So, the conference was fine. Made some good contacts. Presented my poster. Got some good ideas (possibly even my first "new, good idea" that's so crucial for research.) Oh, yeah, and it was 110°F...and the A/C broke. Ick. But enough of that, let's reminisce about the good old days of Spain. Who needs Lonely Planet when you've got:
How to Survive in Spain on 20 Euros a Day
- Breakfast should be served by your youth hostel in the common area and be free, provided that you wake up before 10am. Seems like all the hostels collude are serve exactly the same thing: orange juice, one non-sugared flaky cereal, one sugared chocolate rice crispie-ish cereal, and bread. Enjoy!
- During the day you'll want to tour whichever city you are in, and visit some museums. The museums are usually dirt cheap (if not free), assuming that you haven't left your international student ID card home. Spend about 2.50€ on site-seeing. Make sure you're indoors for the dreaded noon-2pm period: trust me, you don't want to be in the sun then.
- While walking around, invest in a large bottled water for you and your companion: 0.80€.
- Lunch should be around 3pm. I hope you're hungry, because lunches in Spain are huge. Get the "Menu del Dia," which consists of a drink, bread, two courses, and dessert. Walk around the city, surveying the restaurants until you find a meal from a nice place for 7€. (You'll find deals from disreputable places for 6€ or 6.50€ -- avoid.) Eat up as dinner won't be until late in the evening.
- Walk around some more in the afternoon, visiting a nice garden to relax in. Grab some ice cream (or "helado") for 1.50€ and then head back to the hostel for your daily siesta.
- Dinner is around 8pm or, more likely, 9pm and should consist of tapas. The more you ate for lunch, the less you'll have to spend on dinner. One tapas serving, plus drink and a shared dessert should cost you at most 8€.
- Head over to the main part of the city and start collecting the special invites to clubs. Tons of poorly-paid street workers will be handing out these coupons. They'll get you in free to a mediocre place (that's guaranteed to be filled, since everyone is doing the same thing you are). If you're lucky, your coupon will also get you a drink. Dance the night away.
- Sleepwalk back to the hostel and crash. But wake up before 10am so that breakfast is free!
Let's see: 0.80 + 7 + 2.5 + 8 + 1.5 = 19.80€ ... and you get to pocket that extra 20 euro cents!

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