I am finally here in Spain! This post will focus on my first weekend touring Madrid and Toledo with my program, and I will post later about my home city, Granada.
After meeting my group, we spent a few days exploring the capital city Madrid, adjusting from jet lag, getting to know each other, and receiving orientation information. Some highlights included the royal palace (where the royal family doesn’t live, but visits sometimes), cute shops and restaurants, and the art museum El Prado (no photos allowed).
One of my favorite things about Spain is the “menú del día” (menu of the day) that many restaurants offer during lunchtime, which is the biggest meal here. For a reasonable price, they offer several choices for a first course, second course, drink, and dessert/coffee. I love that there aren’t an overwhelming amount of options, and that you get to try several different things!
Our next stop was Toledo, an old town with beautiful architecture, winding cobblestone streets, open plazas, plentiful helado (ice cream), and a bustling night life.
We toured an old monastery, synagogue, and enormous cathedral. They were beautiful and represented the mix of Jewish, Muslim, and Christian cultures that have (mostly) peacefully lived together in the city for centuries.
I love Spain so far: walking everywhere, eating on outdoor terraces, and dressing up (most women wear vestidos, or dresses, all the time, even for grocery shopping). The downsides so far have been the heat (90+ degrees every day is a lot for my Wisconsin blood, and there is no air conditioning here!) and the jet lag (which is starting to wear off), but overall I am thoroughly enjoying this country.
Hasta luego!
Cora the Explorer 