Thursday 28th July 2005
I am still in Madrid and just getting ready to go to the airport.

I nearly had my bag nicked today!!
Camera, wallet and all cards and money, passport, etc etc etc etc - still can´t believe it!!

We were having lunch in a cafe.
My bag was on the ground at my feet but I had my foot hooked through the strap.
Kiwi Karen´s was down as well but wasn´t hooked.
She looked down and it was gone - camera with the memory cards from her two months away so far - tragic for her!!! - I can´t believe it!!

I remember now that there was a tug on my foot but I just thought it was someone playing footsies under the table cause there was five of us.
Now I know it was some little bastards trying to steal my stuff!!

I feel dreadful for Karen.
Lucky for her that she had left her passport at the hostel.

I am so relieved that they didn´t get mine - I would have been in big strife!!

Anyway, just gonna chilll out for an hour before I have to go to the airport.

Once again I was rooming with boys.
I have no idea how this manages to happen but it did!!
They didn't snore either which was good!

I went for dinner with Kiwi Karen to a vegetarian cafe.
It was great...cous cous and chickpeas and salad.
I pigged out and then we went and met Des and Sue and Tom and Liz and Lawrence.

(......and click on the above logo to go to the Team's Official Web Site - in English)

Santiago Bernabeu Stadium (two photos)

Tanya visiting the Stadium

A few of us had organised to meet at 10.00am to go and tour the Real Madrid Stadium.
Me, Kaz, Sue, Tom and Wee Kate (when you see the photos you will know why she is called that) headed off.
We had so much fun taking photos.
Tom had us all posing for shots on the team benches and in the locker rooms.
So much fun in fact that while we were all laughing our heads off we were approached by a Luxemburg TV crew filming a travel show who asked us if they could film us all running out of the tunnel and waving at the crowd.
It was a crack up!!
We did it and I got the lady's business card to get a copy if it goes to air!!

Then it was back to town and the vege restaurant from last night.
It had been such a good day but here it all went pear shaped and awful!!

A postcard from Tanya - after her day at the Stadium and the "bag theft"

I pretty much went straight to the airport after that.
I just really wanted to get out of Madrid asap!!

The Tour of Real Madrid Stadium

(A postcard sent over by Tanya)

Tanya outside the Stadium #01	Tanya outside the Stadium #02	The Stadium #01
The Stadium #02	Thousands of seats!!!	Ready for the next game
The important area - scoring goals!!!	Tanya at the top of the Stadium	......and dwarfed by it's size!!!
Tom, Sue, "wee" Kate, Tanya, Kaz	The player's very comfortable seats	......and Tanya trying them out
Waiting to go into the game!!!	Score - and the players celebrate!!!	......but Tom doesn't care!!!
Tanya enters the Stadium to the screams of thousands of fans!!!	"The Football Princess" and she's wearing her Crown	About to enter the dressing room
Sue, Kate, Tanya, Kaz Unwinding after the game	The "MVP" changes!!!	"Fancy" shower and spa bath
......and the "communal" showers	Tom tries out the facilities!!!
Tanya seems keen on this guy!!!	A kiss for Michael Owen	Tanya takes on the whole team!!!
Sue, Kaz, Kate, Tanya "We got his balls!!!"		Game over!!! and Tanya relaxes in the stands