Big Cities

I've seen New York, sure, but nothing prepared me for this trip. I am finding out there is a lot I did not know and a lot still to learn. I feel like saying that there was a lot I did not know is a tad narrow-minded, but when you're in the United States you're in a little bubble. NOT HERE! You realize how different things really are outside of your backyard. Life is different. To say the least!

I flew into Rome today. It's beautiful and the architecture is amazing. I also could not really appreciate it because i had gone 36 hours without sleep. However, the Metro is dirty, packed and scary. I can handle buses but Metro's are just something else. I haven't eaten either. STARVED GIRAFFE ON THE LOOSE! 

As promised, I have pictures from the tour in Madrid. 

The first picture is in front of the Royal Palace. I learned that the Royal Fam doesn't live there. They live on the outskirts of the city but this place still has it's normal function like ambassadors visits and such, the family just doesn't live there.

 Yeah, I had to get one in front of the fountain.                          Then there was Plaza Mayor.

AND THEN THE WONDERFUL SANTA IGLESIA CATHEDRAL! This is the side facing away from the palace.

The tour guide told us that the front looks really boring and so do all the buildings surrounding the Royal Palace. They look bland so that they don't draw away from the beauty of the palace... Respect, I like it. Apparently that's a thing that the Spanish have. 

I learned a lot from the tour: 

The water is drinkable from the tap and probably the best in Spain because there is an underground river. None of the buildings have been remade, replaced, or reconstructed. All the buildings you see are old. Yes, very old. Also, you can see the repairs in the sides of the buildings from bullets of the civil war. There are dark concrete spots in sides. The distance between the Royal Palace and the cathedral is the shortest distance in the world, between politics and religion. They are literally steps away from each other. Kind of cool. 

So, I've slept pretty much all day but I'm still a little tired. Tomorrow I'm going to visit historical places in Rome! Wish me luck!