I´m a little behind

I´ve gotten a little behind in posting - our weekend and following week was so busy that I didn´t have time to post. However, I´ll try to catch you up a bit.

Our Saturday excursion was to Alcalá de Henares the locale of the University which ultimately became the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Cervantes attended here as well as Ignatius Loyola. We got a lenghty explanation of the ornately decorated facade and then our tour included a visit to the room where students took their comprehensive exams - and passed or failed. In the large room is a place where the student sits with two professors - one on his right to help him out and one on his left to try to trip him up. Above in the galleries are all his friends, cheering their encouragement during his ordeal. At the table on the floor sit the professors asking the questions - and they are challenging each other to come up with the most complex and detailed questions! If the student passes his exam successfully, he leaves through the "Puerta de la gloria", the door of glory, where he exits to the square, amid the peals of joy of all the bells of the city and the cheers of the townspeople who, upon hearing the bells know that the student has passed and they will now be treated to a 3 day fiesta of food and celebration. On the other hand, if the student fails his exams (as Ignatius Loyola did) he leaves through the door of fools where he is tied to a cart and hauled through the streets in disgrace where they pelt him with rotten fruits and spit upon him. Ultimately he is doused with excrement as the townspeople are disgusted that they will not be able to have a celebration. What an incentive to study!

We then went to see the house of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, author of Don Quijote de la Mancha, had some lunch, took a walking tour of the city and returned to the train station to be back in Madrid for the evenings festivities.

On Sunday morning, we met early for one last quick visit to the Rastro, and then to the Museo Taurino - the Bullfighting Museum to learn a little about bullfighting before attending it that evening. Six bulls are fought by three torreros. I explained a little about the history, pagentry and culture of this unique cultural phenomenon. While it is not something that I can say that I like, it is culturally significant and an important part of Spanish life and a spectacle that should be seen. Another busy weekend and two more late nights....

A little flamenco music.....

As our third week winds down, I was going to wait to post until Monday, but today´s activity is too funny to wait. They boys have a flamenco teacher today who came to teach them a few flamenco steps. Well.... there are no words to say how funny they are! Needless to say, American teenage boys are not exactly "light on their feet" on a good day... but watching them with their gigantic sneakers try to copy the petite little instructor with her tiny little steps is just TOO funnny!

They are ALL into it - every one of them has gotten up to dance - to give them all credit! When we go to see a flamenco show in Granada, they will have some idea of the intricacies of the dance, music and movements and a far greater appreciation of what is involved.

Strike continues.....

It is Thursday and the Metro strike continues. Tuesday and Wednesday were a complete shutdown of the subway system. Today there is approximately 50% service. Full service will be restored for the weekend (when no one is working!) and the 50% slowdown will resume Monday and continue indefinitely. We can live with the slowdown but I have to say that the total shutdown was a real nuisance! However, it has forced all of us to be more enterprising; learning to use buses, taxis (and how much they cost!) and walking everywhere!

The boys are thrilled with Spain´s success in the World Cup and despite the metro strike attended the Big Screen presentation of the game at Bernabeu stadium. They were under strict orders to head home early and all managed to get in at a reasonable hour with great stories of celebration in the streets!

Wednesday we visited the house of Joaquin Sorrolla the famous 20th century Spanish impressionist painter with ties to Connecticut! Sorrolla´s patron, Archer Huntington, lived in Redding with his wife, sculptress Anna Hyatt Huntington. Archer Huntington brought Sorrolla to New York and established the Hispanic Society of America, museum and cultural association which houses an impressive collection of Sorrolla´s work. Upon their deaths, their estate was donated to the town of Redding to be used as a park. The Hispanic Society of America is open to the public.

Summer heat continues with temperatures hovering around 38-40 degrees. Next Spain game is Saturday night (our time!)