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This island had been on my list for a long time and then when the series “White Lines” came out, I knew I had to visit. Not for the Discos, DJ’a or drugs but for the beauty. And it is beautiful. Quick flight on Ryanair for less than $50 including baggage. I arrived and my room over looking the Mediterranean was ready!

It’s an adult only place. The food is from across the street. Just here less than 24 hours. I will make the best of it!

I took the metro again. So easy. I remember teaching my kids how to take the “tube” in London. They were preteens. I explained how it worked and that most cities were the same. I told them where we were and where we wanted to go and I sat down and waited for them to figure it out. They were a little frustrated at first, but it was fun to see their little brains work. I never had to help them again. That is empowerment. Sometimes people scoffed at traveling with my kids at young ages. What would they remember? Enough. Maybe not the Louve but they are world travelers. One is going to a Padres game in Mexico City next week and the other is headed to Israel. I digress.

I stopped at Plaza Del Sol. It was very busy. So many people out and about, drinking, eating and socializing. So many dogs out for walks with their masters. I got a little lost but it didn’t matter. I was still a bit disturbed by the BullFight. I needed internet so I stopped off at a bar, it was hard to find a quiet one with space to sit. I ordered a Aperol Spritz and a crushed tomato bruschetta. It was perfect. I am in the planning stage of a dinner I donated, so I am looking for ideas. I got a little more lost and then finally was near my hotel.

I stopped at the hotel. The restaurant was very busy. I never even thought to eat here. I’ll be back on Friday so maybe I will then. I walked up and down my street. It is a very hip area with many cafes, bars and restaurants. Some so tiny that it’s hard to believe that they can stay open. I found a place, again with seats and ordered some tapas.

Back to the hotel to get packed and sleep. No need to try to adapt to Spain time. I wake up early and read and then go back to sleep. To Ibiza tomorrow.

My brother raised a steer a while back. His name was Four for Brett Favre. He was so cute and friendly, like a very large dog. When he was killed for our food, I am sure it was done humanely and quick, not like this.

I was pretty excited to see my first Bullfight. I live so close to Mexico and I might have been able to see one there. They have two rings but it isn’t so popular now. I decided to take the Metro since there were so many streets closed. It was easy.

So I arrived at the Bullring. It was right beside the Metro. My ticket worked. I was 45 minutes early. A few people were there. You could rent a cushion for 1.50 euros and I went to my seats. Great location. When I bought them the choices were by cost and sun, shade or both. I had chosen shade, which was wise

The people near me were also virgins. A couple from Lebanon and a couple from Seattle and a woman from New Mexico. We all had drinks and chatted a bit. We watched a man in the ring spraying the sand with water and then another one using a chalk machine to draw two circles. No idea what that meant

It started exacting at 6 with a band and procession

The fight started with men with pink and yellow sides of the typical fabric, taunting the bull. The bulls charges and the men hid behind a wooden wall in the ring. This went on for a few min. Then two heavily protected horses with men on them with shoes covered with metal came out. They were the picadillos. They stab the bull in the back. Next three men put more sharp things in the bulls back and he starts to bleed and get madder, Finally the main guy comes out with a red scarf, taunts the bull and tries to stab him with a long sword. It sort of kills him as he falls to the ground. Then another man comes and stabs and grinds him in the back til he dies. All clap and three hoses drag his dead body away. No shit! So I sat through another one, and then I left. As I was walking down the stairs to leave, I have to wait because the dead bull is being dragged in front of me. I have tears in my eyes writing this. I can’t believe a sport like this exists. There were others that left too. A few more videos in the next post.

I woke up pretty early. I made some plans and reservations for the next few days I had tickets for noon at the famous Prado museum. It was closed when I was last in Madrid in the 70’s. I wanted to see the Gardens next to the Prado too.

I took a lot of flower pictures. One of the indoor structures was built in the mid 1600’s. It was heated back then by letting manure ferment. I especially liked the epiphyillims since I have so many blooming right now while I was gone.

The Prado did not disappoint. It is huge. 1600 works of art, 4 or 5 by women. I saw El Grecos, Rubens, Goyas and even one Rembrandt. An hour was enough

Next stop a wine bar that my great friends the Sandke’s had just been to. The want me to look up their friend Marco. I found it easily enough. Had a nice Rose but it got hot and crowded. I walked back to my neighborhood dodging marathon runners but the blocked off streets were great. Passed the Plaza Del Sol and stopped for a couple tapas at St Miguel Mercado. I wanted to taste the mozzarella tapas. They were like tortilla wraps. They were pretty good. Back at the hotel I had a quick nap.

Now off to my first Bullfight. I was supposed to go in high school but

Madrid is incredible, I arrived at 9AM and now it’s 10:30 PM. What a day! Tried to get annUber but I was confused and poor communication so I took a way overpriced taxi. He was pleasant enough and arrived to my hotel. Too early. Hotel people were kind, and let me keep my luggage here. Went out walking. It was a semi cloudy day, cool when the clouds were out and warm when the sun was out. Stopped by the local market, like Liberty Station in San Diego on steroids. Tried some new stuff, Cod.

Next a long nap , the to the Dali and Picasso museum. Tried to go to the Royal Palace, but decided not to.

Having some phone charging issues. He tried to get a Uber but couldn’t connect so I walked back to the hotel. No GPS. Yay!! My street is full of tapas and bars. Had some Foie Gras and eggplant

A fantastic first day in Spain!! Time to sleep!

Natalie and I were here in March but at the A terminal which is really nice and new and it’s looked like food shopping. I am in the C terminal. They have a lot of restaurants but they are all so automated. There is no “hello, how are you”. No eye contact and super slow service. I am trying not to let it get to me.

San Diego airport was much friendlier. At the bar, yes that is how you start a vacation….

At the bar we talked about the Padres, weather in Minnesota, had my sparkling wine and a couple bites of BBQ. I had about 20 min. Flight to Newark was uneventful. Reading a book that my facialist recommended called “Signs, The secret language of the Universe”. It is very interesting about communicating with those that have passed away.

So just wasting about four hours in the airport until my flight leaves for Madrid! I was last in Madrid when I was 15 or 16. I was on some kind of exchange. My Spanish teacher at the Catholic high school announced that her students in Spanish 3 could go on this trip. She was a German woman whose second language was English and third was Spanish. She was awful. So was I. I was a year younger than the other nine students but I tentatively raised my hand. She just sneered at me!! So I begged for money to get to go! It was almost a month long trip. So I went, we stayed in dorms and hotels and a few days with a family. The family was very poor. They were very nice to me but there wasn’t much food. I had to go to a convenience store to get food. More later

I had some time off that I had loosely planned with my niece to go to Austria to find relatives but the timing was off so I booked a ticket to Madrid. The rest is tbd!!

The food was all Russian based on the boat, most everything was edible, better the other small boats I have been on. One in the Galapagos and the other on the Nile. Most have just mushy, stir fried dishes. The smoked salmon and Tooth fish were favorites.

More pics

And thinking of where to next…. I have a busy month of March. Santa Fe this Sat then NYC for a special birthday! Home two weekends then Albuquerque. In April a quick trip to Spain! The rest of the year is open!

I feel so grateful to have taken this trip. Yes a bucket list item, a dream come true, an accomplishment. And I feel so fortunate that I spent it with my brother. At first, the thought of spending nearly 18 days together was kind of scary. Last year we spent 10 days together. But we had fun, enjoying so many laughs, and reminiscing about our childhood, and adulthood for that matter. Life is short and I am lucky to have a brother that I can travel with. Who knows what is next.

After the San Telmo Market, I took a. Taxi to the Evita Museum. It’s amazing that she was so loved and so hated by many. She has always inspired me, especially when life was difficult. She rose from an unwanted child to a famous First Lady.

Now just enjoying a little Rose and hummus and reading The FiveAM Club for my office book club.