 |
| Royal Palace, Madrid |
To sum up my time in Madrid—it fulfilled every romanticized, preconceived notion I held of Spain, and of Europe, for that matter. I saw couples walking arm in arm and kissing on the street corners. I watched a man spin and dip his significant other as they danced down the sidewalk. Musicians with accordions, violins, and guitars provided a soundtrack as we carefully navigated the city. We made it to the Royal Palace as the sun was setting. It was all very enchanting, really. Everywhere we ate, the wine was cheaper than the water. I tried jamón ibérico, sangria, paella, and a spinach pasta dish that was worth every dollar, conversion rate included. On the second day, we visited the Museo del Prado, home to works by Goya, el Greco, and Velazquez, and the Museo Reina Sofía, where I admired original artwork by Picasso and Salvador Dalí. I wasn’t able to enjoy the nightlife in Madrid because I was stuck in the hotel finishing applications for graduate school, but several other students went out and had nothing but rave reviews to report of the five-story discoteca they found. (Did you notice what I did just there? Rave reviews…discoteca. Eh?!) Anyway…
 |
| Plaza Mayor, Madrid |
We spent a decent amount of time in the Plaza Mayor and it provided more entertainment than a free ticket to the circus—a very lively place, indeed. In addition to the other tourists and brave/tolerant locals traipsing through, we saw a Minnie Mouse, two men dressed as Spider Man (who, upon spotting each other, seemed bristled enough I was sure they'd battle), a Spongebob, and a few other side-show acts that were very strange. There was a three-headed, face-painted, screaming thing, a pom-pom goat terror that clapped it’s beak as passersby, and a man with a wand that made giant bubbles that would burst iridescent soapy liquid all over the nearest victims. These are now the monsters that haunt my dreams—particularly the pom-pom goat. Fortunately, we were able to enjoy a flamenco show and a live band—all within a one-black radius. If I know nothing else about Madrid, it is that I will be back to see it again, and soon.
