Monk time?

Monday 1 December 2008 - El Escorial, Spain
Today was a late rise, because of a wonderful late night with Raul. By the time we got up it was time to rush off to the metro, to get to Atocha Station to get a train to El Escorial. Atocha Station is huge and its really easy to get a bit lost in translation but we eventually found our way to getting a ticket to El Escorial, and finding our platform 2 minutes before the train was meant to depart. The journey there is about an hour and when we arrived it was bloody cold, and we had no idea where to go. A bus showed up at the train station and we asked him if he went to the monastery and in our basic translation found out that the monastery was closed on Monday's. Se La Vi. So we went up there any way and had a walk around. The area around the monastery was absolutely beautiful and it started snowing. We then went to a local hotel for some hot chocolate and croquets. The hot chocolate was so thick we had to eat it by the spoon. We wandered around for a while, it is an absolutely beautiful town and if we would have had more time would have stayed the night there and definitely gone to the monastery in the morning. We then tried to get a bus back to the station and the drivers were all a bit cranky and wouldn't let people on board so we walked, finding our way back and onto the 6.17pm train. When we arrived back in Madrid we thought we would walk back to Sol, and was walking by a McDonalds and we saw some people drinking beer. Had to go inside! Confirmed, McDonalds sells beer in Madrid, so we had to have some.
Then, we thought we might see if Raul was home from work yet and see if he wanted to go out for some dinner. Walked to his house and gave buzzed his flat, his flat mate let us up and let us know he wouldn't be long home. We sat chatting, drinking and waiting, and didn't realise how time was quickly ticking by. By the time Raul came home and we head out for something to eat it was 10pm. First he took us to a down to earth Spanish place that served tapas and we had traditional anchovies (that didn't taste like anchovies, actually tasted like fish! these guys are huge like they are on steroids), prawns and crockets along with a splash of beer, then we headed off to a hippie joint that you almost have to do a private handshake to get in. The front is like a normal entrance, and to ring the bell, you flick the light on and off, then someone comes to the door to check you out and let you in. We had some great chi tea, and an acquaintance of Raul's wrote us some poetry. It is apparently known for its poetry and musicians, particularly in trying to pick up women. Raul then shouted us a drink which was quite refreshing and had a mint type herb in it along with rum and lemon juice, quite tasty! The place was filled with smoke but had great atmosphere. We then headed off to a jazz bar which had the Canal Street Jazz Band playing. They were unreal, and we sat and enjoyed their playing for an hour or so. Raul was able to lend us some money so we could get their CD. I have already downloaded it onto the iRiver and can't wait to listen to it along out travels. It was almost like they had come straight from New Orleans. 3am home!