The first stop was Madrid, Spain's capital and home to FC Barcelona's biggest national rival: Real Madrid. Moreover, Madrid is usually considered the alternative to Barcelona in most study abroad programs. You either loyal to Madrid or Barcelona but never both, as each city offers something remarkably different. Thus, armed with itineraries from a few friends who studied abroad in Madrid, I opened my heart and mind and gave Madrid my best shot.
Upon arriving, Danny and I met Courtney and David at the hostel before we headed out to Palacio Real and the Sabatini Gardens. Well I suppose the bad weather is partially to blame, but I can't say I was blown away. A gray building against gray skies doesn't make for exceptional pictures. The armory was perhaps the most exciting part, if only because we each picked out our army's armor. (Basically, the boys compared swords and cannons while Courtney and I compared the aesthetic merit of each breast plate.) Then we hit up Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, both of which were alive and bustling despite the rain. Afterwards, we ran, not walked, to the one and only El Tigre, a legit SRO tapas bar that boasts super sized mojitos and tinto de verano, which consists of wine and lemonade. I was happy to be able to show Courtney and David what tapas were really all about - we had pan de tomate, manchego, tortillas (potato omelettes), and croquettes. Fueron deliciosos!
The next day we greeted bright skies with a smile and headed straight to el Parque del Retiro. I have to admit, this park has a lot over other parks I've seen while here. For starters, it's more manicured than my mother's fingernails. On top of that, it has a lake that offers boat rides for 4.50 € per boat. I'm not sure why, but Courtney and I somehow ended up in the front of the boat with the oars, making the first half of our 45 minutes at sea more like a game of bumper boats than an easy coast along still waters. Once the boys took over, we made it back safely to shore.
After that, the storm clouds came just in time for our super tour of the museum trifecta: Reina Sofia, Thyssen and Prado. While the Prado was a thrill if only because of Mr. Long's HAM (History of Art & Music) class sophomore year of high school, I found myself more fond of modern art in the Reina Sofia. After 5 months traveling Spain, forgive me if I've grown tired of religious subjects. The crowning glory of the afternoon, of course, was that thanks to a little forethought, we entered 2 of the Big 3 for free! And the Thyssen is never free, so I basically scored an A+ on the budget scorecard of life.
On Sunday, we hit up the Rastro flea market, where David bought a Texas flag belt buckle, and then Danny and I bid farewell before heading to the Renfe train station, where Courtney and David headed to Cordoba and Danny and I bought tickets to Toledo.
For me, Toledo was a vision of old Spain: narrow cobblestone streets, grand cathedrals, and vast landscapes of bridges, rivers, and castles. Danny's a photography connoisseur, so it was fun to just wander and take pictures, though we did make a point to hit up the must-sees and to eat marzipan, a confection indigenous to the region. It basically tasted like sugar and almonds, so I obviously loved it.
Back in Madrid and having little else to do on Monday but roam a few gardens, Danny and I headed to the airport early in hopes of nabbing an earlier flight on Vueling. No Ryanair-esque problems there; we made it back before dark!
All in all, it was a beautiful, stress-free weekend with lovely company. Arriving home to Barcelona didn't exactly make me nostalgic for hostels and Starbucks wifi, but I will miss spending time with people discovering that little ball we call the world. Oh, and for those of you who sing Madrid's praises, my heart's still in Barcelona. Lest we forget it's got a beach, Messi and that little home away from home I call Organic.
<3
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