Spring in Madrid

Hello all! It is woeful how long it has been since I last wrote a post but in my defense it has been a very busy and eventful 6 weeks. I was in England for two weeks over easter, just relaxing not doing much in the way of interesting things which was just what I needed! Since I got back to Madrid however it's been all go. First of all my friends Hannah and Dan visited and then straight after I had my father and step mum to visit. We had beautiful warm weather the week they were here and so we took a couple of trips out of Madrid. One into the Guadarrama mountains to El Escorial Monastery - arguably one of Spain's most magnificent buildings and with breathtaking vistas across the surrounding valleys and the skyscrapers of Madrid in the distance. We also went to Toledo, Spain's old capital and a stunning town for a day out. It was lovely having them but when they left I was very tired so I said to myself I would have a quiet week. How silly I am, it was busier than the previous two! but fun busy, catching up with friends, playing darts, drinking beer and ooh, I booked a trip to Morocco! going at the end of May to Marrakesh to spend 3 days lost in the Medina.
We went to The Valley of the Fallen when my family were visiting. It is Franco's monument to the Civil War victims and in typical fascist style it was grandiose, over-bearing and rather nauseating. The interior was impressive (a huge chapel carved into a rock face in a mountain just outside Madrid) but it was also very creepy - something austere and wrong about the place. It had an element of the Da Vinci code to it with its dark shadows, large arches and religious symbolism. An interesting piece of Spanish history, particularly as it is so recent. I don't think the communist /republican fighters would have wanted to buried there though...
Apart from that, I am back at university and quite enjoying my courses. This term is more laid-back and now the weather's warming up there's a lot more outdoor socializing going on. I leave Spain in 12 weeks and I find myself wondering where on earth the last 32 weeks have gone! What did I do for 32 weekends? (I suppose a few of them were holidays and going away to different parts of Spain) but it does make me wonder...I was quite nervous about this year and it seemed like it would be an eternity but as with all other good things, it has passed by in the blink of an eye and I will fairly soon to be thinking about going home, a summer of seeing friends and then the dreaded final year. (I think the final year will be fine. I have decided optimism is always definitely the way forward)
I will leave it there for now but I promise I'll write more soon. I won't leave it so long next time.

M