Sometimes its Better to Buy the Postcard...

Midterms are this week and everyone at SUMC is excited for spring break. This past weekend, as a trip to get my mind off of midterms, i fulfilled a childhood dream of going to Segovia, Spain to see the Alcazar. Ever since i was in 3rd grade, almost every text book i received, whether it was literature or mathematics, had the iconic picture of Segovia’s Alcazar. Shortly before i came to Spain, i saw the same picture, and realized that it was an easy day-trip from Madrid, i swore right then to visit before i returned home. Saturday morning, a few friends, 2 from SUMC, and another from Paris, and I took the direct bus from Pricipe Pio for around 12 euros round-trip and arrived at Segovia in less than an hour. On the way we saw the mountains covered in snow, and even The Valley of the Fallen under a heavy, swirling mist. A few steps up the road from the bus station and we immediately saw the roman aqueduct. It was only a few minutes’ walk in order to stand under its great girth. A bit of stairs and we were level with the top of the aqueduct, and even with the old town. Between Segovia´s tow extremities, the Alcazar and the Aqueduct, is its Plaza Mayor, and Cathedral. Both were quaint, even in the pouring rain, and there were many shops selling handmade Spanish crafts and pieces of beautiful art. A word of caution, Segovia continues to cling to the traditional Spanish way of long leisure lunches and naps, so if you go in the morning and see an open shop that you fancy, enter, because when you return it will more than likely be closed for an extended siesta. After shopping, the next stop was the Alcazar. Initially, i was excited, though a bit upset, as the iconic image was not visible as the front is on a highs cliff overlooking the countryside. The tour with an audio guide (always recommended) was fantastic and i even paid a bit extra to climb the original medieval tower, a claustrophobic 200 step circular staircase, to an amazing view. As i excited the palace, i could not help but feel drawn to try and see that perfect view of the castle. I saw a set of stairs leading down the ravine that separates the old-town from the countryside, and i just had to descend, not knowing what i was getting into. The steps were pure mud, making the descent almost perilous. The so called stairs went through large sections of dense overgrowth and past gloomy. After 45 minutes of terror i reached the base and began walking on the only road, void of people, trying to get the right view of the castle. Though i finally saw the view, i wanted to get closer, and so ended up taking a dirt path, now mud, up the other side of the ravine. There, again, were no people, and much undergrowth. I finally was able to have the postcard picture of what i remembered as a child and was content. As I stood there, my friends called to say that they were going back to Madrid having finished lunch. As i hung up the phone and looked around me, i realized that i had no idea where i was, or how to get back. I could see the Alcazar but couldn’t get to it. So, i continued along the paths and through more woods and veered onto more dirt paths. I finally found a highway and descended onto it, hoping that it led to the city center, i didn´t and again i was lost and, more importantly, soaking wet. The story does end happily though. I found the Jewish cemetery outside the town and followed a series of markers that led from the cemetery to the Jewish quarter in the old town that i remembered seeing on my way to the Alcazar. I was soon at an outdoor stall buying a terra cotta pig and hurrying to get the next bus back to Madrid. Though i did get the perfect picture, i do not recommend anyone ever wandering in the country by themselves. A small town is much more conducive to exploring, but the countryside, especially alone, is dangerous. But, overall, the day was wonderful. I was finally able to fulfill a childhood dream and was thrilled to see an amazing Spanish city.

Blackmailed by My Desire to Wander

Fountain in the Island Garden

False lake and buidlings in the Prince´s Garden

Casa del Labrador

After an exhausting trip to Lisbon a week ago, i decided to relax for the weekend. No trips, no papers, and especially no walking. But, just as i was beginning to enjoy a stress-free weekend, i opened my inbox to find an email from the school. Every Friday, each student at SUMC receives a short newsletter telling of all the interesting places and events taking place in Madrid that coming weekend. I have seen many of the places that have been previously listed, though this weekend there was something different. On the newsletter was a stunning photograph of a palace, somewhere in between Hapsburg austerity and the Bourbon baroque, all done in red brick and gray stone-they called it El Palacio Real de Aranjuez. I was immediately undone with desire to see the palace and its impressive gardens for myself. That Saturday morning, i went by bus to Atocha station bought a ticket on the Cercanias for around 3 euros and off i went. After a 40 minute ride, and a 12 minute walk, i saw the palace. It was much more impressive than the photograph allowed, and the palace tour, which i always strongly recommend to be accompanied with an audio guide a guide book of the building, was fantastic. The additional exhibition of items from the daily lives of the royal family was intriguing especially the exhibition showing the wedding gowns of the current queen, the current crown princess, and her sisters-in-law. The gardens, also toured with an audio guide, were massive spanning many smaller gardens and parterres. Fountains placed throughout the gardens, as well as a false lake with a temple and pagoda, a false mountain that can be scaled to find a small pagoda, winding paths, grottos, islands, and even a smaller palace built for the relaxation of the king called Casa del Labrador. After making an appointment, i was able to tour the small palace, which was an absolute jewel-box. Though smaller than the main residence, the palace was gilded and covered in marble in its interior. Each ceiling held a different painting, most in the Pompeian style, and the wall coverings and porcelain floors were still original. Another not to miss part of the gardens is a museum totally dedicated to the pleasure barges used by the royals when they stayed at Aranjuez. The day was amazing and worth missing a relaxation day.

Lisbon Shook My World

Me at the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos

Tour de Belem at sunset

My favorite Professor of English and me at Cabo de Roca

Castles, rivers, beaches, palaces, monasteries, Fado....Lisbon Portugal has been one of the most incomprehensibly marvelous places i have ever visited, and to think, i almost didn´t get to go. Early Friday morning i raced through the metro, up three escalators, and out into the coldness of early morning. The streets were deserted, and the only light came from the rusty streetlamps. It was almost 630, and i knew that my tired feet might be forced to return this same way in a few minutes. Choking on the frigid air, i spied the bus, already filled with chatting students, scarves and gloves being tossed as the heat sun- in through their wrappings. I knew i was on the list but...Amy came out of the bus, shook her head, told me there was no room. I stood, the cold penetrating my coat and scarf, swirling around in my throat in stomach. I could not think. Moments later she returned, having recounted, no change. I pushed my small bag over against a low wall and tossed by lunch of tortilla on top, not wanting it crushed. Another student on the list was told to enter the bus; there was room-for one. And then, the cold stopped, the wind clamed, and my bag was stowed under the bus. I climbed the stairs, sat down, and breathed in the warmth-I was on my way to Lisbon. After 8 hours in a cramped bus, the group arrived at out hotel, dropped our bags, and was off to the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, where Vasco de Gama is buried. Then, the group sampled custard treats in a local cafe, but for me, i took a shot of espresso and was off the Tour de Belem for sunset. The views were magnificent, and the water, even at night, was like bathwater. After riding a cable car to the Plaza de Comercio, the group met for dinner and Fado. Our next day was spent outside Lisbon, viewing the Cabo de Roca, the westernmost extremity of Europe, and then the town of Sintra. Sintra is situated at the base of a great mountain, covered in palaces, castles, and their surrounding parks and gardens. The town itself, with the chateaux above it, is simply magical. The houses are quaint and the streets are winding. There are gorges, with bridges and rivers, and panoramic views onto the surrounding countryside. Nothing in Europe can come as close to a fairytale village, as Sintra. After a harrowing ride along the steep cliffs and winding roads of the mountainside, we reached the top, where we then walked uphill to the Palacio de Pena, the greatest of all of Sintra´s castles. Built by an eccentric King and his jeweler friend, containing almost every architectural style since ancient Greece, and precariously situated at the very top of the mountain, Palacio Sintra is one of the greatest pleasure palaces of Europe. The interior is equally as varied as its exterior, providing the visitor an intimate look into the private life of the Royalty of Portugal. The day was soon spent, and after some pottery shopping in the village, we returned to the hotel. On Sunday, after packing our bags, we saw the castle of Lisbon, a great medieval style fortress, which offered spectacular views of Lisbon and the sea. I peeked into the cathedral before heading to lunch, and then, with sighs, we left for Madrid. Though Lisbon was 8 hours by bus from Madrid, the trip is well worth the excitement of its beauty or the calmness of its warm sea breeze. 

Rain, Rain, Go Away.....Numero Dos

My Senora checking the prices of MORE Oranges

Flora and Julia bargaining



The candy stall



The next day,Saturday, was a bit sunnier and that was when my Senora took her best friend Flora, and my roommates and me, to a market outside the city. It was there that I finally understood the origins of EL Rastro in Madrid. Large open booths filled with fruit and vegetables and many with clothing and even jewelry and scarfs. The following day, Sunday, I spent the morning working on homework but then decided to visit the Thyssen to see the newest exhibition "Jardines Impresionistas", Gardens of the Impressionists. The combined ticket for a little over 7 euros allowed me to see my favorite paintings of the museum and then to see the temporary exhibition, and with a bit of spare change, I had the pleasure of an audio-guide. The exhibit was brilliant, though packed with people escaping the rain. The exhibition continued at the Caja Madrid Fundacion, off of Calle de Arenal, where impressionism gave birth to Cubism and modernism. The entire exhibition was so memorable that I splurged on a hardcover catalog, citing my thrifty saved change as an excuse.  One more week has passed and the professors are already talking about Midterms, I wonder how quick this semester is going to go….

Rain, Rain, Go Away...Numero Uno

Some of the 5 Kilograms of Oranges we bought

Danielle eating an Orange

Market Stall

Though I suppose I should be grateful for the rain, I can’t help but dislike its adverse effects on Madrid. The Metro begins to overflow with people, walking anywhere comes with a free shower, and every museum in the city is crowded with tourists, unsure of what to do without the sunshine. But, in some ways, Madrid is even more beautiful when it rains. All of the stone and marble buildings glisten, the fountains gush forth water in savage jets, and the atmosphere of the small cafes becomes even more charming. This weekend, with the rain coming as expected, my plans to go to Segovia with friends were canceled. Instead, I visited two museums, El Museo Lazaro Galdiano and the Thyssen-Bornemisza, which I have written about many times before. El Museo Lazaro Galdiano is an enormous city mansion near metro Gregorio Maranon, which once belonged to the Museum’s namesake, a profitable entrepreneur. His mansion is filled with breathtaking works of art that he collected over his lifetime, many of which are in their original places. The main formal reception floor is stunning, with painted ceilings, heavy moldings, and hundreds of paintings and pieces of furniture. The first room off of the covered entrance, sports a ceiling devoted to Goya, containing many figures from the painter’s most famous works, including La Maja Vestida. The top floor is currently a temporary exhibition of the family’s smaller collected pieces ranging from ivory statues, ancient textiles, jeweled rosary beads, and even a selection of their dishware and flatware. Highlights In the collection are the numerous Goyas, extensive collection of religious works, some by El Greco, and even a Velasquez. The museum is stuffed to overflowing with the owner´s personal collection, well worth successive trips. The rest of the afternoon was spent showing my friend Leah around the Salamanca shopping district....

The Light of Toledo

Old City Gate

Santa Maria la Blanco Synagogue

View From Museum of Santa Cruz

Last Saturday was part of the first official weekend of the academic year, and so, a day trip was in order. I have always wanted to see Toledo so off I went with two friends to see what beauty the city could hold. We took a bus direct from Plaza Eliptica to the Toledo bus station, the trip costing fewer than 10 euros and we arrived in about 45 minutes. The city was stunning, its golden colored houses shining with warmth under the winter sun. We first saw the Toledo Alcazar, which now houses the military museum that spans every military escapade in the peninsula since it was first inhabited by humans. Accordingly, the museum was enormous and took hours to get through but was equally as fascinating and informative as it was large. After parting with my friends, I saw the Cathedral, which houses some of El Greco's best known works, and is best seen with an audio guide. I stopped for a brief snack in a park behind the church and headed off for El Greco's house (closed for renovations), Santo Tome, where El Greco's masterpiece The Burial of the Count of Orgaz can be found, the synagogues of Santa Maria la Blanca with its maze of pillars, and Sinagoga del Transito, which is also connected to a museum about Judaism in Spain. As the day began to end, i finished my lunch at a small park overlooking the river and then walked back through the city before entering the Museum of Santa Cruz, a former Renaissance hospital which now contains both an art as well as an archaeological museum both on an intimate scale. Here is El Greco's last painting as well as many other paintings, sculptures, and tapestries. The day was magnificent and proves that, even in the midst of winter, Toledo is a brilliant city.

The Perfume of Oranges that is the Smell of Sevilla

Casa de Pilatos

La Catedral Muslim Tower

Murillo Park 300+ Year Old Tree

I can hardly believe that the next semester is already starting. My Christmas break went by so quickly, and gave me a good dose of all that is good about the holiday season, before returning to Madrid to continue my adventures. After many complications with rescheduled planes, delays, a snow storm, and airport steps that didn't work, i arrived in Madrid one day and 4 hours late. I took a taxi from the airport, met my new host mom at the school and was soon napping in my room overlooking the Casa de Campo and other neighborhoods. That evening, i met my housemates, who had arrived the previous day, and I laughed till i cried while having dinner with my host mom and my housemates. I was not given much time to completely settle-in as this past weekend, Suffolk University took the entire school on a weekend orientation trip to Sevilla. There, we saw the Cathedral, part Gothic church, part Mosque, the Royal Palace, part Renaissance, Gothic, Moorish, and part Asian, and even saw the Virgin of the Macarena. We saw a working ranch, a horse show, flamenco show, Roman Ruins in Italica, and even learned to dance Flamenco. Even with all of these activities I still had time for my wandering. While in Sevilla, I stumbled upon a short reference in a guidebook mentioning a house called La Casa De Pilatos, a replica of the House of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem, built by an eccentric nobleman several hundred years ago. I couldn't possibly miss such an intriguing museum, so i found my way across the city to see for myself. The house is enormous with a grand facade which is a mix of Roman, Greek, Muslim, and Renaissance influences. The interior is predominately Moorish, imitating the Royal Palace with its tile work and grand dome, but on a much more approachable scale. The secondary courtyard is much more Renaissance, as its owner tried to house his ever-increasing collection of Renaissance and ancient Roman statuary. The winter palace, on the second floor, is not to be missed, though requires an additional small fee, which is well worth it. The evenings in Sevilla were filled with delicious food and intriguing night-life. The trip was over much too quick and I am anticipating my next trip to see the city. Sevilla is a charming city with winding cobblestone streets, the air crowded with the clove-like smell of its famous Holy Week incense and the perfect vision of its colorful orange trees ready to be harvested. Its people are friendly and each turn in the road opens onto previously unexplored plazas with fountains and orange trees, each view gently tugging at the wanderer to sit and rest, if only for a while.