Madrid: "Estoy cansada"

So I had a blast with my mom arriving to Madrid.  She officially learned the phrase "estoy cansada" after her first red-eye flight!  She said it about 1.000 times as we made our way through the airport and off to the hotel.

We checked in and decided to stroll around the area a bit.  Most of Spain was still on siesta, but we were excited to be there so off we went!  I am kinda sad to say that I had my first "jamón" today.  Sad because, well, it wasn't all that wonderful- and also because this is my 4th trip to Spain and I really was supposed to have eaten it before.  I suppose this new step into meat eating takes some time.  I guess I will try again- and I can just hear the voice of my friend Carolyn telling me that I ate the "wrong ham", and "how could it not be wonderful?!?".  My vegetarianism has taught me to love foods like tortilla española and paella con verduras and let's be real, nepoletanos de chocolate.  It's hard to change what you love.

After strolling around this far side of Retiro that I have never seen before, we decided to "lay down for a bit".  I had a "quick" call to try to make to my university after getting an email that said I no longer qualify for my scholarship money and will be un-enrolled if I do not call within three days to update my information (yes, that was a fun call to make from a pay phone in the middle of the street after not having slept in 48 hours).  After that pleasant interaction, we went up to the hotel to take our rest.  And yes, with the amazing "Lost in Translation" style curtains that made our room pitch black- we slept.  We slept until the phone rang.  The voice on the other side of the phone asked my mom if she had planned on checking out that day.  "Excuse me?" she responded, waking me from my slumber.  The man at the front desk informed her that check out was at noon and that the room was available for another night if she wanted.  She quickly said no thank you and we jumped out of bed!  It was NOON!  We had been sleeping for almost 16 hours!!  After gathering our things, making ourselves barely presentable for Spanish standards, and "checking out" (we were able to leave our bags so we could spend the day in Madrid.  We then explored La Plaza Mayor, strolled the streets, ate ice cream in Retiro (the part I recognized) and got a bit lost.  Then before I knew it, we were off to the airport to catch our flight to Milan.  So much for "two days" in Madrid :).

Hasta luego y abrazos.