in madrid

I have safely arrived at my hostel in Madrid. A few general observations:

1. Being at the airport for nine hours makes good people watching
2. The airport in Madrid smells like 6 year old cigarette smoke
3. People stare at you when you walk through a downtown area with a giant bookbag and hiking poles strapped to your back
4. Spotted - one TGI Friday´s and one Starbucks thus far
5. My backpack is TOO HEAVY
6. I can´t figure out how to make the at symbol without copying and pasting on this keyboard, which has about 10 extra keys.
7. Apparently I stink because people move away from me everywhere I go
8. The people at the airport and hostel were extremely friendly, everywhere else not so much, not unfriendly though
9. I miss everyone a lot.
10. My Spanish sucks, but I know my numbers and how to work the metro.

I´m off to shower and then maybe off to the prado museum for some sick and grotesque Goyas.

Oh, one more thing, half the restaraunts have the word jamon in their name, meaning ham.