Deep thought & travel update

Deep thought of the day:
If Maltese + Poodle = Malty-poo
Does Shih Tzu + Poodle = Shitty-poo?

If so, I'm going to get one just so I have an excuse to go around saying "Shitty-poo" to strangers.

"What kind of dog is that?"
"She's a Shitty-poo. Shitty-poos are generally very friendly, tolerant and independent. I highly recommend a Shitty-poo as a pet."

And now for the travel update. A few things have changed since my last post. Here's the new tentative itinerary:

May 4-30 Minneapolis
June 13-21 Travel around Spain with Carly! =*D
June 22-30 Madrid - have booked a room in Lavapiés, a great neighborhood close to Atocha station.
July 1-28 Paris - have booked a room in Montmartre, home of the Moulin Rouge.
July 29-Aug2 PRAGUE - accommodation TBA, but I might be traveling with my friend Patty. Neither of us have ever been there before but I've heard great things and am super looking forward to it.
Aug 3-31 VIENNA!!! - have never been there before, so very excited about this. Have booked a room a few km away from my German language course
Sept 1 Fly home

I also, at some point, might go to Brussels for a couple of days, since I have a friend there (my prima from my adoptive Spanish family) whom I'd love to go see. Plus, she works at a chocolate shop. In Belgium. Seriously.

In case you're considering an extended trip somewhere you haven't been and don't know very many people, I recommend looking at Airbnb. You can rent directly from the owner - either an entire house/apt or just a room in a shared house. I've chosen the latter route because I want to be able to practice my languages and meet new people. Hosts also often offer a discounted price if you stay at least 28 nights.

As for what I'm going to do/see in each of these places (and how I'm going to get from one to the next), I'll take it as it comes. I realize that the normal thing to do would be to browse guidebooks or travel websites and make notes about things that are the most popular, if for no other reason than to avoid having someone say to me, "You were in Vienna for an entire month and you never saw the Schmoody-Hoo?!?" 

But the truth is, I like to wander. I like to get lost. I like to be dragged around by locals to see their favorite spots, especially if many of those favorite spots are restaurants and bars. I'm not much one for picture-taking or waiting in line or wading through crowds. I like museums and churches and such, but I'd rather be out in the streets looking at the architecture from that angle and listening to people speak their languages and smelling the smells, both good and bad.