San Juan

I spent this past weekend going on a little jaunt up to León in order to celebrate the festival of San Juan, or the longest night of the year. There, I did the following things (in no particular order):

1. Ate loads and loads of food cooked by Spanish grandmothers

2. Saw the outside of this cathedral (we kept missing the times when the inside was open, which were at weird hours because of the festival)--

3. Saw Spain kick France's butt in the the Eurocopa 2012

4. Made chocolate chip cookies for a crowd of Spaniards, who gave their approval

5. Saw a fireworks show, during which I pretended it was the 4th of July since I won't get to see any fireworks then

6. After said fireworks, watched the burning of some figurines (from a political cartoon) in this gigantic bonfire--

7. Enjoyed the break from the broiling Madrid heat

8. Did not sleep very much

I hope your San Juan, or summer solstice, or whatever you want to call it, was spent in a similarly enjoyable manner!

Where Has the Time Gone??

Here we are past the end of the school year, and as usual with, well, time, I find myself wondering what happened. Wasn't it just January? I don't know where the time between then and now went, but it flew.

If you thought I was a bad blogger before, you must think I'm truly the worst blogger on Earth now. Or that I'm dead. Neither of which is actually the case...well, the first one I guess I can't really judge, but hopefully not. Anyway.

Part of the reason I've not been blogging is that I was really busy tying up the school year and saying goodbye to all of my friends. Then I was really busy moving. Yes, that's right, I moved! I'm now living in (well, near) Madrid, though just for the summer. I'm an au pair for a family here, and since I last posted I've been getting settled in and getting to know the family and the area. Oh, and also watching fútbol, lots of fútbol...since the Eurocup is currently going on and I've got to cheer on Spain.

But by now I'm pretty well accustomed to the scorching heat and dry landscape of where I live, as well as the people and the job. So I'm back to blogging, yay!

So currently I'm wondering if there are any current or former Madrileños out there who might want to echarme una mano and give me some suggestions of things I should make sure to do before I leave the area. I only have 6 more weeks to experience it all! Of course, I would also love to tomar un café with anyone who might be willing to help out someone new to the city. Thanks in advance.

This is the view from my morning run--I feel like I'm living in the desert!

I really love this one lone white house, it makes me think of Don Quixote and lonely windmills.

Oh, did I mention that I live in the town where the Spanish national soccer team trains? Obviously, no sightings right now since they're off in Poland kicking ass and taking names, but when they get back, I'm excited to try to see them!!