Spain Day 9: Girls Night Out

Went to class and then had our group meetings.

Talked about our weekend excursion to Toledo on Saturday. I am so excited!!

 Then, Ashley and I searched the internet for HOURS trying to find deals on flights and hotels for our free weekend in Barcelona.

It really was very stressful.

So, we put away our computers and walked around Madrid for a while and ate a pastry at the bakery on our street.

It was a wonderful afternoon. 

Very relaxing.

Then, some of the girls decided to go out after dinner to Plaza Mayor. 

We had a blast.

Talking, planning, and laughing.

Solid evening.

I love Plaza Mayor. It is everything that Spain should be.

Courtney, Emily, and Ashley

 Plaza Mayor at night. 

The whole group!

(L-R) Kimberly, Emily, Allison, Ashley, Courtney, and me!

Madrid Day 8- Wash Day and Procrastination

Today, wasn't very eventful.

We had our first paper to write, so Ashley and I stayed home most of the day to work on that.

We went to class, then had a group leader meeting, and went out to lunch with the professors, which is always fun. I love to ask them about all of their favorite places and things to do in the city.

They always have the best stories.

Today was wash day, so our clothes are on the line for everyone in our courtyard to see.

Today, we spent most of the day at home. Skyping with friends and procrastinating on our papers.

My bed is a mess with all my papers, but my paper is (for the most part) is finished.

Like my sun and moon sheets? Haha.

Also, the procrastination may have payed off. 

I may have found a wedding dress!

Well, I know what I want it to look like at least. :)

Spain Day 7- Trying to be "Authentic"

It is hard to believe that I have been in Madrid for an entire week.

It has flown by!

Today, we got up early on our day of to go the el Rastro, which is their flea market.

They have the best prices on EVERYTHING.

Clothes, tourist stuff, luggage, shoes, belts, jewlery...everything.

It is also one of the other best places in Madrid to get robbed, 

so I wasn't having too much fun.

A little too nervous.

But I did buy a beautiful yellow linen scarf for 2 euros.

I really love it.

After that, we took a siesta for pretty much the rest of the day.

We were exhausted from our first week and just needed time to wind down.

Here are some pictures of el Rastro.

This evening, we had our first play that we had to attend for our lit/theater class.

So, Caitlin, Ashley, and I went out for tapas, the traditional authentic spanish food.

We all ordered different things so that we could try it all.

We ordered tortilla (like the first night- egg, potato, onion, garlic omelt),

empenada (pastry filled with meat), and a tapa called callos madrilenos.

The last one was one of the authentic tapas of Madrid, so we decided that we had to get it.

When it got to our table, it looks weird. We wondered what it was, but decided to eat it first and then worry about what it was later. We all tried it.

One bite was enough for me, the texture was crazy. And I was fully satisfied to never put that in my mouth again. So, when the bill arrived, we asked our waiter what it was.

He said that it was his favorite dish. It was cow intestines and tongue.

YES, YOU HEARD ME RIGHT!

COW INTESTINES AND TONGUE.

disgusting. but, we were brave and awarded ourselves with gelato. :)

Then, we went to our first play for our theater/lit class.

It was Cervantes' El Licenciado Vidriera.

We had a good time and the play was great!

I understood the majority of it, which was amazing!

Hasta manana!

Madrid Day 5- Wisdom

My mom sent me the sweetest email today.

With her words of wisdom along with the words of wisdom from Corrie Ten Boom.:

It is indeed a new day!! I hope you will have a good one and put all of yesterday's happenings behind you.

Corrie Ten Boom's devotional for yesterday was the following: "Jesus did not promise to change the circumstances around us. He promised great peace and pure joy to those who would learn to believe that God actually controls all things.  Your will be done Father. Teach us that You , not we, control our lives for our own good."

I thought that was applicable. Let Him show you what you can learn from this whole thing.

She is very right. It was applicable to yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

He promises PEACE and PURE JOY.

Our God controls all things!!

Even so, today was a very slow day.

Since yesterday's events, I've been very homesick.

Madrid apparently does not like me.

But, I love Madrid.

Last night confirmed this when we went out for chocolate and churros.

                                     

The week caught up to many of us.

Everyone was pretty tired. I needed a siesta.

But, we were scheduled to go the Prado, art museum. 

I love art and museums. This is just what I needed. I was in my element.

We saw Goya, El Greco, Sargeant, Van Dyck, Velazquez, Durer, and Fra Angelico among others.

I only wish that I had Adair with me to enlighten me with all her knowledge.

It was no Uffizi of Florence, but it was great. 

There are two more that we are scheduled to see: the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen.

The Thyssen is what I am most excited about. It has the Impressionists, which are my favorite.

And Reina Sofia is more modern art, with Picasso's Guernica.

Here is some of what we saw today:

Goya

 

The first is John Singer Sargeant and the second is Velazquez.

Both were put in the same room to show the likeness in their uses of light.

and the famous El Greco.

We are taking our first day trip to Segovia tomorrow.

Pictures to come!!

Madrid Day 4

Today after school, my roommate, Ashley, and I walked all over Madrid.

We had nowhere in particular that we wanted to go. 

We just walked. For two hours.

Things like that are just relaxing and somehow liberating.

We found the perfect gelato shop and went all through Plaza Mayor.

We then kind of walked off the beaten path

We scoped out places to go eat tapas and to get some paella.

We also saw that the opera Carmen is playing. 

(I think that we are going to go on Sunday!)

I also found the cutest printshop.

The man, who owned the store, had various prints from Spain in the 1920's.

He didn't have one of Madrid, but he did have one of Barcelona.

And since we are going to go there on our free weekend. I figured that it was perfect!

It'll be something that I am going to be able to keep forever and put in my house.

(Jer, I hope you like it. If not, tough luck!)

Now, the only problem is seeing how it will get home. :)

Here are pictures from today!

Just go explore, you won't be disappointed.

See?

Plaza Mayor

Streets of Madrid. 

Ashley with Nutella gelato.

Yes, it does exist!! :)

Flower shop

My print!

Not very good quality picture, but it really is so cute!