"But I don't tan"

^the title is to be sung to the classic tune of "I Don't Dance" from the oh-so-illustrious High School Musical 2. 

But I really don't tan. Here is proof:

 I just don't. This is after 4 days in Madrid and I am still white, white, white.

Speaking of other things that are white in Madrid, the LDS Temple is one. It was fun to see it today. I felt a lot of peace walking on the temple grounds. (I couldn't go inside because it's closed for cleaning, but that's okay--hopefully another time.)

Tonight's my last night in Madrid, and tomorrow I'm off to my second home in England. I'm so glad I came to Spain. It's been a good holiday and I've been fortunate enough to share it with some friends--both old and new. 

Overheard at Sergovia

Today I ventured outside of Madrid and headed to Segovia, a medieval Spanish town set on a hill.

[A view for sore eyes. But not for sore feet. Because I realized I had to climb up there in 100+ degree weather. But, I did love how quiet it was there. It was refreshing after the hustle and bustle of Madrid.]

[The Jewish Section of town]

[Overlook]

[Marketplace]

[The Cathedral!]

[I never get tired of cloisters.]

[But really. I never do.]

[This castle (along with Neuschwanstein) is said to have inspired Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty's Castle.]

[Love these alleyways]

[Aqueduct! "That's pretty neat." Yep. That's seriously what ran through my head when I saw the aqueduct. I think I was getting a bit dehydrated and I thought I was super funny.]

[Viewpoint from the top of the aqueduct. I almost didn't go up because it was so hot and I was almost out of water. But I did. And I'm glad I went up because I got views like this, and there was a charming man playing his accordion and singing in one of the alcoves, and it was quite lovely.]

One of the themes of today was things I overheard. For example, I heard some Russian tourists! I wasn't able to talk with them because they were in a different part of the bus than I was (and they ran off before I could talk to them/I didn't want to run after them because that would be #creepy), but it was fun to hear snatches of their conversation. It made me feel at home, actually, because I could understand them, and I can't really understand anyone in Spain.

(Although, I did manage to make a purchase entirely in Spanish--it was a bottle of water--and the woman of the counter was very kind and was commenting on how hot it was and said to me that I should drink lots of water. I understood that. And got to Segovia by myself. So, I'm definitely winning for today.)

Another great line from today was from a 10-year-old American girl who was tugging at her dad's backpack as they were walking up the hill and said to him, "Do you feel that? That is the weight of your parenthood."

I died. I almost burst out laughing. Too, too funny.

After Sergovia, I decided to go to the Reina Sofia to see Gurnecia. That is another post that will have to be written another day, since it really moved me and I'm still processing it, but it was incredible. Really, truly, incredible and moving.

[We're not allowed to take pictures of Guernica, but this was the courtyard of the Reina Sofia. I really liked the courtyard and the building itself. And it was a good place to relax from a long day and to process the meaning of human suffering after seeing Guernica.]

"Sometimes I forget that Spain used to rule the world"

. . . but really. Sometimes I do forget that Spain used to rule the world. And then I go to the Royal Palace in Madrid and see the monuments dedicated to the explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries, and I remember Spain's influence on the world then and now.

Yesterday I had the chance to see my friend Sofiya, who has been living in Madrid for the past 3 years. Sofiya and I met in Ukraine when I was a missionary and we've been friends since that time. It was great to see her, as it has been 5 years since we saw each other. It was nice to just catch up--from sitting on the steps of the Royal Palace to eating lunch to walking along the sunny streets of Madrid.

[The Royal Palace]

[Not the Royal Palace. The Royal Cathedral, I think? Still soooo pretty.]

[On the steps of the palace. It was so fun imagining going to a ball here. I don't think I would have liked living there, but going to a ball or gala there would have been amazing.]

[With Sofiya!]

[And again!]

When Sofiya had to go back to work, I explored Madrid a bit myself, in search of . . . 

Churros con chocolate! 

[I found them. I ate them. I loved them. Food of the gods, right here.]

Between good conversation, good friends, good friends, and good thinking time as I walked the streets and sat in the parks of Madrid, yesterday was good. Very good. I mean, I might never get tan even after all this time in sunny Spain (as my AirB&B host remarked the other day, "You are very white. Just, very white." And this was after I was so proud of myself because I thought I had gotten a tan. Hoorayyyyy for honesty), but this sunshine suits me, if I do say so myself. 

"Maybe I really should have taken high school Spanish . . ."

Well, here I go again--off to Europe for a good chunk of the summer. The reasons for this trip vary, but mostly I wanted to:

1) Visit my friends in Oxford,
2) Visit friends around the world,
3) Try to beat Sam on our respective country count lists (yeah . . . found out that's not going to happen. Apparently he went to a lot of countries in South East Asia as a baby, so he'll still beat me by one country at the end of this trip),
and 4) (Probably most importantly) have a kind of "last hurrah" before being chained to a PhD desk for the next 5 years.

So, ladies and gentlemen, that leads us to where I am today, Madrid, Spain.

[Plaza Mayor, Madrid]

Madrid is beautiful (see photos below for proof). It's been fun to walk around the city. It's also been really hot to walk around the city. I understand siesta culture a whole lot more now after being in Spain in 100+ degree weather (seriously, though. It's hot.). I've also learned my lesson from my first day in Madrid and I won't be wearing jeans here anymore. Skirts and shorts from here on out. 

[Parque Retiro]

[I love street views like these.]

I've also learned that oh yeah, maybe I should have taken high school Spanish. Because my combination of Russian, German, French, and English really doesn't help me here. Spaniards speak Spanish. And you don't hear English on the streets of Madrid. Which is fine--it just is a humbling experience and makes me appreciate communication a whole lot more. And, I'm getting a crash course in Spanish. (For example, I now know that trente means 30 thanks to my taxi driver.) But luckily, I've had friends help me out my first couple days here, so I at least know how to buy a Metro card, get around the city, and find places to buy water (which is incredibly important in this heat). 

[Yay for new friends! This is Michael, one of Sam's friends who is teaching English to students in Madrid. He's awesome.]

Speaking of survival, I found the yogurt aisle of the nearby grocery store. Now, I know that yogurt isn't typical Spanish cuisine (not like paella or Spanish omelettes). But yogurt is how I survive in any foreign country (or any home country, for that matter), so finding the yogurt was like finding manna for me. 

[Hallelujah, I'm saved.]

The first couple days here in Madrid have been beautiful and I'm looking forward to a couple more days here, too. Here's to being the typical American abroad--the one who doesn't know the language and makes a fool of herself at the kiosks. It's okay. We all have to be there at some point.