Spain 2010 - Observations so far

This is just going to be a random assortment of thoughts I've had since arriving back in Spain yesterday morning.

-Being my fourth time here, there's no more "Sweet! I get to go to Spain!" feeling anymore. The honeymoon wore off last summer. :P But, it's still fun to be back. I enjoy the fact that I pretty much can get around Madrid without a map and stay fairly oriented. There's still nothing like walking into the Puerta del Sol (especially now that they've made it more for pedestrians).

-I got to watch a wedding today in the cathedral in Toledo! It was fun being able to hear what was going on...they did vows, rings, read from 1 Corinthians 13...all that jazz. I'm still mad I forked over the 7€ entry fee for the cathedral.

-In one word...Spain is just old. And I don't mean that in a bad way at all. You walk into museums, and they have relics from the 1200s. Armor that the king's soldiers wore in the 1500s. Cloaks that the archbishops wore centuries ago. A painting portraying the burial of a Count who died in the 1300s, which is overhanging his tomb.

-Spanish food? Awesome. I'll never grow tired of chorizo, tortilla española, alioli, chocolate, aceite... And it's funny how quickly I changed over to Spanish time, waiting until at least 2 to eat lunch, and not grabbing supper until around 10 (and being okay with just toast for breakfast).

-So excited I got a $1.25/€ exchange rate...

-Watching a bunch of Chileans chant along with the soccer game last night was amazing! Too bad I only knew one of the chants... (And besides, I met a friend Kathryn who will be studying in Salamanca, too, and she was with me, and I felt bad standing outside the bar due to the massive amount of people with her there, so we found a less crowded bar.)

-I really, really, really wish we had a public transport system like Europe...

-I stopped in the entryway of a metallurgy shop today in Toledo because they were playing the Lord of the Rings soundtrack. :P

-Regarding packing: I read on the plane that someone's travel advice was that if you can't carry it, you shouldn't pack it. That's so true! I'm glad all I have are two backpacks (which are both fairly heavy, mind you...but it's better to have them on my shoulders while walking down the Gran Vía than lugging a giant rolling suitcase!). I'm ready to get to Salamanca so I can unpack, as these socks and same two shirts are getting old... :P

-100% Geocaching is the best way to see a city. It's free, and you'll see so much more that's not in a guidebook. (It helps you get away from the tourists...)

-Weather: It rained yesterday! First time in ages I've seen it rain here! Other than that, it's been hot, but not humid. Mostly, Spain is sunny, and San Lorenzo (what they call the sun occasionally) loves to beat down on this land!

-Walked into a supermarket and they had a sign up about coupons. (What?) ;)

Got any questions that I can answer? Just let me know! :) Be home in a few weeks!