Today was an adventurous and busy day. In the morning we got some breakfast at the dining hall and ate a variety of fresh fruits, tortillas, and pastries. I liked the fruits because they were fresher than American fruits. After breakfast, I met with the rest of the program members and we walked around Madrid. We saw some historical places and learned how to use the metro. I notice a lot of Spaniards use public transportation rather than using private cars and it’s probably because of how the streets are. There is barely any parking, and everything is within walking distance in Madrid. The metro was very crowded when we used it after going to the market. Before we went to the market, we visited the royal palace and got to see some various unique rooms. It’s exciting to know that I was in a historical place that is still used by the royal family, even though they don’t live in it. My favorite room was the embroidery green and brown room, the king’s dressing room. A history I was shocked to learn was that the king got dressed in front of other high figures in the city, every morning. This tradition was very important to the monarch. The design of the room was very beautiful and tied in with the Asian culture. The throne room was also highly fascinating because it had statues that symbolize different virtues and Greek gods. I learned that leaders and other important figures would enter the room to greet the royals, one by one. After, they would head to the big dining room to eat and talk with the king and queen. It was interesting to know that the first king to live in the palace was Charles III and the king was Alfonso XIII.

After the museum, we went to El Rastro. There were various stations to buy from; there were clothes, bracelets, bags, and animal furs hats/scarves. I was able to get a jacket for my mom. It was very affordable and cute. When we were done, we went to Vermutería Black Bolita and drank some vermouth. I didn’t really like the vermouth; it was too strong. I’m really not a wine person so that was probably why too. Later, we ordered shared dishes from a restaurant called Camas y Tapas. The food was so good. We enjoyed every last of it. Something I noticed about Madrid is that there are a lot of restaurants and tapas spots. This is probably why the prices of food are less here than in America. With the huge amount of competition between the food places, they have to keep the price low to attract customers. While walking, I also got to see the oldest restaurant in the world. After that, we got to go shopping at Gran Via. We shopped at Primark and Zara. The prices were less than the prices in America. I was able to get some nice clothes and practice my Spanish as I had to communicate with the customer service workers.

I ended my night by going to a restaurant called La Purilla de la Reina. I ordered some barbecue ribs and mashed potatoes. The food was yummy I made a mistake and tried walking out with my water bottle, but was told that I can’t take it out. These few days have taught me that in Madrid you can’t take food or drink home. The foods were meant to be finished with no leftovers. With this system, if you’re a tourist and stay at a place with no kitchen, you have to go to a restaurant every day and spend money even though the food here is cheap. I find the system a little annoying because I have to waste his food that I could save for later when I’m hungry. Other than that complaint, my experience in Madrid has been wonderful and I can’t wait for the rest of the week.