Shake me up to wake me up

I just got woken up by an earthquake.
Seriously. Not metaphorically.
The third camp is over and the fourth camp doesnt start until monday, so I decided to come to Madrid for a couple days before the last one starts up. There is not a single person in madrid right now. It is mid august, which means that this is a ghost city, with all its inhabitants off to the coast for a while.
But anyway, I was lying in my bed, asleep, when I was jolted awake by some movement and the sound of the chandelier tinkling. It was such a strange feeling that I immediately thought "earthquake" though I wasnt worried because it didnt last long and it wasnt that strong. It finished a second after I woke up. I got up and went to the balcony to see if anyone else had noticed anything. I also searched the horizon for any sign of smoke or something, because I thought that perhaps it had been an explosion (though in retrospect I would have heard something). When I was a small child there was a terrorist bomb a couple blocks from our house and I remember it waking me up. Anyway finally a spanish news agency reported the event. It seems that the epicenter was in my hometown a couple hours drive away from here. Not too strong, obviously, just a 4.7 magnitude, but still the only earthquake that I have ever felt.

update: the authorities have corrected their earlier estimation to a 5.1. Not that it really matters.

Comments

Anonymous said…
cool, i've never been in an earthquake. i guess there aren't too many around madrid.... good thing it wasn't a big one.
12/8/07 05:56
Jenn said…
Wow. I didn't know that Madrid could even HAVE earthquakes. I thought there were only tectonic plates down in Murcia.
12/8/07 11:27
Miriam said…
I'm glad it wasn't a metaphorical earthquake. Those are much more difficult to experience.
13/8/07 01:50
D said…
there was an earthquake about that size in new hampshire my senior year of high school. everyone woke up, except me. instead, i dreamed that I was sleeping on a bunk bed made out of jello. that is not a lie.
20/8/07 04:00
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