Week 6 Istanbul and New Friends From Copenhagen

What’s up, brotein shakes. And hello, future travelers. This week I solo traveled istanbul. It was a goal of mine when I came abroad to travel by myself to one country. I think it’s important to do so as you learn a lot about yourself when you solo travel. When there is no one else that you know that you need to please or care about what they think, you are truly free to do the things you find enjoyment in and act the way you want to act without worry for consequence. And so, being super worried, I sent it anyway by myself to Istanbul. I think it’s important to remember when trying new things to keep an open mind. And if it does not work out, you can always go back to your normal life; nothing says you have to keep doing things that way or living that way. Nothing is permanent.

So I flew to Istanbul on a Thursday afternoon flight, and when I landed, I saw the most beautiful sunset from the airport on Thursday evening in the capital city, Ankara. The desert sunsets are just so orange and beautiful with so much color, and it just matches the vibe of like an Aladin arabian nights. I landed in Istanbul at about 2 am and had to take a taxi to my hostel. It cost me so much money, 50 euros to be exact. I wish I had known that beforehand and booked an earlier flight with that 50 euros I spent and taken public transport to my hostel. I would be careful in Istanbul; the taxis do try to take advantage of you. Settle on a price before you get in the taxi. I booked mine through the hostel, so when he tried to change the price on me, I was stern on what we confirmed and gave it to him and left. So be wary, but I personally thought that if possible, take the public transport. It was great! 

My hostel was pretty typical, as usual, people snoring and alarms going off, but you get what you pay for. I think I paid about 15 euros a night, and I stayed for Thursday night and Friday night. I pulled an all nighter saturday night into my Sunday morning flight at 6 am. When I woke up early morning, I went to the terrace to have the complimentary breakfast. There was honestly nothing really to eat. For reference, I stayed at the Big Apple hostel in Istanbul. But I did see 2 other guys up there in the morning, and introduced myself and made 2 new friends. They were Colin and Drew. I spent the rest of my weekend exploring Istanbul with them. It is crazy to think about the things we do just to save 1 to 15 euros. Would some people call it cheap, maybe, but the best memories I have are when I got myself in trouble trying to live the cheapest. 

Colin, Drew, and I explored all the major historical sites in Istanbul. I was surprised to see how expensive the ticket was compared to other places I have visited, including museums and the wonders of the world. It was 25 euros for a ticket to see the Hagia Sophia and another 25 euros for the museum attached to it. I believe the basilica was about 30 euros as well. The problem is that there is so much history because Istanbul used to be Constantinople. It has been through so many empires and periods of time with such a deep history. I find it ridiculous that they charge this much per site when there are 16 to see. I would have loved to see them all, but it would have been too expensive as a college student. The blue mosque is a working mosque that people actively pray in. Honestly, it is spectacular and beautiful. When I first saw the inside, my jaw dropped at how inspiring it would be for people of that culture to pray there every day. I will say, though, my jaw-droppingness faded as I saw more mosques throughout Istanbul. I saw the new mosque and other smaller mosques, and the architecture was just as impressive inside. Unsure if mosques are just beautiful or the ones in Istanbul are just beautiful, but the blue mosque no longer seems like one of a kind. But still an incredible sight overall. The Hagia Sophia was also incredible. It is perplexing to think about how it has been there for 1500 years and has been changed from a catholic building to a mosque. I also found it very interesting that, although it is a mosque now, they cover up the Jesus paintings on the ceilings that were made. The alterations to make it a mosque are incredibly interesting, and I am surprised that it is still intact. The Christian artwork on there is incredible and almost god-like, how the decay of the artwork is around the non-important parts, but the faces and the bible remain intact in the paintings. I am not christian but the coincidences are uncanny. Finally, the basilica was amazing. I wonder what it felt like for the explorer to find that by going down a well. The blue lights they put make it feel magical, and the medusa head at the base of one of the pillars is so unique. It is so interesting how they used to scare off people using rumors and architecture. 

Some more experiences I had there that are less heard about, but I think are incredibly essential to do in istanbul but also show my personality, are watching sunrise on the Atatürk Bridge, watching sunset on a ferry, getting a Turkish haircut in a Turkish barbershop, Turkish hammam, getting turkish ice cream, trying all of the turkish food, and sneaking up onto the rooftop of the grand bazar. 

To start, the sunrises and sunsets in Istanbul were incredible. I also believe I personally just love a water feature and sunsets so much, I am actually a sucker for them. So to see the sun rise and set over the Golden Horn, which is a part of the Bosporus straight with the blue mosque and Hagia Sophia in the background. This was just an incredible sight. I watched it from beginning to end. That would be my tip to reduce your screen time: just get out and watch the sunset every day. The ferry was also extremely cheap, and the wind in my face with that view was incredible. I believe it was a dollar 50 for the ride from the European side to the Asian side.

The Turkish haircut was also one of the coolest things I have ever seen, and also very affordable. I paid 20 U.S. dollars and got a head massage, a face mask, a shave, and an ear candle. I love countries outside of the U.S. because it is normal to get a scalp massage at a barber shop. I wish that could be brought to the USA because it is my favorite feeling. The ear candle was crazy, I did not know I had that much wax in my ear, and my ear felt so empty after and clear, it was amazing. Finally, I got a Turkish bath, which was also incredible. Felt very nice!

I also went to try all the Turkish food I could during my trip. I got Turkish ice cream, and the guy played the game with me, which was funny to see, where he pretended to give it to me and took it away a bunch of times in a bunch of different creative ways. It was fun to do, and I understand why it drums up so much business. People want an experience, and I, being a cheapo, even I paid for it. Some other Turkish food I tried, which was incredible, was the doner kebab, which was my favorite, and I got it so many times. Incredible. No notes. We also tried Kunefe, which was a stretchy cheese dessert that also tasted incredible, and crazy to see how they get the cheese to stretch that much. Craziest cheese pull I have done in my life. We also ate Kumpir, which was very interesting. They gutted a warm potato and filled it up with different vegetables, meats, and butter. It was pretty yummy and filling. Finally, I tried stuffed muscle on the street. Typically, I hate seafood, but I have to admit, the muscle was pretty good. Try it even if you do not enjoy seafood. 

Finally, I love bargaining. I spent some time in the grand bazzaar and I love getting the best deal possible. I do not like the feel of getting scammed or not getting the local price. I do not understand why I should pay more as a tourist for goods that I want there. I understand if it is government-related, like transit, and I, as a tourist, am overpopulating something for the locals. But vendors selling me at an unreasonably high price because they feel they can make more money off of me doesn’t feel right. Therefore, I love to bargain until I get a fair price. I understand the fact that everyone needs to make a dollar. I just enjoy being treated fairly and just. Also, I am a student and am broke. I bought a Turkish rug, which I regret buying. Don’t fall into the trap. Its not worth it! I bought a Zidan jersey, which I actually quite enjoy and will probably use, and so I did not mind that purchase. Finally, I almost bought a pashmina but realized I did not want it at the last minute. This was poor on my part; you should not bargain for something and then, when they give it to you at that price, say you do not want it. That is what I did by accident, and then the guy threatened to fight me, which was strange and slightly funny. These Turkish men like to get into pissing contests over nothing. Some of the vendors are incredibly sweet, though. We bought two watches from this man who invented an American name for himself, so it’s easier for tourists to remember his name and communicate with him. His American name was James Bond. This guy just had a sense of humor and enjoyed life. Even after buying watches from him when we saw him the following day, he still joked around with us and did not try to sell us more; he just enjoyed each other’s company. I read online that you could get on top of the Grand Bazaar, and for us, he went above and beyond. He spoke Turkish to other vendors and helped us ask around for an entrance. Then once he found it, he drew us a map so he would not get in trouble, and we were able to get to the top of the Grand Bazaar, which was an incredible view as well. So many cool movies were filmed up there. It was interesting to see what the top of such a giant bazaar looked like; it also really put into perspective how big this bazaar was, because when you are lost, you don’t realize the sheer size of it. When you step back and see the whole building and the roof’s it is under. It just truly shows how big it is. 

That was about all I have for my weekend in Istanbul. This week was longer because, honestly, the trip was so incredible. Would highly recommend Istanbul as a city to visit! So, to end it, I will tell you a fun fact about Istanbul that I enjoyed. The Turkish government takes the stray cats off the streets and gives them vaccines so that they can roam the streets. You can pet these cats and play with them; they are very friendly. The locals also take such good care of them. You can pet them and play with them, no problem, as they are accustomed to people. You can tell which cats you are allowed to play with and pet by their ear. If the left ear has a small clipping, it means that the government has vaccinated them. This is one of the coolest things about Istanbul, I think, as a city. So unique, I don’t know any other place that has this. To play with the cats was so much fun.

Thats all for now. Signing off, and I will see you next time!

Vivek Patel

Computer and Data Science Engineering

Comillas in Madrid

Week 9 Comfortable

This week was rather calm, compared to the last.

A good amount of time went toward studying for my second circuits exam.

One night, I had a friend over for a movie night and we watched The Alpinist, which my friends from back home recommended to me. The movie was great, but my favorite part was reading his blog afterward, blogs are such a cool way to see someone’s thoughts.

Lately, I’ve started the habit of getting to my Spanish class ten or fifteen minutes early, and it’s made a big difference in meeting a good chunk of the class. Even just knowing names can make the class more enjoyable and comfortable.

A nice surprise this week was getting invited twice to hang out at some people’s places at night. Hosting groups of people and being hosted are things that I miss from home. I’ve gained a newfound appreciation for living rooms.

At one point this week I was feeling tired and somewhat trapped. I decided to go for a run, and it was by far the best decision I could’ve made. I ran toward the mountains during sunset and found one of those “I know a spot” spots. It’s a small lawn next to a building’s parking lot, but it’s the best overlook I’ve found of Casa de Campo, the mountains, and the sunset. I also ran in El Retiro alone. Volta run club has stopped events for March, but the Wednesday run time slot remains strong in my schedule.

Spring break is coming up, and I really want to go backcountry camping. I looked into the Pyrenees on the border of Spain and France, but late March is probably too cold. So I started looking farther south and stumbled upon Madeira and Gran Canaria in the North Atlantic. I’m beginning to plan something there, along with visiting a friend in Ireland.

I enjoyed the sun and played guitar in the park twice this week. It’s a fantastic reset and slows me down. But I try to cram as much playing as possible into the window I have, which usually results in a rushed walk to class, the opposite feeling I’m looking for.

I had plans to climb with a friend, but because I had procrastinated making a Spanish bank account and my subscription was up, I couldn’t go. Missing that was a great motivation to finally figure out the bank details. Two hours later, right after my friend left, I finally got the subscription set up and went to climb. The relaxed walk there and back was maybe my favorite part of climbing.

One morning, I worked out at the park with a friend. Their workout style is much different than mine, and I find it interesting that we like to exercise for completely different reasons.

The automatic reaction to hearing someone has Friday classes is “that sucks.” But this week made me realize that my 3-4 Friday circuits class is a blessing in disguise. Going to class means going to a hub of people I can hang out with afterward. I bumped into a friend from my Spanish class heading to his Friday class and chased another friend down on the street to invite to El Retiro, which resulted in a fantastic evening. Also, I know that the more time you spend with someone, the closer you become. I have a friend that I have class with every day of the week, and I wonder if we wouldn’t be as close if I didn’t see them every Friday.

It had been a while since I made a meal with a friend, but that changed this week with both breakfast burritos and vodka pasta. Shout out to Din Dan for the recipe, thank you.

and shoutout Aiden for the shirt

It’s really crazy, I have just over a month left of school. But I’m not letting it prevent me from being open to making more friends or enjoying my days. Last month best month.

Chao,

Eli Fox

Mechanical Engineering

Comillas Pontifical Madrid

Week 8: The Halfway Point

First off, I finally recovered from the food poisoning from last week. That alone felt like a huge win. Being able to eat normally again without worrying about my stomach was a relief. The timing worked out well because my roommates and I had a family-style dinner with a friend from my hometown who was visiting. It was one of those meals where everyone sits around the table for a long time, passing food around and catching up. After the week before, it felt really good to just relax and enjoy a normal meal.

I also got some of my test scores back this week. They went about how I expected them to go. Nothing shocking, which honestly is the best outcome most of the time. It is reassuring to know that the work I am putting in here is translating the way I hoped it would.

This week was also a little more emotional than most. I found myself missing home a lot. Seeing what my friends are doing back at Michigan gave me a bit of FOMO. They are all still going to club meetings, hanging out together, and doing the normal routines of campus life. At the same time, I was missing my family more than usual, and especially my dog Bruno. It is funny how the little things you take for granted at home start to feel really important when you are far away.

Part of that probably comes from the fact that this week marks the halfway point of my study abroad experience. It is honestly hard to believe. Time has moved so fast. When I first arrived everything felt new and overwhelming, and now I feel like I have a routine and a sense of normal life here. Realizing that half the semester is already gone makes me want to slow things down, even though that is impossible.

This weekend I traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark and Berlin, Germany. Both were really cool experiences in completely different ways.

Copenhagen immediately stood out for how clean and organized everything felt. The city is known for being one of the happiest in the world, and I can see why. The food was great, the culture felt relaxed, and there were bikes everywhere. It felt like the entire city was built around biking. People of all ages were riding around, commuting, running errands, or just enjoying the day. It made the city feel active but also calm.

Berlin was interesting in a very different way. The city has so much history, and you can feel it when you walk around. There are reminders of the past everywhere, from historic sites to museums and memorials. It was fascinating to see how a city with such a complicated history has evolved into such a creative and vibrant place.

What I Wish I Knew at the Halfway Point

For anyone studying abroad who is reaching the halfway mark, here are a few things I wish I had known earlier.

First, feeling homesick is normal. Even if you are having an incredible time, there will be moments where you miss home, your friends, your family, or even just your routine. That does not mean the experience is not worth it. It just means you are human.

Second, the time goes faster than you think. In the beginning it can feel like you have so much time, but suddenly you look up and half the semester is gone. If there is something you want to do, plan it. Waiting for the “perfect time” can mean it never happens.

Third, not every week needs to be packed with big trips or huge experiences. Some of the best moments happen in normal everyday life. Cooking dinner, walking through the city, or sitting with friends can be just as memorable as traveling somewhere new.

Looking Ahead: The Bucket List Check-In

Now that I am halfway through my time here, I have been thinking about what I still want to accomplish before the semester ends.

There are still places I want to visit, new foods I want to try, and parts of Madrid I have not fully explored yet. I want to keep traveling when I can, but I also want to spend more time appreciating the city I am actually living in.

I also want to keep improving my Spanish and being more comfortable speaking it in everyday situations. Even small conversations feel like progress.

Most importantly, I want to stay present. It is easy to start thinking about going back home, finishing school, and everything that comes after this. But this experience is temporary, and I want to make the most of the time that is left.

Halfway down, and a lot more still to go.

-Mathew Gonazlez

Comillas Madrid

Week 11: Easter Break, Short Sleeves, and The Royal Palace

I’m back in Madrid after my Easter break travels! With a week off for Easter, I went around to some nearby countries and visited Brussels, Bruges, Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, and Verona. I definitely enjoyed my time going around, and it was really nice to see the similarities and differences between Madrid and all the cities. Just as a quick recap, here were my favorite things about each city.

Brussels: The waffles. Oh my gosh the waffles were so good I would go back just for that. They were so good, I didn’t take any pictures of them, so enjoy this Tin Tin mural instead.

Bruges: The brick architecture along with the beautiful canals. Seriously looked straight out of a painting.

Amsterdam: Houseboats and tulips!! It was so cool to see the different houseboats, and the flower fields we saw for the tulip festival were absolutely breathtaking.

Berlin: The city did a fantastic job with all their museums and memorials. I especially liked the East Side Gallery, which is a long section of the Berlin Wall that’s painted by different artists around the world. A lot of the artists painted their section when they were right out of school and just starting to become established artists, so the art is very unique there. I really think it’s been one of my favorite art exhibitions/galleries I’ve seen.

Copenhagen: The general Danish culture and Copenhill. Everyone and everything was so orderly here. Like the lines were perfect, no one pushed, and everyone was so respectful of public places. Also people really do leave their babies in strollers outside buildings! It was really interesting to observe the norms here and see how well put-together everyone was. Also, the architecture around the city was just gorgeous. Especially Copenhill, a building that’s a trash processing facility and only outputs water vapor. And, you can ski on top of it! I learned about this building from one of my favorite documentaries, Abstract: The Art of Design, and I highly recommend looking up the building!

Verona: The small, Italian city vibes were amazing. So easy to just sit and chill and people-watch. 

After going around all these places, I was definitely happy to be back in Madrid. The familiarity and the bustling people everywhere felt comforting to come back to. 

Coming back to Madrid, I finally went to see the Royal Palace. I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to see the palace that’s a literally five minute walk from my house, but I guess that sometimes happens when you live somewhere. I’ve seen quite a few palaces during my time here, but I was actually really impressed by this one! It was one of the prettiest palaces I’ve seen, with all the rooms curated and decorated really well. I think it’s even cooler that the palace actually gets used today, and I’m glad I went even if it did take me this long.

Some of my favorite things were this conversation couch where you can speak into the little microphones to talk to people around the couch, these gorgeous hand-painted plates, and the horse armor. I’d never seen such elaborate armor for horses before.

I also spent a lot of time this week walking around and soaking up the sun. I’m seriously going to miss the vibes of everyone out on the terrace and on the streets when it’s nice outside. Walking out and seeing everyone having a good time is just an immediate boost of happiness, and I really want to try to incorporate some of that into my life back in the US. While there might not be as much of a culture that lends easily to that, I think I can at least take some time to go to a park and read or grab a smoothie or something in the evenings.

While I was wandering around Madrid this weekend, I walked through Justicia, a neighborhood I had never really been to before. It felt pretty upscale compared to the city center, and I came across a small market with hand-made jewelry, clothes, prints and other artisanal things. Everything was so beautiful there and the craftsmanship was amazing. I also stumbled upon a dance exhibition with dresses from Spanish dance from the last 100 years. It was pretty cool to see the evolution of the dresses, and the building itself was so gorgeous. 

Hasta la próxima semana,

Isha Venkatesh

Mechanical Engineering

Comillas — Madrid, Spain

Week 10: Sun ☀️ & St. Patrick’s Day

This week, we finally got the much-missed sun I’ve been hoping for! To kick off the week, I went walking around Palacio Real and then to Retiro Park. I had been to Retiro twice before, but this time when I went, I discovered a whole new part of the park I had never seen before! That just goes to show how big the park really is. Retiro’s a really interesting park to go to because it’s simultaneously bustling with people while also being someplace you can go just to be by yourself. Around the main lake, there’s always people around, but the second you go deeper into the park, it’s quiet and still. I like that I can both people-watch and relax with just myself and some trees.

The part of Retiro I stumbled upon was a gorgeous garden with fountains and statues. At the entrance, there were some super cool trees pruned in a unique bubbly shape. There was also a guy playing some beautiful violin, and looking around, I could see parents playing with their children and people just relaxing on the benches. It was really nice to see and just be out to enjoy the sun.

Also, during my regular stop at the Crystal Palace in Retiro, I saw all these turtles just chilling on the grass. They were all so still I actually thought they were fake at first!

Walking back home from Retiro, I started craving some ice cream. Now back home, if I wanted ice cream, I would look up an ice cream place and walk to it, but here, I found myself just walking home and trusting that I’ll probably find an ice cream place on my way back. 

This made me realize that that’s one of my favorite things about living in Madrid. Just walking around, you’re bound to cross multiple bakeries, ice cream shops, or little restaurants or snack shops. And many of them are small, family owned places instead of chains. Thinking back, on my daily walk home from school, I often stop at different supermarkets for fruit or ingredients for dinner, sometimes also grabbing a little after school snack. I also always take different routes on my way home, exploring different streets and discovering new stores along the way. That’s how I found an Asian supermarket with the best dumplings, and a fruitería with cherimoya and some of the best mangoes I’ve ever had. It’s nice how integrated these things are within the rest of the city, and the variety of options scattered throughout. 

This weekend, I took another much anticipated trip to Dublin for St. Patrick’s day. Funnily enough, I had actually booked these tickets before even getting my tickets to Madrid to study abroad. Going to Dublin for St. Patrick’s day was definitely a bucket list item for me, and I’m so happy it worked out and I was able to take advantage of being in Spain in March to visit Dublin! 

Walking around the city, I quickly noticed how nice people were. In fact, it felt a lot like the midwestern nice, and it was comforting to be around that familiar feeling. The landscape was also very similar to the Midwest, and in some places, if it weren’t for the cars driving on the left side of the road, I would’ve thought I was back in Michigan. 

At first, it was funny to see the cars with the driver’s seat on the right side, because every time I would look into a car, it would look like it was driving itself with an empty seat on the left. I can imagine that’s not too far in the future…

Also, it was my first time since coming to Madrid that I was in an English-speaking country, which was pretty comforting as well. Conversation came easier, and I missed that extra level of friendliness and small talk.

For the St. Patrick’s Day parade, I was surprised to see all the hand-made costumes and floats, and how well done all the themes were!

Being in Dublin was a nice reset, and it also made me appreciate the culture and big city feel that Madrid has a little more. While I enjoyed my weekend here, I’m definitely glad I picked studying in Madrid to experience living in a place much different from back home, and I’ve definitely grown as a result. Overall, this trip was an amazing time, and next time, I want to explore the beautiful green countryside!

Cheers,

Isha Venkatesh

Mechanical Engineering

Comillas — Madrid, Spain

Week 9: When is it Going to be Spring Already???

No one told me it would be so rainy, windy, and cold in March. Like I was getting jealous of Ann Arbor weather. I seriously had to pull out my sweaters and puffer again.

But, there are two positives things about this rainy, windy, and cold week. First, look at how beautiful the buildings get. This is the plaza I live right off of.

Second, this weather is perfect, what I call, “Museum weather.” If you haven’t caught on already, one of my favorite things about living in Madrid is the huge variety of museums. But, I can never justify spending hours inside a museum if it’s sunny out, because then it’s perfect park weather. So, I had been saving the Reina Sofía for a weekend exactly like this, and I also took the opportunity to go visit the Museum of Illusions, Palacio de Cibeles, and the Chamberí Ghost Station this week.

Similar to the Robot Museum from last week, the Museum of Illusions was a small, lesser known museum. It’s actually in a few major cities around the world, and it was another good way to spend a couple hours after school. My favorite exhibit was a vortex tunnel where you had to walk on a bridge that was stationary while the screens lining the tunnel spun. Even though I knew that the bridge was stationary, it still made me feel like the bridge was spinning, and it was hard to walk straight. It was super cool!!

After we visited the museum, I tried a pastry filled with Lotus-flavored cream. I had never seen that flavor before back home, but I’ve been seeing it everywhere here, so I decided to try it and it was sooo good!! It was the flavor of the Delta Biscoff cookies, which I normally don’t love, but there was something about it being a cream that made it so much better. I really should’ve taken a picture of it…

Hosted by Comillas, I also went to Palacio de Cibeles this week to see an exhibition on a collection of old Madrid street signs and learn more about the building. I feel like when you think of Madrid, Palacio de Cibeles is one of the most iconic buildings that represent the city. The ornate outside and its grand size definitely makes it one of the most recognizable symbols of the city. It was super cool to learn that the building was originally built as a central post office for telegrams, and later letters. People could come from all over the city and deposit their mail into boxes for specific cities, allowing them to call someone over in the morning from Barcelona for dinner the same day! Now, it’s used as a City Hall. I love that the building has free entry for people to go inside and view rotating exhibitions or grab a bite to eat. I’m including a picture of Palacio de Cibeles on in the sun too, since the clouds really don’t do it justice.

Over the weekend, I went to explore Estación Chamberí, an old station in the Madrid metro station that has since been abandoned. Although the tour is free, tickets only release every month, and they sell out pretty quickly, so I had been waiting for this visit for a while. I didn’t know that the whole tour would be in Spanish, but I was surprised that I was able to understand about 95% of it. I guess my Spanish is getting better!

Walking into the station, everything was so well preserved that it felt like I time traveled back into the late 1900s. White tiles lined the walls, and tiled art and paper line routes and ticket fare charts were right at the entrance. Opened in 1919, I learned that the Madrid metro was modeled after the one in Paris. The station, however, closed in 1966 because the station was curved and sloped, so when they expanded the city and consequently the metro, from 4 cars in a train to 6, the bend radius was too large, and the last two cars snapped. So, it was then abandoned. It’s funny though because getting to the station was kind of a hike, and I couldn’t help but think how nice it would be to have a metro station in the area. The Chamberí station is also widely known as the “Ghost Station,” since people used to sleep in the station after it was abandoned. When line 1 goes past it, passengers would see people moving around and thought there were ghosts. 

The next day, I went to the Reina Sofía. This was the last museum I had to visit in the Golden Triangle of Art in Madrid (which consists of the Prado, Reina Sofía, and Thyssen-Bornemisza). I knew this museum was more contemporary and modern than the Prado, so I was excited for the visit. I was lucky to visit during a special exhibition about Picasso’s works during the year 1906, which was when he started developing his unique style. They also had pieces from other artists that showed where Picasso’s inspiration came from, which was really cool to see. Something I learned was that his works were heavily influenced by African art, which was seen as more primitive than European art at the time, and Picasso started introducing it as a part of European art. Obviously, a highlight was seeing the Guernica in real life, and I spent a while digesting everything going on in the painting. It was also cool to see the planning for the painting and how it changed from the first iteration to the final that’s now in the museum.

While the Reina Sofía was definitely more contemporary, it was almost a little too modern for my liking compared to other museums of contemporary and modern art. Having gone to all three museums now, I think the Thyssen-Bornemisza is my favorite since it has works from the 1300s all the way to the 2000s, with really amazing explanations of each era. So if I had to recommend one, it would be that one. But, I still enjoyed it a lot! Here are some of my favorite pieces from my visit by Dalí (first two) and Juan Gris.

And, on Wednesday after my second Fluids exam, I decided to walk home since it was the one slightly less cold and cloudy day we had. On my way home, I went to Templo de Debod again for the sunset, and it ended up being so beautiful! Here are some pictures of the gorgeous sky. This is seriously one of my favorite spots in Madrid, and I’ll definitely miss it when I leave. 

Overall, this week was definitely more relaxed (much needed), and it gave me a good chance to go out and explore things that were on my tourist list for my time here in Madrid.

Seriously hoping for some sun soon,

Isha Venkatesh

Mechanical Engineering

Comillas — Madrid, Spain