The Ultimate Paradox

Yesterday, we decided to go into Madrid after class to go to Moore´s, an English pub off of the Plaza Mayor, to watch the USA vs. England soccer game. The game didn´t start until 9:00, so we decided that we wanted to travel to the Northern part of the city and see the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, the stadium where Real Madrid plays. It was incredible.


I have played soccer for a long time and have actually played in front of some pretty big crowds for being in the midwest, but this was overwhelming! We got to go all over-the media room, the locker room, the tunnel where the players walk up, the nosebleeds, the benches, the "museum"-it was fascinating. The stadium is actually not that big compared to say Memorial Stadium in Norman, but the seats look like high chairs at a low budget restaurant. The literally squeeze as many people in half the space! The tour was excellant (because it was self-guided!) and we were all in agreement that it was totally worth the 15€ that we paid for it!

It was very sobering to experience first hand how much people love fútbol in other parts of the world. The place was packed. We are talking middle of the week, with the season over, and it felt like an OU vs. North Texas game. The tri-level souvenir store was congested and crowded, it was unbelievable.

We finally finished our experience with a little piece of soccer heaven and went to eat at Real Café, unfortunately, it was booked for the evening (and incredibly overpriced!). So we did what any red-blooded, NFL loving, Americans would do. We ate at TGI Friday´s.

European Fútbol, TGI Friday´s. What a day.


(I posted a bunch of Aaron´s pictures on my picture site: picasaweb.google.com/soonersinspain)