Dishing it Out (Two Week Round-Up)

Hola hola!

Two weeks down, four to go! Time moves quickly here, mostly due to the busy schedule we keep. Since my last update on Friday, I’ve had a dozen mini-adventures, taking me all around Madrid. To avoid the *boredom* that comes from reading endless examples of excursions, I’m doing abridged reviews of the activities; however, I *will* give you all food envy with my Daily Eats section below!

---

An Incomplete Guide to Madrid's Tourist Attractions

Consider me a travel influencer, here to impart my hard-earned wisdom from the tourist attractions in Madrid.

The Madrid Teleférico

This is essentially a little ski lift or shuttle car that zooms you from Point A (Los Rosales) to Point B (Campo de Casa) in ten minutes. Beautiful views, lovely breeze, worth the comparatively cheap price of admission (4.5 one way, 6 for a return trip). 5 Stars

Of course, Liz and I had to spice things up a bit, leading to activity #2….

Camino en Campo de Casa

This may be less than 2 miles from the city center, but this park feels more Lion King than Felipe VI. The sprawling grounds used to host royal hunting parties, but it’s now more commonly used for hikes and picnics. While the color palette is more brown than green, still a wonderful way to connect with nature in an urban center.

In our infinite wisdom, Liz and I thought, “We’ll just take the Teleférico one way, and walk back through Campo while we sightsee!” We did not, in fact, consider it would upwards of 95 degrees, making the 2.5 mile mostly-unshaded trek very memorable. 5 Stars for the views, -1 Star for the incredibly steep hills that did not have the courtesy to level out.

Landscape from Campo de Casa

Half mile in...still smiling..

thankful for the shade!

brief pause at the lake

another gorgeous landscape

ending w/the Madrid sign!

El Rastro

Take the biggest farmer’s market you’ve ever been to, multiply it by 3, and fill it to the brim with tourists and locals shopping for souvenirs, oddities, and antiques. You *might* be picturing something close to El Rastro, but it’s one of those things you have to experience. Where else can you buy an antique camera, 1800s photograph of someone’s child, homemade jewelry, and flea market fashion in a labyrinth of temporary stalls? 3 Stars, for the vibes. Lacking 2 for the number of decapitated doll heads I saw.

Dance Class: Latin Rhythms

They may have cancelled Dancing with the Stars, but I’m still ready for a ballroom blitz! MLSA offered each of us the opportunity for a two hour beginner’s class on Ritmos Latinos and I JUMPED at the chance to do this. Dance training or not, what a fun time! We learned the basics of salsa, meringue, cha cha, and bachata while laughing a lot. It always feels good to lose time in music, no? 5 Stars!

---

What's on the Menu?

When I left for Madrid, I was picturing a Mediterranean diet vibe, complimented by an embarrassing amount of peanut butter and protein bars brought from home. The culinary experience I’ve had so far is markedly different than expectations. So, here’s the Day in My Life Food Edition:

Breakfast

This is the same thing everyday. Some call it boring, I call it the familiarity of repetition :)

• 
  

Two pieces of toast w/Spanish peanut butter Host Mom Pilar bought for me after I said it was my favorite food <3

Hot milk. Not warm, hot, like raises your internal body temperature a couple of degrees.

A wonderful way to start your day, no? And incredibly different from the more traditional American breakfasts...

Lunch - 2:30-3:30

The time fluxuates based on what our activities are in a day, but there’s always a good chunk of time in between breakfast and lunch. Snacky Dan would not fare well here.

Any individual bullet is a typical lunch made by Pilar, always served with a baguette:

• Lentajes

• Pasta

• Vegetables (a heaping pile of steamed veggies)

Dinner - 8:30-9:30

Typically a bit smaller portion than lunch, but very similar vibes. Also lovingly prepared by Pilar, who has started calling me “pajarito” because I can’t eat the entire portion…

Any individual bullet is a typical dinner made by Pilar, always served with a baguette:

• More vegetables (usually super thick green beens, carrots, and potatoes)

• Paella (made with rice, scallops, shrimp, and other goodies)

• Rice & Mushrooms

• More pasta - Pilar really pushes the carbs...

Postre - Immediately After Lunch & Dinner

The most famous phrase in the apartment: Qué quieres de postre? Not your typical American dessert, but I’ve come to appreciate the lighter approach.

Every night we can choose one of the following as a post-dinner treat:

• Apple

• Banana

• Yogurt

• Natilla. This. This is my favorite thing since coming to Madrid. It’s like pudding, but better, and it tastes like eggnog. Serious comfort food right here.

Special Treats!

When Liz & I are out on the town and in need of some sustenance, it falls to us to find the hidden gems within the city. Below are some of our favorite eats & sweets we've found so far...

• Sushi from Miss Sushi

• Churros & Chocolate from San Gines

• Donuts (for National Donut Day) From La Doña

• Nun Cookies! The Sisters from Corpus Cristi make these cookies & sell them every day, avoiding contact with the outside world. A fantastically cute little pick-me-up!

• Falafel from Toledo

• Coca-Cola Límon - although I actually wouldn't recommend it, the photo op was too cute :)

---

And just like that, we're 1/3 of the way through this study abroad...it is *way* past my bedtime for a school night.

I've started to settle into a daily routine, though, and Madrid is becoming more like home in every way. Wish me luck as we head into a two-week heat spell - I'm hoping to avoid becoming a NataliePuddle as we battle back-to-back 100+ degree days.

Hasta luego!!