Madrid, España

I flew in from Zurich to Madrid on Thursday, Aug. 16. I made my way from the airport to my hostel by subway. I had to change lines three times, and the second line was completely crowded. I was one of the last passengers to board and I had to squeeze my way in amongst the throng with a daypack against my chest and a backpack on my back. I was pressed up against the entrance doors. I wasn't wearing my concealed traveler's purse and my wallet was in my front pocket. Precisely due to the location of my wallet I felt a bit uncomfortable with all of the people so close, but my backpack inhibited me from making any room for myself. I reached down to put my hand in my pocket, but was surprised/horrified to find a hand already there. The man next to me had his jacket covering his arm and had reached into my pocket. I swept his hand out and pushed him away from me. I then shoved my hand into my pocket: my wallet was there but my passport was gone. I grabbed the guy and screamed 'jilipollas dónde está mi pasaporte!' (where's my passport asshole!). He threw up his arms innocently and my mind just raced, if I lose my passport I am f-ing dead! His two friends closed in on me, trying to clam me, I figured he had passed it to them. I reached into my other pocket: it was there. I let go of him and said 'ok, ok, está bien'. All three smiled innocently, said 'no problem', and made room for me to make my way to the back of the subway car. They got off at the next stop.

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Wow. That was pretty stupid of me. I was wearing shorts with fairly open pockets, I shouldn't have been carrying my wallet and passport in them, but as I said, I had just gotten off the plane, perhaps my mind was still somewhat in the safety of Zurich, and I definitely wasn't expecting a crowded subway car. If I wouldn't have found my passport, I don't know what I would've done, but I wouldn't have let the guy go, at which point his friends would have probably jumped in, and that would have been joyous. That was close, that was stupid.

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The rest of the day went really smoothly... I checked in, took a shower, washing both the sweat and the nerves away, and just walked around the city at night, orienting myself and taking in Madrid. It's splendid.

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Today I went to Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, a modern art museum with works from the 20th and 21st centuries, including many Dalis and Picasso's Guernica. Probably one of, if not the, most enjoyable art museums I have ever been to. Tomorrow I am going to check out the Prado, and in the evening I'm going to a bullfight. Neato.