Beginning of our first day
This afternoon we did a little walking around the city to kill some time before we could check into our rooms in the hostel. Hurding a group of 7o exhausted people around a city and on a metro system was no easy task, but thanks to our helpful tour guides Laura and Javier and our very proudly flown Kansas flag, we were able to navigate some of the city.
The city itself is still preparing for the World Youth Day events and it doesn't quite seem like they have any idea what's going to hit them in a few days. The people, nevertheless, have been incredibly welcoming and kind to us and our minimal Spanish-speaking abilities. The main site we visited as we walked around today was the Cathedral in Madrid. It is a beautiful Gothic Church that has been renovated in recent times creating an odd mix of art and architectural features.
This evening we will be having our first Mass here in Spain and then be heading off for an early dinner at 8 p.m. We're definitely not quite used to lunch and dinner being served so late. Europeans don't like air conditioning, so our rooms can be a little warm, but even with that, the heat doesn't compare with what Kansas experienced this summer. Our guides were telling us that today was one of the hottest days of the summer, and we found it to be a delightful welcome.
