charm me all the way.

The last couple of weekends have been so peaceful and charmingly Madrid. Yes, I've used the word charming and Madrid in the same sentence, even assuming that Madrid equals charm. But I'm convinced. Madrid is such a great city.

Yesterday, I spent the day with a friend. We had lunch at an outside cafe (and got free coffee at the end of our meal from our cute waiter) and went to a photography exhibit. Then, we went to the terrazas and had some beer. Terrazas are the best thing in Spain during warm summer days. They're outside tables set out in front of bars, where you can just sit and chat for hours. It was a perfect Saturday.

The other weekend, I went on a walk in Parque de Retiro with another friend, and we went to the Book Fair. We were walking around the booths, and what do you know, Pedro Almodovar was signing books. He has to be one of the most famous Spaniards in the world right now. He was lively as ever, and seemed very sweet to his fans. If you haven't seen his films, I would give it a chance. Most of them are out-of-this-world-crazy, but there's always a charm to it.

I just love charm. Can you guess?

This week is finals week for my students. I'm giving the oral exams, which I love doing. I hate grading, though. But it must be done.

Ciao.