Well… I've delayed my blog quite a bit on this Spain excursion, but it's been because we've moved around so much! I have had a speedy, up and down trip through Spain, and I will do my best to recount my last four days as efficiently as possible.
We arrived in Spain at around 9:00 a.m. and it took us a couple hours to sort out our selves and get into Madrid. We arrived in Madrid at around 11:50a.m. and immediately went to Retiro Park, a beautiful Spain version of "Central Park." we waited for about an hour underneath the statue seen below ('Alfonso XII,' one of Spain's great leaders) to meet up with our good friend Maxi Berger. Maxi is from our college but is native to Chile. Maxi was a huge asset to our trip as he spoke fluent Spanish. After the rendezvous with Maxi, we took a trip to our hostel, set up shop, and went out on the town.
Our first day in Madrid covered many of the main landmarks of the City. Plaza de Sol, Plaza Mayor, Gran Via, just to name a few.
"Metropolis" on Gran Via
We also tried some of those famous "tapas" that one always has when having a beer in Spain. Tapas are appetizers, and they are free with any purchase of a beer. A king in Spain long ago mandated that bars serve tapas with beer so as to "clean up" the city, so to speak. Most of our night life was spent trying out different beer and tapas. I also had a shot of mandrono, a special liqueur derived from berries native to Spain. The shot came in a chocolate-dipped waffle cone shot glass, which was meant to be eaten (see below).
We woke the next day to find Madrid lit up with a sun-filled beautiful blue sky. Perfect day to spend outside! Our first stop was to famous "El Rastro," allegedly the biggest flea market in Europe. It did not disappoint! Lots of gadgets, gimmicks, and gizmos, all entertaining to see yet worthless to buy.
El Rastro, Biggest Flea Market in Europe
After grabbing a paella lunch (rice and seafood), we toured the Prado Museum for awhile. While pictures were not allowed, I can say that Francisco De Goya's "Picturas Negras" were quite frightening yet well done. Goya was a renowned artist in his day, doing paintings for the royal family and upper class. Goya led in his public success until he contracted Syphilis and began to paint pictures of his nightmares (Picturas Negras, or the Black Pictures/Paintings). These were fascinating yet very morbid.
A nap, a few tapas and beers preceded a pub crazy that we did with a bunch of Americans, Canadans and Australians. My camera died but I can definitely say it was a blast of a time.
The next day, John Murray and I caught a bus to Segovia. We planned on meeting up with Maxi a few days later to go to Toledo. The trip to Segovia took about an hour and a half. Mountains rose out of the horizon as we made our way into rural Spain… after arriving in Segovia, John and I both agreed that we liked the small town feel a lot more.
Upon arriving in Segovia, we met up with Anna Martin, fellow college student and friend. We also settled into the best hostel we've ever encountered. For 20 Euro, we received a room with our own bathroom (with shower, towels, shampoo, soap), 2 balconies, and even a flatscreen TV! I knew I'd forget to take pictures of the room… and I did not disappoint. I can assure you, however, you would be impressed with Don Jaime's Hostel set up.
Our night in Segovia was mostly spent settling in. We got some refreshing tapas and brews, and late that night we went to a bar that serves the best Sangria in town. The ticket price was steep, but the drink was well worth it. It was even a show to see it made! see the photo below…
The next day of Segovia was spent completely on a sightseeing basis. John and I slept in and walked to Segovia's beautiful cathedral up the street. We were worried about the timing of our touring; you see, everything in Spain closes down from 2:00p.m. - 4:00p.m. for a late lunch and siesta. Our timing worked out, however, as we were able to tour both the cathedral and the castle during the afternoon.
Our tour of the castle was equally as rewarding. Instead of taking the actual tour, we passed through a gate that let to the left of the castle. After hopping a small gate on the side of the castle, we found ourselves on the main balcony in the front of the castle. In this area was a beautiful hedge garden and an excellent view of the surrounding countryside.
We met up with Anna Martin at 4:30p.m. by the Aquaduct, which was very near our hostel. The Aquaduct is Segovia's trademark. It spans for miles and miles, and used to supply the city with water for centuries.
We spent the rest of our day just wandering around Spain. We got a bite to eat, did some grocery shopping for dinner, and returned to our hostel. We later met up with the whole CSB/SJU Segovia study abroad crew that night and went out for a bit. it was a blast!
Alright… I'm a bit behind.. but more blogs to come. Until then, slainte!
thomas
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