A visit to Gernika, by Marie MacCune
Today we, among other adventures,
climbed 308 steps up a mountain in the Basque countryside.
At the
Santimamine archeological site, we trekked our way up the path in order to see
one of the most well preserved homes of our own species from the Paleolithic
era. Before seeing the caves for ourselves, we experienced a virtual tour. With
the help of amplified recordings and 3D glasses,we were able to see the very
cave paintings that have provided anthropologists with clues into not just the
beginnings of the Basque people, but of our civilization as a whole.
We also visited the beach town of Mundaka. The sleepy atmosphere and sunny beaches made for an incredible place to stop and eat lunch.
The cliffs and waves were
like nothing we have back home. Soon there after, we traveled to the town of
Guernica. There we spent time at the Assembly House and the Museum of Peace. We
visited the Tree of Guernica, a symbol of strength for the Biscay region.
At
the Museum of Peace we learned about the horrific bombings that took place at
the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. The stories hit close to home as
our minds wandered to family and friends in Boston.
It was a great reminder of the incredible safety and good fortune we've experienced while in Spain. After today, we were all a little bit prouder of ourselves and of our Basque counterparts, and of what this exchange promotes: discovery, communication, and understanding. Bringing together two cultures that have an entire ocean between them.
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