Everyone Wants to Make Money

A 100% uneventful journey -- Flights were early, no turbulence, no unruly passengers. Given how air travel is these days, you cannot do much better than that.

The apartment (Urban Santa Ana) is perfect, if a little bit pink.  We may never need to take the metro or a taxi. Everything is in walking distance, including a flamenco bar right next door.  We'll find out later tonight if they perform with the doors opened or closed.  There is no elevator and we are on the 2nd floor (3rd by American numbering).  That is fine, except with luggage and no bellhop.

Armed with a map from the apartment agent, carefully noted with where to find food, and being walking distance to Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, we headed that direction. In some ways it was like Times Square, full of costumed characters and street performers, but with charming European architecture and without the flashing lights.

These guys were very enthusiastic, entertaining, and talented.

They earned a few Euros from us.

A very American "Despicable Me" Minion

A weird, glittery goat thing with a stuffed baby giraffe.

This person was on his knees, making the mouth clack - 

A hard way to earn a living.

Snowboarder and Moto-cross 

human statues

We wanted to see how the costumes were put together, what kind

of support mechanism, and how they get out of them.

The most entertaining of all were these two taking a break.

They might be a couple.

Missing is the "Fat Spider-Man".  The minute I took out my camera, he good-naturedly started shouting "No papparazzi! No papparazzi!"  He was so funny, I had to oblige.

Alas .... we had to eat something.  It was touristy, but tapas and sangria

on Plaza Mayor seemed like the "morally right" thing to do.

Little did we know, around the corner is the Mercado de San Miguel - a tapas orgy.

You enter, thinking it is a fresh food market, and are quickly overwhelmed by the huge assortment of beautifully displayed tapas.  It is definitely a hip and trendy place to go eat and drink.  On this Saturday afternoon, it was packed with Madrileños. 

Oh .... THE FOOD!!!  

The Caviar Bar

The Olive Bar

The Mozzarella Bar

(Holy Moly these looked divine!)

And Dessert!

Tomorrow we are going on a guided tapas tour.

Maybe this will be one of the stops!

Tourism is an important part of the economy and 

keeping Americans happy is an important aspect of that.

Things we learned today:

1. Food on United is better than on Delta.
2. Any attempt to speak Spanish is met with a smile and often a chuckle. 
3. After saying "hola" and other pleasantries, you may be in trouble as the person you are speaking to might assume you are fluent and begin a long conversation in Spanish.
4. "Everything is open all the time because everyone wants to make money." - Apartment Agent
5. Children give the best gifts -- Thank you Elizabeth for the backup charger.  I needed it.