Feeling A LOT better

Thanks to everyone for the sweet words of sympathy and encouragement.  It means a lot to me that so many of you were concerned with my highly emotional last posting.  I've been feeling a lot better since that night.  The day after my night of depression, I went on a free walking tour around madrid, and I really enjoyed it.  The city was beautiful, and although I was wearing 2 pairs of gloves and my hands still hurt from the cold, it was really fun.  I left that night for Lisbon, Portugal.  

And Now, I'm in Heaven.

Lisbon is my FAVORITE city i've been to so far in my trip.  There's just this charm about it...steep hills, and cobblestone streets, and narrow alleys, and no tourists, and nice people and beautiful weather....a million things about it, make it so incredible.  It feels undiscovered.  And the hostel i'm staying in is by far the best hostel i've ever been in.  The people are incredible, it's super laid back, every night they give out free shots...and, I know this sounds really weird, but it smells like my grandma's beach house.  You know how it is with smells, right?  How certain ones evoke feelings you can't control.  I feel like i'm home here.  Everything about it makes me happy.  I walked around the city and saw a million things I want to draw.  Our hostel has a Portugese mother come in 3 days a week to make a home cooked dinner for the hostel for only 5 euros a head plus dessert (really cheap over here) and the food was incredible.  Sooo.....I decided that for the 9 days in between when my eurail pass ends (December 21st) and when I need to fly back to London (December 30th).  I'm going to stay in Lisbon.  I talked to the manager of the hostel, and i'm going to do a couple hours work for the hostel every day in exchange for free accommodation!  I'll be making beds, or wandering around the streets handing out flyers to tourists, or working reception, or any number of random tasks.  I'm so excited!  So i'll be in Lisbon over christmas which should be fun hopefully!  

I just got sick, which sucks...a flu/cold thingy that isn't being helped by the free shots you can't refuse (literally, people won't let you.  I was just handed a tequila shot as I was writing this, and I said "Oh, I really shouldn't, i'm sick", and the girl said "Yes, but THIS will burn off all your sickness" and gave me a stern look till I took the cup from her hand.).  Yesterday I walked all over the city and painted the hill scene, but today I tried to take it easy and I slept in (so nice!) and read for awhile, then painted a scene from inside my hostel, cause it was raining anyways outside, so I couldn't do any art out there.  It was nice and cozy inside though, so I didn't mind.  Plus, I'm going to have a lot of free time to wander the city when I'm here for 9 days!