I remember as a kid not thinking too much about it when I truly learned that there was no Santa Claus. I think I kinda already knew.

But when I learned that Shamu wasn't a single killer whale, it was just what they named the whale performing for a given show? That was true disappointment.

Show's over, on my way to pick up the bags and head to the airport.

Here for SUPERCOMM 2009, which starts tomorrow. Got in last night, had some Chicago pizza, ready now for a coffee to get the day really started. And maybe Gino's East tonight or tomorrow for another round of that tasty, tasty pie.

Kinda didn't take any photos yesterday. Woke early, took a taxi to the airport, flew home, dealt with the "rather harrowing experience" (Syed Shahid Ali, I.O.C. member from Pakistan, as quoted by the NY Times Oct. 2nd 2009) that is this country's Passport and Baggage Control policy execution, picked up from the airport by sis, went to Fuego Spanish Grill for an early supper of tapas and paella including sis & her fiance, picked up Hanji from dear Tom & Tracy, then got home.

It's good to be home. Great trip and good to be back.

Off to Chicago tomorrow. Yea pizza!!!

[For the record, Spanish passport control was the *easiest* I have ever been through on four continents. U.S. elected officials should take some 'fact-finding' trips there to see what we ought to achieve. There: through in less than a minute including line, passport verification, and entry stamp. Simple baggage claim and well marked signage to Customs, with another less than 1 minute transition. Here? Full ten fingerprinting?! Seperate lines for flight crews and diplomats?! Almost lost in the maze between 'Passport Control', getting bags, finding 'Baggage Control', dropping bags off, then going through airport security to get through Hartsfield to pick up bags again to leave?! Bah! I think we'll try to get some tickets to the Olympics in Rio.]

Very nice at night, although we bought more during the day. Although, does three scarves for 5€ really count as 'more'? ;-)

And yes, I'm having a hotdog, nestled in its bun, covered in queso, layered with cheese, ham, and pickles with a little special tomato sauce. Back at Nebraska again. Same server as breakfast, too.

In front of the Parc de Retiro. Photo for €0.50.

Technically, we did actually see not 1 but 2 Mickey's in the Plaza Mayor after seeing Minnie. Guess it wasn't a binge in Ibeza after all!

Stylish fashion for the Frances at Zara on the Grand Via.

From 'Nebraska'. Quite tasty.

My second visit, seperated by about nine years.

Odd happenstance, ran into a couple from New York again, our third random encounter with them (Cafe de Oriente, Museo Prado).

Standing at a bus stop, waiting for the Madrid tourist bus, wearing a brand new Madrid baseball cap, slurping down a Starbuck's Venti Americano, taking a siily picture of me and the plaza fountain behind me.

Viva la touristic!!!

...near ruined by this Treo's stupid automatic exposure that refuses to match the viewfinder right now. Select the center point for exposure, not the top 20% you stupid, outdated, Palm refuses to care, overly-simplistic software! Grrrrrr.

While most of the Prado Museum resides in an older, more historic brick, mortal, and plaster building, the Café, the shop, and an education wing are here in a modern glass and steel section. Following a near whirlwind one hour guided tour through the highlights, we are resting for a few moments with a second cafe con leche of the day. We'll review the map at leisure and decide what else to take in. There is much beauty here to be seen. Muy fantastico!

Mickey reportedly on binge in Ibiza.

I gotta look that one up later. Flavored with 'ham'?!

[Yup, flavored with ham. Dang. Almost beats the Banana Fanta from Thailand (quite tasty, wish I could get it here!).]

Just after writing about my inability to capture a castle with this camera while this train remains in motion, I spied an upcoming hacienda. Somehow, the photo appears better than horrific! Although I do believe the hacienda looks little larger than a thinly drawn line, it shall suffice. On the big screen I'll determine whether one can see the irrigation machinery that I spotted in front and to the right of the main building.

Score!

Kind of hard to take a beautiful picture of the gorgeous Spanish countryside, well, hard with this camera while inside a high speed moving train.

And don't even think about trying to capture lone castles occasionally off in the distance. They don't even show up as large as an ant by my foot!

Hard to capture with this camera, yet neat to see as we passed by. A fair number of houses terraced up the slope, visible just beyond the larger buildings closer in the foreground. Pretty cool.

A fairly small solar plant, yet one all the same. I saw another, larger one earlier on the ride between Seville and Madrid, yet missed the photo opportunity. While in Seville, I also read about a solar thermal collector plant (redirect the sun's rays at a specific point on a tower, heating water which thereby drives a turbine to generate electricity). Lots of plains in Spain, seems a good use for some land. I wonder whether the US or Spain has more power generated via solar. Probably us, but maybe less solar per capita?