Our Week in Spain (March, 2002)
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	March 8, 2002 The taxi takes us to Tru-Valu hardware on Broadway so I can buy a power transformer. It has occurred to me, at the last minute, that European power is different than US power (220 versus 110 volts), so I won't be able to use my laptop without an adapter. There is an interminable seeming wait, with the taxi idling outside, before I can buy the item and run back out to the cab. He takes us to the airport, and we check in without difficulty (the usual post September 11th stuff: removing coats and passing everything through the scanning device - even my Batman hat, a first). MORE
	March 9, 2002 We land in Amsterdam at exactly 6 AM, and we are still on the jetway when I get to spring my first Europe joke - "Rita," I say, "while we're here, if we buy any food, we have to pay for our own - it's the law here, you have to go Dutch." We find the airport just coming alive. It is mostly deserted, but by the time we get out to the main lobby area, there is a very friendly young Dutchman who assures us we have time to visit the city, and assists us getting there by giving us a map and directions to the train (we actually visit him twice before we're clear on what to do and where to go). MORE
	March 9, 2002 Yesterday we flew from Amsterdam to Madrid, arriving in the afternoon. We easily procured a rolling cart for luggage, they are free here. Before long our luggage appeared on the round-about, a sure sign of a good-luck trip. Within minutes we also found the car rental place, and were issued a small blue Peugot without trouble. MORE
	March 10, 2002 Sunday. We sleep in past 10 and get no "free" continental breakfast. I venture in to Parque Sur, hoping to get rolls and coffee to go, and an English language newspaper. Neither turns out to be possible. Here in Spain, if you want a cup of coffee, you get either "cafe solo" which is black and condensed, or you get "cafe leche" which is the same stuff with hot milk added. In either case it costs a Euro a time (about 90 cents), and it comes in a ceramic cup. Here in Spain, if you want a cup of coffee, you sit your butt down and drink it. "To go"? No Comprende. MORE
	March 11, 2002 Monday, armed with a hotel map we drive the few miles across Leganes to the Universidad where the conference is being held. There have been a series of semi-professional foul-ups with this conference, and I'm not surprised they don't have a badge for me. I AM surprised their list of participants in 11 pages long and not sorted. To even search for my name we must flip through all eleven pages, scanning for "slator" and when we don't find it, we're compelled to flip through a second time. I have my printed copy of the registration receipt, so they give me a temporary badge and set of conference materials: an above average tote bag with a very thick set of proceedings. MORE
	March 12, 2002 Rita's asides: There is stone, brick, and marble everywhere. Not much asphalt at all. The roads are mostly small brick.. Not the typical concrete anywhere. Wherever they can, they put grass and a tree or two. The tour guide previously told us that Madrid was in fact the greenest city in Europe, but then she also told us that Spain had not taken sides in either of the two World Wars and that was how they escaped serious destruction from either side. MORE
	March 13, 2002 Today we resolve to visit Toledo, which is an hour by car south and west of Madrid. To prepare ourselves, we find a bookstore and buy a Michelin map of Spain. We get to the car and realize we're once again in the tweener situation. Our map of Madrid is too small, and we, in Leganes are not on it. Meanwhile, our map of Spain is very large, and the Madrid portion is too small to be useful. We note, however, and with relief, the road to Toledo happens to be on highway N-401, which is one of the two highways we already know about - and it's the one that passes right past our hotel. We happily jump on our favorite road and head to Toledo. MORE
March 14, 2002 I go the conference in the afternoon and give my talk.
	March 15, 2002 We resolve to visit Segovia an old fortress town featuring a cathedral and a Roman aqueduct. One of the smaller churches, Santa Cruz, was built by the Knights Templar, which interests me. It is used to store a piece of the "true cross." MORE
	March 16, 2002 After sleeping late on a rainy morning, we resolve to take a cab into central Madrid in order to see the Prado. Our guide book says this museum has 3,000 canvasses: Goya, Ruebens, Titian, and lots of other big name painter type dudes. There is also a special exhibit, borrowed from Scotland, of two Rembrandts. MORE
	March 17, 2002 St. Patricks day. We get up and packed, and hop in the car. We negotiate the highways, turn in the car, and get on the plane. We have a short stop-over in Amsterdam, and then get on another plane to Minneapolis. The flights are long, but uneventful. That's it. Ten days in Spain. Over and out.