Travelling

A large part of our travelling here will actually be travelling from place to place. Thus we start our Eurorail and continue to keep an open mind as the ups and downs occur, and to remember that it is out of our control...sorta. 

Was a different day today as we had our sights set on Madrid. A usual morning consisting of sleeping getting up and packing, then checking out and leaving our bags with the front desk for our last little bit of the city before we leave. Today we had our lunch a little place that made me a make shift meal. This was 2 poached and salty eggs, chicken, and French fries. I of coarse felt right at home as many of the meals I made before getting married, and let's be honest even married, my meals consist of a combination of whatever in the house, and I content with that. Luke is still getting used to it, but he is coming around. Don't worry I make real meals more often then not. Still kind of crazy to get it from a restaurant, but I was greatful that they accommodated me, and not only that it wasn't even salad. Now I love me my salads, but surprising none of the options at restaurants that only have a few things have been salads. So on the food of things I won't complain. 

It started to sprinkle so we decided to go back and grab our packs and walk to the train station before heavy rain began. Well it wasn't torrential but we definitely got caught up in the rain. Arriving to the train station just under an hour early we went to the desk to grab our tickets. Well folks it's Friday night and people are on the move. Our initial plan of a 3:35 train was very quickly stomped on as the guy firmly said full. Next train 6:07... Well we have no choice but to take it. We spent an afternoon at the train station playing cards and chatting and eventually having dinner. It was a chillier, rainy day so staying in was alright. Dinner consisted of an apple and 2 rice cakes with a Nutella both milk and white chocolate spread. Not to shabby. Lucky coin wasn't so lucky today.

 

This is my super awesome container that the spread came in!! I love it and it will more than likely be with me the rest of the trip.

The Spanish countryside is beautiful and so green but also diverse. Red rock, hills, flatness, it really has it all. 

A few random things cause I am into scattered thinking, There are a lot of people here with curly hair. Walking the streets you definitely see many a people with curly hair. Much more then back home that's for sure. My hair is at home in its wild way.

I must say, Luke has been champ with eating. He is a 3 meal kind of guy. We are very different in this way. We have either slept through breakfast or it has consisted of a coffe of some sort and a pastry for Luke. Lunch has been scattered and is eaten anywhere from 1-4 depending on what we are doing and when we were up ans had breakfast. Dinner has been 630-9 depending on the day. This is both very irregular for him and quite different as sometimes finding a place that accommodates me takes extra time.

Although everyone in Europe we have learned drinks wine, soda, and really any type of beverage you wouldn't normally think to have first thing in the morning, first thing in the morning. We have seen it all a morning glass of anything goes seems to be the thing. Everyone also seems to eat late. Places are packed with people eating even at 11. Tonight we ate at 10:30 and when we left there were tons of people everywhere (yes, it is Friday) but tons of people in their restaurants eating food.

When we were in Pamplona we realized that their walking sign at the crosswalk has a guy that actually walks!!! And in the last 10 seconds he runs. He seems to be a rather lanky guy as his body seems to be quite bendy. We named him Amigo Verde. Which means Green Friend, as he is our green friend and no cross walk will ever be the same.

All of that to say we have arrived at our hostel in Madrid. An odd little place behind what Luke calls Fort Knox. It really is an odd place as it has these great grand wooden doors on the outside with super cool door knocking things. Once you get buzzed in you all the sudden feel you are in the back ally of some sketchy place where you hope to not reach your demise. Continuing in and turning a corner if you dare, you find a crooked wooden staircase that wraps around a 2 person lift that is fenced in. Winding the staircase and reaching another large wooden door, you have to get buzzed in again. Then all doesn't seem so sketchy anymore. Large winding hallways.

I kept saying in San Sebastián that I feel so local that the hostel we were at because you always see the locals just all of the sudden hoping into some door frame and going into their little apartments. That was us we were off in the side of a wall where we let ourselves in. Luke asked me if I felt local tonight as we were leaving to find food, we laughed as we both knew that was certainly not the word to describe the feeling either of us had walking into this place. 

Our room this time has a sink and shower. Although the communal shower is nicer. Small room but enough for us. Our new experience in Madrid will now be figuring how to share one large body pillow. We also have very different sleeping patterns and manipulate our pillows very very differently. Instead of sharing one normal sized pillow like in Biarrrtiz we will have to battle the large pillow. Shouldn't be to difficult, but easier said then done.

We we get home our house is going to seem so huge to us after living in small tiny rooms for 3.5 months.

The language barrier hasn't been horrible, knock on wood, as I can understand a lot more then I am able to speak. I get super nervous and the proper sentences don't come out and I get a blank look of the people staring back at me not clue at all what I attempted to say. But eventually I put a few words together properly and they get what I am saying. I am able to tell them basic things, ask if they serve any gluten free food, and many other little things but still understanding more. Which really does come in handy but they speak very fast and that is also tricky as I still miss a lot of what they are saying. I am sure that by the time we leave Spain I will be finally settling into my grove and remembering and speaking more and not get so freaked out. HAHA it's a pretty funny sight though, get all clammed up and then one or two words end up coming out. I am trying at least. And like I said basic sentences are better then nothing. Will definitely be weird going into countries where we won't have a single clue. 

Pictures today are well non existent seems how it was a very different day. 

Looking forward to seeing what Madrid has in store for us.

And so the adventure continues...