Madrid

I've begun to think of my body like a bank.  In order to get something out of it, you have to put something into it.  But instead of money, my inputs are sleep and healthy food and in return I can withdraw is energy.  When I overdraft, just as a banks assess a fee, my body punishes me with an upset stomach, unsteady hands, and a generally bad mood.

This weekend in Madrid I definitely overdrafted.  I woke up on Saturday morning at 4 am to ensure I would make my flight.  And, when it came to going out that night, my friends and I did as the Spaniards do and stayed out all night.  I got about four hours of sleep before getting up to take a day trip to Segovia on Sunday.  Sunday night, I got about three hours of extremely troubled sleep before getting up at 4 am to catch a cab which took me to a bus to the airport.  To make matters worse, I hardly ate anything all weekend.  And what I did eat wasn't exactly nutritious (think chocolate croissants and fried tapas).  By the time I arrived at the Madrid airport for my departure, I was actually craving water and a fruit salad.  My body was trying to tell me that I had taken far more out of my body than I had put in, like when your bank sends you one of those "insufficient funds" email.

Despite my physical and mental exhaustion, I had a blast in Madrid.  After arriving, I took the metro to Retiro and met my friends in the Parque de Retiro.  My friend from Colby who is studying there took me and a few other friends on a walking tour.  After that, we strolled to El Museo del Prado.  My host is taking an art history class that meets in the Prado, so he gave us a guided tour (see Goya's Colossus to the left).  The exhibit that struck me most was the "Pinturas Negras", a series of 14 paintings by Francisco de Goya.  Radically different from the rest of his body of work, Goya's incredibly macabre Pinturas Negras mark a period of intense misery at the end of Goya's life.

After enjoying the highlights of the Prado, my friends and I wandered through the city center to our hostel on Gran Villa.  We took quick naps ("siestas") and then went out to dinner with about 15 students from Colby who all flocked to Madrid for the weekend to celebrate my hosts' birthday.  We had an excellent night out, experiencing the traditional "botellon" and celebrating at a local (delicious!) tapas bar.

When my alarm went off at 9 am the next morning to catch a bus to Segovia, I can't say I was particularly pleased with our decision to take a day trip to a small city an hour and a half northwest of Madrid.  And although my body was getting some pretty strong overdraft during the first two hours or so of the trip, the day trip turned out to be one of my favorite experiences abroad so far.

Segovia is a gorgeous city boasting a breathtaking cathedral and a castle (El Alcazar de Segovia) that supposedly inspired Walt Disney's logo.  The Aqueduct of Segovia runs through the city and helped earn it the honor of UNESCO World Heritage Site.  My friend and I had a lovely day wandering around the extremely accessible, uncrowded city.  We toured the castle and walked down the hillside below to explore the scenery a bit more.  By the time we caught the bus back to Madrid, I felt well enough to take notice of the gorgeous panoramic view of the Spanish countryside that the ride provided.

Ultimately, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity see Madrid.  But next time, will someone remind me not to take 7 am flights?