Week Three

It is Friday night and I have almost been in Madrid for three whole weeks!  This week, my classes went well and I am proving to have a relaxing but fun class load.  In art history, we are studying many works of art that can be found in the Prado museum.  Today, I visited the Prado for the first time.  It was an overwhelming experience.  I will definitely have to return to see more over the course of the next few months.  Our professor wanted us to see an exhibit on the Adam and Eve paintings by Durer.  The exhibit was set up so that visitors could see the back of the wood panels and learn about how it was restored.  We also saw paintings by Bosch, Van Der Weyden, Goya, and Velazquez.  I am so lucky to have access to the actual paintings that I am studying in class.  

Yesterday, we found a new lunch spot called Ital Panini.  The pizzas are so good, so we stopped there again today.  We also visited Retiro Park--definitely one of my favorite spots in Madrid!  After the park, I got a McFlurry (of course).  For some reason, everything tastes so much better in Europe.  

I also signed up for another trip today.  During the first weekend in March, I am going to Cadiz for carnival.  Carnival is a celebration kind of similar to Mardi Gras--everyone gets dressed up in crazy outfits and there are lots of parades and celebrations.  Cadiz is in the very south of Spain on the water.  We are going there through a company called European Vibe, and we will take a bus there and stay two nights.  I can't wait!

It is about 8:15 here, which means it will be at least another hour before dinner!  I am finally starting to get used to eating this late--at least the food is always delicious.  I am looking forward to two more days of exploring Madrid before it is back to classes on Monday.