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Published: July 30th 2008
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Back of the palace
Technically, the back of the palace, but it faces the big long driveway. So it's the front, but the 'front' faces the garden. Oh my gosh…this was my last full weekend here in Spain!!! It just hit me. Time certainly is flying. I’ll be home this Saturday night! Well…pray for my flight for me. And tell all those grandparents around you that are religious to pray for me too. I’ll need all the help I can get (again)!
This past week went by sssooo slooow. I think it must have been because I know that the clock is ticking, and I’m leaving soon, and that’s all I can think about! Before I go to bed, I think about packing and saying goodbye. When I wake up and walk to school, I think about actually leaving this place. Everyday now I can’t help but thinking about this coming Saturday!
Our professors aren’t letting up though, unfortunately. We’re not even close to finishing the syllabi for either class, so they’re both piling on the homework. And not that thinking about the flight and packing isn’t enough, I have to study for my finals too. You’re not supposed to be studying when you’re having fun in a foreign country! There are so many things I still want to do, and studying is not on that
Back of the palace
Technically, the front of the palace. This is the side of the 27 rooms facing the gardens. I'm standing on fountain #1. list.
On Friday, we had our fourth excursion to La Granja. This is the summer palace for the kings and queens, built in the 17th century. By the way, La Granja is in Segovia. This place is more famous than I thought! They call it the “Little Palace of Versailles” because it looks just like it, but on a smaller scale. It is unbelievably beautiful. And this is the ONLY palace in the world to face not the street or entrance, but the gardens. La Granja is famous for its huge, beautiful gardens. It’s odd that this is the only palace in the WORLD to face such beautiful gardens! While we were there, it happened to be the day of San Lorenzo, the patron saint of Spain, so that was a big deal. In the gardens, there are 8 numbered huge fountains among many, many smaller ones. For the 8 large fountains, they only function a few times a year, and Friday was one of those days!
There was a ton of people gathered around the fountains to watch the water flow. It started at fountain 1, oooh…aaah, everyone moves to fountain 2, oooh…aaah, fountain 3, etc. It
Chandelier
Giant chandelier in the palace. If you look through the doorways, you can see all the rooms. They're all in a line of 27 rooms. was amazing to see the fountains flow. The fountains were also made in the 17th century when this palace was built, so the craftsman ship was amazing: all out of marble and bronze. The water show was great too. There was a pretty show for each fountain, and towards 6, 7, and 8, they cranked the water pressure and soaked everyone. It was such a thing to see! We met some American women at the fountain show, and one was from Michigan, from Clarkston! That’s about 20 minutes away from Romeo. I was shocked! They were over in Spain doing missions work. It’s always nice to see Americans over here. We met some people at La Granja from London, too.
After the fountain show was over, we got on the bus to take a short ride home at 7:30pm. Ate dinner outside with my host mom and went out for ice cream. I love the ice cream here!!!
Saturday morning, I met up with my friend Whitney to bum around town shopping…which was not a good idea for a Saturday morning. Town was packed with tourists. It was horrible. I guess we just know what we want to
Sara garden
Me at the gardens in La Granja. do, where we want to go, and tourist just get in the way! Glad I’m not one! Every weekend is incredibly busy in town. After lunch is not so bad, but before is horrible. We picked up a few things and headed back home for lunch.
After lunch, we met up with a few more of our friends and went to the park below the castle. We got some junk food from the grocery store to bring with us too. What a view! It was an amazing day outside. We took a huge beach blanket that my host mom just bought in Madrid and I brought my cards. We were there for about 5 hours. While we were there, we saw 5 brides come to take some of their wedding pictures with the castle as the background. I guess Europeans do it differently, because only 2 of the brides looked happy. The other 3 looked bored. Anyway, it was so nice to relax away from all the people and restaurants. I got home around 10 and called it a night. No ice cream for Saturday night ☹.
Sunday was another excursion. We went to Madrid to go to
Girls waterfall
Whitney, Nicole and I found a small waterfall in the gardens...which turned into a little forest. 2 museums: Reina Sofia and Prado. Reina Sofia was a modern art musems, and Prado was like the Louvre. I didn't like Reina Sofia much. Who actually likes modern art? I guess you have to be a special person to like that. Salvadore Dali (the artist that painted the melting clock) was there. He had a lot of good art. But that was it. Prado was great. There was a lot of famous art there: Las Meninas, 3 de Mayo and more. I can't remember off the top of my head. I have the map that has all the important pictures on it. Overall, it was a good excursion. I liked it a lot.
Monday and Tuesday I had class as normal, and today I had a final in my grammar class. It was easy, no problem. Tomorrow I have my Spanish civilization final. Then I have Friday to do whatever, and I come home the next day, Saturday! So I guess this could be my last update if I don't come back to school to use the internet Friday. Wish me luck on my flight home...I'll see everyone really soon!!!!!
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Dad
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Outstanding
Exceellent Pictures and story Peanutty. We miss you so much.... but now - you'll miss your other family. What a great experience for a special girl!! x0x0x0x0