Viva l'Espagne

Have arrived safely in Madrid. The place I am staying is definitively more hostel than hotel - the chap on the desk took one look at me and asked if I'd like to pay an extra 7 euros for a bigger room. I don't know whether that was a comment on my size or my age! I said I'd stick with the single room - it's a bit cell-like, but clean and with all necessities.

There was some great excitement down the road just now - some celebrities coming out of somewhere. I asked very excited young English girl staying here who tney were. She was amazed when I said I'd never heard of the Back Street Boys - obviously as bad as the notorious 'what is a Beatle?' remark of the 1960s! Anyway, I'm privileged to have seen the tops of their heads above a lot of screaming teenagers.

I'm hoping to be able to post the Lourdes pictures later - the phone was playing up again yesterday when I got back.