Churros y Chocolate

Today I got to explore Madrid a little bit. I took my first metro ride all by myself. I had to transfer lines in the middle which was a little scary but I figured it out. The metros are so clean here and they are really easy to navigate. All of the AYA students met at Puerta de Sol and together we went to eat churros and Chocolate for desayuno (breakfast). I may have found my new favorite food. The churros here are so delicious. They are crispy and round and you are supposed to dip them in this thick hot chocolate drink. I really enjoyed the whole experience. Then we all went on a little walking tour to get acclimated to the city. We saw the exact center of Madrid and then moved on to Plaza Mayor. There is a large square of buildings with shops on the first floor of each. In the center there is a statue and lots of open space. The plaza was currently under construction of some sort so I'll have to check back and see what it is supposed to look like. Near the Plaza Mayor is Madrid's oldest restaurant. It is really famous and hard to get reservations....it is also not a good restaurant for vegetarians. Then we went to see el palecio real which used to be a summer home for the king and queen. It is huge and is now a museum that is fully furnished as it was when it was a home. There are beautiful gardens and a huge fountain outside. Near by there is a cathedral where the royal family went to church. Our trip ended at el Corte Ingles, which is the hugest department store in the world. We all picked up the things we had forgotten to bring with us and then went our separate ways. I came home and had lunch and then enjoyed a nice jog through my neighborhood. I was pretty timid because I didn't want to get lost. There are a lot of angle streets here and many streets are to narrow to fit a person and a car. Tonight I met Carmen, the other girl who is living here. She is from the Canary Islands and is in Madrid to study ballet. She is 20, just like me and has lived here for about 2 years. She is very nice and it will definitly be nice to have someone my age who speaks Spanish. Maybe she can show me the good places to go in Madrid. Tonight my host brother is coming over for dinner so I will get to meet him as well!