The next week went by fairly smoothly. And what great weather we had: 30-35 degrees and pure sun. But there was still somthing missing. The week before, Pierre-Philip and I randomly came across a street party, which was actually an annual holiday called La Paloma. They have no rules for drinking in the streets in Spain so you can imagine that this was quite the party. But everyone kept telling us about the disco-tecs. So what was a trip to Madrid without a couple of nights of shaking da'hips?! On our last friday, we went out to a very local restaurent with the Spanish Team called La Marie. It is best known for its cuts of meet grilled to perfection, sausages and grilled cheese. It's even better when the company you go with are friends with the owner, because la cuenta (the bill) doesn't make your eyes pop out! That night we made the best of the situation and 'threw it down' at two great clubs. The rumors were right. Actually, everything was right. The atmosphere, the music, the beautiful women and drinks that I never knew existed...all until the wee hours of the morning. If you're ever in Madrid, just ask me where to go, and I'll give you the map!!

The next day, we were invited half an hour outside of Madrid to Jaime Martis' parents house for a traditional Spanish barbeque. Of course, the main reason for the afternoon was the meat and sausages. Here, Fernando Medhina is showing his skills off the fencing piste and on the grill. Spain's most famous fencer and 1999 World Champion, he really knows how to skewer meat...gee I wonder why?!! The house was probably the most ornate and interesting home I've ever been to. Apart from being massive and set on an acre of land, it was totally amazing how you went from being inside to outside without even knowing it. I guess that's one of the luxuries of a country without a harsh winter. Inside, the walls were decorated in tapestries like the ones you'd see in museums, and a wine cellar that is filled with over 3000 bottles just made our mouths drop; the earliest wine being from 1935. Outside, crisp maples and pine trees surrounded the house...the old spanish gardener raking up the day's fallen leaves, while beautiful horse buggies and a walk-in bird cage of Chinese singing canaries made it seem like we were on a tour of their national park. It was outstanding.

So that is the story of Madrid. I really love how they have a unique appreciation for life which you don't find very often. There's no rush, there's no stress and when there's a job to do they get it done because they want to, not because they have to. A lesson in life I think we should all take.