Day 3-4

Wow...what a full couple of days, but so very very fun!
Yesterday we went to the Prado Museum, which is a very famous
Art Museum. The building it was in was incredible! So many paintings,
some of the artists featured were El Greco, Francisco Goya, and
Velazquez.

Aubrea, Tiffany and I waiting to go into the Museum...with our best impersonations of El Greco!

The Museum was very interesting, fascinating to see art work from all
different eras, artists, using all different styles.

Then we had the afternoon off, so a bunch of us walked over to the main
park in town, a lot like Central Park, and walked around enjoying the
beautiful day. We took a lot of pictures and just goofed around...There is a
lake in the park, a Crystal Palace, along with many fountains and good
places to take a stroll.

Hanna, Me and Kristen in the park with the lake in the background.


The girls...

Today was an early start. We drove out to the Valle de los Caidos (Valley
of the Fallen). This is an incredible work of Franco, who took over Spain
at one point in history. He had this Basilica built into a mountain, along
with a monastery. Today he is buried there and it is absolutely amazing to see.
The reason it is called Valle de los Caidos, is because many people died while he
was ruling Spain, especially in the process of building this huge monument for himself.
Later on the bodies of the people that died were brought to the monument and buried
and so now it is also a memorial to those people...it is a very controversial place, and very fascinating to see.

This is the largest cross in the world, and you can see the entrance but everything else is literally in the mountain!


Just to give you some perspective on how BIG this place is!


The girls with the beautiful background!

After that we headed to El Escorial...which I think has been my favorite so far.
This is a GIGANTIC (and that doesn't come close to describing how huge it is!) building, that contains a Basilica, a now high school, the Old Palace of King Phillip II, the burial for all the Royals, a Library, a Monestary, and many different art pieces. We toured for a long time, learning all about the place, seeing where King Phillip II lived and walked...I was so fascinated by everything..I love all the Spanish History I am learning, and can't wait for my class to start that will unpack it even more. There is such a depth to it that amazes me! Everything was so immense and huge...beyond anything I've seen before.

The view from the palace window!


The entrance, just a small part of this spectacular compound!

It started raining as we were driving back to Madrid...which I just love storms and the rain, especially when I can watch it...and on the bus my roommate and I, Hanna, got to talk and it was so cool just hearing her heart, and how we are learning many of the same things...you know when you talk to someone and something just strikes a cord in you, thats how it was talking to her...I am so blessed....