On Saturday I went to a Real Madrid game - BEST WEEKEND EVER (aside from all the work I had to once I got back on Sunday night...). What an amazing experience! I went with three other students from IES, Allie, Gavin, and Alejandro. Allie and I weren't willing to pay as much as the boys were, so the two of us were at the very top of the stadium - yay cheap seats!! (Well, actually, those seats were also really expensive, just cheap in comparison to everything else in the stadium.) It was kind of like watching ants or something, but we still got the crowd experience, with everyone singing, chanting, pounding drums, blowing horns - insanity!!! Listen to the Real Madrid "Hymn" in this Youtube video:
There's a saying in Madrid that says, roughly translated "Real Madrid is my religion, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu is my church, Iker Casillas (insert favorite player's name here) is my god." LOL!!!
Alejandro and Gavin's expensive seats - halftime visit!
Our cheap seats - check out the size of that stadium!!!
The Stadium
I was going to buy a jersey, but they cost like 60 euro,
so I got a scarf instead
Madrid was playing Levante, a really bad team (that's why we were able to get tickets), so they completely controlled the game. Although the final score was only 2-0 (last time they played Levante they won 8-0). I found a youtube video (with English commentary) of the first goal scored - this play is AMAZING! We were going crazy!!!!!
Since the last bus back to Salamanca left before the game ended, we stayed in a hostel Saturday night and explored the city center on Sunday morning. First stop: the Plaza Mayor. Very cool, but not nearly as pretty as Salamanca's. I think it was Alejandro who said "Our plaza can beat up your plaza."
The plaza was packed - we had to watch for pickpockets!
The gang with a statue of someone probably
very important....
Aside from being prettier than the Madrid plaza, Salamanca's plaza is also way less touristy - it's a place to meet friends, get coffee or ice cream, hang out... In Madrid, however, the plaza is like Disneyland and is full of characters like Mickey Mouse, Chewbacca, Spongebob (by far the most popular with all the little kids) that people pay to take pictures with. By far, the best character was Spiderman - check this guy out:
hehehe
When I posted that photo on Facebook, all my friends who have been to Madrid commented on it, "Oh, you saw chunky Spiderman, too!" This guy is famous...
We also went to the Puerta del Sol and saw many more characters, a spontaneous skating competition, and a political protest.
with Allie
In the Puerta del Sol I met up with RACHEL, a friend from high school whom I lhaven't seen for at least two years! She's an au pair in a town right outside of Madrid.
Oly High reunion in Madrid!!
Ridiculously enough, I'm going to Madrid again this coming weekend. IES has a day trip planned with a visit to the royal palace and the Reina Sofía museum on Saturday (when am I going to get all my work done????), so I'll be posting more Madrid photos soon. ¡Chao!
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