The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page. –Saint AugustineAfter a semester of coursework exploring “Convivencia: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain”, we were excited to depart for Spain and experience the country and its rich history firsthand. Fortunately our flights were on time, and despite a bit of jet lag, we have been enjoying our first day in Madrid. We arrived early this morning and enjoyed a walking tour of “Old Madrid”. Some of the highlights we saw include: El Oso y el Madroño (one of the symbols of Madrid which depicts a bear eating from a strawberry tree); Kilómetro 0 (the absolute center of the country); the Plaza Mayor; el Mercado San Miguel; and the Palacio Real (Royal Palace). Following the walk, we sampled Valencian paella, tortilla española, and three traditional desserts, including buñuelos valencianos, for our first meal in Spain. We spent the afternoon relaxing in El Retiro Park, visiting the “tropical” gardens in Atocha train station, and shopping at El Corte Inglés. We have many more adventures to experience over the next couple of weeks, and we look forward to continuing our journey and connecting with each other and people around the world.
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