My Chaco Tan: Kelli and Sarah Take Madrid: Day 1

I am a planner. Always have been. So last minute trips really tend to throw me off. But not in Spain! On Friday, Kelli and I decided that it was the perfect weekend to visit more of Spain- Madrid to be exact. We bought our Eurail Spain train pass, good for 5 trips, on Friday and at 8 AM Saturday morning we were off! Our first day in Madrid was perfect...except for our hostel. With a name like "Cat's", I am surprised that I ever booked it in the first place, honestly. But even though it was a little less than par, Kelli and I made the most of it. In reality, we were only going to use it for a few hours of sleep, so we agreed to push through and leave early the next morning.

We began our day near the Puerta del Sol, a beautiful and bright plaza in Madrid. We had our first meal at a restaurant in Spain, called Cantina la Traviesa. The waiters were so funny and gave us a free appetizer of the traditional iberian ham, cheese, and bread. Delicious! Then Kelli and I shared this monster of a chicken paella! I am officially initiated as a Spaniard! The classic dish can be prepared with chicken, vegetables, shrimp, shellfish, or (gag) squid ink. We felt chicken was the safest choice, and it was so tasty! Since the waiters liked us so much, they brought us some free drinks after we ate, which we turned down for a non-alcoholic treat instead. After some fun laughs, pictures, and the usual Spanish double-cheek kiss, Kelli and I began our trek through the city!

Luckily, Madrid is much smaller to navigate than Barcelona, with a lot of the sites close together. It seemed like we walked all over, from the Plaza Mayor down La Calle Mayor all the way to the beautiful cathedral and Royal Palace. It was such a gorgeous site! We read for a while on the lawn to recharge, and then returned to La Plaza Mayor for a light dinner (typical of Spain). Madrid has this really dynamic marketplace, kind of like Whole Foods in Austin, with many different stands selling various tapas (small appetizers), drinks, and morsels. I decided on two mini kabobs, one pork and one tomato and mozzarella, and a mint truffle for dessert. By that time, Kelli and I were worn out, so we (reluctantly) headed back to Cat's for the night. We made it out with nothing worse than a frown- but at least we got the experience of a hostel! Check!