I took a walk to the Plaza Mayor today. Almost every night for two months in 1977, I went to the same bar at the edge of the Plaza Mayor, drank rum and Coke and practiced my slightly-drunk Spanish with anyone who showed up. I knew the bartender, and if I missed a couple of nights, he'd ask me where I'd been when I showed up again.
The place was here, now a restaurant that serves something artisinal. Anyway, I have friends who hadn't even been born when I was in this place drinking rum and practicing Spanish. That made today an interesting day for me.
There are guys all over Spain who use string and tubs full of soapy water to blow big bubbles in public places for money. I always thought that bubble-blowing thing was a pretty crappy way to make a living . . .
. . . until I saw this guy today on the Plaza Mayor. This is definitely a worse way to make a living.
And finally, in an attempt to do something slightly cultural today I visited the royal palace. The royal family actually lives a couple of miles away and uses this as a sort of vacation home for special occasions.
Anyway, this is the king's view from his royal patio. It's really nice, but the view from our house is just as good. That's what forty years of perspective will get you.
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