Week 5 was different because we didn't have an excursion. I decided to stay here and explore Madrid more. It was nice to just relax and take in the beauty that is around me. Traveling can be stressful or draining at points, so it was a great to be able to recharge my battery. Hannah Boyce and I had a great time together exploring the Medieval Festival that was here in Alcala. The city was changed into a huge market--there was food, games for kids, and plenty of souvenirs!
This last week, we only had school on Tuesday and Wednesday! It was Cervantes day on Monday, so the whole city of Alcala had school off to celebrate. On Thursday, all of Spain celebrated the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the Americas! We celebrated by attending a bullfight in Madrid. Though it wasn't my favorite thing to watch, it was definitely a cultural experience. It is a very controversial activity in Spain, so there aren't many people that still attend. Usually, the older generation and tourists come to the bullfights. I wouldn't go again, but it was definitely an interesting experience to watch the matadors try to outsmart the bulls. We almost saw a matador be seriously injured by one of the bulls, but he was able to escape before getting mauled! After the bullfight, we found an amazing street taco place. REAL Mexican food. It was amazing!
On Friday and Saturday, we were able to explore El Escorial, Valle de Los Caidos, and La Granja. I'm going to explain each in length for my homework, so feel free to
skim :).
El Escorial: There are three rooms that really stuck out to me. First, the library as we first entered the Palace. It reminded me of the library of Beauty and the Beast! I just wanted to be able to read every book that was housed there. It was a beautiful room, and it definitely shows the idea of importance of all types of education. I loved the ceiling which had been painted to depict the many fields of education. For example, music, math, science, and religion were some of the subjects portrayed. Most religious buildings don't focus on other subjects, so I loved that many different areas were included.
Second, I really loved the Hall of Battles. It is so interesting to me to see how history is bent or skewed to help show the country in the best view possible. For example, not everything that each Spanish king did was honorable. But, in palaces, cathedrals, etc., you won't ever see the full truth about terrible events. The Hall of Battles was interesting because it showed war in a very honorable and masculine light, even though people were being murdered within the paintings. I could not believe the size of the room or how well the paintings had been preserved (they were painted in 1590). Lastly, one of my favorite rooms was the Panteon Real. This room is built under El Escorial, and holds the corpses of 26 kings and queens. Because we come from a country not ruled by a monarchy, it always amazing to me to see the amount of respect and care for royalty. We do respect our President, but I can't imagine preserving his body and building a special crypt for him and other past presidents. The first king that was placed here was Charles V and his wife, Isabel. The most recent body that placed there was Queen Victoria, the current king's grandmother. It was weird to be floors below El Escorial with the bodies of the past Spanish Royalty. But, I felt a great amount of respect from those that were visiting.
Valle de Los Caidos: What an interesting place! It was not what I expected at all. Valle de Los Caidos was a memorial built for the Spanish Civil War. But, it is very controversial because it was built by prisoners of the war, and contains the tomb of Francisco Franco. His tomb is clearly visible within the cathedral, but the graves of the fallen from the war are buried outside, and are visible. The cathedral is built within the mountain, giving it a different spirit than that of other cathedrals. For me, I didn't feel peaceful or happy as I entered this cathedral. There is no natural light, and the Savior is not a central part of the decorations. I definitely think that this cathedral is not a monument for those fallen, but was built to recognize Franco's power. In most cathedrals, light, bible stories, and Christ's life are prominent elements. I felt that fear and submission were the elements focused on. It was an incredible monument because of the size of the cross on top of the mountain.
La Granja: I've had the privilege to visit Versailles in France. This palace and gardens in La Granja took design elements directly from Versailles. I loved the long hallway at the end that was decorated with Greek statues and chandeliers. It reminded me of the ballroom in Versailles where King Louis would have lavish dances. The gardens in the La Granja were incredible! I felt that I could wander for hours and find new things at every turn. I thought that they would never end (in a wonderful way!). I loved all of the old tapestries, paintings, and sculptures that decorated each room. I especially liked the Asian influences that decorated some of the last rooms. It reminded me of the Royal Palace in Madrid--you can find some of the same influences there.
Here are some pictures!
El Escorial, Some of the Kings/Queens caskets, TACOS!, Bullfight, Medieval Festival, Valle de los Caidos, Remaining pics are of La Granja.
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