School, Field Trips, and Brujeria!!!!!

It’s been an interesting week in Salamanca. School and my free time equaled out to an experience, and an adventure. I had two papers due, and plenty of time to do it, but since I had spent the weekend in Portugal my time was limited. Luckily I work better under pressure, and was able to finish my two papers on time. In my conversation class, we got a chance to watch a Spanish series called “Cuentame”, based on fictional characters that lived through Franco’s control. The show was a great series that I would recommend. It made me understand differences and similarities that their culture, and ours had. A difference was not having the freedom to speak freely of your government, and a similarity was birth control, it was a big no-no in the 60’s and wasn’t promoted as a method to protect yourself. Also, in the cultural class, we got a history lesson, which was the most I ever learned about their history. I found “Juana la Loca”, most interesting, and a bit romantic.
It was a weird feeling going to El Escorial, and Avila, knowing that Japan had an 8.9 earthquake; my heart goes out to all the people that were affected by this natural disaster. It was a dose of reality that I needed, to just shut up, stop complaining, and enjoy every day. The field trip was beautiful. I definitely will never forget the mausoleum with the kings, and queens, of Spain. It was absolutely stunning. I got the goose bumps when I saw the portrait of the king’s daughter, which names escape my mind, but her portrait was breathtaking. She looked exactly like a young lady I met in a vintage boutique store in Lisbon, I swear it was the same person, and I will never forget that face. The last stop was at the walls in Avila, which I couldn’t believe that I was walking along on this historical place. Walking through it was peaceful, and I am glad that the cold weather didn’t stop me from walking on top of the walls. My weekend came to an interesting end. I went to the Brujeria exhibit that they are having at the Palacio de Congreso, which was interesting, and there are no words to describe what I saw, but I’m glad I went to it.