Si us plau

I ate well this week. First, went to Javier Bardem's family restaurant, La Bardemcilla on Tuesday night. If you don't know who Javier Bardem is, I will tell you. He is Penelope Cruz's husband, part of a famous family of actors/directors, and has won a few oscars/academy awards and stuff. So, pretty cool. I also had the best tiramisu of my life at his restaurant. And then I found the best food Madrid has to offer. 13 euros for all you can eat chinese food. You order off of a menu as many items as you want, and they bring high quality plates to you. AS MANY AS YOU CAN EAT. It was awesome. We were like children giggling at all the food in front of us and how it seemed impossible that it was only 13 euros. We figured there had to be a catch, like each item was 13 euros or we would get super sick or something. Nope. It was perfect. The fried rice had jamon in it, obviously, but I didn't even care. 

The weather was nice this week so we spent a few days reading in the park and just walking around.

We went to El Tigre on Thursday night and had the best tapas ever. Bread with cheese and a tomato/olive oil spread on them. Sounds simple, but when you don't ever find good food, its delicious. Oh and we also found a supermarket! Where more than one person can be in the aisle and they sell tortillas! Best day ever. 

Best day ever until Friday when Beau got here! Beau has been one of my closest friends since high school, and he is studying in Barcelona this semester. We had such a fun weekend together. He got here around lunch time and I met him at Plaza Mayor where we then walked to a bar that was on a balcony that overlooked the Royal Palace. Pretty sweet. The weather was nice and the sun was going down and it was just a great place to be. We went to dinner at ChinChin, the amazing chinese food place and Beau was as happy as I told him he would be about the great food. A girl he met in his program came to dinner with us, and before we got there Beau told me he wasn't sure how to pronounce her name. He put her in his phone as Egman, and said that when I meet her I need to ask her her name so I get it right. Maria and I both introduced ourselves, and come to find out her name is Megan. So, all night under our breath we were calling her Egman and Beau was getting so embarassed. Funny Beau. I then took him to the Cave bar, you can't come to Madrid and not experience it. His friends in the program met us there and we had a blast. 

We walked around Retiro on Saturday, went to the Reina Sofia museum and saw Picasso's Guernicca, and ate kebabs and churros con chocolate. So delicious. We made homemade macaroni and cheese because I have been wanting it so badly, and it was only semi-good. It was really good with lots of hot sauce on it. On our way to Moncloa on the metro, I got yelled at by an older Spanish woman. She was sitting next to me on the metro, and I turned to my right to talk to Beau. Apparently my hair hit her, and she decided to cause a scene at 1 in the morning on a packed metro. She started yelling in spanish things like this isn't a taxi, if I need to fix my hair she can give me a mirror, I'm rude, blah blah blah. She asked if I spoke spanish and I politely said no, english, and then she went on to tell me she knows russian, korean, spanish, and french. Well that sure helps. Not. Maria then got involved and told her I was sorry, I didn't mean it, and it won't happen again. (Also, my hair was pulled back, and it's not that long, and I didn't turn very quickly. Spaniards have no sense of personal space anyways so I don't know why she had a problem with it.) She then yelled at Maria some things I didn't understand and that I need to be respectful. All the while I am sitting silently just saying lo siento. Maria then told her sternly that I'm sorry. We turn and start to talk and try not to laugh at the scene we just caused and how everyone at the metro was staring at us. Then, I look up, and she has a mirror in my face that she got from her purse and said here's a mirror. WHAT. Crazy lady. I couldn't even believe it. Then Beau got involved and Maria and Beau were arguing with this 60+ spanish woman about my hair touching her. Also, I have nice hair, it shouldn't bother her. She continued to hold the mirror in my face while arguing with my loyal friends. I still sat there. We had 6 more stops to go, and I asked Beau and Maria if we could switch trains at the next stop and Beau made me stay there and man up. So, we uncomfortably sat there for 10+ more minutes. That was an adventure and a half. 

We slept in today, which was much needed, and then tried to find the Rastro market. We failed. I get lost too often in this city. We walked around all morning trying to find it, while getting tons of different directions from Spaniards that clearly don't know their city. It is supposed to be the biggest flea market in Europe, so I am still unsure how we didn't just run into it. I loved having Beau here and can't wait to visit him in Barcelona in March. 

It rained today, which is stupid. I wish it was pretty weather always, it makes it easier to explore. I took a nap, read, didn't clean, hung out with Maria and Scott, and did some homework. I am so lucky I like my roommates and we get along so great. I am missing some great people at home though. The weeks are going by too quickly. I wish I knew how to stop time.

Si us plau means please in Catalan, Beau taught me some key words this weekend :)