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.

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!

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.

Battery died yesterday...

Below is a large shopping complex. Frances & dad have apparently made friends with a nice gentleman who serves breakfast at a shop inside (across from Game, down from the Starbucks). I enjoyed a pretty tasty spinach torte there as my first meal in country, although said gentleman had left already by then.

Quite a sprawling city, I'm curious to see how much taller it isin say another 30-50 years or so.

This is about half of the view from our hotel room, the other half looks back into the city. Some weather's rolled in overnight, looks like a little rain out on the horizon, with fog rolling down the distant hills strrtching out to a light pink sunrise beyond the edge of the rain. Not a bad start for our last ay in Barcelona (my second, Frances & dad's fourth).

Shame the carnival's closed. I'd love a ride on that ferris wheel.

The Nativity facade (1 of 3 facades)

Sometimes you can look out the window and tell you're in a different country. This morning I look out the window of this 767-400, I'm not in another country, I'm in a whole new world. I doubt the picture does what I saw justice. Gossamer clouds, tinged with soft orange, rivers running through the countryside laid out just beyond the gauze...mystifying...beautiful...

...and in a few more hours I see my angel and my papa again...magical.