El Día Final

On our día final in Madrid, we visited the Atocha train station, which is much different than the many train stations I have been in through this trip.  Most importantly, the station houses a memorial commemorating the 191 people who died in the March 11, 2004 train bombings in Madrid and the fallen officer who died when attempting to capture the leader of the heartbreaking terrorists attacks.  It is presumed that Al Qaeda led the train bombings and that the attack had a direct relation to the Spanish General Election that took place several days after the attack.  The memorial is a glass cylinder tower that is faced with words of grief and sympathy sent in from all over the world in the days following the attack.  I loved how the memorial can be seen from inside and outside of the train station and that the cylinder shape funnels light down into the station but also bursts it upwards toward heaven.

Up close view of the memorial from Google

View of the memorial from inside from Flickr

Outside view of the memorial from Google

Another special part of the Atocha station is the rainforest that sits right in the middle of the building.  It was a nice place to sit and reflect after visiting the memorial.  I also made some new friends there!

NEW FRIENDS!

History through many eyes

Throughout this experience, we have been learning that the history of a city can be examined through very different viewpoints ranging from a government lens to looking at cultural practices and religious foundations.  Just in one day, we can see a city's history unfold through several perspectives.  I noticed this particularly today in Madrid and found it fascinating how everything fell together to give me a well-rounded (yet broad) understanding of Madrid's past.

Through the eyes of the Spanish Monarchy...

In the states, we know Christopher Columbus best for sailing the ocean blue in 1492, but in Spain, Cristobal Columbus has a much different meaning.  We visited two monuments that tribute Christopher Columbus, one erected in 1885 and the other in the 1970s, in the properly named area- Plaza de Colón (Columbus Square).  The exploration agreement between Columbus and the Spanish crown, which at the time was King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, was actually a very complex negotiation infused with greed and broken promises.  Nonetheless, it is impossible to negate Columbus' expansive exploration of the Canary Islands, The Bahamas, Cuba, and countless countries in Central America.  Although he may not have "discovered" the lands he traveled to or maintained a sound moral code while exploring, he certainly conducted vast amounts of research about new lands for Spain, and I applaud Madrid for dedicating such beautiful monuments for a controversial figurehead in Spanish history.

Christopher Columbus Monument from 1885- tale has it that he's pointing West indicating the route he took to the Caribbean islands!

Modern Columbus Monument

HUGE Flag of Spain in La Plaza De Colón

The girls in front of the modern monument

Through the eyes of the natives...

To understand present day Madrid, it's important to understand the history of cultural practices whether they are still upheld today or not.  Bull fighting is a prominent part of Madrid's culture and served as entertainment since early in the 20th century.  We visited La Plaza de Toros de las Ventas, which is a famous bull fighting arena in the Guindalera quarter that is still used today.  Although I may not agree with the morality of bull fighting, it was educational to see the hub of such an important part of Spanish culture.

La Plaza de Toros de las Ventas

Hanging with El Toro Bravo (Spanish Fighting Bull)

 

Through the eyes of the tourists...
One of the most visited places in Madrid for tourists is Retiro Park.  It's the largest park in Madrid and has a long history of ups and downs as it was controlled by the monarchy when it was created in 1505 up until it was passed to public ownership in 1868.  The park is now home to several museum exhibits and beautiful rose gardens.  We saw visitors sailing around the man-made lake in row boats, playfully feeding the ducks.  It was an incredibly peaceful and

 Buen Retiro Park

 Relaxing by the water

Con mi amiga, Noel!

Through the eyes of artists...

As the sun set, we had the amazing experience of touring two of Spain's most important museums, El Museo Reina Sofia y El Museo del Prado.  The former is mainly dedicated to Spanish art and highlights Picasso and Dali.  In high school, Ms. Reeves taught us about famous Spanish masterpieces but seeing them in person was just surreal.  Picasso's Guernica was massive and was just as powerful as it is enormous.  While browsing the museum, I found myself most interested in the self-portraits from the famous artists.  Some were so abstract that I stared for ten minutes before even finding a mouth.  My favorite was a cubist self-portrait by Dali that I posted below.  Of the temporary and more modern exhibits, my personal favorite was Sharon Hayes' dissection of the tense relations between politics, history, and language.  I found a collage dedicated to Angela Davis, a renowned feminist during the civil rights movement!

Check out more about Hayes' work by clicking here!

Can you find Dali?

"Radical simply means grasping things at the root."  -Angela Davis

The greatest part of El Prado was without a doubt seeing Las Meninas by Velázquez!  This painting was my favorite when I studied Spanish art in high school and seeing it in person reinforced its place at the top of my list.  The little round princesses are just too cute.

Image by Google since photography was prohibited in the museum!

To end the day, we opted to see Madrid through the eyes (or stomachs?) of hungry American students missing American cuisine.  We had a fabulous dinner at Hard Rock and nommed out on burgers and pasta.  It was a much needed break from the continuous Spanish food that we had been eating.  You can only imagine what that was doing to our bellies..

I found a case dedicated to Elton John at the Hard Rock in Madrid with a jacket he wore!!  It was a very nice reminder of my home..well, my home in Great Britain anyway.

¡Quiero bailar! ...y comer

If you know me even a little bit, you know that three of my favorite things in life are food, musicals, and dancing.  Some of my favorite memories of summer before coming on this trip were cooking homemade pizza with my dad, belting every song on the Wicked soundtrack with Amanda, and busting a move on the dance floor with my mom.  Ray must have somehow known this about me because he planned an evening of dinner at a tapas bar followed by a flamenco dancing musical.  Tapas in Spain are basically mini dishes of food kind of like appetizers in the U.S.  Eating tapas is just as much about the social atmosphere as it is about the food.  In the tapas bar, we all huddled around one table as Ray kept the tapas flowing.  We tasted everything from cod bruschetta to authentic Spanish salsa to prawn and beef kababs.  I loved everything, of course.

Tapas on tapas on tapas!

 Cheers from the tapas bar!

After the tapas and several glasses of sangria, we were off to see the musical Carmen!  This authentic Flamenco Carmen was much different than the hip hopera version with Beyonce that I saw on MTV when I was 8- but it may still be a toss up for which is better.  I was moved by the fierce dancing and sensual smooth moves that told the story of love, lust, and betrayal, yet the plot was difficult to follow.  I don't know if it was the language barrier or the lack of a/c in the theater but I am embarrassed to admit that many important parts of the plot went right over my head.  Thankfully the body language was enough for me to still enjoy the experience!  I have been noticing through my travels that body language may be the only universal language..hmm..food for thought.

After the musical, we hit the town!  Madrid is the place to be for yummy drinks, dance clubs, and of course, great company!

 Post Carmen celebrations with Noel!

Enjoying Madrid nightlife with Mary Frances!

Paella y Pickpocketers

We kicked off our first full day in Madrid with a little piece of home as we visited the US Embassy of Madrid. We had the distinct honor of meeting with the outreach coordinator and financial advisor of the Embassy to discuss the current financial hardships Madrid is facing. In the debriefing, we discussed the important role of the US in foreign affairs, specifically how interconnected the US and EU economies are. There are many similarities between the US recession and Spain's current financial situation, yet the bottom line remains the same for both countries, what is the best solution for such a complex problem? I don't have an answer at the moment, so maybe I will save tackling the global economic crisis for another post...

Outside of the US Embassy in Madrid!!  Our little taste of home!

On a smaller but equally significant scale of crises, Jenny got her wallet stolen by a pickpocketer while we were ordering our lunch at a small sandwich shop.  Although we were mortified at the time, the incident directly supported what we learned earlier that morning at the Embassy about the unfortunate economic woes in Spain and how many Spaniards are resorting more and more to desperate measures just to get by.  Regardless of the secret pity I felt for the mysterious pickpocketer, I felt one hundred times worse for mi amiga Jenny that had to deal with being robbed abroad.  After handling the pickpocketing situation as best as we could, we were back on track for our full day of sightseeing with the group.

Since climbing the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it is tough to impress our group with tall buildings; however, La Plaza de España caused us to look twice.  The large square is home to Madrid's two most prominent skyscrappers- El Torre de Madrid y El Edificio España.  It has grown to be a very popular tourist destination as well due to its street vendors, fountains, and a beautiful monument honoring the poet and playwright Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.  The stone tower in the center of the plaza features a full-body statue of Cervantes which overlooks smaller bronze sculptures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.  Jenny and I ventured up close and personal to Don Quixote's oversized statue to take advantage of a photo opt with the infamous character on his horse.  It was well worth the silly stares.

 

  Running around the Cervantes monument of Don Quixote

 

CHEESE!

Our next stop, the Temple of Debod, was quite a surprise for me, as I did not expect to see an Egyptian temple in Madrid.  Comparing the Temple of Debod to my vast knowledge of temples acquired from watching The Mummy trilogy countless time, I concluded that this temple was very primitive.  But what was it doing in Madrid?  Turns out the temple was a gift from Egypt to Spain in 1968 for their help in saving the temples of Abu Simbel when construction was threatening historical Egyptian monuments.  It is one of only a few authentic, ancient Egyptian works that can be seen outside of Egypt!  Well, some don't call it authentic since it was taken apart and reassembled in order to transport it to Madrid but to me, it's still the real deal.

It is standard for our group to be on our feet all day, using walking as our main mode of transportation.  Once our blisters scabbed over and we invested in better shoes, the long days of walking have become customary and expected, so ending our day with a cable car tour over La Casa de Campo was a real treat.  We got to sit our tired behinds down in a ski-lift like cable car and fly over La Casa de Campo with a squeaky little Dora the Explorer like voice narrating our ride.  The first thing Dora taught us was that the famous preserved land we were gliding over translates in English to 'House of  the Field.'  Ironically, the field more closely resembled a desert since Madrid is in the midst of a severe drought this summer.  Nonetheless, our panoramic views of the city and the rolling hills of dried up field were much more breathtaking than you would think.  The ride in our baby blue tramcar allowed for a relaxing end to a busy day!

Beautiful overlook of the city before getting on the tram

 

Casa de Campo view from our tram

 In the tram with Alex!

 Watch the tram car, please!

¡Bienvenidos a Madrid!

Bright and early we are up and out on our first trip from London that involves flying! From St. Pancras train station to Gatwick airport to aeropuerto Barajas-Madrid, we made it to Madrid in style, just in time for the mid-day heat! Upon arrival, we checked into Hostel Juarez which has a strikingly similar name to Hotel Jerry, our home in Paris the previous week. We were confused at first as to why the "hostel" was so nice until Ray informed us that hotel in Spanish is hostel. After dropping off our bags we were off to a delicious Spanish buffet. Throughout the trip, we have eaten at some buffets in the past since it's convenient for feeding a large group, but this one takes the cake- literally. It was so tasty and everyone was able to find something they enjoyed. After refueling from our early morning travels, we toured the central areas of Madrid which were conveniently located in relation to our hotel. So the list goes- La Puerta del Sol, La Plaza Mayor, Los Jardines de Sabatini, y El Palacio Real de Madrid. El Palacio Real (The Royal Palace) is the largest active palace in the entire world and was absolutely gorgeous. I really enjoyed the gardens surrounding the palace and the beautiful views of Madrid from the palace stairs!

 The girls with the symbol of Madrid in La Puerta del Sol

Laura, me, Mary Frances, and Jenny in front of El Palacio Real de Madrid

A very special statue I snapped a picture with was Queen Isabel II of Spain, which I've posted below.  She was the only regnant Queen of Spain in modern times and her rein was so controversial because the Carlists refused to recognize a woman as the ruler. In 1868, she was exiled, as a result of the Glorious Revolution in Spain that ushered the First Spanish Republic into power.  Her exile helped cause the Franco-Prussian War as Napoleon III could not accept the possibility that a German prince may replace Isabel in the dynasty of Spanish Bourbons.  Two years later, Isabel stepped down from the throne in favor of her son taking the throne.  Making a long history lesson short, Queen Isabel II was an admirable female ruler who put her country before herself and is a role model to me and all women striving to succeed in a male dominated society, culture, or occupation. Change has to start somewhere, so why not with you?  Girl power.

Home Sweet London

While Paris was a phenomenal experience, I was extremely excited to be back here in London. It really is starting to feel like home. We had a chill weekend as we winded down from all the festivities in Paris. On Friday, we shopped at Camden Market and Oxford Circus then hit the town in the evening- late night Chicken Stop run included. On Saturday, we walked around the Russel Square market and then me and Jenny literally ran into the British Museum. We were simply walking where the wind took us and the next thing we knew, we were at the steps of the museum. The museum was featuring a Picasso exhibit, which was amazing. We tour the Picasso pieces in addition to an Egyptian mummification exhibit. While we were on our way out, I heard someone say "Let's stop at the Rosetta Stone next" and we literally stopped in our tracks and did an immediate 180 turn. We almost left without seeing the Rosetta Stone! It was so incredible. The etchings on it were so delicate and intricate. I was very impressed and simply dazzled to see it in person.




The museum was enormous- I could have stayed for hours. We opted for a low key evening just hanging in our dorms, working on homework and reflecting on Paris. On Sunday, I ran for the first time this entire trip and boy, was that a challenge. I jogged the streets of Islington and then had lunch with Mary Frances in the cafe in our building. Running in a city is much different than running in my neighborhood. The crosswalks, stop lights, and car fumes are going to take some getting used to. In the evening, our entire group had a picnic dinner at a beautiful park that over looked the London skyline. From our blanket, we could see the London Eye, Parliament, and the Shard just to name a few monuments. As a group, we debriefed from Paris and got prepared for Madrid all while munching on delicious meat and cheese spreads and sipping on white wine. Why can't all classes be this perfect?

So next stop, Madrid! I hope I make Allison and Kelsey proud with my Spanish skills! Time to find my lightest clothes and get packing for Spain where the forecast for the week is hot, hotter, and scorching. Here we come SPAIN!!

Postcard from Paris

Postcard from Paris by The Band Perry

Well, now I can say that I've seen the real thing.  Paris was postcard perfect.  I loved the sights just as much as I loved our down time.  I went into Paris kind of blind since it was the first of our five excursions from London.  I will be honest in saying that I could have been more prepared for the differences between Paris and London like how Americans are treated, how to tackle the language barrier, and how to handle the persistent beggers and homeless people.  I learned a lot about the French and immigration issues surrounding France.  Isn't neat that Paris was out classroom for the week??  I am excited to travel to Madrid on Monday and continue broadening my European perspective!

 Au revoir Paris!!

Time to head back home to London!!

Paris in a Day

On your mark, get set, GO!  After eating a delightful almond croissant and cafe olay from the bakery, we were off to our packed day of sightseeing through Paris.  First stop- Notre Dame de Paris.  Although we didn't run into Quasimoto or Esmerelda, Notre Dame was simply magical.  The stained glass windows were tied with the beautiful arched ceilings as my favorite part of of the church.

 I loved this stained glass window!

 Inside Notre Dame

 Outside of Notre Dame

Next stop-  I had never heard of this church before arriving but once I saw it, I was in awe.  Sacra Couer sits at the very top of a hill (more like small mountain) and once you get to the top, you can see the Paris skyline all the way to the horizon.  The church is in the Momantra area, which has a cute, artsy market where artists were painting and selling their work right then and there.  For lunch, me and Laura did the local thing and ate cheese on a baguette in the open park area below the church.  It was delicious, and I felt so Parisian.

 

Sacre Couer

Outside of Sacre Couer

After lunch, we took the metro to the see the Arc de Triomphe.  The monument was very powerful as it honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.  Names of generals and places of French victories are inscribed on the inner and outer walls of the arch and there is a tomb of an unknown soldier buried beneath the arch.  The monument was very touching and incredibly beautiful to see in person.

Arc de Triomphe

 Being the arc

Since the arch is in a very central shopping location, our leader gave us some free time to shop around and chill.  We certainly did more shopping than chilling but I'm not complaining.  Seeing the Paris fashion was very cool and made me feel like I need to get with the program on how to dress like a trendy European.

We met back with the group at the US Embassy where we had a meeting with their outreach coordinator and immigration specialist.  The meeting was extremely informative, and I learned a lot about the embassy's purpose in different countries.  It was also nice to be around people who spoke English!

Continuing to push through the day at full speed, our next destination was the Louvre.  The Louvre was amazing since it is a historic monument and art museum all-in-one.  I adored roaming the exhibits, totally mesmerized by the ancient and contemporary art.  We visited the Mona Lisa and other famous works in the Louvre like Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory.  It was an awesome and extensive museum but I need about four more days in there to see and read everything I wanted to!

She looked right at my camera!

 Living works of art

Venus de Milo

Still no signs of stopping on this whirlwind of a day!  From the Louvre we had a classy dinner on the patio of a restaurant by Notre Dame.  I learned that smoked salmon is not my favorite but the dish looked picture perfect-

Food may be my favorite thing to take pictures of

After dinner we grabbed some bottles of wine and ventured out to see the Eiffel at night one last time.  It starts to sparkle at 11:45 and only shimmers for 15 minutes so we made sure not to miss a second.  Watching the tower glitter in the night was a gorgeous ending to our eventful day.

 

Me and Jenny waiting for the tower to sparkle! 

 The Eiffel Tower blinged out

Great day with great friends!