La noche en blanco

Forget Seattle. It is sleepless in Madrid. Tonight was la noche en blanco. La noche en blanco is part of the European-wide "white nights" celebrations in which activities take place outside from 9 PM until 7 AM in the streets. Under the full moon tonight there were street performers, musicians, DJ's, along with what seemed to be everyone in Madrid. I have literally never been in crowds so large.

My friend Emily and I met up with some people and listened to some indie rock group named Remate (from Madrid? but sang in english). After we got sick of that, and I tend to easily get sick of people with horrible voices who think that they are great, Emily and I headed to the museum mile to see a tight rope walker. After getting some chips and beer we found a huge crowd gathered below a cable strung from one side of a broad avenue to the next. The roads were closed to traffic which was great. I am really bad at judging distances but the cable was 6 stories high? There were huge spotlights going, techno beats thumping, and people getting impatient waiting for the guys to walk across the rope. The dare devils kept peaking out over the edge to huge roars from the crowd. Unfortunately at this point, the weather was not cooperating and after waiting about an hour, the wind was still too strong for the stunt to continue. It would have been amazing though. I really wanted to see the guy walk between two buildings (very far) without a net or harness or any security. It was too windy though - I was freezing.

After this we walked a ways...got some food at McDonald's. Yes, yes horrible I know, but it was either that or the guy selling half eaten bocadillos on the side of the road. I should mention ALL the museums and sites are free for la noche en blanco, so that is a big attraction for many people, although the lines tend to be HUGE. We wanted to tour through the Palacio Real, but it closed at 2, so we didn't make it. Instead we wandered around, people watched, and eventually made it back to the metro.

Now I'm home and so happy about that because I'm exhausted. I'm also excited to meet Ana's daughter, Ana. She's a 9 year old girl had been on vacation with her Dad for the past month or so, and she just got home tonight. It will be fun to have a little host sister! I can't wait!