Madrid

Right now --and yes I'm rather embarrassed to say it-- I'm sitting in a Burger King

after just finishing my very American breakfast sandwich and coffee

and after giving up on my sudoku puzzle.

Which, I must ask, how does anyone ever complete the hard ones? I couldn't even get halfway through my medium level puzzle.

So if anyone has tips, I'd love to hear them.

But although my puzzle is bringing me down a bit, I cannot complain about my weekend. I'm in Madrid. After taking a bus and plane and metro, I made it to my apartment. But boy, is it nerve-wracking to travel by yourself.

Oh, with the added stress of the fact that

You're in a whole different freaking country.

But you manage.

Anyways, highlights of this weekend being in Spain's capital: El Palacio Real, el Museo Thyssen, and El Templo de Debod. Oh and finally taking pictures of the lions outside of Congress.

El Palacio Real is a direct immersion in Spain's past. The palace has been around for hundreds of years, and it's where the royal family used to live. It's huge. And its lavish. And the decor is just crazy intricate with a lot of things plated in bronze and silver.

The Thyssen is a modern art museum. It's smaller than El Prado (which I didn't get to see..thankfully because it's old art haha). But the Thyssen boasts very abstract artwork, similar to Picasso. (I really like Picasso by the way, and no, not just because hes the only painter I know). But there were a bunch of landscape paintings too. And each one demonstrates the artists' proficient use of light. Which, fun fact: sunsets, or sunrises, or moonlight through forest trees, or lights of a harbor reflecting off the water surface, or sunlight through a dirty window are all things I could stare at for hours.

Light is kinda a cool and beautiful thing.

Which brings us to the Temple of Debod. Not really much to look at in the daytime, it's three stone structures surrounded by a manmade water lake thing. However, at night, it's truly breathtaking. The lights illuminate the structures, and with the reflection off the water, It's like whoa.

And then here are the lions outside of congress. Rawr.

So now I need to get a metro so I can take a plane so I can take a bus back home.  Never a dull moment when you travel.  So, thanks Madrid, for being a fun and unforgettable weekend.