November 20-25, 2009- Madrid, El Escorial, Toledo and Segovia, ES- The home of Eloisa and Pablo
Ah the comfort of returning to Madrid- a place where I had already been lost and found my way again- a metro system whose map I could, for the most part, understand. I was riding a traveling high that was only magnified by the fact that I had the chance to spend one last hurrah with good friends from Pueblo Ingles before their return to the States. For Jay and Kristen, they would only have one night, but Karen and I would spend 4 days traveling together before her return to the great tundra of America Jr. (Canada for those who like to be PC). Over tapas and cervezas we reminisced and toasted to an early celebration of mi cumpleanos! Needless to say, we were all a bit exhausted from a week of closing down the villa bar, and in the end, Jay and I were the last ones standing to grab one more beer before falling prey to week induced hangovers. Despite the obnoxious Dutch men shouting indiscernible commands at the waitress, we has great conversation and even better beer (Belgian, of course, Spanish beer could only be good if shot gunned).
It wasn't easy to say farewell to two friends we'd come to know well over the week, but Karen and I had 3 days of day trips to come and one day of Madrid sightseeing, the promise of exploring El Real Monesterio de Escorial, Toledo and Segovia buffered the sadness.
Even so, I was starting to feel the pinch of the not-so-budget 60 euro room that Karen and I shared, so I decided to reach out to Eloisa, a sweet-spoken Spaniard from Pueblo Ingles. She had said to contact her, "If I needed anything", so I asked for Karen and I to stay, what could it hurt? I could have never guessed how graciously she would open her home to us, despite the fact that she was already hosting Liz, another Anglo Peer. For three nights we had a make-shift American hostel with English and Spanish floating through the air- home sweet home.
The travel for the days to follow was sublime, but the hospitality and heart of our hosts made it hardest to leave in the end. Eloisa and her husband, Pablo, treated us to traditional Spanish food, from every type of tapas imaginable to marzipan, Spanish oblate, and of course, MORE PIG (my favorite!). They were expert in the ways of tour guiding, driving Liz, Karen and I to Toledo for the day and even took me out for my birthday- tapas, cervezas and even a birthday cake, supplied by Liz who snuck away to light the candles. I was then presented with a key chain birthday gift, Eloisa knew I couldn't take anything big along for the ride! On a day that I could have felt home sick I felt a much larger embrace- with messages from friends and family across the sea and celebration with new friends that made me feel like family- a 27th year was started out just right. They didn't seem to mind the intrusion of two Americans in their guest room and one on their couch, it wasn't a large flat but in that small space they showed us another part of Spanish culture I've come to appreciate- Spanish hospitality. Here family is most important- and that term is all-inclusive.
So while the home of Pablo and Eloisa Valencia was a wonderful place to come home to each day, the adventures of Karen and Emily's adventures definitely kept us busy and did not disappoint. First off was El Real Monesterio de Escorial in San Lorenzo de Escorial, a Spanish Royal site dating back to the 16th and 17th century that now functions as a monastery. This massive complex is a maze of tunnels that connect some of the most stunning scenes imaginable. Low, dark and dank passageways add to the mystery and suspense, unsure of what will appear around each corner, we are never disappointed. From the elaborate crypt, the burial site of Spanish Kings from the past 5 centuries, to the library with walls of ancient texts, a globe that covers half the room and impressive murals of the pillars of education on the ceilings, and the great hall with the most awe-inspiring ceiling I have seen in my travels yet (one of the only places I could steal a picture). Well…maybe there was one other place- and that was the basilica, where Karen and I sat in silence (for once) simply mesmerized by the alter. The hairs on the back of my arms permanently at attention, I sat entranced by he way the candlelight bounced off every ornate element. It was mystical and deeply spiritual- an experience I will undoubtedly never forget. The grounds and rolling countryside were lovely, but it was the spirit, alive in this place that will remind me of Escorial always.
A much more playful experience the next day, we were chauffeured around Toledo by our wonderful hosts Pablo and Eloisa with our friend Liz along for the ride! We first went to the most amazing lookout- here you could see the ancient walls of the city, perched perfectly above the banks of the river. Toledo is a ciudad de las tres culturas, a meld of Jewish, Muslim and Christian culture that is ever present in the impressive range of architectural styles that harmonize to create its picturesque landscape. Cervantes, author of famed, "Don Quixote" referred to it as the "glory of Spain and the light of her cities"- not an oversell at all. Crossing the bridge, we first visited the San Juan de Los Reyes Monestario with its lovely cloister, before heading over to Iglesia de Santo Tome to view one of El Greco's most famed works, "El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz, which is said to be one of three great frescos on canvas en todo el mundo! It was beautiful, with all the angels and saints, but there is something about an artist that paints himself into his pictures that kills the artistic high a bit. I also ate my first Spanish omelet, muy bueno, that fueled me for the rest of the day as we toured the pristine streets, viewing the castle and the cathedral, going up and down and winding all around- it was the ideal day, with the best company possible, que bueno!
Two days of travel had taken its toll, so Karen and I remained in Madrid on the third day but that didn't stop us from packing things in. We spent most of the day wandering around the Central Park of Madrid, El Parque del Buen Retiro. We left no path undiscovered- discovering every fountain, every sleeping garden, and the lake alive with people paddling away. I've always loved the contrast of green space amongst the concrete jungle- the best of both worlds! Eventually we'd had our fair share of city-fied nature, it was off to Latina, a bustling neighborhood of bars and tapas. We didn't know how long it would take to get there by foot and unfortunately hit it at the wrong time, 3pm (with everything closed in Spain from 2-6 in the retail and food world) it was a bit of a ghost town. She was craving tea, I was craving a beer so we managed to find one place to satisfy each of us, not that we had much choice as they were literally two places open. So while it wasn't the most exciting stop, all we really had to do our time was to sit and chat. Although we had spent quite a bit of time together up until that point, it wasn't until those faithful couple of hours that I realized how much we had in common. Two single women with adventurous hearts, always seeking the next thing to tackle, not particularly satisfied with the norm. Both been burned by men who couldn't handle our independence, both not sure if we will find someone to see eye-to-eye with, a person who will accept and won't try to tame us. I'm glad I found another kindred spirit, it made me feel even more at peace with my current decisions. The last stop of the day was the Reina Sofia, yet another museum we would tackle together in the 2 hours before it closed (when its free!). Unlike El Prado the Reina Sofia contains modern art, most notably, the famous "Guernica" by Picasso. A powerfully disturbing and dark depiction of war, I believe it has to speak to everyone- even those not particularly fond of abstract art. My favorite painting of the night was a Dali, a depiction of a woman looking out the window to the blue sea below- a feeling of longing that I have so often felt, a feeling that lessens with each day that I see more of this beautiful world.
Segovia was our last call, home of the famed Roman aqueduct. It was amazing to see an ancient marvel so perfectly intact, once the great source of water to the town from the mountains, now a tourist marvel. After the perfectly integrated architecture of Toledo, it was a bit difficult to be excited by the charm of the village, but it was a nice place to amble and a definite change from the pace of Madrid (which is still slower than any big city in the States!). Walking from the aqueduct side of the city clear across to the Alcazar of Segovia, a pint-sized castle with a massive moat whose lines and shape look straight out of a storybook. So much so, in fact, the only castle in the United States, Cinderella's castle, is said to be modeled after this very fortress. Proof that we commercialize everything (think "Venice" and "Paris" in Las Vegas!). We saw the main two sights, traversed the city, and got back on the bus to Madrid- we had a date for dinner tonight! Meeting DanI, Marta and Liz for tapas, it was a Pueblo Ingles reunion as we shared conversation and got schooled on Spanish, a much appreciated role reversal.
I was not ready to say goodbye to Karen, our travel styles are so similar and relaxed- it was nice to have someone to laugh with. But all the same, she had a life back home and I had a journey to continue. After the aforementioned birthday celebration in Madrid, it was time to catch the bus early the next morning to Cordoba. Time to see if the South of Spain would live up to all the hype.
Cheers,
Emily

Cordoba, ES- November 26-27, 2009