So we last left our hero in Madrid heading out for the San Isidro festival and hopefully a good time. It wasnt quite up to La Merce standards but it was still fun as a group of us went to the gardens in front of the royal palace where the city had set up a huge dance floor and a stage where a full band from the big band era played all the classic spanish/ latin styles of music. Now as many of you may know I'm not exactly the best dancer or the most enthusiastic dancer but we still stayed out dancing and in spite of myself I had a great time.
Sunday was our explore Madrid-on-our-own-as-we-prepare-to-leave-monday day and we decided to head to el parque del retiro where we ended up spending a good 3 hours just sitting and talking and drinking wine enjoying the view and the grogeous weather. The constant movement and lack of sleep had finally caught up to me and I ended up taking a nap. My friends thought i looked like a bear just taking a big ole bear nap and now there are pictures of me sprawled out over the interwebs somewhere.
Since our flight was during the evening on Monday we decided to check out the Reina Sofia museum of modern art. As some of you may know as well I am not an art guy, prefering music but I must admit that i enjoyed it. This was my second time in the museum and I guess I brought in an older and more mature mindset. This doesnt mean I enjoyed all of it mind you. I mean I understand it on an intellectual level. I understand the need to express oneself in an era where photography, the industrial revolution and industrialized war is changing the way we as humans see the world and ultimately ourselves. I just don't particulary care for it. I did however like a painting by Juan Gris, who was a cubist, and Ill post it at a later time. Maybe I enjoyed it more because I decided to buy the little narrating headphones, so thanks to my friend Jenny for that idea.
Ryanair are still a bunch of bastards but they managed to get me and my group to our destination in one piece so that's all I'll say about that.
So Germany. I must say that my first impressions of Essen were tainted by the fact that the weather was grey and dark and just plain gloomy all of tuesday.Today was a better day however and it looked a lot better in sunlight. We also toured a old coal mine that had been converted into a museum and maybe its the history geek in me but I really liked seeing the industrial capacity( or atleast the remenants) that made this region of Germany an industrial powerhouse both in the past and the present. Essen was also basically the town of the Krupp family industrial empire. The museum had neat projectors that showed how the coal went through from factory to coke and I wish more museums were that informative and interactive for the lack of a better word. It helped that our tourguy had the weirdest laugh and would crack some pretty terrible jokes.
I have to say that personally the best part of both the European trips I've taken has been being able to see the history.As a history major it is very satisfying being able to actually feel and live and experience everything I have read and learned over the years. I have been spouting history left and right and hopefully my group doesnt think Im trying to show off or am annoying. I'm just trying to share my knowledge as I feel that by knowing the historical context of a place one can better appreciate the present.
Honestly I cannot wait to plan for my next trip here which will hopefully take me to Italy and Greece where I can really live my passion of both the Ancient Greek and Roman history. I find it curious that when I look at a map of Italy I can tell you where cities are but only by their latin names.
So unless something really exciting happens the next blog post will be from Prague and the Czech Republic.
Adeu,
Alan
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