Hala Madrid

Well, today is the day of the trip that Andrew has been waiting for - our tour of Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. After a late night arriving home from Porto and maybe 6 hours of sleep, our day started with Starbucks and cafe americano. I couldn't survive another long day without a cup of coffee.


Once I was caffeinated and ready to go, we set off on the Madrid City tour. As in Porto, riding in a giant coach bus through the tiny streets was terrifying. This tour had a guide, and we learned a lot about the city and its history. Andrew and I are staying in the most historic part of town, with some buildings dating back to the 15th century. Madrid started as a fortress and 20 houses, and expanded when the capital moved to the city from Toledo.


One thing Andrew and I noticed on our tour was the impact of American culture. Every other store was American - Nike, Lush, Adidas, Quicksilver, North Face. McDonalds, Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts (strategically renamed Dunkin Coffee in Spain) were some of the most popular cafes (if you can even call them that). Even during our tour, the drink break was at Hard Rock cafe.

The second half of the tour was at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu - home of Real Madrid Futbol Club. The tour was really impressive - we got to see everything from the top seats of the stadium to walking on the grass, and even view the team's actual locker rooms. There was a museum with old jerseys, trophies and interactive exhibits about Real Madrid and its history. It was impossible not to be a Real Madrid fan after walking through. Even though the stadium was kind of old and ugly on the outside, the inside was really updated and nice, and the size of the stadium was breathtaking. Andrew was like a kid in a candy store today; it was fun to be able to watch him as he toured the stadium. 

After the tour, we knocked another Madrid essential off of our list - Chocolate y Churros. We went to the Chocolateria San Gines, one of the most famous places in Madrid that has been serving Chocolate and Churros since the 1800s. They were muy delicioso.

Tomorrow we are planning to go souvenir shopping, eat at the local market and go geocaching. I can't believe it will be our last day in Madrid. This trip has been so much fun, and I am so grateful to have gotten to experience it with my best friend. Yet again, I have fallen in love with Europe and am already looking forward to another trip back. The history and culture of both Porto and Madrid are so unique and so different from what we experience in America. This trip has really been an amazing adventure. 

- Kenzie & Andrew