Finally the Spain I imagined

These last few days have been somewhat difficult for me, not because I'm homesick or having trouble adjusting but because I've come to the realization that I've been here about a month and I haven't had a "moment" yet. What I mean by a "moment" is that minute period (a nanosecond or so) where time stops and you realize the gravity of the moment/place/situation you find yourself in. It's almost like some type of euphoria, or a transcendental experience where your being is both in your body and outside your body at the same time. Your heart stops beating, you stop breathing, and suddenly its just you and the world -- its almost an indescribable feeling.



I remember the first time I had one of these moments in Chicago -- it was freshman year, and I was embarking on my first trip downtown by myself. As I came out of the Red Line train stop, I found myself on State and Washington. Macy's was to my left, I could see the Chicago Theatre sign. A few feet in front, the El train made a stop on its route around the Loop. I remember standing there, taking it all in: the cars whizzing by beside me, people walking around me, the homeless man with his cardboard sign, the smell of the city, the mannequins on display. I just realized, "Man this is it, this is Chicago. This is life, this is my life for now."

I remember having these moments in other cities as well. I recall going home to Denver and seeing the Rockies erupting from the earth in the distance; I remember walking down Bourbon St. in New Orleans and getting shivers as I heard jazz and Mardi Gras revelers having a great time. I even remember having a "moment" in San Antonio my last night there as I looked out to the city lights from the top of the Tower of the Americas with some new friends.



It's not to say that I'm miserable in Madrid; I'm not. I'm starting to meet more people besides my two Northwestern friends, I'm starting to familiarize myself with the city streets and the Metro system, and I'm definitely feeling very much a part of my school. But its not what I expected -- not by any stretch of the imagination -- and I sort of feel cheated. Where is the culture shock? Where is the life-changing experience? Sure smoking hookah at a park at midnight with an Australian chick isn't something I'd be doing back home, but I'm not sure that its going to be something I cherish for the rest of my life (although it was quite fun). Then again, perhaps I'm just seeing the world presently with a narrow vision and I'll be singing a different tune in 12 months.



In any case, what I intended to write about (instead of whining) was my trip to Toledo today. Erin (the Australian chick) and I took a bus about 50 minutes south of Madrid to Toledo, the religious capital of Spain. Within this tiny, ancient town, there are about half a dozen Catholic churches built in the 15th century, as well as 2 synagogues and a Mosque built in 1090-something.

Toledo is everything I expected Spain to be like; full of culture, history, and beauty at every corner. The streets of Toledo are cobblestone and narrow, some so narrow I could almost touch both sides of the streets when I extended my arms. The whole city is situated on a little hill in the valleys of the Castilla-La Mancha comunidad (like a US state). The city dates back to the 8th century, and it was used as the capital of Moorish Spain (or Iberia, as it was called then). Parts of a protective mural built in the Middle Ages still stands, complete with a gargantuan wood and iron door.



In spite of its ancient structure and history (anyone up for a tour of Medieval torture devices? Only 8 Euros!), downtown Toledo is full of modern stores, like Bershka and Springfield, that lie a block from the city's Cathedral. And speaking of Cathedrals, HOLY GOD was it magnificent. While I only saw the inside of the Cathedral from a fenced-in quarter (I refused to pay 7E to go to church), the intricate details, statues, stained glass and ironwork did not go unnoticed. The main altar is full of statues, masterfully crafted and very well preserved. On the outside, statues of popes and cardinals rest alongside saints and apostles. Above the main arch of the Cathedral, carved in marble and stone, is a copy of The Last Supper.

The detail and amount of work that went into creating the Cathedral is breathtaking. I wasn't able to visit the mosque and the synagogues this time, but I will most certainly be back to Toledo. I absolutely fell in love.




AND if the religious history wasn't enough, Nada Surf was totally playing a concert there tonight. If my rent wasn't due on Monday, I would have made Erin stay for the show and return to Madrid tomorrow. But alas...