The Real Madrid

I was lucky enough to visit my friends in Madrid before flying back to Houston earlier this month. Getting to the airport was an experience to say the least. With two suitcases and a carry on, I traveled from the main train station in Saarbrücken to a tiny town called Kirn. Fortunately, I met a nice German soldier there who helped me carry my bags up the stairs. After a thirty minute wait, I transferred my luggage to a bus that went directly to the Frankfurt-Hahn airport. Don't be confused by the name though; it's not actually located in Frankfurt (that would be Frankfurt International.) No. No. Frankfurt Hahn is in the middle of nowhere, Germany. But I really enjoyed my last ride through the small villages of the German countryside, even if I was sitting in the luggage area with my feet propped up on my suitcases to prevent them from rolling all over the bus. 

When I finally arrived to Madrid that evening (after a ridiculous wait and having to dispose 5 kg worth of my suitcase contents to meet the strict Ryan Air regulations), Jesus and Diego were waiting for me with a sign in hand. I've always wanted someone to pick me up at the airport with a sign, so I was really excited! (I would insert a picture here of Diego, Jesus, Ludivine, and me with the aforementioned sign, except airport security made me delete it. How sad that we live in a world where taking a picture of a joyous reunion is considered a threat to security.) But words cannot describe how happy I was to see my friends again--I had missed them so much.

We all got into Diego's car and drove to a spot that had a great overlook of the city. We climbed up the hill, sat down in the grass, and watched the sun set over Madrid. It was a perfect moment. Then we went to Diego's house where I met his sweet parents and struggled to communicate with them as we snacked on olives and drank Coca Cola on their balcony. We ate bocadillos for dinner and then met up with Diego's cousin, David, at a discotheca named Penelope where we danced the night away.

The next day was spent in the mountains of Sierra de Guadarrama, just 30 miles northwest of Madrid. In the afternoon we toured El Escorial which is a huge monastery that also used to be a royal palace. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you can spend an entire day visiting the art gallery, architectural museum, gardens, and royal tombs. We admired the view of the monastery from La Silla de Felipe II and then found our own rock to climb onto and silently watch the beautiful, warm Spanish sun disappear behind the mountains.

Yes, I actually climbed that boulder in those sandals. Be impressed.

 

 

After taking a break at Diego's second home in the mountains, we got ready for another late night out. The five of us went to a street fiesta that was not too far from the monastery we had seen earlier in the day.  Afterwards, we went to a house party at the home of one of Diego's friends. The home was up in the mountains, where the air was chillier and the stars looked close enough to reach up and grab. The socializing took place in the backyard where his friend has set up a makeshift bar and was playing all the latest Spanish hits. I enjoyed getting to meet new people and watch others interact in a very real environment. It was a lot of fun getting to experience a part of the culture that many visitors do not get to see.

It's a good thing we did not have a busy day planned for Sunday. We ended up sleeping in really late, since we didn't arrive to Jesus' home in Leganes until after 7:00 am from our night out in the mountains. Jesus had already planned a big meal for us, so we enjoyed the entire afternoon in the sun--eating delicious Spanish foods and swimming in the pool. It was just what the doctor ordered after weeks of rain and clouds in Germany.

 

 

Jesus' adorable dog, Sara

In the evening, we drove to the center of Madrid where we walked around and saw some of the monuments at night. We also ordered tapas in Plaza Mayor, which is where I ate dinner a year ago with my TCU friends on my one night in Madrid. It was cool to be back a year later and realize how much I have changed and experienced in just a year's time.

Monday was filled with sightseeing. We visited Palacio Real de Madrid (the largest palace in Europe) and Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena (a colorful Catholic cathedral). In the afternoon, we relaxed in Parque del Retiro and rowed around in the small boats on the pond. 

an awesome indoor market-- Mercado de San Miguel

I bought a pretty hand-painted fan at this shop

That night we had a big dinner, lovingly prepared by Jesus' father. Sitting outdoors and eating with Jesus, Paloma (Jesus' sister), Ludivine, and the Diegos, I quickly realized that there was no common language between the six of us. I just sat and tried to pick out the few words I understood as the boys were speaking Spanish on one side of the table and the girls were speaking French on the other. It was at that moment that I decided to commit to learning Spanish. I've always wanted to know it, and I'm tired of being in situations where I am unable to communicate with people. I finish my German classes this semester, and I hope to start learning Spanish in the spring.

My time in Spain was short, but wonderful. I'll never forget the fun times I shared with my European friends in Madrid--eating dinner at midnight, driving around the winding mountain roads with the windows rolled down and the radio up, being welcomed with open arms by their family members, and laughing at all of our inside jokes from the summer. Saying goodbye that next morning at Barajas was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do; it's the only time I've ever cried in an airport. I don't know when I'll be able to go back to Europe, but I hope to see my friends again and one day return the warm hospitality they showed me in Madrid.

“A man does not climb a mountain without bringing some of it away with him, and leaving something of himself upon it.” 
–Sir Martin Conway