I'm happy today. I guess you could consider this a good thing because I am abroad, but like I have mentioned before-not every day abroad is good or happy. In fact, some days are incredibly frustrating or challenging. But, just the sheer concept of being abroad provides a whole new dimension to the emotions I experience on a daily basis. You learn how to be happy and how to get over the frustrations and challenges thrown your way. Every day is a learning experience.
Today we had our last Cities as Living Museums class at Museo Sorolla, the house of Joaquin Sorolla converted into a private art museum. I absolutely loved it. Maybe it was the art, or even the building itself. But, I have to say one part of it that I loved was how tiny and intimate it was. The only art displayed in the building is that of Sorolla himself, with beautiful images portraying his family and sights he used to see growing up in Valencia. The building has been maintained in the way that it was left once Sorolla and his wife died, so you are not only able to see a wide variety of his works but also furniture and even the paintbrushes that he used to create everything. My favorite part of the museum was the garden courtyard that you enter through in order to get to the house. Its combination of Spanish, Italian, and English elements gives you the feeling that you are entering a state of heaven, complete with a beautiful fountain and lightly flowing water. After the visit, our teacher treated us to drinks at a nearby cafe where we talked about our upcoming final assignment. Tomorrow is our last official class with her, and I am going to miss her passion and enthusiasm for art history very much.
Once we got back from class, I entered the daily struggle of finding something to eat for lunch-or just somewhere to go! Even though it was quite early, I was hungry so I set out on a search to find a good coffee shop because most restaurants don't serve lunch until 1:30pm or later. Well, that turned out to be a successful internet search. I compiled a list of some of the top-ranked coffeeshops and cafes in the area on my computer and decided on a places called Cafe de La Luz. A little bit of a longer walk from my apartment, it was absolutely incredible. In fact, had I not looked up the best places to get breakfast-type meals in Madrid I may never have found it because it is on a little side street just past two of the major boulevards in the neighborhood. When I walked in, I found a little slice of paradise. The shop wasn't too crowded, which was nice, but what attracted me at first glance was how much it reminded me of an Anthropologie store. No kidding. Some of the specials were written on a chalkboard up at the front, and a variety of antique and colorful furniture lined the walls. No surprise, on my venture to search for the best cake and cappuccino, I got (you guessed it) cake and cappuccino. Amazing. Some of the best cake I have ever had, and definitely one of the best cups of coffee that I have ever drank, which I guess you couldn't really consider a milestone because I just started drinking coffee a few weeks ago. But, still. A review on Yelp! considered the coffee up there with New York, so maybe one day I'll have to try for myself. I sat at a little table in the corner in between some brick walls and got a head start on some of the work I have to do this week. More people started coming in as I finished up what I had to do, so I paid and left before it got too crowded. Hopefully I'll get a chance to come back before next week and try something beyond my typical palate.
After lunch I decided to "get lost" and take the long way home, ending up on one of the no-car shopping streets. I even found this adorable little gift shop with inspirational quote items, so I picked up some treats for myself and friends back at home and school. I wish I knew what the name of it was; apparently it is part of El Corte Ingles but it was a free-standing store on the busy shopping street. I got home not too long after and relaxed a little bit before my next class at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. No shocker there, I absolutely loved it. One building houses a permanent collection of 800 or so pieces of art while the adjacent one houses a long-term temporary collection. All of the work is privately owned and covers a wide variety of painting styles and time periods-who would have thought that I would come all the way to Europe just to find two paintings by an artist from St. Augustine (just 20 minutes from where I live)! I found the building itself just as stunning as the collection; the pink walls inside were definitely a nice touch. After class was over, I decided to again take the long way home and enjoy the warm summer sunshine. Instead of my normal route, I walked to Mercado de San Miguel for a juice before going through the Plaza Mayor and heading home.
Today was a happy day, but I am even happier about this weekend. While a weekend free abroad typically equates to traveling to some exotic or interesting place, this weekend I am taking it differently. Instead of planning, packing, leaving the city, coming back, and unpacking, this weekend I plan to "lay low" like the typical independent college student that I am. At first, I thought I would get away for the weekend because my roommate is traveling with some of her visiting family. But, the thought of a nice, quiet weekend in my city just sounds so appealing. With a single digit number of days left before I head home, I am using this weekend to attack everything on both my Europe and Spain bucket lists. I am actually looking forward to exploring on my own and really being a local, and I have even pinpointed some places that I would like to go. Like new coffee shops. And shopping areas. And parks. And markets. I want to do it all. Because after Thursday we are officially done with classes! Even though I'll be squeezing essay writing in between (and maybe during) said activities. 6 days free in Spain. What could be better? Absolutely nothing.
Until then, it's back to the books for me before dinner with my roommate and her family tonight! I know it seems like all I do here is go to museums and markets and coffee shops and eat really good food. And you're right, only it's better than it looks!
Hasta luego!
No comments:
Post a Comment