Spring Break

Having just returned from Spring Break, I'm exhausted and ready for the solidarity of Madrid.  After moving through five hostels and several airport floors, I'm ready to return to my familiar twin bed.  I spent ten days in   five different countries and know that this Spring Break will never be repeated in the rest of my college years.  I made sure to take advantage of the opportunity that studying in Europe granted me, and made sure to spend my vacation all over Europe.  However, all the traveling exhausted me and a nap seems necessary.  I'll make sure to write about all the countries after my coma.  Happy Easter, world.

Segovia

This weekend my visiting friends and I decided we needed a break from Madrid and the long nights that are all too common here.  Saturday we took a bus to Segovia, a city in the mountains not even an hour and a half outside Madrid.  I did not know what to expect, other than a famous aqueduct and delicious pig dishes.

I slept through most of the bus ride, until I woke up to the bus screeching to a halt.  After scraping my head off the window, I realized we were in the middle of the snowstorm.  This was the first time I saw a significant amount of snow since leaving New England.  Everyone else on the bus was pointing and getting very excited at frozen water falling from the sky.  Perhaps it was the frequency we get it back home, or maybe the concussion that I assumed I must have then received from the window, but I went back to sleep and woke only when I made it to the destination.

The aqueduct was amazing, as it was built almost 2000 years ago without mortar and still stood.  I couldn't fathom how people could make it without machines, when I can't write a paper before complaining about it for weeks.

Almost as elaborate as one of my essays.

All I could think about on the way to the city was the eventual pork meal that was supposed to be fantastic. And I wasn't disappointed.  It was one of the best meals that I've had in the country and the waiter was kind enough to inform me more about the origin of my lunch.  He told me that the pig was only 21 days old, freshly removed from his mother.  It was easily the most innocent baby that I have ever shoved in my mouth.

Awwwwwww

Normally, infanticide is not part of my balanced diet, but I made the exception just this once.  And if a baby pig ever graces my plate again, I'm not sure I could refuse.

The other notable structure in Segovia is the castle.  It stands at the edge of town, a moat surrounding it as it looks toward the mountains.  The inside is covered in artifacts from the era and other pieces of history.

Photo by Arianna Nava

Segovia is much different than Madrid, and is a nice day trip from the city.  It was much calmer and a great escape from the hustle of daily city life in Madrid.

March 11th Anniversary

Today marks the ninth anniversary of the March 11th Madrid train bombings.  On that day, a terrorist group placed several IEDs across the commuter trains in the morning, killing 191 people and injuring another 1,800.  Across the city you can find statues dedicated to the victims, and most prominent is the memorial located at the Atocha train station, where the most devastating explosion occurred.  The inside of the cylindrical memorial has messages in different languages of grief and of hope.

Photo from spottedbylocals.com

Since that day nine years ago, there has not been another attack.  I expected the trains to be emptier today, as people always tend to fear an anniversary repeat attack.  However, I was surprised to see the metro as full as always, with the attack not dictating their lives.  While this solitary tragedy often sticks out in people's minds, the trains are incredibly safe.  When we let the fear of an event dictate our lives, it gives strength to terrorism.  It is important to grieve and to remember the victims, but not to let terrorism control your decisions.

Midterms

Now that midterms are over, I've decided I can start enjoying my birthday weekend.  My friends are visiting for the next week, and a lot of preparation is in order.  I waded through the rain to find their hostel today, which is conveniently located between a homeless colony and what I assume would be a prime location for a meth lab.  Of course, in Madrid where everything seems so safe, they would choose the one place where I wouldn't be surprised if I was missing a kidney if I slept on those streets.

Approximate location of the hostel.

Luckily, the hostel is located close enough to less syringe-y places.  It is only a short walk from Sol and the metro system is connected to everywhere you would want to go in the city.  I'm hoping I can be a good enough host while they're here, and show them all the intricacies of Madrid.  The biggest problem I'll have is balancing my schoolwork with the crazy event-filled days that I'm expecting with them around.  I'm sure the especially strong coffee here will be my crutch to make it through the week.  At least there's the silver-lining that if they're actually good friends they may have brought me some American food that I've been craving so much.  It will be nice to have a taste of home amidst all this jamon.

Lisbon

I chose to go to Lisbon for this semester's school trip.  For those who are not the most up-to-date on geography, Lisbon's in Portugal, which is on the Iberian peninsula next to Spain.  It was about an eight hour drive from Madrid; an overnight trip forcing me to supplement sleep with gallons of coffee.

After the first day in the country, I could already see differences between Portugal and Spain.  The people in Lisbon were much more soft-spoken and friendly.  Everyone there spoke English, a change from Madrid where you're almost forced to learn the local language.  At the same time, the people there seemed sad when compared to the upbeat, high-energy nature of Madrid.

This friendly nut-salesman was photographed by Arianna Nava

We had a walking tour of the city on the first morning we arrived, but I was too tired to recall most of the things that happened.  Lisbon is situated on a hill and has the Santa Justa Lift to make travelling up and down the side of the city easier.  This tower is essentially a huge elevator that brings people up the face of the hill.

Photo by Lorna Lopez

We paused for lunch and what better way to immerse myself Portuguese culture than by eating at an Italian
café?

Always the best food no matter where you go, anyway.

We went to a nice Portuguese restaurant for dinner that night, where we were treated to the country's cuisine and national music, fado.  Fado is an old style of music that focuses on the laments of the poor and broken-hearted.  A description can't do the art justice, so who else better to show you then the Queen of Fado herself, Amalia Rodrigues:

It rained on the last day we were in Lisbon, but it did not stop us from seeing more of the city.  We began the day by climbing the cobblestone streets up to an old Church, which had survived the devastating earthquake of 1755.  Interestingly, the beautiful streets that are made of broken rock rather than pavement are due to this earthquake, and making use of the rubble it had created.

Continuing up the city we eventually came to the Castle of São Jorge.  This fortification overlooked the city from the top of the hill, giving the perfect view of the bay, and the beauty of Lisbon.

Photo by Caprice Serafine