Our trip began with a long day of flying, until we finally arrived in Madrid. There, we were greeted by a torrential downpour and our two counselors for the trip, Maria Jesus and Martin. They were quick to tell us some of the more peculiar Spanish customs while we drove to our hotel in Madrid. We arrived at the Hotel NH Zurbano, and after settling in, Cole Campbell, Asher Curnutte, Chapman Malone and I decided to walk around the surrounding neighborhood. We were starving so we ate in an interesting looking restaurant where we had our first taste of Spanish cuisine. We ate gazpacho, a cold vegetable soup, morcilla, a sausage made with pig's blood, and patatas bravas, home fries with a spicy sauce. After our culinary adventure and a good night’s rest, our group set out the next morning for a full day of adventure in Madrid. After finally figuring out the confusing Metro system, we bought tickets for the opening day of Jurassic World in a downtown theater. After watching the movie in Spanish, we deemed the plot to be very average. After some further walking, we found ourselves in the Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol, or the main square of Madrid. We walked around before finally returning to the hotel to leave for Toledo in the morning.
Churros and Chocolate at a cafe Kilometer 0 at the center of Madrid
Toledo was our second stop of the trip. It is an archaic city very well preserved since the Romans controlled it. We toured two of the main attractions, first the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes. This antiquated building is a catholic monastery which has preserved some of the most detailed carvings from 15th century Spain, depicting mythical animals and Bible stories. Afterwards, we visited the famous Catedral de Toledo, the third largest gothic cathedral in the world. The view from the outside was incredible and the amount of detail in the carvings and altars on the inside was astounding. Later that day, we got to see the night life of Spain, as we could walk around the city during the later hours and see how the Spaniards live. We watched a charity tournament of a European sport called Padel and we got to try the local tapas from Toledo in some of the many bars there.
Padel court near la Catedral de Toledo Catedral de Toledo
Finally, we took a bus ride down to our home for the next three weeks, Seville. Our host families were waiting there for us to greet us and walk to our houses. My host family consisted of a mother, Angeles, and her son, Jose. They were very friendly and hospitable to me during my trip and I always felt welcome in my house. After becoming situated, we moved into our daily routines in Seville. During the morning, we would take numerous excursions, and during the afternoon we had classes. Some of our excursions included a walking tour of the major sights of the city like the Plaza de Espana, and the main square, and a tapas tour throughout some of the famous bars. One day we took a trip to a modern looking structure known as las Setas, the Spanish word for mushrooms. There we toured a market and got to see some of the views from the top of the structure. We also toured the palace in Seville, known as the Alcazar and the enormous Catedral de Sevilla, even bigger than the one in Toledo. I felt very safe and welcome in the city, and after a few days, I started to know my way around the city with ease.
Fish in a market at Las Setas Ivy archway at the Alcázar
That weekend, we took a trip to the island of Gibraltar, an island between the coasts of Spain and Africa. There we took a sightseeing tour of the island where we saw some magnificent views off cliffs and lighthouses, and took a tour of Saint Michael's Cave. However, the big highlight of the island were the infamous monkeys. As our guide cleverly stated, they were in charge at Gibraltar, not the humans. After our day trip, we headed to Cadiz, a popular Spanish beach zone. In Cadiz, we took some much needed rest and relaxation on the beach and ate some of the delicious seafood they offered there. After two days of relaxation, we returned to Seville just in time to see the Sunday afternoon bullfights. Although a bit gruesome, it was interesting to see the pride and culture that the fans dedicate to such an ornate tradition.
Bullfight in Seville The infamous, mischievous monkeys
The next week in Seville, we knew our way around Seville as if we were natives. I lived near to several other students in my program, so after dinner, we would frequently meet up and walk around the city, stopping at concerts or food stands along the way. My host family and I were developing our relationships and I felt comfortable and secure around them, thanks in no small part to the delicious cooking of my host mom. She made amazing dishes like the tortilla espanola, and cocido. We toured the Alcazar and the Jewish Quarter of the city, both of which are filled to the brim with history and perfectly preserved artifacts of the past. Our advisors also arranged some traditional activities such as a paella making tutorial and a friendly soccer game. I was starting to feel very much at home in Seville.
Sizing up the Catedral de Sevilla with Asher Curnutte
Triana Bridge near my house Making Paella
Our next weekend excursion was my favorite. A bus drove us to Portugal, where we stayed in Lagos. On the first day, we were free to explore the city and shop for some keepsakes. We then boarded a boat and went sailing. Once we were out deep enough, our guides dropped the anchor and let us go swimming. The water was very clear and frigidly cold. Another man took us out in a skiff and showed us the rock formations and coves of the Portuguese coast. Later that night, we had extended free time to go to the beaches and relax. The next day was intense. After piling into the buses early in the morning, we went to a beach called Playa Amado for some surfing lessons. I tried very hard, but I found I could not stay upright on the waves. After several hours we stopped for lunch, then packed up and left for the cliffs. We stopped at a place colloquially named “the end of the world”, where we saw the sunset and enjoyed the incredible views. I found this moment to be the most serene and relaxing of the entire trip.
Portuguese Sunset Sailboating in the Atlantic
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