21,223 steps = 8.57 miles

I don't know that I've ever walked this much in my entire life! Before I document today's events, I wanted to give a shoutout to my new friends (previously known as Solo Traveller 1 and Solo Traveller 2 or my 2 roommates [see previous blog entry for their first appearance]). The talker is Vicky and she's a really cool girl from Canada. This is her first time in Europe and I have a feeling this will not be her last. The other Traveller is Fiona (I avoided any references to Shrek but later told her that was my first thought upon learning her name). Fiona is my spirit traveller...she has been traveling for the past 4 months, writes a blog, and is just LIVING!!!! Side note: they asked for the blog address and I was grateful I didn't write anything bad about them. Sometimes I'm quick to judge. But I digress. 

Museo Nacional del Prado

Vicky and I were headed to the same destination (The Prado) so we walked together and stopped at a little cafe to have a croissant and coffee. I'm finding it difficult to just find eggs for breakfast and I don't know how Spanish people are mostly skinny with all the bread they eat! You're also not allowed to take photos in the museum (we snuck a selfie) so I don't have many pics. I think I've figured out how Spanish tourism is so great - no pictures in museums so you have to go see it for yourself. I'm not a museum person but I saw works by the followving artists:

Sorolla - Children on the Beach

Goya - some dark shit (the black paintings) like Saturn devouring his child and something not so dark like The Naked Maja

Velazquez - The Spinners

Buen Retiro

I met an older American couple after I heard them speaking English and asked them to take a photo of me at this very peaceful and calming park. They asked me if I saw the glass palace and I didn't even know what they were talking about! I'm glad I ran into them because the Palacio de Cristal was a cool structure. 

I think my Grandma was with me at the park...One day before leaving on my trip I smelled roses wafting through my living room and no apparent source of the smell. I knew she was going to look over me on this trip and she already has. So today at the park, I got a whiff of roses (none were visible around me) and I knew she was there today with me 🌹

After Buen Retiro I walked to the pharmacy to buy hand sanitizer and didn't know the word for it. Luckily, I was able to adequately explain what I wanted and the pharmacist said my Spanish was really good (Universe smiles).