¡Hola Madrid!

This first week in Madrid was nothing short of incredible! I had such engaging and immersive experiences that allowed me to take in the culture of the country and understand its history. During the first week of July (1-5), Madrid holds various pride events that bring together the community. In fact, the country holds one of the biggest pride events in the entire world. These typically take place in Chueca and Malasaña, two of Madrid's most vibrant neighborhoods. As one of our class excursions, we actually took a walking tour around these neighborhoods and learned about their history. At the end of the tour, we arrived at the location of the "Carrera de Tacones," which is one of the many events they hold. This specifically is a race where queer individuals put on high heels and race across the street of Pelayo. Witnessing this was such an incredible experience, especially as I was able to see how many people gathered to watch and support this event. People were crowding the streets, watching from their balconies, or even peering from the roof of some of the apartment buildings. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to be there and watch as well.

Spain also played and won a World Cup knockout match this week against Austria. Watching with the locals was so much fun. I'm personally a fan of the sport and wish we had more of that culture back home, so it was a great experience being surrounded by people who were just as excited as I was!

I was also very excited about the day trip we took to El Escorial on Friday. It is about an hour away from our residence in central Madrid, and it is both a royal site and a monastery. During our tour of this site, I was intrigued to learn that it is still in use (even children attend the school during the school year). I think it's so interesting that such a historical location with regal and historical ties is still being used to this day! It truly represents a link between the past and the present. The views both inside and outside were absolutely breathtaking. Outside of this site, the surroundings were much quieter and calmer than the bustling streets of Madrid. Personally, I prefer the busier "city life" that central Madrid has to offer, but am nevertheless grateful to have been able to experience another part of the country beyond what I was already familiar with.

I am so excited to continue my travels throughout Spain for the next few weeks!