Worldwale part 2 : Living in Spain

 

 

This is me, partying in Lavapies, Madrid with a skinny red-haired guy, a Bulgarian girl and Sacha, a guy from Ukrania.

But how did I get here?

 

Finished my trip around the world in march 2008. (Before I die, I should write the posts about my Yucatan (Mexico), NYC and London stops....)

Then back to Paris, back to reality. here comes gravity... : same old, same old : flat, job, Paris itself. Except for one thing... 2.0

 

After saving some money and celebrating my 25th birthday with 99 of my friends, I decide to leave my job (again).

What's my excuse for leaving again?

To learn Spanish

Where?

In Madrid.

And why not in Barcelona? in Argentina? or in Mexico?

Estoy harto de escuchar esta pregunta...

 

Last April, I read on Facebook, por casualidad, that Cyprien, a university mate was getting married now and living in Madrid.

 

 (remember the backpack on the lower left side of the picture?)

 

Few months, a phone call and a f"'@%£¨ expensive RyanAir flight later, I am staying with my wonderful hosts Cyprien and his esposa, the lovely veggie Mariya. A blue-eyed brunette from Bulgaria.

 I converted them and now they will probably be one of the best  Couchsurfing hosts u can get in Madrid!

 

Together, we went to the best and poshest hotel / bar in Madrid : the formely Grand Hotel Reina Victoria now named ME Madrid.

 

 

 

Us on the rooftop terrasse. Not the best view. By the way, I came her thx to the pijo  website "asmallworld".

 

 

From there, we went to the best thing Madrid has to over during August apart from the good weather : Las Fiestas de Barrio (Lavapies, La Latina....)

 

Theses are what the fairs evolve around :

 

- Fair games including the ever popular Bingo,

 

 

- gigantic food stands,

 

 

 

- street bars pumping all sorts of music and drinks (cerveca, mojito, calimocho, tinto de verano, ....)

 

 

 

and  hundreds of Spaniards doing what they do best : drink, chat loudly, drink more...

 

...listen to some music (but never dance) while sipping on their huge "mini"

 

 

 - charlar màs then sit for hours. On  the bare street floor. Like hippies. This is called a Botellon.

 

 

 

 To think that these were originally religious celebrations....

 

 

 

By the way, here are the people I hang out with

 

my room mates, Gary (Bristol, on the left), Fernando (Buenos Aires, white t-shirt) during the now famous "Pan's meeting". Every other day, my roommates meet up with a bunch of immigrants from Latin America. Meeting point : Pan's Gran Via.

Why this particular fast-food joint terrasse? Because they know. They know it is the only terrasse in Madrid where you can chill for hours without having to spend a pesito.

Hum, seem like I took the picture on pay day : they order 3 coffees or maybe 3 free glasses of water...

 

In pan's, I met los chistosos. On the leftJorge, "the abuelito", and Eric "Doctor feo ", both from Mexico. Good sens of humor.... They can't help it : everything they see walking down Gran Via has be commented and turned into a joke.

"Jajaja" as they say here.

 

Some are students, some are English teachers, fast-food usherer, actors in commercials or just like me, chilling...

 Really fun to hang it with this crowd of immigrants. All kind of "lost in translation" here.

Age range : 25 - 65

 

 

Remember her?

Met Sarah in a dorm in India (Udaipur) in March 2007

 

Here we are now in Spain (Madrid) in August 2008

 

This is what I love about travelling. Discovering and rediscovering people. To me, she was a backpacker, now she is a consultant for an International consultancy firm.... working 73 hours a week in August and dressed as an executive woman. Even on a sunny sunday..

 

My new best friend: www.couchsurfing.com

And the crowd of people "qui va avec"..

 

I have to say CS is THE most useful website when it comes to meeting generous people in a foreign place.

 

 

And mario (black shirt), a Spanish guy who fell for a French girl. Long story...

 

And my new friend : Rafael Nadal

Since he won the olympic Gold medal, he is every where!

Ad, tv, magazine covers, windows... Everywhere

 

Next post : my Nike+ Human Race or Urban Madrid...