Es un chiste :)

We had fun discussing the refrains we found yesterday in grammar class this morning. Also, my culture presentation on Catalonia went well. After that a group of girls went over to Retiro Park to eat lunch. Mary showed us the perfect spot. We sat on the step of a huge monument over looking the lake with paddle-boats. It was a beautiful place to picnic and Im sure I will be back there again.

Our view for lunch

We opted out of siesta today. Can you believe it? Well... instead we went shopping for about an hour on Grand Via. This is where H&M, Zara, Starbucks, and the nicest McDonald's you'll ever see are located. I actually bought nothing. Once again, hard to believe. I was looking for something super Spanish and pretty cheap. This isn't really the street for that type of shopping. Just wait til the Rastro market on Sunday- I'm SURE I can find something to buy there.

We then came back to eat an early dinner of the best lasagna I've ever had in my life. We are so blessed to have a madre who is a great cook. Other have had to eat tuna fish sandwiches and sardines.

We then went to a concert of Samford's dean of the music school. I guess he's on tour for the summer. He sang and a guitarist played. It was good and they're talented.

My homework for today was to talk to a Spaniard I haven't met and ask them to share with me a Spanish joke (chiste). This is actually much more difficult than it sounds. The Spaniards you encounter are mostly silent in the metro and have a hard exterior like many people that live in big cities. It's difficult to strike up a conversation, not be awkward, and ask someone who barely even smiles to tell you a joke. Maybe I can crack one of them tomorrow...

We have decided to call it an early night (due to the lack of siesta) so hopefully tomorrow we'll wake up well rested. Hasta luego.

Me at the beautiful monument where we ate lunch near the lake.