Keeping Busy

Today marks my 4th day in Spain, but I feel like I’ve been here at least a week. I am staying in a very nice restaurant right in the heart of Madrid this week but it wouldn’t really matter if we were staying in a hostel because I spend so little time there. Our tour guide, Carrrrmen, is a classy Spanish woman and although she is shorter than me, I have never met a woman with more intensity and power. I would say if she weren’t a tour guide, she would be an army general. However, she is also a walking encyclopedia and can tell us everything possible thing there is to know about Spain’s history, art, culture, you name it. She has us on our feet the entire day, and if we don’t keep up, she likes to snap and yell at us. She even snaps at our leader, Roger when he isn’t paying perfect attention. At this point, it’s pretty comical. I used to think Dad was intense during travels…Carmen puts Dad to shame.

I could talk a lot more about Carmen, but you probably want to know about what I’ve seen and where I’ve been. It would take forever to go into detail all the places we’ve been so I’ll just mention the more interesting ones. We spent one day traveling around Ávila and Segovia, where I of course was pretty special since my name is T(h)eresa and the whole city of Ávila worships Santa Teresa. Mom, I even took a picture of me next to the Teresa stone, just like the one you took many years ago! I have to say that it was much easier to appreciate the cathedrals, architecture and art in Ávila and Segovia than it was in 7th grade. The palace of Segovia (especially the tower) was of course my favorite destination. But the most memorable part of that day was by far our lunch. Although lunch always consists of gigantic amounts of food in at least 3 courses (with wine), this restaurant was incredible. First course: creamy meaty soup which I can’t really describe because I don’t know what was in it… Second course: whole fish with the face and all (Carmen came over and demonstated exactly how to cut it up and take out the bones and such) Third course: an ENTIRE PIG was brought to the center of the room and cut up in front of our eyes. Then we were each served a fresh piece on a plate. This is the most shocking part: I liked it all! That pig leg I ate was the juiciest meat I have ever tasted! So no one can ever tell me again that I am a picky eater.

We have also visisted a couple of famous museums, the Museo del Prado, full of famous artists such as Goya, Velázquez and El Greco. I loved that, and it was nice to have Carmen explain the details of the paintings and the meanings behind each of them. Today we also visisted the Museo Thyssen, which has art from Europe from pretty much every century. I probably would have enjoyed the museum more if I hadn’t gone to bed at 4 am last night! On that topic, I have to mention last night because it was one of the most interesting nights of my life. My friends here and I decided we wanted to go to discoteca because Thursday nights are party nights for the Spanish. So we all got dressed up and went out to bars for vino y cervezas. We ended up at this small, smoky bar where we spent 2 hours talking in Spanish to a group of guys who were really nice and patient with our fragmented Spanish. At 2 am, the bar closed and we were a little confused because everyone says the Spanish party until 5 am. Then the guys we’d been talking to said that everyone goes to the discotecas at 2 am and so of course we all had to follow them! We get to this discoteca and the music was blasting and the line out the door was crazy. But these guys got us all right in. The place was packed with people, smoke, alcohol, noise. There were definitely some creepers, but we stuck together and danced to American music of course. Then, after 3 am, 3 dancers start rising from the floor, literally, coming up from below. Then they do some flamenco performance and it was unreal. It was pretty crazy, but we had a lot of fun, and some people even want to go to another discoteca tonight! I don’t know how the Spanish do it! I guess once we’re in Sevilla and have siesta time, the lack of sleep on weekend nights will make more sense.

I really like all the people in my group and we get along really well. Although I’m tired of all this sightseeing and long days in Madrid, it is a great time for bonding and I feel like I’m getting to know people really well already. We all go out together at night and although at restaurants the Spanish waiters sometimes hate us for our large group and confusion about menus, we are having a lot of fun. I am going to have to get used to the food, though. There are virtually no vegetables in a typical meal, just a ton of meat. There is never a meal without jamón. I am enjoying the food more than some others on my trip though, especially the 2 vegetarians. There really is no understanding of “vegetarian”.

Well I have a ton more to say, but this is already far too long. Check facebook for photos too! I miss everyone at home and I am excited to get to Sevilla and be able to talk via Skype! Xoxoox Theresa