Bern, Switzerland

I decided to be a good traveller today and got up relatively early to check out Museo Del Prado. I arrived at the museum around 10 and felt really good as I saw the line swell up behind me within 15 minutes of arriving.

I was specifically looking forward to seeing the collection of works by Peter Paul Rubens whose works I fondly remember from my first Europe trip. I get to the first room of his works and see Saturno, a particularly disturbing work showing a father (the god Saturn perhaps?) taking a bite out of his son´s midsection. I remember reading in Steve’s description of the musuem that photographs were allowed as long as tripods or flashes were not used. Not exactly.

No sooner than I snap my first picture of the Rubens piece, I am approached by a security guard who bursts my Rick Steves-inflated bubble. I bust out “lo siento” and the guard acts as if I didn’t need to apologize.

Thanks alot Slick Rick.

Deja Vu

I took a night train to Madrid (from Lisboa) last night and got into town extremely tired. I got to the hostel but couldn’t check in yet, so I took a very sweaty nap in Retiro park. Lloyd, Jorge, JP…having any flashbacks to ’03?