Book day in Madrid

My time in Madrid has been great. I got to practice my dancing skills the days leading up to New Years Eve with my cousins. They have the Wi game called 'Just Dance' and my Uncle who used to be an electrician set up the best party/playroom for them. Complete with disco ball, lights system synced to music, strobe and smoke machine. A few family members came over and it was awesome to see all generations dancing up a storm.

New Years eve day my aunt Christina made sure I was prepared to ring in the New Year in style. She also made sure I was equip with a bottle of champagne as she pushed me out the door making sure I wouldn't be home till well after the sun had risen and had eaten the customary New Years breakfast. Madrid does not sleep on new years! I ate grapes at Puerta del Sol, I played drums in some square, improved my Italian over a game of pool, and encountered English speaking foreigners simply by them overhearing me speaking English. Exploring Madrid on foot and having no plan ended up making for a great New Years adventure.

I went back into the city today planning on seeing some museums but ended up on a book appreciation walk. I found myself in two wonderful indie-cafe-bookstores. One where a group called meninascartoneraseditorial makes handmade books! And I walked away from the shop with a Mick Jagger Dress-Up Paper-Doll.

Next stop was the most high security and beautiful library I've ever had the pleasure of being in. They take your jacket and your bag before you enter and you are only allowed to bring what you can carry in your hands. This makes for an extremely quiet library because they're no rustling to find a pen or move things from one place to another. Not only is it a beautiful designed space but its all made with dark stained wood. The National Museum of Reina Sofia Library is filled with more art books then I have ever seen of every type of art in a multitude of languages. I spent over an hour perusing. When I needed some fresh air I followed my feet and stumbled on an outdoor book shop that stretches for a whole long street. Pictures are in Book day in Madrid, a set on my Flickr.

I now can no longer say:

"And I still don't have a cell phone, but this sea shell gets Reception, and the ocean won't stop calling" - Jeffery Lewis 

because I have a cell phone! Yes I am now connected once again AND I'll be headed away from the beach and into the mountains in the Sierra Nevada.