Spanish Spree - April 2009
Day 10: Segovia
We had another day trip planned for today, this time to Segovia, a town north of Madrid. Somehow we had set the alarm wrong so we woke up just twenty minutes before our bus was supposed to leave. We threw some clothes on and ran outside to get a cab (the third cab in ten days, not too bad). We made it to the bus station just in the nick of time!
We had spent very little time outside, and had dressed for the great weather we had been experiencing over the past week: 75 and sunny. Today, was overcast and cool with the clouds ready to explode at any moment. In our haste, we hadn't brought along the ponchos we had packed in our suitcases. We really hoped it wouldn't rain!
We had spent very little time outside, and had dressed for the great weather we had been experiencing over the past week: 75 and sunny. Today, was overcast and cool with the clouds ready to explode at any moment. In our haste, we hadn't brought along the ponchos we had packed in our suitcases. We really hoped it wouldn't rain!
But as we got closer to Segovia, on the top of the mountain, we realized we had bigger problems than a little rain. There was snow!
Being from Western New York, we are not strangers to the cold and snow, but we certainly weren't prepared for it after such beautiful weather all week long. My mom, in a short-sleeve shirt, would certainly freeze. Along the drive, we passed a bank displaying the exterior temperature: 3 degrees Celcius, or 37 degrees Farenheit. It would be a cold day trip!
Regardless, the drive was very scenic and we loved the views along the way. But needless to say, our first stop in Segovia was at a gift shop, where my mom bought a long-sleeved Segovia shirt and I bought a rain poncho, in hopes of it keeping me both warm and dry. These would be our first souvenirs of the only trip, unless you count the postcards we picked up along the way to put in our photo album.
Being from Western New York, we are not strangers to the cold and snow, but we certainly weren't prepared for it after such beautiful weather all week long. My mom, in a short-sleeve shirt, would certainly freeze. Along the drive, we passed a bank displaying the exterior temperature: 3 degrees Celcius, or 37 degrees Farenheit. It would be a cold day trip!
Regardless, the drive was very scenic and we loved the views along the way. But needless to say, our first stop in Segovia was at a gift shop, where my mom bought a long-sleeved Segovia shirt and I bought a rain poncho, in hopes of it keeping me both warm and dry. These would be our first souvenirs of the only trip, unless you count the postcards we picked up along the way to put in our photo album.
When you arrive in Segovia, one of the first things you see is the old Roman aqueduct. I had read about it before our trip, but until you see it in person, you don't realize how big it is. It was very impressive and a feat of engineering, especially considering it's almost 2000 years old!
my mom wearing her new souvenir shirt
To warm up, we stopped in a small cafe for breakfast; after all, we didn't have time to eat in Madrid on our way to the bus station. My mom was so cold that she even ordered a cup of coffee (the restaurant didn't have any other hot beverages). This was the first time she drank coffee in thirty years! She said with enough milk and sugar in it, it wasn't bad...I won't tattle on how much milk and sugar she was referring to!
We walked through town until we arrived at the cathedral in Segovia. The cathedral was beautiful, but still did not come close to the beauty of Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona. We left the cathedral as the bells were tolling at noon.
We wanted to see the Alcazar in Segovia as well, so we left the cathedral walking downhill toward the Alcazar. Along the way, we stopped in several shops. It had dawned on us that our trip was drawing to a close and neither of us had really purchased many gifts or souvenirs. Even after spending so much time browsing, we left with a single barette as a purchase.
the alcazar
It was hard to believe that the last sightseeing of our entire trip would be the Alcazar, but I have to admit it was a good way to end. Built in the 11th century, it has served many purposes over time, including the home of the royal court, residence of Isabela the Catholic, home of the Spanish Artillery Academy, and is now a tourist destination. Some say it inspired Disney's Cinderella Castle, and it was also the site of the film "Chimes at Midnight".
Even though we had loved eating outside for so many meals on our vacation, we thought it would be best to eat indoors this time! It was still cold and we needed to warm up. My thin poncho and my mom's shirt were not meant to be the only layer in such cool weather. We found a great restaurant and ordered one last menu del dia for a very late lunch before returning to Madrid on the fast AVE train. The train ride, though quicker, was boring since it went through a tunnel for most of the journey unlike the morning's bus ride.
We returned to our hotel room and collapsed on our bed. A short nap later, we were still tired but knew we had some packing and loose ends to tie up before our flight tomorrow. We got ourselves organized and then went out for a light dinner. We bought some salads, ate quickly, and returned to the hotel. It was still fairly early, and we had no reason to get up in the morning, so we felt it was too soon to go to sleep. This was a predicament since there was nothing left in Madrid that we wanted to do. We ended up cuddling in bed and watching that week's episode of "Grey's Anatomy" on my laptop. It helped lull us to sleep.
We returned to our hotel room and collapsed on our bed. A short nap later, we were still tired but knew we had some packing and loose ends to tie up before our flight tomorrow. We got ourselves organized and then went out for a light dinner. We bought some salads, ate quickly, and returned to the hotel. It was still fairly early, and we had no reason to get up in the morning, so we felt it was too soon to go to sleep. This was a predicament since there was nothing left in Madrid that we wanted to do. We ended up cuddling in bed and watching that week's episode of "Grey's Anatomy" on my laptop. It helped lull us to sleep.
Continue to Day 11: Returning Home