"Sometimes I forget that Spain used to rule the world"

. . . but really. Sometimes I do forget that Spain used to rule the world. And then I go to the Royal Palace in Madrid and see the monuments dedicated to the explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries, and I remember Spain's influence on the world then and now.

Yesterday I had the chance to see my friend Sofiya, who has been living in Madrid for the past 3 years. Sofiya and I met in Ukraine when I was a missionary and we've been friends since that time. It was great to see her, as it has been 5 years since we saw each other. It was nice to just catch up--from sitting on the steps of the Royal Palace to eating lunch to walking along the sunny streets of Madrid.

[The Royal Palace]

[Not the Royal Palace. The Royal Cathedral, I think? Still soooo pretty.]

[On the steps of the palace. It was so fun imagining going to a ball here. I don't think I would have liked living there, but going to a ball or gala there would have been amazing.]

[With Sofiya!]

[And again!]

When Sofiya had to go back to work, I explored Madrid a bit myself, in search of . . . 

Churros con chocolate! 

[I found them. I ate them. I loved them. Food of the gods, right here.]

Between good conversation, good friends, good friends, and good thinking time as I walked the streets and sat in the parks of Madrid, yesterday was good. Very good. I mean, I might never get tan even after all this time in sunny Spain (as my AirB&B host remarked the other day, "You are very white. Just, very white." And this was after I was so proud of myself because I thought I had gotten a tan. Hoorayyyyy for honesty), but this sunshine suits me, if I do say so myself.