Day trips!

I figured this picture was fitting...I haven't eaten here yet,
but it is very close to my apartment!

My apologies for the sporadic updates, though making this blog was a big demand from my family while I'm here..I seem to keep forgetting about it and updating it. But, I've made my own resolution: I'm going to try to update at least once a week, especially now that all of my traveling is really going to be starting on the weekends!

Just a casual Thursday night...

The oldest map of the Western World
at the Naval Museum

Friday my friends and I went to the Naval Museum for extra credit for my oceanography class. I must admit, I was less than enthused about the excursion, but it ended up being pretty cool! Maybe I'll take my dad there when he comes..I'm sure he'll eat that stuff up. Friday afternoon I went on a long run, in shorts, in January. It was great. The weather here is just so much nicer than at home, I love it! There's also a ton of dogs always walking around in the park. While it makes me miss Rocky, it's great to see all the pups!

My roommates throwing up their
sorority signs..

La Catedral de Toledo

Saturday a group of us took the bus for only 8 euro round trip to Toledo to check out the sights. For those of you who don't know, Toledo is known for the combination of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim cultures all in one city. It was a very nice day and I really enjoyed walking around this city on a hill full of ancient buildings unlike any I have seen in Madrid. (I just learned in my Spanish culture/civilization class that Madrid wasn't a very important city in Spain until after the middle ages). My favorite building was the Cathedral in Toledo...too bad we couldn't go inside. We sort of ran out of time after a little hiccup searching for our roommate Hillary who went missing for a half an hour or so. Thankfully she wasn't injured or taken, just went to the bathroom without telling us. We didn't let that bring down our day and we decided after that stressful we'd do the most natural thing: get lunch. I had my first paella Saturday and it was delicious! I believe I even ate rabbit..but if I did it tasted like chicken anyway. Saturday night we decided to take a night off from the discotecas so we could catch up on some homework and get ready for our day trip to Segovia on Sunday. However, we managed to muster up the energy to stop by the McDonald's about one minute from our apartment for some McFlurrys, which are much better than those at home, I must say. Kit-kat's and white chocolate? Yum.

Some friends in Toledo!

A view of the Cathedral in Segovia from
La Plaza Mayor

Sunday, we went on a day trip with our school to Segovia. The drive was about an hour from the city, and as we kept climbing higher in altitude, I realized that we were driving past the clouds and it was getting much, much colder. However, we still had a great day and saw the roman aqueducts, the fortress in segovia, the famous bridge, lots of churches, a contemporary art museum, and a great pastelería for some desert! (my favorite). I've also started a new tradition in every town that I visit. I'm picking up a postcard from every city so that when I come home, I can make a collage/picture of sorts that has them all for my apartment next year. Besides the postcard, I've also decided to start collecting wine bottle stoppers. Though I previously had a growing collection of shot glasses, I think it's time to get real and remember that soon will come the day when it is no longer socially acceptable for me to display a shot glass collection as a real adult. Oh well, the wine stoppers will have to do! They're much classier anyway. Because we were so high up, the fog in Segovia was terrible. Though it did make the fortress/castle look very fairy tale like at the top of the hill surrounded by fog, I wish it would have been nicer out to be able to see everything more clearly. I plan on taking my family back to Segovia & also taking a trip to Avila when they come in just two weeks, so my fingers are crossed for better weather! After the day trip to Segovia I went to mass at the SLU campus in English. Sunday evening we returned home to our apartment tired, cold, and hungry (as always). I finished up some homework for school on Monday and had yet another yummy meal from Mar (she really is the best) before bed!

The fortress/castle called Alcazar in Segovia.
So pretty...but so cold!

 The past few days I have spent primarily on campus going to classes and keeping up with my homework before I leave for Switzerland this weekend! (Stay tuned, I'm going skydiving...) We leave tomorrow evening at 8 pm and come back late on Sunday. I have a feeling that this trip will force me to get over my fear of planes, a: because I'm going to be flying a lot of places over the next few months, and b: because I'm jumping out of one in just two days..AH!

The bear climbing the tree is the
official symbol of Madrid

Though I've been keeping busy at school, my friends and I have still made it a priority to make sure that we are making the most of the time that we have in Madrid during the week so that we can actually get to know the city! Yesterday's pre-dinner activities consisted of some shopping...I was very proud of myself and restrained myself from most of my wants besides a really cute pair of boots, a shirt, and two dresses (all on sale, I promise!). About the sales though, the "rebajas" are out of control in the city right now. Mar was telling us that all the after Christmas sales go until about mid February, and everything is at least half off of what it is normally. What a steal!

La vida nocturnal!

Living in Madrid has been wonderful so far, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the semester of traveling, exploring, and seeing all of these beautiful sights will bring! I miss everyone at home, but am also very anxious for my family to get here the first weekend in February to visit me!


Until next time!
Un saludo,
Rachel

The famous Acueductos Romanos in Segovia!