Chinchon

Yesterday we had nothing to do for school and nothing to do for AYA, so Sondie and I decided to take a day trip to Chinchon which is about 30 miles southeast of Madrid. It was a daytrip recomended in many of my travel books. We found a bus that went there cheaply and easily. The town in quaint and historic. It is known for its Plaza Mayor which is round and holds bullfights in the warm weather. There are ruins of a castle that was built in the late 16th-century but was later abandoned and turned into a liquor factory. While looking at the castle, we met an old man who told us a lot about the history and the archetecture. He also helped us find the local tourist office for a map. We ate at a restaurant in Plaza Mayor which was delicious and reasonably priced. Then we did a little walking tour with the map provided by the tourist office. We saw the Iglesia de la Asuncion as well as the Teatro de Lope de Vega. All of the roads in Chinchon are small and bumpy. There were a ton of hills so it was a great workout. Chinchon is famous for a liquor called Anis which was made in the abandoned castle. Everyone said we had to try it so we did. Apparently it is a sweet drink that people drink at Christmas time. It tasted like black licorice and was not my cup of tea. Then we headed back to our bus stop and made our way back to Madrid. I am very proud of our independence. We planned and executed an entire day trip by ourselves! Last night was international student night at a club called Pasion. A few of us went but it wasn't quite what we expected. It was mostly Americans and everyone was speaking English. The music was all American and it was so loud and crowded you couldn't hear anyone talk. Neadless to say, we did not stay long. Tonight I am going to see the Ballet Folclorico de Madrid which I am very excited about. I'll let you know how it goes! Oh, and here are some pictures of my wonderful perro, Oso.