Chapter 21: Nuévalos, Cascadas, and Monasterio de Piedra

UPDATE!

Today, we traveled 3 hours Northeast to Nuévalos, ES. Since our theme this semester is agua (water), Professora Willem decided to take us to the famous cascadas (waterfalls).

We arrived at 11:30, perhaps my favorite time of the day here. It's still cooler from the morning, but the sun is high in the sky, so the lighting is great, throughout the country!

We hiked around the national park for 2 hours, oogling at the countless waterfalls. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I, once again, had another spell of euphoria. I realize I get them often here. Ecstasy, to say the least. Please check out the pix on Facebook. You'll understand as soon as you see them!

There were mountains, caves, stalagmites and stalactites, lakes and ponds, fish, cats, & ducks, huge colorful trees, rainbows, slugs, chestnuts, and of course waterfalls! I was glad to get out of the desert and into the forest of Spain. I finally felt like it was Fall. I heard the leaves don't change in Madrid. They just curl up and die. It's terrible.

P.s. Please post/send pictures of home and the autumnal splendor. Oh how I miss the colors of Fall!

After we hiked and after our butts received a fabb workout, we took an hour lunch under the sombra (shade) of the trees. Hmmm, 4 bocadillos, 2 apples, 1 peach. Hahah, don't worry. I didn't eat all of it. How could I? I saved some for merienda (snack). Thank God I bought whole wheat bread (pan integral) earlier this week. Sandwiches are so much better that way.

Then, we got a quick tour of the Monasterio de Piedra (Monastery on the Rock). It's a monastery built from the mountains. It's beautiful! It was the first place in Spain to make chocolate. The monjes (monks) sure were busy with their sweets. It was also a Museo de Vino (wine museum) which I found most interesting. Thankfully, it was a short tour. That way, I had time to buy 4 little sticks of the famous chocolate to share with my family when they come in November. This is going to be the biggest test of my sweet tooth's self control!!

So now I'm home, about to start on homework. Oh boy, I have so much! This semester is definitely not as blow-off-able as I had predicted. Wish me luck! (Buena suerte!)

Tomorrow, we go to Aranjuez. Look it up to see what you're missing!

This is Clara, signing off. Over and out. Paz and love.