I always wanted to be a rockstar
It seems that in Spain they think that I am. I didn't think I was going over like a Led Zeppelin but they did send me this...
There isn't really much excuse either because it is an application form to transfer my credit card from Australia to Spain, and they got the right credit card number in the letter inside...
I guess Amex Spain doesn't talk that well to Amex Australia.
They think I'm a rockstar!!
Dangerous places
A few people have commented on the wisdom of using Madrid's metro system (which I do use a fair bit, given I don't have a car) because of the terrorist atack in 2004. And they may be right, but I certainly hope not.
It was something of a surprise to see that had been a murder about 40m from my former front door in Bondi on Saturday night though.
https://www.smh.com.au/news/national/israeli-killed-by-bondi-gang/2006/08/06/1154802736025.html
I guess there are elements of danger everywhere.
Language Confusion (not my fault)
I had my first language confusion the other day that wasn't my fault (at least I don't think it was). I was in a dept store that sells all sorts of things including books. I was on the book floor asking for "Like water for chocolate" which is originally a mexican story. I asked for where I might find "Como agua para chocolate" and she looked confused and starting to tell where I could find the supermarket and food part of the store, until I told her it was a book. Having realized her mistake she pointed me to the central book counter to the people that could help me. Her colleague standing a few feet away was heard having a good chuckle at her expense as I walked away.
Bouncing a bit more round Europe
Well since my trip to the World cup I have been bouncing around Europe a bit more. Poland for a day and a couple more trips to Germany including flying out of Germany the evening they were playing Italy in the SemiFinal.
Naturally they were all quite excited. There was a pretty good buzz pretty much everywhere you went - lots of German flags and positive German pride.
Also been to Maastricht (not the easiest place to get to) - quite nice though, and Portugal. I recommend the docks for a good seafood dinner. The docks pretty much have everything - pretty harbour, great outdoor food, golden gate like bridge but Bronx bridge like noise. You kind of need earplugs to go with dinner - well that is an exaggeration, it was well worth it but the noise did take a bit of the gloss off.
And now I write once again from Germany.
Proabably the highlight of the last couple of weeks though was a canyoning trip up into the Pyrenees. I will hopefully have some photos shortly but for those that I have been canyoning with in Australia - the Pyrenees is well worth a trip, but we are also pretty lucky with what we have got just outside Sydney - it compares pretty well I think. The guys here had heard of it as some of the best canyoning country in the world.
