Martes 8/16/11

I’m assuming that Jon uploaded the sociological analysis of the Spanish Emergency Room / Health care system. My bottom line: We owed $0 for about 4 hours in the ER, drugs, plus a thorough set of tests for previously described Festering Mess (see “Domingo, 8/14/11”). Said child is holding her own, but the doctors said it could be a week until she’s better (see Facebook post titled “Mother of All Spanish Viruses.”) Unfortunately, the virus does not explain the lice, which would have been very convenient.

The Starhill family is in a holding pattern because of a) Festering Mess and b) the Pope and his minions. Yes, I said the Pope. He arrives Thursday, and in anticipation, Madrid is jammed with almost a million young people. They march up and down our avenue from time to time carrying flags and looking pious. I can only assume the Catholic hierarchy is sending them on these strolls to give them something to do while waiting – lest they begin to riot.

In any case, we filled the day with a European breakfast, free wireless, strolling around, watching lawnmowers (poor substitutes for backhoes, but they will have to do), downloaded PBS TV shows, and the pool. Tomorrow looks to be more of the same.

Still love Madrid. Things that amaze me:

1) If you’re in the sun it is extremely hot, but 90+ degrees inside does not seem to require A/C. If in Boston, we would have decamped for Nana and Grampy’s A/C house by now.

2) Nobody (NOBODY) here speaks any English. It’s excellent! I find myself remembering words I learned 25 years ago in high school Spanish. Trying to avail myself of new words, but finding that the ones most easily learned are the stuff frequently spoken to toddlers (LATER. COME HERE. DON’T DRINK THAT. YOU NEED A BATH)

3) I can’t speak for real houses, but the well-equipped apartment doesn’t have some of the conveniences of the US: garbage disposal, dryer, etc. It’s kind of nice – definitely more eco-friendly. Although the eco-friendliness only barely cancels out the fact that we shop at the Spanish version of K-Mart.