Mayor.













All part of the culture of Madrid. I'm having a blast and I promise to keep updating as long as you keep reading!

:)