General Rambles
The happy couple - Candy and Alfonso.
This weekend we went to a wedding two hours outside of Madrid. Get this. It was Candy Lee Laballe getting married in Candeleda. She got lots of candy gifts for her bridal shower. I don't know. I find it funny.
Candy is living the dream. American ex-pat marrying a Spanish man in his village. The wedding was a typical Spanish celebration, in that it started at 7:00 pm and lasted until 5:30 in the morning. I made it until just before two a.m. I would guess. Wendy made it until after the churros at 5:30 and I'm told she was one of the most energetic ones left. That was Sunday morning.
Sunday night was the end of another festival in Madrid (which I am too lazy to look up the name of, sorry) so that meant very loud music until 1 am and then fireworks until 2 am. I stood on our terrace naked and sipped a beer and watched them while Wendy failed to sleep and read her book in bed, exhausted.
Monday was no better. Wendy was sick starting at about 1 am and was up until 4 am fighting it. We must be wicked because we get no sleep.
Which brings us to today.
I got up early and played a little Magic and sipped some coffee. Wendy arose about an hour later and jumped in the shower while I made the bed, did dishes, put away my laundry and started Spanish lessons. Ninety minutes later I packed it in, showered and headed out to do errands.
First stop was the ATM to get some cash for both Wendy and I (I had her card) and second stop was the Farmacia to get some Magnesium for Wendy's upset stomach. From there, I knew where I wanted to get to, but decided to explore and take a new route to get there. I found myself by one of our favorite little tapas places and headed towards it to get some cod. Too bad they were shut up tight. Damn them! From there it was to a little chino to pick up some new cooking tongs since they broke at our last barbecue, and then to a little restaurant Wendy took me to on my first visit here. I walk in and start looking at a menu and this tiny, nearly bald little old man comes over and I ask him "Patas Bravas?" and he responds
"Si."
"Vale. Patatas Bravas y cafe con leche por favor."
The coffee with cream comes in a minute and about five minutes later my lightly fried potato wedges and hot sauce come as well. I drink my coffee and eat my potatoes and just as I'm finishing a big plate of something fried comes out of the kitchen to be sat at the bar. I peer over at it, trying to see what it consists of. The little old man sees me looking, takes nine of the things off and presents them to me on a plate. Ah, fried sardines. They taste a bit like cod. I eat seven of them and another bartender comes over and takes the last two away from me. Okay, there's a lesson for me. If someone gives you something at the bar, take it down to the little shelf below the bar or they'll think you're done. Apparently. I guess. anyway, I was stuffed anyway, but I was surprised to see it taken.
After that it is off to a little Spanish couples neighborhood corner store for a six pack of beer and a Magnum "White" for desert. Then a short waddle home.
I know it doesn't seem like much, but to me, I can only think "It is great to be alive."
Candy is living the dream. American ex-pat marrying a Spanish man in his village. The wedding was a typical Spanish celebration, in that it started at 7:00 pm and lasted until 5:30 in the morning. I made it until just before two a.m. I would guess. Wendy made it until after the churros at 5:30 and I'm told she was one of the most energetic ones left. That was Sunday morning.
Sunday night was the end of another festival in Madrid (which I am too lazy to look up the name of, sorry) so that meant very loud music until 1 am and then fireworks until 2 am. I stood on our terrace naked and sipped a beer and watched them while Wendy failed to sleep and read her book in bed, exhausted.
Monday was no better. Wendy was sick starting at about 1 am and was up until 4 am fighting it. We must be wicked because we get no sleep.
Which brings us to today.
I got up early and played a little Magic and sipped some coffee. Wendy arose about an hour later and jumped in the shower while I made the bed, did dishes, put away my laundry and started Spanish lessons. Ninety minutes later I packed it in, showered and headed out to do errands.
First stop was the ATM to get some cash for both Wendy and I (I had her card) and second stop was the Farmacia to get some Magnesium for Wendy's upset stomach. From there, I knew where I wanted to get to, but decided to explore and take a new route to get there. I found myself by one of our favorite little tapas places and headed towards it to get some cod. Too bad they were shut up tight. Damn them! From there it was to a little chino to pick up some new cooking tongs since they broke at our last barbecue, and then to a little restaurant Wendy took me to on my first visit here. I walk in and start looking at a menu and this tiny, nearly bald little old man comes over and I ask him "Patas Bravas?" and he responds
"Si."
"Vale. Patatas Bravas y cafe con leche por favor."
The coffee with cream comes in a minute and about five minutes later my lightly fried potato wedges and hot sauce come as well. I drink my coffee and eat my potatoes and just as I'm finishing a big plate of something fried comes out of the kitchen to be sat at the bar. I peer over at it, trying to see what it consists of. The little old man sees me looking, takes nine of the things off and presents them to me on a plate. Ah, fried sardines. They taste a bit like cod. I eat seven of them and another bartender comes over and takes the last two away from me. Okay, there's a lesson for me. If someone gives you something at the bar, take it down to the little shelf below the bar or they'll think you're done. Apparently. I guess. anyway, I was stuffed anyway, but I was surprised to see it taken.
After that it is off to a little Spanish couples neighborhood corner store for a six pack of beer and a Magnum "White" for desert. Then a short waddle home.
I know it doesn't seem like much, but to me, I can only think "It is great to be alive."
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