Scooters!

Motorcycles are pretty popular here. I've even seen a dude on a Vespa scooter, but by far the most awesome scooter that I have seen has been this one:

That's an indoor electric scooter. They have them in what is only the most awesome library in Madrid: the CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas). It's an open-stack library (like in the States), and is really bright and open and airy and beautiful.

The scooters are for the librarians to use when they have to seek out a big stack of books for someone. They may also be for patrons to use if they have to search out a big stack of books, but that was a little unclear to me.

It's really a toss-up in my mind as to which library is better: This one or Firestone in Princeton? I think that Firestone has more and better books. But this one has scooters! Wheeee!

Which is better, the motorcycle or the Vespa? Random response receives a postcard!

This building

Is in my neighborhood.

I think it is really awesome. Just look at the intricacy of some of the brickwork:

Doesn't it look so cool?? Did you know that you could do that with brick??? I sure didn't.

It really makes me want to know who built it, when and why.

Tell me how to say brick in Spanish, and I'll send you a postcard! Winner picked at random.

The Rain in Spain...

I think we all know how that one ends.

I'm not particularly well-versed on Spanish geography, although I do know that the Northwest is pretty cold, wet and gray (much like Oregon), and the South is very hot and dry (like Arizona). And there are several different miniature mountain ranges. And I think Madrid is situated on a high central plateau.

But this is what it looked like yesterday when I went into the center to wander around!

It was kind of pouring and I might have gotten a little soaked. Thank goodness for my paraguas! (First person to give its English translation in the comments gets a postcard from Madrid!)