WYD Trip Day 4

Okay! Day #4!
Another 6 more days to go *phew*!!

16th August 2011


Our host family gave us breakfast;
there were bread and all sorts.

When I explained to my host mum that I normally didn't have breakfast
so I don't have a preference, she instead told me that I MUST have breakfast XD

Truth be told, today is the first day of WYD.

(Actually, it should've been yesterday, since we had meal coupons dated yesterday)

Anyways:
We sort of gathered at San Ireno church and was briefed.
We were to be at Cibeles Square for the Opening Mass;
which would be held at 7pm Madrid time.

Okay; Then there were a few activities planned out.
We had to decide where we should go.

At 2.30pm Madrid time, there was a talk by Christopher West.
Which was highly encouraged.

Very well.

This meant that morning and afternoon in between was free.
So, my sis and I went to Paraque de Retiro (Madrid's largest park)
to watch a creative dance which started at 10am (I think) XD

We took the Metro to get there btw:
involved a lot of walking and drinking.

Retiro Park (Paraque de Retiro):

I say, it's greener than Bukit Jalil park, you know? O.o

Yup, sidewalks are hugeee! o.o

A map of the Paraque.
The place where we wanted to go was Templete de Musica...
but we ended up stranded somewhere near Ibiza station XD


There were so many booths there in Retiro o.o
But most of them weren't English-based *pouts*
I could hardly understand it all, really :/

Then I saw this priest standing and talking in French (I believe)
He was also just putting the hats on people's head.

So I went and stood in front of him 8D
*on purpose XD

He's talking to a French group
I wonder what he was saying :/


A clearer picture of his face :x


Whee~
My very own hat 8D

Instead of the official WYD hat that I should've worn, I used this hat instead.
I liked it very much 8D
*although it loved to fly around o.o

When we finally realized we were lost, we decided to ask for directions.



Asking for directions 8D

You know when I said I didn't notice a cute guy in Madrid
until I looked at the photos when I came back?
Above is a shining example of one =.=;;


An... ornamental "fountain" so to speak.
Do not drink water here, it is not for drinking!


There: you can now see it's really a fountain.

After a little while more walking, we finally got to that place 8D


Apparently, it was crowded.
Opps =.=;;

And we had also passed by this place; but we didn't notice it.
Cause I saw that they were practicing.

If you were wondering what this was, it was a creative dance for praise and worship.
Youtube it, you should be able to find it :)



Starting...

They had performed a number of songs...
But I can't remember which songs :/
Me and my bad memory T-T


Anyways.....................
The dance lasted 30 minutes :)
We were... 5 minutes late -___-;;

Ah well.

I took this picture cause it was interesting,
This was the Myanmar contigent;
They wore the same shirt; and a very unique one as well :o

Posing with some of the dancers:

Woots! Ze flag 8D
In Madrid is the only time I felt SO patriotic.
:x

Posing with the Brazilians XD
They all swapped us; seriously!


Oh o.o
I noticed another flag o.o
Uhm... I don't know which country....
No, wait! I think it's Spain!
Yup, they were from Barcelona, me thinks :o

I had souvenirs from Malaysia to swap with other countries, but...
I had forgot to bring them along when I left my host family's house T-T

So, all I did was to exchange my Malaysian flag (the small one)
with a cap o.o

Okay...

But meh :/
I wished I brought it so I could exchange it with a badge from Argentina :(
Ah well.

Walking a little further up is the...
Estanque!

I think you can use a boat and row about :o
That is what a lot of people were doing...
But I prefered to stay on dry land, thank you very much :)

This large monument :o

Pshh D:
She didn't take the whole thing.
btw, this monument is not in Malaysia; it's just that the Malaysia flag ended up there o.o
XD jk jk!

Oh, don't our Augustino hats match? 8D

You know where it was...

Steps with railing :o

I don't know what creature that is, but it is.
hm... I make no sense... even to myself! -.-;;

I found this lovely lady... no wait, I think it was a man o.o
A learned man who discovered geometry...

Because he's holding a... curved ruler.
I thought it was a lady though XD

That's why they had a street there named after one of the discoverers of Mathematics...
I didn't pay attention to History, so I forgot his name.
He was famous, though. :/
Ah well XD

See? My professional photography skills working.
I caught the whole thing with more space to spare :/

Honestly like the photos because of the sky XD
An awesome blue 8D

Posing with my sis.
I got another one with the whole mermaid (just meself :/)
But my eyes were closed.
And that photo was the ONLY photo with my eyes close wtheck!! -.-;;

All the lovely people rowing in the Estanque.
One even waved the Canada flag XD


Group photo with the Columbians 8D

Uhm... us and Iceland? I think?
Or was it Poland? D: D:

Google says: Poland flag is in the background :x
That other flag is Swedish XD (Wikipedia says so)
I think Wiki is correct, though XD

And you know, when you have someone to take a picture of your country and another conutry,
other countries continue to ambush you.
Argentina joins the fun...


No, don't ask about that flag behind there.
I don't know which country it is T-T


I didn't even know the Orange flag joined it.
the whole group of us with the Colombians (again!) XD

After the photo shoot-out...
We decided to look for lunch 8D

One of the monuments.
I wonder how did they build that thing? :/

So we made our way to Christopher West's talk at one of the far ends of the map o.o
Okay... when we arrived at 2pm, it was like this:

And the main entrance was further down, to the right x.x


Some people having some fun on the road XD


Yup; that's how many people were there that day XD
*and more!

At around 2.45pm, we finally reached the main gates and went up to the auditorium.
It was actually an event which you had to show your pass.
Uhm, people where pushing, and I didn't even show my pass... but I got in :x

The stage from where I sat :x

The band were performing a song.

To tell you the truth, it was talk, song, talk, song, talk, sand animation...
Yup.

The talk was about looking for God in things that could not satisfy.
(The theme/title was "God in Beauty")
And when you didn't find God, you end up wanting more and more and more of that same stuff.
So... the conclusion is... you don't need vices to get you "high".
Beauty is enough to get you high :D

And in those beauty, you'll be able to experience God,
thus getting "high". I think o.o

I didn't stay until the end of the talk, though.
We actually didn't have lunch as we went all the way to this far end of Madrid.
(Passing by the station with the airport and all)

So we left... 30 minutes before it ended :(
Ah well.

This was lunch:

I said, "OH LOOK! RICE!!"
And I was super excited because I was rice-deprived for a few days already.
And I'm also the rice pot of my family :/
Meaning... I love rice more than other carbohydrates.

But... I didn't like the rice there -.-;;
It was probably tomato rice; but the sauce was seriously baked beans sauce.
yup ._.

After lunch, we decided to go straight to Banco de Espana
(it was about 4 pm then)

Because that is the closest station to Cibeles Square (Plaza de Cibeles),
where the Opening Mass would be held.

Pfftt!
We reached Retiro Metro station and the next one was Banco de Espana,
and there was this American guy who was talking away...

When the doors were about to close,
his leader said "Get off! because ....!"

He pushed his way through the closing doors o.o
I wondered if we should follow them, because I knew they were heading towards
Cibeles as well.
All of us were.

When the train moved, I realized why he was such in a hurry to get off.
Banco de Espana station was closed off.
And we arrived in Seville.

Consulting the map, I led my team (che-wah XD) towards Cibeles.
But it was kinda crowded and then was when I realized we petite Asians have an advantage where
the Caucasians don't in large Caucasian crowds.

If you just duck a little, you can go places (through the crowd)
Smart leh ;) XD

I was doing this, and there was this Spanish lady who scolded me in Spanish.
I can vaguely understand; I think she was telling me that Cibeles was too crowded
and I was going to add to the crowdiness or something.
*I really didn't understand; I only read her body language.

So after she was done, I just shrugged and said to no one, "No comprendo." XD

Finally, it was too squashed (sardines won't even cut it -.-)
so I told my team to turn back.

After we took a breather, I found a nice space to sit where we could follow the Mass...
with a huge screen.

There was a street so the Samuda (Ambulance) could passby.
Many people fainted under extreme heat of the sun.
*I see an Italian flag! 8D

This was only... 6pm in the evening.


I think Mass is starting... soon
Do you see the huge screen?

After Mass, we realized that it was a short walk to the next train station.
And the next, and the next, and the next...
Cause all the train stations were full and packed.
And no, this was an opportune time for the pickpockets to strike!

Carrying RM2000+ camera (not even mine; my sister's!)
isn't worth sandwiching ourselves and risking pickpockets. :(

So we looked for the next train station.

Here are a few buildings in Madrid with some lighting :D

This building practically had drawings all over it.
Sorry the camera focused on the lampost.
That wasn't supposed to happen.

After we turned left in one of the corners (the Metro station was there),
we bumped into our group. The bigger group.

The group who went there at 4pm and camped at Cibeles until Mass started. Wow :o
We all ordered Burger King and I got myself a Whopper cause I didn't want chicken.
*Chicken burgers are so normal in Malaysia. So is beef, but beef more expensive compared to chicken.
Pork is something you won't find there. So I set my sights on having pork burger in Spain 8D

Then the group leader said that we should all use cabs to get home.
Uncle Paul and another lady sat with my sister and I in one cab, and that's how we got home.

I think we reached home at 11 pm that day.
Our host family stayed up and waited for us when we got back XD
They were only supposed to take care of our breakfast,
but they also asked if we wanted anything else when we got back. :x

Politely declining, sis and I went to Skype and Whatsapp with Mum and Dad.
They actually got up at 5am MST to speak to us, you know? :/

Oh yeah, I Skyped and Whatsapped with them cause my host family's house had wifi 8D
So yeah. I think that's all :x

btw, the Spanish people sleep with their windows open.
Without fan/Air-cond.

But I went ahead and requested a fan... as though Malaysia was actually cooler than Spain.
Which wasn't true. Malaysia is hotter x.x


To continue, click World Youth Day #5

WYD Trip Day 3

Okay! Finally; Day #3!!

On the 15th August 2011:

We were supposed to check out from the hotel at 12 noon.
So we all assembled at the hotel lobby and left to the huge church!

After Mass, we were invited by the French contingent for fellowship.
It turns out, they were still having Mass when we arrived.

After we joined their Praise and Worship, we left.


One of the interesting posters at the place


The French having their meal

And began our trek back to the hotel. In a rush.

I timed our walk from the town to the hotel.
So that's how I knew that if we walked fast, it'd be a 20 minutes walk XD

Because we've packed most of our stuff already,
we just did our best and handed over the room key 10 minutes before 12 noon XD

That is a really great achievement!

Anyways, we waited for the bus to arrive while being briefed on the next step.

After the briefing, we went on the bus... 3 buses came to pick us up.

Goodbye Hotel Avant! ):

 On the road photos XD

We're already in another town.
Madrid, possibly.

 This is what the apartments in General Kirkpatrick looked like.
And yes, I did stay in an apartment that looked like this.


Better view 8D

We were driving around and the bus driver finally found San Ireno Church:

Are we staying here?! o.o

There was a school opposite San Ireno.
And that was where we were deposited.

And outside the school, there were these cute thingys that were suspected to be...
showers.

 FOR REAL!!

And, if you went in it and looked up, you could see the sky/stars.
That was why the organizers asked us pilgrims to bring our bathing suits.

Now I wasn't so sure on whether to hope to stay in a host family's house or the school :/

Anyways...
We waited at the school's compound for a few hours
while our group leader got our registration sorted out.


After that, we went to San Ireno's basement.
Some of us were going to stay there too...
and you know what?

Turns out, it was very cool :o
Better than the atmosphere outside.

While there, we met this nun who was so young :o

I think her name was Sister J.
[EDIT]
Yup, she was Sister Judy XD

*Sorry Sister! I forgot your first name D:


She's very young :o

After another few hours has passed,
the first host family came...

And guess what?
They were my sis's and mine host family!

Now, I promised myself that I'd remain focused on my mission here in Spain;
And the idea is to NOT be distracted by any cuties there.

But the guy that came was darn cute,
I was beginning to wish I wasn't to be taken in by the host family :(

There were 4 of them;
Father, Mother, Daughter and (possibly) Son.

I talked to the daughter while they led us to their house.

It turns out, the "son" was actually her boyfriend! *phew*!!
(Thank the Lord!)

The Daughter introduced herself as Maria
and the way she excitedly looked at us was as though she had gained something new.
Like... we were her new daughters XD

After we went through the formalities, we went out to meet the group for dinner.

And dinner was in the city! 8D

So we took the subway train, which was the Metro:


The Metro railtracks.

When I finally came out from the train station, this is the first building I saw:

 Cibeles.
Which is literally called, "Our Lady of the Post Office."

 I turned right, and I saw this building :o

Now see it from my sister's lens :D





Near Cibeles.


You know where this is.


*u*
JMJ = WYD 8D

After walking for awhile, we came here:

 It had the WYD logo, so in we went.

Waiting for the food.

The waiter that came to take our order couldn't speak English
so we ended up asking Tito for help.
(He knew Spanish very well)

It turns out, they served pasta with the sandwich
and we have a choice of vegetarian sandwich or ham sandwich

I thought he said they have a choice of sandwich or pasta:
If you order sandwich, you get something or ham.
Which was pretty close XD

 The sandwich!

 The complete set of dinner.
I liked the green apple.
Who knew sweet green apples existed?

I honestly didn't like the pasta. No taste :x
I don't know if I'm supposed to add cheese or salt or pepper...
so... that maybe my fault too :/

And, after a while of eating sandwich, I wish they'd put in some vegetables in their sandwich.
It was too dry for me D:

After dinner, we left the restaurant.
It was already dark then:

 Sorry bluuurrr DX

 Glowing 8D

 Me likey this shot a lot!!

Then we went back home and went to sleep :)
The real fun begins starting Day 4!

Day #4 on its way soon!

To continue, click World Youth Day #4

Oh man!

Sheessh!

I just realized that I haven't COMPLETELY uploaded all the Spanish photos -.-;
And I'm still at Day #3 D:

Sorry peeps.

But just a short update!

Now, I'm going to be taking my Driving Test seriously.
Yes, VERY seriously.

In fact, right now, I'm kinda training with a car to build confidence.
Don't worry: I will be cruising...
(not my Dad's definition of Cruising, that's totally has "racing" embedded with it somewhere...)
around :)

Now, another thing I wanna share:
If you do something with the intention of putting God first,
you will definitely find Him taking care of you/it.
From the beginning right through the end.

Last Monday, my Mum went to change the Euros back to Ringgit.
So she drove her newly serviced car to the money changer near our house.

The money changer was located right outside the premises of Bintang (now it's run by Giant).
After she changed the money, she drove towards home.

At one of the traffic lights, she saw this grey Proton car stopping side-by-side with her car,
and it was quite close to her car (normally one keeps his/her distance at traffic lights, right?)

She couldn't really see the passenger (tinted windows),
but she saw this blue tudung-clad lady in the car.
Thinking nothing of it, she drove after the light turned green.

But later, she remembered to ask the mechanic something about the car,
she turned back towards the money changer area.

And later, she noticed the same grey Proton car.
Thinking it was just a coincidence, she just went back into the car and drove towards home.

Just 300m away from our house, she decided to stop by at the sundry shop to buy bread.
And mind you: my mother NEVER buys bread on her own.

Only if Dad tells her to or Dad himself gets the bread.
She would never buy bread.

After she went in to buy bread, a foreigner came and told her that her car tyre was punctured.


Punctured!

She looked out and saw the same grey Proton on the other side of the road.

The blue tudung clad lady came out and was walking up and down,
with some buns in her hand. She was very suspicious.

My mum just said out loud that she was being stalked.
And the husband of the sundry shop owner came out with my mum,
together with all the other people to see the puncture on the tyre.

My mum immediately grabbed her valuables from the car and went in Shiok next door.
Then she called us kids to go and see her o.o

This is where my version comes in.
After watching Camelot taken over by Morgana and Morgause
(I was watching Merlin, Season 3 the second last episode),
I was cutting the papaya and my sister was wiping the plates.

Then she got a call and was told to go to Shiok immediately o.o

And lol! Because the line was really bad,
my sister said that we were to grab our WYD bags and passports and meet Mum at Shiok.

I was taken aback XD
Like, what?! Is this some kind of emergency holiday or
do we really need to leave the country like, immediately? o.o

Turns out, she told us to take the traveller's pouch, the ones to put in the passport,
not the passport itself. XD Oh cheh hahaha XD

After we left the house and went to Shiok,
we took the money and Mum went to get the car tyre fixed.
Only after one episode of Merlin Season 3 (the Final Episode at that!)
did Mum call us to go home.


By then it was already dark and she took Dad's car to fetch us.

Wasn't it a miracle?
Thank the Lord that Mum wasn't so alert to know that the car tyre was punctured
or else she may want to stop the car and fix the tyre herself.

If that happens, *poof*!
There goes the little Ringgit that is left from the trip :(

That's why I say that God really takes care of you if you entrust something to Him:
He stays with it from the beginning right through the end.

And if something is in God's Hands...
Then that will be taken care of in God's way, from all aspects,
from the start to finish :)