El Escorial y Toledo Night Life

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Wow. 2 weeks have already gone by and it's already FEBRERO!!! Well this past weekend we took an excursion to El Escorial, a 16th Century monastary that was comissioned and home to King Felipe II. It was really cold, considering at the time it was built they didn't believe in heating...or it was yet to be invented. The "chapel" was incredible, the "retablo" or the pictures were amazing and it was cool to see a Greico painting in one of the back rooms that we just learned about in class. The residence of the King and his daughter were still in the same condition, and we saw the king's bed where he died. But that's not all...we went to the mortuary, very depressing, and morbid, but interesting, they have all the caskets of the kings and queens of Spain in a chapel and then in another they have more rooms of princes/princesses, even the tombs of babies. After our tour we had lunch in the town of El Escorial, which is beautiful, it's about 30 miles northwest of Madrid in the MOUNTAINS!!!
We decided to return to Toledo, which was fortunate because we had 2 great clubbing nights and got to explore the town's nightlife. On Saturday, I went to the Mercaderia "market" with mi familia and on Sunday, it snowed about 3 inches and everyone was going crazy because it never snows here. We had a big snowball fight with all the neighbors, even the moms were out throwing snow and my little brother made a mueneca de nieva (snowman, literally snow doll). Anyway, this week it's back to the grindstone, I really appreciate the three day weekends. And thanks to all who post comments...KEEP it UP! Getting photos online is a little difficult with our slow connection at the school, but I'll do my best! Adios for now!

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Photos

Me and Kristen
this is us in front of the chapel in El Escorial.

Me in the Library of El Escorial
Next to the giant globe.

Comments

[Dana]

Hey! I hope you enjoyed the snow there. I'm off to summer this Sunday! Talk to you later!

[Heather]

Snow
I love that you received snow! We haven't had any snow since we got back, I have been walking around in a sweatshirt. I want to make a snow doll. :-) Anyways, have a great day!