August 16, 2011 Madrid knows how to host an opening mass

Hola blog Family!
    I am blessed, this is my second WYD and what I remember  first, well right after of the beauty of Austraila, was the opening mass. The crowds, the excitement, the buzzing talk by pilgrims anticipating the Holy Father's arrival-it was amazing and like nothing I could have prepared for. I was so excited for the pilgrims on this trip to see this excitment, and some how I think Madrid trippled the crowd excitment.

    This was a crowd that puts Hershey Park to shame-the above photo only shows the top of one side of the crowd surrounding the palace.

With press credentials I was finally able to retreat out  of the sardine can and up for a birds eye view of the mass-see left.
With a crowd like this I anticipate the rest of WYD to continue to grow with 100,000 of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world. Just in my brief run in the crowd I met pilgrims from China, England, and Italy-these were only the young adults I spoke to. With sounds trippling a pro-football stadium we held a very small conversation of mostly where are you from and can you believe this crowd!