Spain--where the ancient and the modern meet

Of all the countries on our itinerary for this summer’s trip, Spain was top of my list. I had dreamed of going there since I was twelve. We had 10 days to explore, which was far too short for me but at least, I hoped, would give me a glimpse of this country rich in history, culture and significance.

We went to Madrid, Spain’s sprawling capital, first. There, a woman named Adrianna picked us up from the train station. Adrianna is a friend of a friend, who graciously invited us to stay with her a night after she learned we were traveling in the area. She hadn’t even heard of us a week before, yet she opened her home to us and helped us find our way around the city, and we were unspeakably grateful.

In Madrid, we visited El Palacio Real, which used to be the Spanish royal family’s home before the civil war. By this time, we’d seen plenty of castles and palaces in other countries, but this one stood out to me because of its rigid magnificence and regality. The other palaces, while lovely, seemed more like fancy mansions; this palace seemed like the living quarters of a king. It helps paint a picture of the Spanish monarchy and how the royal family interacted with the rest of Spain’s government and society.

Though still a royal home, the Spanish royal family rarely visits the castle

We also saw la Bibliotheca Nacional de España (the National Library of Spain), which did not, in fact, house books any more, since it had been converted into a museum (Faeth was very disappointed). Along the way, we also ran into Mickey Mouse and an evil Chucky doll, street performers in costume who find tourists to snap pictures together. You never know what you’ll discover in Europe!

Now Faeth has seen libraries in five European countries!

Even though it was fun exploring Madrid, I felt like something was missing. I’d always had a romantic picture of that country in my head, full of medieval buildings, dusty castles and colorful lords and ladies. I suppose I should have expected that 21^st-century Spain would be a little more modern, but it was still a disappointment to arrive in Madrid and see a skyline of skyscrapers instead of castle turrets. But I got my taste of the Spain I was dreaming about when Faeth and I visited Toledo.

This is the old castle at Toledo

 

Toledo is about an hour away from Madrid by bus, and we took a daytrip there our third day in Spain. (The second day in Spain, I was confined to bed with a sore throat all day and only dragged myself out to find a pharmacy.) Toledo was everything I’d imagined: narrow cobblestone streets, austere castles, ancient cathedrals and more. It was a headache to navigate, since it had been built hundreds of years ago before tourism was a big thing. But if you just wanted to relax and soak in the Spanish atmosphere, Toledo was the perfect spot. Faeth and I had a great time wandering the streets and looking at the different buildings. We also visited the old castle, which had been converted into a very interesting war museum. It was fun to imagine kings and queens living in that fortress, surrounded by their royal guard and attended by nobles and ladies-in-waiting.

Can you imagine living here with your royal attendants?

It goes to show you that it’s better to travel to places without preconceived ideas about what you’ll find. I was disappointed that Madrid wasn’t as ancient and romantic as I’d expected, but I hadn’t even thought of Toledo and it turned out to be really cool. Instead of building something up in your head, come with an open mind. That way, you won’t be disappointed, and the reality will be far more fun and attainable than something you dreamed up.