Spain

Spain was unknown territory to me. This type of surprise was exciting and a little scary. When we landed in Madrid, I could tell this was going to be a trip that would put me out of my comfort zone. I knew this immediately because I could not differentiate between the women's and men's restroom. Then, there was the informal greetings that we all are accustomed to like good morning, good afternoon and the niceties like please, thank you and you're welcome. I didn't even have those under my belt. I was upset about this but after the first half of my first day, I decided that I was going to try and so I did. I can't say that it was a success because truly, my Spanish-speaking skills are a "wash" but the fact that I tried has to mean something, right? :)

Highlights in Spain:
Real Madrid Soccer Stadium
Royal Palace
German Oktoberfest Bar (just kidding but I did have a good time)
Toledo Cathedral (Spain's 1st capital)
Segovia Cathedral and Castle
Roman Aqueduct (still working)

Real Madrid Soccer Stadium-
The Bernabéu Stadium has capacity for around 80,400 seated spectators and was built in 1947. The Real Madrid Soccer Team was named the BEST in the 20th Century by the FIFA. The Espanians truly take soccer seriously! It is not a sport is a way of life :)

Royal Palace-
Known as the Palacio Real de Madrid, this palace is not where the Royal family actually lives but it is place where the Royal family will entertain or hold important meetings. This was actually one of my favorite things in Madrid. It was very close to our hotel and served as a great landmark if and when I was LOST. Thank goodness for the palace :) I enjoyed walking the grounds and photographing the many fountains and statue gardens on location. **The Royal Family actually resides on the outskirts of the Madrid.

German Oktoberfest Bar-
You know me . . . I love my German heritage and when I heard of the bar, I had to make a stop. It was located about 3 minutes walking distance from our hotel so of course, some friends and I had to enjoy some German "cervezas." That is the Spanish word for beer. One of the few I learned during my whirlwind 5 day stay in Spain.

Toledo-
Toledo is located about 1 hour and 15 minutes south of Madrid. It was the original capital of Spain.
To be honest, I really am not one to enjoy the hussle and bussle of a big city. Madrid is home to 4 million so you can imagine the size and the overall feel to the city. Anytime, I had a chance to take a trip outside of the city, I did! This day trip to Toledo was a perfect escape to the craziness of Madrid. The old city is located on a mountaintop with a spectacular view, surrounded on three sides by a bend in the Tagus River, and contains many historical sites, including the Alcázar Cathedral. It was also the birthplace to the Famous painter Greco. I was able to tour a museum with a wing completing dedicated to his works. The Alcazar Cathedral was massive and I only wish that I could share pictures of it with you but no photography was permitted. Just imagine Gothic-style architecture and colossal everything! My favorite part of the cathedral was the natural lighting because it truly accentuated the alters and the many statue carvings that made cathedral so grand!

Segovia Cathedral and Castle-
Segovia is located about 1 hour and a half north of Madrid. The origins of the actual name of the city translate to "City of Victory." This might have been my absolute highlight of the entire trip. I was able to do my very favorite thing: climb the tallest tower and take pictures of the surrounding countryside! From the top, you could see snow covered mountains that looked like the "baby Alps." It was incredible! I toured the castle which was so basic but so elegant. In fact, it was explained to us that the family crest was bordered with pomegranates because it was said by the King and Queen that serving one's kingdom was both sweet and sour. That Royal duties and service to their people brought much happiness and much pain.
The Cathedral of Segovia was beautiful. It had some of the most intriguing paintings of Christ. I was totally sucked in by the artwork. I enjoyed my time as I tried to make meaning out of some of the most bizarre paintings depicting Christian beliefs. After our tour of the castle and cathedral, I enjoyed an afternoon of walking about the city. I made a stop at a local pastry shop to enjoy a delicious apple pastry and then, a cup of cappuccino. To end the trip to Segovia, we saw one of the most amazing feats of Roman engineering... The Roman Aqueduct. The really amazing part is that it is still working to this day! It brings water from the mountain springs to the city center. It is 2,950 ft long and at its hight point 900 ft tall. I was able to see the tallest point and it was gigantic as I stood at the bast looking up. Again, the Roman were very innovative. I still can't seem to think how they were able to construct such massive monuments using nothing but the power of working men.

Spain 2010