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I wonder… if Spaniards routinely go to bed well after 2am as you mentioned, what time is the cultural norm there to rise?

I’m such a night owl myself that I internally struggle with the 5am culture here in the US: “I have to get up early to get a jump start on the day or else I’m behind!” Which my brain translates into “I’m lazy if I can’t get up and exercise before work”, even though I fit it in my day and naturally do my best work in the evenings and often well into the wee hours of the night. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Guess I need to live in county with a late-night culture!!!

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Love all of this!!! Banjo serenade, Chad playing ‘futbol’ with no need for language and being with old friends!!! 😍 For the record last Friday I did write you a long post with a few stories from my month of traveling from Greece to Portugal and back to Italy, but I bumped my hand when proofreading it and it disappeared!!! 🤨Happy belated birthday Chiquita! 🎉 P.S. Not only does Chad’s shaver have a different plug, it likely runs on a 220 current (like American stoves and clothes dryers) so chances are it might not work well in the US, where our normal outlets only deliver 110 volts. I know, I know, more math!

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I LOVE Madrid. I did a two week immersion program there years ago. My favorite memory was an old man stopping me on the street and asking if I had time for a poem. Who doesn't? I then stood there and listened to him recite an at-least 10 minute long soliloquy by Lorca while the folks at the neighboring cafe giggled and said something in spanish that translated roughly to: "he's got another sucker." To date, one of my favorite travel memories. My only regret is that I did not take him and his wife up for an invite to dinner. So glad you all are enjoying it to the fullest, that you found SOMEthing to wear at El Cortes Ingles and that Chad played some Futbol!!!! Please go to Museo Reina Sofia if you can. Such a beautiful museum, more intimate and spanish than El Prado and less touristy. But you probably know this already. My heart breaks for your friend, Victoria.

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