Wednesday...A Restful Day

Day 4 was a wonderful day of rest, which would be followed by a transformative night of sleep well into the next morning...Sorry to get ahead.

Class was good today.  More of the same things as the first day of class.  We got to know our fellow classmates a little better. In the two classes of Lengua Español we discussed future tense and then in in our Culture/Conversation we worked on the past tense.  After class Amanda and I headed home but decided to take some of our extra 1:30 to explore the grounds of the royal palace which is right down the street from the Opera (add accent over the o) which is the Plaza de Isabella II.  We also got some ice cream... I had lemon.

(A peak at the royal palace)

 

(And here we are at the Plaza de Oriente)

 



 

(This the statue of Phillip IV or Felipe IV which marks the center of the Plaza.)

(Statues of past kings and queens just like these line both sides of the plaza with benches in between)

 

(Monument just to the side of the plaza.  These children were playing some kind of tag or keep away game on the steps while the little dog looked on and barked for either attention or out of concern)

(I think this is quite the magnificent view but sadly the fountain is under construction.  I am hoping that by the end of the two months it will be fixed and I can get an even better pic.)

(People play soccer in any space they can fit.  This particular open space was just next to the Plaza... in a small park which had a big playground and lots of benches.)

(Palacio Real)

 



This is a little plaza through which Amanda and I walk every single day to get to our Metro station. In the early mornings hundreds of little birds fly above while sunlight hits that beautiful building in the back.  Those umbrellas are for a small restaurant called Toma Jamón which is very popular at night.  As we walked back from the palace grounds an accordion player was entertaining those passing with a quiet, lyrical song...I could not get the video to upload so will have to show you later. 

     We had lunch with Patricia: lental soup, really good hotdogs, and chips and for dessert Flan.  I took a shower, Amanda and Alice took naps... I eventually took a small siesta myself.

      We were late again getting over to Maria Carmen's, this time it was because Amanda and I were slow to wake up. It all turned out well in the end however and many good things were learned while on this excursion.  We went back and finalized our plans with the very quiet Carlos in the travel agency. Final: Leave for Sevilla after school on Thurs. the 18th to arrive later in the evening then we will stay until late on Saturday night when we will return home having Sun. free in Madrid.  It was the option that everyone felt the most financially comfortable with.  I learned from Maria Carmen while we were walking there that I placed firmly in a 300 level equivalent here at Nebrija, one above a credit I needed  (I was going to receive Marshall credit from this program for Spanish 204, 305, 323, and another elective). Having placed higher than expected means that if I pass my classes I can come home with 15 hrs instead of 12!  As you can imagine I was simultaneously shocked and thrilled.

      Once we returned home that was just about it for the day. I did a little homework, talked with the family, worked on this, etc.  At around 12 I went to bed and slept quite well.

 

Emily

(I am sorry about how behind I am... I should be able to get caught up this weekend)