Saturday
Since we crammed most of what we wanted to see in Madrid into 1 day, we set Saturday aside for traveling an hour south to Toledo, the old capital of Spain. We knew that the bus ride to Toledo was about an hour, and we decided to ask for help (such an epiphany) at our hostel so we would know exactly how to get to the station. The receptionists at our hostel were really cool and spoke enough English that when we needed them to they could slow down or clarify something, which is so great for directions. They also had copies of a map of Madrid, so they’d draw the route for us. To get to the bus station that would connect us with a bus to Toledo, the receptionist said our fastest option was the metro. I HATE subways in the states- I’ve used public transportation when we’ve traveled to D.C., Chicago, NYC, LA, St. Louis, and San Diego, and I absolutely hate it. I think it’s a combination of not knowing what I’m doing, frantic people in large masses, and being underground or something. But the subway system in Madrid is so nice! I seriously couldn’t believe it. The stations and platforms are well lit and clearly marked (and no homeless people live down there), and the only trains that come to your platform are the ones that you need, so you don’t even have to watch and make sure you’re getting on the right train. The only work required is listening or watching for your stop. I never would have guessed that the Madrid metro system would be easier than the bus system, but I’m definitely glad we tried it. The directions that our hostel friends gave us took us to the exact station where we needed to buy our bus tickets (we didn’t even have to leave the building).
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| allyse and kayla’s first subway experience; kelsey’s only time on the metro was in mexico. ironically I was the only veteran subway user. |
Toledo is a beautiful city. We didn’t have a plan or any time restrictions in Toledo, so we just started walking around the city with a map in hand and stopped to look in shops or to take pictures whenever we wanted. There is a river that flows all the way around the city, so we went out on a few of the bridges and got some cool pictures. The city is up on a hill, and it’s basically a canyon all the way around down to the water (very similar to Ronda; not nearly as beautiful), it was 95+ degrees, and we were walking around all day. Exhausting! I had bought a water bottle that morning before we got on the bus, so I kept it and filled it up in bathrooms whenever I saw one. I miss free water and free refills!!! Toledo is famous for a sword factory (we didn’t actually see it), so most of the shops sell knives and swords and sharp weapons that I’m not really familiar with. Apparently a lot of the swords used in the Pirates of the Caribbean and Lord of the Rings movies are made in Toledo.
One of the funniest and most random parts of our Toledo trip was accidentally walking in on a wedding. We walked up to a Cathedral and figured there was a cost for admission, but we decided to go in and just check it out. When we walked in, there was a bride and groom walking down the aisle! We sat in the back (there were several other tourists too) and just waited it out. We got free admission to the cathedral plus we can say we went to a wedding in Spain! Everyone goes all out for Spanish weddings. I’ve seen people in Seville too who are going to weddings, and they look like they’re going to prom, plus sometimes Kentucky Derby hats. The women all wear long gowns and hair feathery things or hats, and honestly the bride ends up looking a little bit overshadowed! The men all wear suits and ties, and some even wear tailcoats. Even the most formal US weddings don’t measure up to the Spaniards’.
We took the bus back to Madrid around 5, got back to the hostel around 6:30 (after another flawless subway experience), and decided to rest and shower before going out to eat. We met up at 8:30 to find a tapas bar and ended up at a cool little place just down the street. We ordered queso de cabra (goat cheese with caramelized onions on bread), potatoes with a garlicy mayonnaise and tomato sauce, and Spanish tortilla that also had goat cheese stuffed in it. Everything was DELICIOUS! I was so full (we ordered probably the three heaviest things on the menu, but oh well).
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| the potatoes |
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| the goat cheese |
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| the tortilla |
Sunday
We had planned to visit the Royal Palace on Friday after the stadium, but then we took the wrong bus, walked for a few hours, etc... We decided to stop by the palace and walk through the gardens and just look at it from the outside on our way to the metro station and the bus back to Seville. Once we got to the palace, I decided I just had to go in; the other girls weren’t going to, but I had to do it! I knew I would regret not going in if I didn’t- especially since it only costs 5 euros and I spent 19 euros to go into a soccer stadium. And I was so so glad I did from the moment I walked in. I got to see the family’s living room and bedrooms, the throne room, and the dinning room. When I was in the dinning room, I was really missing my sister Abby because it would have been a perfect moment for a full out recitation of the dinner party scene from Princess Diaries. The royal family doesn’t live in the Palacio Real anymore, but they do live in Madrid. The coronation for Prince Felipe is this Thursday (June 19), so we picked a great time to be in Madrid and to be immersed in the monarchy!
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| the main stairway... and yet again, not allowed to take pictures inside, but it happens |
Getting on the metro to the Estacion Sur for our bus was once again a piece of cake (a shoutout to Room 007’s receptionists one more time). I was looking forward to the long bus ride to have some time to sleep, read, and relax after such a busy and tiring weekend!
This week is an easy one- we only have class Tuesday and Wednesday because of Corpus Christi (a holiday- I’m not totally sure what it’s for, but no school!). I leave for Lagos, Portugal on Friday with a group from Seville. I’m looking forward to an organized trip that all I have to do is pack and pay for, and I’m excited to spend a few days laying on the beach.
Traveling in a new place is exhausting and hard work, but it is so rewarding once it’s finished. I have loved getting to know so many new cities during my weekends here in Spain.
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