Madrid and Toledo

On Monday we went to an art museum near our hotel and learned a lot about different European artists. We also saw more of the city of Madrid, which is beautiful. There are so many little parks with huge statues and fountains in the middle and the streets are like narrow, cobblestone paths. There are also little cafes EVERYWHERE with cute outdoor tables.
And then jet lag hit me like a brick and I slept from 12 to 6 pm! It felt wonderful-I was nice and prepared for a night out on the town. Kenzie, Summer, and our new friend and roommate Hillary walked around looking for a cafe with some boys we met from Ohio State. We settled on a small place that was decorated in dead animal legs. It was not very appetizing, but cheap. A glass of wine was only 1 euro!

After, we wandered the streets for an appealing bar. I met some really nice Spanish girls and attempted to hold a Spanish conversation. I was somewhat successful. After bar hoping to a few different places, we made it back to the hotel by 2 am.

Tuesday morning, we left Madrid and took a hour bus ride to Toledo. There, we were led on a walking tour of the city. We walked through little streets past cafes and shops and stopped at a Synagog, a cathedral, and passed though the town square. The city used to be the country's capital and all of the architecture resemble castles and palaces. There is also a river the winds through the city and many historic bridges. It is robably one of the coolest looking places I have ever been. for lunch, a small group of us ate at a Mediterranean cafe and got a yummy pastry for dessert. The hotel we are staying at is AMAZING with a perfect view of the city and a nice, tropical looking pool. I am excited for our night in the splendid city!

Pre Departure

On Saturday morning I sat in the Phoenix Airport with Summer Borowski, ready to head off on the adventure of a lifetime. As my Aunt Kathie says, “You only ride this train once”, so I am going full speed ahead!
We were scheduled to arrive in Charlotte, North Carolina at 3:30 pm local time but due to weather complications, we were delayed until 4:05-our connecting flight to Madrid was scheduled to leave at 4:25. As soon as we stepped of the plane, we began to sprint through the Charlotte airport dodging several young children and elderly couples. At 4:20, we arrived at our gate just as they were making the final boarding announcement. The eight hour flight passed without much excitement. I slept, read, and watched a little of the on flight TV. 
On Sunday morning, we arrived in Madrid at 7:20 am local time. While waiting to meet our program directors at the airport, we made friends with several other ISA students. Our next stop after the airport was the hotel. After quickly dropping our bags, we strolled to a nearby restaurant and ordered tapas and sangria. Muy Delicioso! By this time we were all in definite need of a nap and woke up fairly rested a few hours later. At 6 pm, we met the group for a bus tour of Madrid, then went out to dinner at another local Italian restaurant. We then called it an early night at 11 pm so that we will be well rested for an eventful Spanish day in the city tomorrow!!