Madrid Day 2!

We began the day with an early start of 7:30 and promptly headed downstairs to breakfast, where we enjoyed a variety of cereals and toast. Following breakfast, we prepared our own sandwiches for lunch. Before long (and after applying plenty of suncream) we were on our way, walking through the heat towards the metro. It was very interesting to use the public transport in another country, as it gave us a peek of life in Madrid. We also got to read many Spanish signs, subconsciously familiarising us with the language. We arrived at Ventas, a station right next to the ‘Plaza del Toros’, or ‘Bull Ring’. It’s widely known that Bull fighting is a very cultural event in Spain, and it was very interesting to learn more about it, especially the debunking of the myth that life is cruel for the bull. We also ventured around the museum, guided by an excellent (and funny) tour guide. The whole experience was not only educational, but really fun! Furthermore, we went into the bull ring itself and experienced sitting on the stone seats, where we watched a great demonstration of how bull fighters use the iconic cape, which in our case was pink! Some of us even got to try using the cape (with various degrees of success), although there was unfortunately no bull. After this, we headed off to the Plaza Mayor (main square) in Madrid. It was bustling with life and culture, and we had the opportunity to use our Spanish speaking skills and interact with locals and tourists alike in a fun challenge. After this challenge, we got some free time to explore the area and shop! We stopped for a bit of lunch, before heading to a beautiful lake in the main park of Madrid, where we rowed in boats of four. It was great fun because it was a chance for us to relax a bit and the whole experience was overall really enjoyable. Following this, we stopped at the hotel for dinner, before dressing up smartly to visit the nearby shul. It was a beautiful thing to visit a shul in a different country and see how their culture differs (if at all) to ours. We were particularly honoured to be there at the same time as a visiting Israeli politician who addressed us directly in Hebrew (translated into English!), and then we davened Mincha and  Ma’ariv before taking a stroll to the palace as the sun set. The palace was incredibly beautiful, especially bathed in golden sunlight. It was grand, intricate and breathtaking and we reluctantly left as the sun slowly disappeared through the mountains. We were even treated to an impromptu violin concert by our very own Mr Shneider who borrowed a busker’s violin and impressed us all with his excellent rendition of Halleluya. The air was cooler and had a warm breeze when we walked back, and despite being tired, we managed to hold it together until we got back the hotel at around 11:00. Today was a lovely day packed full of activities, education and beautiful views.  

Olivia Margolis