La Noche en Blanco

Ok, so I know I haven't blogged since I arrived in Madrid and some people (or one...ha!) are starting to wonder if I'm okay. I've just been so lazy. Not that I have much to do - work is a bit slow right now - I'm just super lazy. It probably doesn't help that I'm still a bit jet lag. I spend too much time tossing and turning at night just to find myself not being able to sleep until 3 AM (at the earliest), and then I take a long ass siesta when I have a chance during the day. Siestas are definitely not the best cure to jet lags. I thought I had cured it after sleeping for 12 hours on my first night back. But then I decided to go out until 7 AM the next night, which is about bed time for me in Chicago.

So here I am blogging because once again, I'm not sleepy. Tonight was or is - it's still going on as we speak - La Noche en Blanco. I'm not exactly quite sure when or how this started, but it's basically a night where everything is open super late and art exhibitions, performances, etc. are all free. There's just a ton going on all over the city. We started out the night in the north side where we expected some cool acrobatics. On the guide, they made it sound like people were going to walk/dance on walls like Beijing's Opening Ceremony. That was a total bust and it was nothing spectacular. After we headed west to see an art exhibit of one of Guille's friend. It was quite interesting. I didn't really get it but whatever...there was free alcohol.

Then we went to the most anticipated performance of the night: a tightrope walker over Plaza de Cibeles. By the time we got there, the place was packed. We couldn't even get all the way up the stairs of the Metro exit. But the stair well was enough to see him go over us. It was 30 minutes past the performance time and he still hadn't started. We were afraid we'd get in the middle of a stampede when people start heading back to the Metro. And anyway, it was so windy that we thought he was never gonna be able to start walking. I really didn't want to see anyone fall to their death, so we left.

We ended the night by meeting back up with Guille and his friends at Conde Duque, a neighborhood full of chill bars. I've always wanted to hang out there so I'm really glad I finally did. It was a cool area and I definitely want to go back there.

And there you go. Another long night of crazy Madrileños roaming the entire city. And as I finish this post, I'm finally starting to yawn. Perfect timing! Goodnight y'all...or should I say good morning.