The Netherlands

Spain

So, After a month in Prague, with the semester underway, Julie and I decided to take a long weekend trip to Madrid. We wanted to take in some of the sweet Spanish culture, as much as we could from the big city, as well as some sweet Spanish sunshine. The Prague skies had started becoming dreary and gray. We were desperate for some some blue skies and warm air. Spain did not disappoint. After Julie left on our last day, I still had a few hours left to kill before getting to the airport, so I laid in a park with green green grass, trees, blue skies, ans sunshine for 3 hours. I slept and read. It was heaven.
The biggest reason for our trip however, was that my parents got us two tickets to the Van Morrison, (in Madrid) concert for my birthday. Floor seats, pretty cool. He's got an amazing voice as well as an amazing sense of/ presence in the music he creates. He's a genius. That being said, he's not much for stage presence. He never addressed the fans or said thanks for coming and all that. He yelled at his band for not playing one of the refrains in his second to last song right. He made them replay/ resing it 4 times in front of us all and they still couldn't get it right. He sang one more song then simply walked off stage. No goodnight, not even a wave, just turned, one hand at his side, one hand on the harp he was still playing, and walked off. Oh well, I guess when you're 60-70 however many yrs old, and so musically talented, you can do whatever you want. In the end, we still had a great time, dancing on the floor, right in front of the stage, singing to the sound and beat of that silky-smooth jazz voice.
We also rendezvoused with my former flatmate Sarah and her boyfriend Rob. They were kind enough to take us in on our first night, even though my flight didn't get in until midnight and I didn't show up at their door until around 1am... thanks Sarah and Rob.

A Central Square in Madrid. Very entertaining, very clean, open and friendly. People performing, not necessarily hawking for money... great light too.

A Central Square in Madrid.

A Central Square in Madrid.

Sunset at the ancient Roman ruins upon which the city is said to have been founded.

Sunset at the ancient Roman ruins

Cathedral, again beautiful light. Old, yet unlike the churches in Prague, still very regularly used and thus well-kept and modern inside. Great light anyway... did I already mention that?

Cathedral

View of the Palace, from the closest vantage point we could reach (without paying...). So wide and panoramic, very picturesque once you sqeeze your head through.

Tall trees I was facinated with in a giant park just outside of the city center.

Man walking in Segovia, a town 60km(apx) north of Madrid.

Plaza del Sol. That saxman is good.

Central plaza with street perfomers and hunderds of colorful people.

Central plaza with street perfomers and hunderds of colorful people.

Central plaza with street perfomers and hunderds of colorful people... worst/best spider man mime anyone's ever seen. His donation bucket was the fullest on the square.

Sweet gondola ride leaving the park, heading back into the center. Julie, Phil Collins, and I. Very memorable trip.