Our trip to Barcelona commenced on a sunny Wednesday morning. We boarded the bus, which shuttles travelers and commuters between Segovia and Madrid. Once we arrived in Madrid, the crowded and confusing metro brought us to the train station. The journey to Barcelona was easy, although we were all slightly anxious about what lay ahead.
Our first trip to Madrid was a success! An eventful day of history lessons, fútbol games, bus rides, and lots of laughs. The day began mid-morning when the group met at the bus station where we were greeted by Ryan and Laura. We discussed the itinerary and the game plan for our excursion. We had an action-packed day ahead of us. The whole group was so excited we could barely sit still for the hour-long bus ride from Segovia to Madrid. When we arrived we were instantly introduced to the long confusing metro system. Julia ‘21 and Ollie ‘21 were in charge of navigating our paths to get to the center of town. Through the process of elimination, we successfully arrived!
Last week, the Proctor en Segovia group walked part of the Camino de Santiago, a little under forty miles to be exact. The Camino de Santiago is a path that starts in France and ends on the coast of Galicia. The journey across Spain is walked for many reasons. Some people do it as a physical challenge and/or to take time to reflect on an aspect of their lives, but, traditionally, the Camino de Santiago is walked as a religious pilgrimage.
As week one in Segovia comes to a close there is so much to look back on already. It still feels like we just got off the plane from Boston, not sure as to what time it was or even where we all were. The first few hours after our arrival seemed like a blur. The group had been up for almost 16 hours straight and then immediately thrown into a new culture.
There is a place about halfway up the Calle Real where a stone wall overlooks the city and the wind is ripe with nostalgia. The cute Segovian homes are scattered in all directions, weaving an incredible maze of streets and alleyways and tile roofs. To the right, the sea of buildings suddenly turns to a field of emerald green grass. And to the left, there is a scarlet mountain range topped with snow.
I could not have come close to anticipating the level of beauty we encountered this weekend. After spending two days exploring the city of Barcelona, we left for our lovely rental house nestled away in the Catalonian countryside. Although I was reluctant to leave Barcelona behind, this new location would prove to be one of the most incredible places I’ve ever visited.
I had been in Segovia for two and a half weeks. Although Segovia is unique with its own culture and people, I was so excited to explore a new city, like Sevilla and Cadiz. Sevilla and Cadiz are located in the southern area of Spain with gorgeous sunny weather and about 60-70 degrees each day. Cadíz, is in the southwestern portion of the Andalucía region, not far from where the Atlantic and Mediterranean meet in the Strait of Gibraltar.
For me, these first weeks have been all about exploring the city. Coming from NY and NJ it's interesting to live somewhere that doesn't reek of cigarettes and have trash particles imprinted in the streets. Not to say that NY isn't awesome, but Segovia definitely has its advantages. For starters, it seems that the city is very clean.
