Day 8

Greetings from Madrid!

This morning, we awoke in our hotel in Granada and filled up on a hearty breakfast before leaving to return to Madrid.  After about an hour in the bus, we stopped for a quick excursion: to visit the Castillo de Santa Carolina in Jaén!  We were greeted by a talking suit of armor, and continued up onto a tower of the castle to admire the wonderful views of the countryside in southern Spain.  Then, we journeyed out onto an overlook, marked by a large stone cross (the cross of San Fernando), where we continued to soak in the vistas.

We boarded the bus again and spent another two hours traveling before we stopped for a quick lunch.  Many students enjoyed traditional bocadillos (sandwiches), and others tried a delicious Spanish dish with bread crumbs, olive oil, garlic, and chorizo (sausage).  When we got back on the bus to continue our journey northward, Señora Cohen, Señor Carvajal, and our guide Yolanda led us in Spanish word games to pass the time.

Finally, at about 4:30, we returned to our hotel here in Madrid; we unpacked and settled in before heading to the Reina Sofia contemporary art museum, where we had about an hour and a half to wander freely.  Among the many impressive items in the museum's collection, Picasso's Guernica and a special exhibition of Salvador Dalí's works stood out.  Every junior or senior on the trip has had Sr. Carvajal, who teaches Guernica to all of his students, so many of us were able to fully appreciate the significance of Picasso's masterpiece.  And, the younger students who haven't learned about the painting from Sr. Carvajal still found much to enjoy in our visit to the Reina Sofia (and learned a bit from their older peers).

After our time exploring the museum, we headed out for a wonderful dinner, which included a cactus juice drink that received some mixed reviews.  To cap off the night, we returned to our favorite chocolate and churro café in Madrid for some wonderful desserts.

We're all tired after a long day of travel, but ready to enjoy our last day in Spain tomorrow!  Hasta mañana!