Holy Toledo! A Weekend in the CAPITAL

           The suitcase once again sits empty on the floor and the camera rests on the shelf. But now, after returning from a trip to Madrid and a trip to Toledo, I make a final trip, to the computer, to unpack the last of my belongings—the memories from the weekend that was. The journey started with my rising before the sun on Friday morning and boarding a bus for Madrid. Five hours later, I stepped out into Spain’s capital.

            Walking into Plaza Mayor brought me right into the movie “Vantage Point,” which I was almost certain took place there. Upon further research, I discovered that it was actually shot in Salamanca, Spain. No wonder why I didn’t see Dennis Quaid.  Nevertheless, Plaza Mayor seemed like quite a “hoppin’ ” place. The next time I visited, to my surprise and that of my friends, a stunt-man climbed the light pole beneath which we were eating dinner. Luckily for us, he seemed to have practiced the stunt before!

            Once I walked out of Plaza Mayor, my imagination moved from the movies to conjuring up memories of Disney World as I entered Plaza Puerta del Sol.  There were Mickeys and Minnies, Chubakas, and plenty of Spongebob and Patricks.  Instead of water, the Spongebob with whom I decided to have my picture taken preferred to absorb money! After the picture he held out his hand. He was not interested in a high-five. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a 50 “centimos” piece and gave it to him.  As I was fleeing the scene, like a 4-year-old who got caught at the cookie jar before dinner, I couldn’t help but notice an angry Patrick holding his hands up—but still with a smile on his face of course!   

               After a walking tour of the city, our next stop was in Toledo, just 50 minutes away. I enjoyed the scene of a setting sun on the ride, which actually could symbolize the difference between the two cities: night and day. The modernity of Madrid contrasted dramatically with the character of Toledo. The latter, a well-preserved historic city, was once home to a culture of tolerance between Muslims, Jews, and Christians. It is so well preserved in fact, that UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site. There, I saw the alcázar (the building that housed the governor), beautiful bridges, quaint streets, and signposts for the route of Don Quixote. Every store I passed sold swords or knives or marzipan, or a combination of all three! After passing the day in Toledo, I once again boarded the bus and headed back to Madrid, where I enjoyed the nightlife with friends and realized that it is much less expensive for a student to live in Granada!

            My final day in Madrid started with a tour of Palacio Real, which once was home to the Royal family and now is used for state functions. We weren’t allowed to take pictures, so you’ll have to trust me when I say the inside was ornate. After this tour, it was on to the Reina Sofia Museum, which features modern art. In a museum full of Picasso and Dali, I found one exhibit to be even more powerful. In this room hung upwards of 200 front-pages of the September 12, 2001 edition of newspapers from around the world.  On every one, of course, were the gut-wrenching images of the burning World Trade Center and the Pentagon. No matter how many times I see pictures from that day, I can’t help but in my mind return to Mrs. McNamara’s 5^th grade classroom at Dyer School—wondering who would want to cancel recess and asking why Mrs. McNamara looked so sad and shocked. At the same time, I could not have felt more patriotic. Although we will always remember what happened on 9/11, I fear that as time separates us further from that tragic day, we will lose that emotional connection—the sadness for the victims, the pride of being an American. That sentiment from the international community following 9/11, that “we are all Americans,” seemed alive in this exhibit. To close the day, I headed to the Prado Museum, home to masterpieces by artistic greats such as Rafael, Dürer, Goya, Rosales, Velázquez, Greco, and Rembrandt. This, too, was a place where pictures were prohibited from being taken. Seeing artwork that I had previously only seen in pictures online or in books was stirring, if not a bit surreal. 

            Back home in Granada, I’ve realized how well I’ve adapted to the culture thus far (the siesta has been my quickest adjustment of them all!). Who knows, maybe someday I’ll be lucky enough to return as ambassador—just a stop on the way to the White House, of course! To close this post, and also to continue my unusual allusions to fictional characters, in the words of Porky Pig, “That’s all folks!”

Until next time, may you grow only healthier and happier in your life.