I went to Madrid this past weekend to visit Melissa.  It was so much fun, and seeing her was exactly what I needed.  I didn’t realize exactly how much I miss my friends from home until I gave that girl a hug.  We went to El Prado, which I think was the highlight of the trip for me.  I had seen all these incredible pieces of artwork on power point slides in high school and college.  I always thought Las Meninas was amazing, but being able to see it up close felt so incredible.  It didn’t seem real, it was like entering a world I never had access to before.  I know that sounds really lame, but it honestly gave me the chills.

Madrid was also my first experience traveling totally on my own.  I felt very independent and strong for doing it, and it was pretty easy!  I took a bus there.  It was seven hours, which sounds awful, but the view of the mountains was so beautiful (I believe it was the sistema iberica mountains).  Staying in a hostel in a private room wasn’t scary at all!  Even though it rained the entire time, everything was beautiful.  I ran in Retiro Park, which is incredible and free.  Those pictures are from the internet to give you an idea of what it looks like when it’s sunny out.  Melissa also took me to this place called the cave bar, which is basically what it sounds like, and we shared a huge drink among seven people.  Each person had their own straw, it was a really cozy and fun atmosphere.

On Sunday I had to leave, and I knew I had a long bus ride ahead of me.  As I looked out the window, after a couple hours on the road, I noticed these trees that looked like mini weeping cherry trees.  I immediately thought of my Grandma, and at first I wasn’t exactly sure why.  But then I remembered when I was younger, my brother Jake collected the shells of some Sacaida bugs that he found under the weeping cherry tree in our yard, put them in a bowl and brought them to the kitchen where my Grandma was.  She was probably expecting the bowl that he was holding so innocently in the kitchen, to have some kind of food in it, like popcorn.  I don’t remember her reaction completely, but I know she was very startled.  Looking back on it, it’s pretty funny.  I’m finding that wherever I go, there’s always some little thing that reminds me of her and gives me comfort.  Not only comfort, but also strength.