robbed!

Oops So all of this actually happened like a month ago, but i never posted it. I'll post something new soon, I promise.

Ah so much has happened since I wrote that last post (I didn't publish it right away). Following the ratings-grab method of the evening news I will start with the crime reports and then move on to human interest.

I was robbed for what I'm pretty sure is the first time ever Friday night. Sometime in between buying my third beer and reaching into my pocket to buy my fourth my wallet disappeared. Hmm could the nature of these purchases have contributed to the crime? Luckily I only brought as much cash as I wanted to spend that night. But they got my health insurance card and my monthly metro pass. Being the sentimental sap that I am for me the biggest losses are the wallet itself, my favorite wallet ever made out of an old tie, and the fortune cookie message I mentioned in my first blog entry: "Your dreams will bring you into a profitable venture." Yeah a profit that will be promptly swiped.

The weird thing is Thursday night I had a dream that people were trying to pick pocket me. This group of three guys came up to me and pretended to hit on me as they groped for my pockets. In the dream, however I was aware of what was going on and stopped it. In reality, I was so unaware that I was being robbed that it came as a shock when I found out. That was the worst part I think, how completely unaware I was. I mean I guess that's the way pickpocketing works and all, but it's so unnerving.

The night wasn't a total loss. I might this Chilean guy, a friend of a friend of a friend, who went to the same school I went to when I was in Chile. That was fun.

Friday afternoon I went to Casa de Campo, a park west of Madrid so named because it used to be the king and queen's country home. One thing monarchy's got going for it is that the lavish habits of the royals generate lots of old beautiful buildings and properties. It seems like just about every neighborhood of Madrid has an old palace, many of which are now museums or community centers or parks. It was one of those moments where I let myself switch into full on tourist mode. Nose in a map of the park. Camera out to snap pictures of what to everyone else seems inane. Like the parakeets for example. I must have spent a half an hour trying to get a picture of the docile flock of escaped parakeets. Some nature photographer I am.