Secret Gardens

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Happy Fourth! In Spain, el cuatro de julio doesn't mean anything, so I've virtually forgotten that America is celebrating its independence. Not that I'm really missing anything, because I'm not into fireworks, and barbecues, well, barbecues can happen anytime during the summer.
On to Madrid! Today, we went on a field trip to el Museo del Prado, which is supposedly one of the most famous (and did our guide say important?) museums in the world. I wish we'd stayed longer than an hour and a half-two hours, because a lot of the paintings were really interesting. I guess the point of the trip was to orient us with the most important, most well-known paintings (read: tourist attractions) in the museum, so we really only saw art by Velasquez and Goya. I remembered "Las Meninas" from Mr. Fornale's Intro to Art class in 9th grade, so that was pretty cool to see up close. I didn't look at it all that much, though, because our tour guide was talking (in Spanish), and in order to fully understand her, I needed to look at her, not at the painting itself. I also really liked Goya's paintings from later in his life, paintings that today mark him as one of the "pinturas negras," or "black" painters (black for his use of dark colors and themes, not because of his skin color, which isn't black anyway). They were, as I just suggested, quite dark: people's faces were distorted, once green gardens and forests were rendered in gray and brown, and the only bright colors used (if any) were blood-reds (for blood, of course). Really intense, but intriguing and complex. I'm planning on returning during a weekend so I can take more in, because some of these paintings beg for second and third viewings.
Yesterday, a classmate and I went to la Plaza de la Paja (which, I found out, means plaza of straw), and while it was a bit of a project to find, it was well worth the confusion. My favorite part of la plaza was this tiny garden, called el Jardín del Principe Anglona, all but hidden by a tall brick wall. From across the plaza, I could see an door in the wall, so I went to see what was inside. I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful garden. It was so green and cool (quite a contrast from the bright, dry heat of the plaza), and there were roses and vines twisting around a series of terraces. I can't really describe it; all I can say, really, is that I loved it so much that I kept saying, "I'm going to come back here every day!" If not every day, I hope I'm able to return once or twice more, because it really is a gorgeous (secret) garden.
I'm off to the Metro now, to do some exploring in la Puerta del Sol. We're going to Toledo on Friday, then Pamplona for the running of the bulls on Saturday-Sunday, so I'm sure I'll have a bunch to report in the coming days.
Hasta pronto!

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Comments

[Amanda]

you author, you...
The way you describe things is so..."author"-like...that the paintings "beg for second and third viewings," and that the garden was "all but hidden." It sounds incredible! Can't wait to hear about the running of the bulls. As I told you back in the States, please don't get gored by a bull. I would be very sad. Love, Amanda

[crappy Ted]

I hope you\
If you have a decent camera please take some pictures of things like the secret garden to share with those who follow your exploits from afar. Love always and actually missing you. the Great Crap

[Vinu]

whoa
woww i really want to go to Spain.. i like these blogs btw esp this one cuz its like im actually there.. or at least it made me realize that i want to be.