Friday night we went out Spanish-style...aka we left the house at 2:30 am and clubbed until 6:30 am. We went to Kapital, which has seven stories and sprays the crowd with blasts of freezing nitrogen from the ceiling. This is not only looked and sounded awesome, but felt amazing after dancing for hours packed like sardines among other sweaty dancers. It's a pretty weird feeling getting home as the sun is rising.
Saturday was a sleepy day, to say the least. Also rainy. But Saturday night we got all dolled up again and went to dinner at the most charming, gourmet, authentic Spanish place. Of course, our reservation for 9:30 was a little on the early side, but we stayed for a good two hours, enjoying fine wine, and entrees such as ox-tail, prawn and ox-tail casserole, rack of lamb, and roasted baby goat shoulder, which is what I got. I know, it sounds cruel to say I ate (and loved) roasted baby goat shoulder, but I did. It was 30 euros well-spent on meat with a taste somewhere between beef and lamb and a texture like a tender chicken leg. It simply melted in my mouth.
Of course, since we were going all out (and recognized we probably wouldn't be doing so again) we got coffee and dessert. Mine consisted of a small scoop each of fig ice cream and dark chocolate mousse, a frozen-whipped-white-chocolate-foam-filled cannoli-type shell, and finally, a fig. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. That is, until Taya pulled some amazing feat trying to save the wine glass she knocked over, somehow scooping it up mid-spill and creating a geyser of wine followed by some profuse wine-rain, which somehow got all over us but remained unnoticed by the diners at every single table around us (thank god). Truth be told, I am pretty pleased that this happened, as it provided us with more laughter than our full-bellies could probably take (unless laughter aids digestion) and it was something I will never forget and will never see again. Thanks, Taya.
Today, Sunday, we finally had sun. That was perfect because we went to the famous Spanish El Rastro market which is basically the size of a small town. It was hard to stay together and still peruse according to our different interests, so we basically all took out own route. I spent way to many euro, but that goes without saying I probably spent a third of the worth of what I got. There are stands selling everything from genuine leather bags to euro-boxers, fútbol jerseys to antiques, toys, designer shoes, makeup, music, and more. It's jam-packed and the vendors are shouting orders at peopl to come check out the "moda, calidad, rebajas!" I even saw a mind-blowing professional street performer playing wine glasses. He sounded incredible, producing harmonious layered melodies that were surprisingly complicated, and had even made a CD which he had for sale.
Finally, this afternoon I got a cheaper but still authentic Spanish lunch. An empanada--a savory, sandwich-sized filled pastry--with bonito in it for 1.50 euros, and an agua gaseosa for .50 euros. This I followed with a siesta--a little nap and then a run around the perimeter of El Retiro park. It was just before dusk in that brilliant, pre-sunset glow, and of course I wished I'd taken my camera because I am always seeing more of that incredible park; there was picture after picture I could have taken of people and fountains and domed architecture-all bathed in that heavenly golden light which I love.
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