Syntax schmyntax

Since I am still getting complaints - yes. There will be pictures in this entry. Even if they are hijacked from facebook (courtesy of L. Fergs).

Hmmmm classes began today. And if that sentence wasn't anticlimactic enough...I only have one class on Mondays and Tuesdays; that class happens to be Sintaxis comparada ingles/espanol.

Sounds cool enough, in theory; but, our professor has told us on many occasions that there won't actually be any formal linguistic "syntax" - which is kind of a downer for those of us who signed up for a class called "comparative syntax..."

Instead, it is essentially a translation class - which is useful, but not syntax. Come on now.

If nothing else, it gave me a reason to buy a spanish translation of Crime and Punishment. :)

For something a little more exciting: L. Fergs came to visit me in Madrid this weekend. I finally got to do some relatively touristy (but not too touristy...) things in this amazing city - this amazing city that will NOT be hosting the olympics, HAHAHA Aaaah.

Madrid fail.

They took down the olympic ads in record speed, by the way. If only everything else were as efficient.

So. Visitamos el museo de Prado and saw some pretty spectacular paintings. It's breathtaking to see works of art in real life that you have really only seen in textbooks for the past 6 years. We couldn't actually take pictures inside the museum (ner), but here's the next best thing, the Prado library:

If only we could have actually gone in. Somehow, I think we weren't exactly internationally renowned library material.

We also chilled for a while at el Parque de Buen Retiro, where I decided to climb some trees. I don't know. Seemed like a good idea.

Aaaand here's a nice example of the arcos that are placed strategically throughout the city:

Ah! And then there is this one:

This gate, ladies and gentlemen, is no ordinary gate. This gate just happens to belong to some of the first grammar nazis in the history of philology- La Real Academia Española. Unfortunately, there were so many freaking trees in the way, we couldn't even get a legitimate picture of the building. Accident? I think not.

Oye, if there is one building in all of Madrid that i WILL enter before the end of my stay here, it is this one. Escuchad a estas palabras - va a ocurrir.

Well, I suppose that's really it. There were some bars and cafes in there, but you can just Google search pictures of Spanish cafes and put in some top 40s cassettes from the late 90s if you want the full experience. I mean, I'm pretty sure I've heard "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba more times since I've been here than I ever did in the States.

On that note, I'm going to leave.

Buenas,

beccaniles