Photos from Madrid, Christmas 2006

It's been a year, so I think it's high time I finally uploaded some pictures from my trip. I was going to take the original prints out of their mats and scan them again for better quality, but what the hell. I am lazy, and the scans turned out ok. Plus I spent way too much time on those damn mats.

Anyway, I never really narrated my trip back to Madrid in 2006 online, so here goes: I decided I would attempt the San Silvestre 10k, an annual race held on New Year's Eve that runs through the heart of Madrid. A whole portion of the city is closed off to about 20,000 runners. There are bands set up at major intersections to keep up group morale, the streets are lit up...it's a very exciting event and a great way to kick off the new year. I finished the race in 1:05...which is on the slower side admittedly, but honestly I'm not a runner. I'm more about quick movements and hand-eye coordination than endurance. But I'm happy I even finished, and had I trained harder I could probably shave it down to a solid hour.

These are pics taken in the days prior to the race, when I flew in over Christmas and spent the holidays with Antonio's family.


Roasted chestnut stand


Kids playing in streamers blowing up from a street vent on the Plaza Mayor


The Plaza Mayor at night


Vendor on Plaza Mayor selling Christmas lights


Paseo del Prado, the street that runs past the world-renowned Prado Museum. This is a souvenir picture since this street will be torn up soon :(