Scituate's Students in Madrid

Diary: Day 1

by Nathan Moore y Chris Durante

Chris: I woke up at 730 AM, an hour and a half before the bus to the airport. I barley slept the night before but was up early the next morning anyway. When we boarded the bus, I said goodbye to my parents and the excitement set in. The plane ride to Chicago was only 2 hours long but I still slept for most of it. After a short layover in Ohare airport, we finally got onto the airbus to Madrid. I was amazed by the size of the airplane and I had a moment of clarity that this was really happening. I was actually going to Spain. The first steps out of Madrid Airport onto Spanish ground was an entirely new feeling. And the chocolate con churros was one of the best breakfasts I've ever hadThe chocolate was so rich and the churros were so sweet, it was an amazing combination. We saw all of the marketplaces and centers of Madrid and it was a totally different world than America.

 J. Carlos Martínez

Nathan: During our break, we were allowed to head back to the hotel to catch up on rest or to journey to one of the plazas to get lunch. Many of us chose to head back to the hotel to catch up on lost sleep from the plane and to become more accustomed to the local time. At 3:15 we met and boarded a bus to the Palace Real of Aranjuez, a drive about 45 minutes outside the city. Many of us fell asleep on the bus and were woken once we reached the palace. The palace is composed of a central building, flanked by two wings, one for each the king and queen. As we toured the palace, we were greeted with themed rooms, ranging from Asian porcelain to an Alhambra room full of vibrant colors and intricate tile work. The palace rooms were decorated with art from famous renaissance and Spanish painters. Other walls were decorated with tapestries from as far back as the 17th century, many of the original, while others were restored by the national tapestry factory located in Madrid. Located behind the palace are the gardens, full of old trees, detailed fountains, and stray cats. A river running through the garden was full of geese, ducks, and carp, while some locals fished and paddle boarded in it. After visiting the royal palace, we boarded a bus to head to our group dinner in the city.