It has been tough and exciting to be in Spain, completing training for our assignment to Australia. When the weather was nice, it was beautiful outside, as you can see from the hotel room I stayed in for a short while, near Gran Via. The streets were chaotic and claustrophobic compared to the States, and no one believed in any kind of personal space. The language barrier was difficult at first, but if you put in effort to speak a little Spanish, it went a long way.
Skype has been a great tool to stay in touch with family, but you can see that Erik could quickly tell it wasn't the real thing. This was a shot with my camera while we were chatting. This was a great opportunity for Erik to spend time with family before our move.
Here are a few shots from my last walk around town. These first few shots were taken at Plaza Espania, where there are beautiful grounds, statues/fountains, and shopping vendors ready to fill all your tourist needs. Be careful to watch out for pick-pockets though. I was weary to venture out much at first, but my Brother-in-Law (who spent two years in Spain) gave me some good pointers & ideas, which encouraged me to go out.
The photo above is a 2,200 year old Egyptian Temple that was relocated to Madrid in the 60's. Egypt had to build a damn that was going to flood the temple, so they gave it to Spain for help that they had previously given Egypt. The temple was moved to Madrid and set up in the same orientation as it was in Egypt. It's amazing to see a structure that was built before Christ even walked the Earth....even if it's a refurb.
More pictures from Plaza Espania. There was a lot to look at and do, but I am excited to be on my way home to my family. Nothing beats the warmth of your home and love of your family, no matter how exciting the adventure.
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