Everyone said it, “before you know it, you’ll be done”, and I didn’t believe them. But, here I am, with but two months left wondering where the time has gone. Don’t get me wrong, I am looking forward to heading back to the States and continuing with “real” life, but I just can’t believe my days are numbered. It seems like just yesterday I was planning my trip to Spain, celebrating Thanksgiving at my apartment, cooking pizzas on Christmas morning, ringing in the New Year in Budapest, admiring the Lisbon coast, and eating pasta in Italy. While I feel like my time is short, I do have TWO months left, and I intend to make the most of them.
The other day I made a Madrid “Bucket List” which I’ll share with you all. In no particular order, here are some things that I will do before my time is up.
- Go to Cuenca
- Cuenca is a city in the south of Madrid famous for its hanging houses
- Go to El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen
- El Escorial is a palace and a city in the northwest of the Madrid community. The palace is supposedly beautiful, but I also want to go to see the Valley of the Fallen. The Valley is a monument made during the Spanish civil war that is still controversial.
- Go to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
- One of the famous art museums in Madrid
- Return to the Prado
- The most famous museum in Madrid
- Museum of America
- A lesser known museum but I want to see how the Spaniards look at the discovery of the New World
- See a bullfight
- While I don’t think I will enjoy it, given the history and the cultural impact bullfighting has had on Spain, I feel like it’s something I must do
- See the San Antonio de la Florida
- The San Antonio is a lesser known church that contains many works of Goya and it was recommended by NYTimes as something you must do
- Eat churros and chocolate at San Gines
- San Gines is a Madrid institution, especially popular at 5/6am when people start to return from a night out
- Visit the Royal Palace
- Something extremely tourist that I have not gotten around to.
I don’t have a bucket list for my time in Spain/Europe but one is forthcoming. Looking ahead I have a trip to Marrakech, Morocco May 18-20th which I am very much excited for. After that, I don’t have any trips planned but I can promise at least one more trip before I return home.
Speaking of returning home, my flight home is July 3rd; just in time for Independence Day.
Hasta Luego
