Rain on the parade

It rained today. It seems very strange after two and a half weeks of sun and heat. Nay and I left the Prado an hour after our class got out (because we hung around to look at some other paintings) and there was rain. Nay is used to this kind of thing because she's a Portland girl, whereas I felt sort of like L.A. did in January when it got hit with so much rain: "....Whatever can this be? Identify yourself, fiend!"

As a result of the unexpected rain, I am staying in tonight. But this is not necessarily a bad thing, as it means that I can finally put up pictures from this whole time (specifically, from this past weekend) on Facebook for family and friends to see. I'd prefer to do it sooner rather than later, because knowing me, it'll be January of 2011, I'll be getting ready to go to Paris, and I'll think, "Oh hey, maybe I should post those pictures from last summer in Spain..."

Yesterday and today have been relatively uneventful. Went to class both days. We have a sub this week in my Prado class, and I like him SO much better than my actual professor. His method is just different and more in keeping with my tastes. Yesterday we spent almost an hour talking about one Velazquez painting, which I thought was brilliance. He lets people describe what they see first and foremost, and encourages us to make comments based on what stands out to us, and after getting a sense of the painting, we can move on to interpretation. It's so much better than what my professor does! Too bad we'll only have the sub for one more class. So it goes, eh? As for my Lit class...I really don't know how I'm going to make it through without having some sort of aneurysm out of boredom. The professor talks the WHOLE time; we haven't actually read much of anything, for a LITERATURE class; and everything that he talks about is just not very exciting. Three times a week. It's going to be a struggle.

Yesterday in the afternoon I was supposed to go to a flamenco class for an hour, one that I'd already paid for. Unfortunately, I missed my stop on the bus and ended up having to get off way further away than I was supposed to. I had to get on the metro anyway, like I had planned to do before my señora suggested the bus, and then walk for like 10 minutes, so I arrived with 10 minutes left in the class. Obviously, I didn't join in at that point. I was so pissed off, and disappointed. I really wanted to go, and it just didn't work out. I'll see if I can make it up somehow, since I did pay...Anyway, I felt better after I walked over towards the Plaza Mayor with the group who took the class. We got ice cream and spent a little while looking around in the Mercado San Agustín, which is this very pretty Grand-Central-Market-ish marketplace, with a meat section, a cheese section (wow), a bread section, a pastries section, etc. It was pretty cool. I like the little frog-shaped chocolates I found. I might just have to go back and get some for myself.

Last night I had dinner down the block, because I needed to get something quick and get back to do my insipid Lit homework ._. so I went to the kabob place on the corner. For five euros, I got a GIANT kabob and a Manzana Postobon. Wow deliciousness. I really liked the kabob, even though it's totally different than the ones at Mamoun's or Zankou Chicken (those remain closer to my heart, but I'm glad I know this place is tasty because it's literally 30 seconds from my apartment). Food continues not to disappoint. I had mini empanadas tonight from the adorable bakery down the street (every time I go in, I can't choose what to get for a full 5 minutes or so), and they were delicious!

I'll end by sharing one of the ruminations I had with Nay at the Prado today. We were looking at Titian's Bacchanal of the Andrions and noticed a little cherub/putto/baby in the corner, near the reclining naked woman. And while the whole painting seemed oddly reminiscent of, say, a college party or pre-game, we were most captivated by the cherub, who seemed disgruntled. Possibly a little weary from so much partying, who knows. We liked him. Enjoy.