Red-faced loonery

Today I finally decided to try out the gym facilities at the IES center where we have all our classes. It is sadly not open until 11 a.m. every day, which is when my first class always starts, so I have to wait until after class (which would theoretically be lunchtime) to work out. Which is why it hadn't happened yet. So I figured, inspired by my rendezvous with chocolates con churros last night, that I would try it out.


That stuff is really, really tasty. At a couple of moments, I was drinking that chocolate like soup. Amazing. Definitely worthy of a repeat.

The treadmill was odd, especially because it was in km/h, of course; but it was absolutely normal compared to the stairmaster, on which I was making steps at a much slower rate than on any normal staircase. I had a good workout, but it was really hot and stuffy in that room, so of course I came out really sweaty and bright red. When I went to talk to one of the coordinators about signing up for a flamenco dance class this Monday (yes), she took one look at me and went, "Oh my God, what happened to you?" To which I obliviously replied, "....Como?" She thought I'd been out by the pool for too long, HAHA. This is what happens when I work out. Most people just look like they've had a good run. I look like I'm having a heart attack.

My class at the Prado went really well today. We looked at a lot of cool stuff, including an AWESOME Tintoretto painting that I didn't know about (The Feetwashing), in which the perspective is so well figured out that if you walk from one end of it to the other, at either end, the front of the table in the center appears to be facing you...so the scene basically changes according to your position. It was pretty cool. And beastly, on Tintoretto's part. After class, Naomi and I spent about an eon and a half looking at Bruegel's Triumph of Death and Bosch's Haywain and (the biggie) The Garden of Earthly Delight. There's an intense amount of detail in those paintings. Every little figure is super interesting and there's something to be said about every bit of each painting. So we had fun pointing out different little people or scenes within the larger canvas. The Garden of Earthly Delights is HUGE. It's hard to believe that kind of stuff was painted 500 years ago.

This evening, I spent some time at the Parque del Retiro, which is right next to the Prado, and relatively close to my homestay. I had a snack/dinner-ish and talked to Naomi by the lake (I forget what they call it...estanque, according to Google. I think I always forget because that word sounds like something stinky to me) until the sun set. The light was gorgeous, and it was already way less hot than it was during the day (I wore jeans early in the day. Mistake. They were glued to me. I will likely not wear jeans again during the remainder of my stay). Anyway, the park is really big and beautiful, so I need to spend a LOT more time in it. Maybe it will become my jogging alternative to the gym, since in the early evening it wouldn't really be terribly hot running outside, and I'd get to see some of the park. It will also be a good place to go read when I need a break. Now that I can use the monthly transportation pass, I can use the metro AND the buses as much as I want every single day, so I'm actually going to be able to roam the city without spending money on the transportation. But anyway, it was a super relaxing evening. There were ducks and fishies in the lake, and really cute dogs everywhere (muy monos).

I officially bought my plane ticket to London last night, to go see Ana next weekend. I'm really excited, even though I'll only really get one full day and one full night there. But I've been to London before, so I don't feel like I have to run around sightseeing.

I'm also definitely going to Córdoba, Sevilla and Granada this weekend--leaving on Thursday, actually! I finished booking our hostels tonight, so we're all set! I can't wait to see the Alhambra, it's what I'm looking forward to most. But Sevilla and Córdoba are also supposed to be absolutely gorgeous and fun, so it'll be a really good (albeit exhausting).

Now, to fold my laundry...no complaints, I promise! After all, I didn't actually have to do it myself. Francisca even ironed it all, I think...so I have pretty much the easiest job just putting it away. And, according to the can that I bought on the way home because I wanted a fizzy drink, Pony Malta gives you energy! Oh yeah. representing Colombia en España.