Adventuring
Yesterday morning I woke up and decided I needed adventure. So I got dressed, walked to the panadería to get a sandwich for the road, and then headed to the train station. Next stop: Segovia.
When I came to Spain, I thought I'd check out Granada, maybe Malaga and Toledo, but Segovia wasn't on my radar. But then I mentioned visiting Toledo to one of my new (Spanish) friends, and she said (somewhat wistfully), "I quite enjoy Segovia."
So there you go. And there I went. Lucky for you, I took pictures, so it'll almost be like you went along with me—only you didn't have to slather sunblock all over yourself.
The aqueduct. For those of you unfamiliar with Roman innovation, it's a fancy bridge that transported water. Segovia is in the background.
The cathedral. It was the biggest cathedral I've ever been in—I'm pretty sure. Things I noted about the interior: it was at least thirty degrees cooler than outside; there were more than a dozen small chapels circling the main nave; and it was all freakin' big.
I got whistled at by a construction worker inside the cathedral. WTH? That's just wrong, or sacrilegious, or something. Maybe he thought he was in tight enough with the Big Guy that he could get away with lascivious thoughts in a holy place.
Me, outside the cathedral. Aren't I cute, despite my lack of makeup? I love those earrings too. My sunglasses make me look like an insect-superhero though.
Approaching Alcázar, the big-ass castle in Segovia. If you were here for a history lesson, I'd tell you it was an Arab fort back in the 12th century, and a Roman one way before then (or so one infers), until it became a favorite place for royalty to chill.
But you're not here for a history lesson, so I'll tell you that there was a lot white fluffy stuff floating in the air. Pollen, anyone? And the moat was empty—I was minorly disappointed by that, but the suits of armor they had standing all over the place made up for it a little.
For two euros extra, you could climb up 152 steps to the top of Juan II's tower (hidden behind the trees). And to think I was paying eighty bucks a month to go to the gym to use the StairMaster.
The restaurant where I had my two hour lunch. Although the sign is false advertisement, because my fork was never lonely. It was always accompanied with at least a knife and sometimes a spoon.
New friends! I was sitting at the bus kiosk, waiting to go back to the train station, when this blonde accosted me. It turned out they were awesome, and fun, and from New York. So we met up for tapas and drinks later that night in Madrid. Craziness ensued, as it does when I'm involved. Sorry—can't give you details, because what happens in Spain stays in Spain. Let's just say it involved peanuts, Mui Mui slippers, and a very cute Argentinian guy.
Stay tuned for my next adventure, which may or may not include flamenco dancing and pigs. See you next week.
Homeless
I'm on my way to Spain. Literally, if you're reading the blog on Tuesday the 18th.
Being an organized person, I set up everything a couple weeks ago. Originally, I thought I'd arrive in Madrid and then spend a week in Granada and another week somewhere like Malaga, but I decided against that. Instead I'm going to stay in Madrid and do day trips to other cities. Why? Because it's easier writing when you're settled in one place, and I have quite a bit of work to do. Also, apparently Madrid has awesome tango, and I want to take advantage of that.
Except a few days ago the apartment I'd rented fell through, so suddenly I have no place to stay. Bummer, I know. But it'll all work out. Worst case, I'll stay in a sterile, Hilton-esque hotel for a night and then take a train south. Or go to some beach town on the Mediterranean.
It's a tough life, but someone has to live it.
If you guys were headed to someplace without any plans, what would you do? How would you feel? (Yes, I'm taking notes, because wouldn't this be a good conflict for a control freak?)
A few things I'm going to do while I'm in Madrid (if that's where I actually end up):
- go to the Prado, and the Reina Sofia.
- eat paella.
- drink thick red wine.
Next question: is there anything you guys want me to experience in Madrid (or wherever I end up)? Because I'm happy to do things and then report back for your vicarious pleasure.
Hey—thanks, everyone, for the birthday wishes! I had an awesome, whiskey-soaked birthday week. Or perhaps awesomely whiskey-soaked would be a more accurate description. The only thing I'd change is the number of cupcakes I ate. Next year, I'm going to make sure I have cake on every day of my birthday week instead of just once. It's good to have goals.