Last Days in Madrid!

After ALL day one the bus, we are finally in Barcelona. We have only unpacked and eaten dinner so I will fill you all in on details of Barcelona - for now, I want to finish up Madrid!

We started out Wednesday (3/7) very early. We boarded a bus and began our hour long trek to the town of Avila. From the bus we walked around and explored the medieval town. We took about an hour to wander our, taste test the cafe con leche and take in the city. Most of us paid 2 euro to climb the stairs to stand on top of the walls of the city. Quite the feat for those of us scared of heights! We boarded the bus and then continued on to Segovia.

Our day seemed to be plagued by bad weather - if it wasn't wind it was rain! In Segovia - it was rain. So we trekked through the town - damp, cold and surprisingly happy. It's amazing what a beautiful town can do for the spirits! Some of us treated ourselves to Hot chocolate while others indulged their shopping habits before meeting up for lunch. After lunch we continued on to see the Royal Alcazar. It was here that we were amazed to see a real castle - drawbridge and moat included! Alcazar was an amazing experience filled with history, art, and yes...even a dungeon.

After this we walked to the Church San Andres where we sang a sacred concert. (Many of the churches have requested that we sing only sacred music). This church, however, demanded an encore and allowed us to sing some secular music! It was quite the treat for all of us.

We spent most of yesterday (3/8) at the S.E.K. College Cuidalcampo. This is a private day school. We started the morning with a rehearsal with their choir - it was here that we combined forces to sing Edelweiss and Somagawnza. This was a great experience for all involved. In addition to making music together, we got to practice our spanish and they got to practice their english. After rehearsal it was out to the basketball courts for a little game - no score was kept and the teams were mixed so it ended up being a fun little release of energy. It was then off to lunch where we continued to get ot know each other.

After lunch we sang a joint concert with the S.E.K choir. This was quite a success - loads of fun, lots of good music and tons of good spirits! Following the concert, the students of S.E.K treated us to a mini dance recital! We saw some classical ballet and some flamenco! I cannot tell you how many St. Mark's students came up to me afterward begging me to take them dancing that evening. It made quite the impression and I know that many of our students are hoping they will be able to find somewhere in Southborough to take lessons!

We spent our last evening in Madrid exploring the city some more. Some of us went to the Prado (AGAIN!) others visited the various sites and museums. Ten of our students even met up with some of the students from S.E.K to enjoy tapas and revelry. It was a great end to a wonderful city.

Here's to hoping Barcelona will be even better!