Day 3: Sculptures

I’ve been waiting most of my life to come to Europe. Spain has been calling to me since I was only 16. I’ve had so many plans fall through on my way to this continent, but now I’m here. It’s been an incredible 3 days.

We saw the palace in Madrid today. It was stunning!

Every time I tell anyone that this is my first trip to Europe, I get the same reaction: surprise. After all, I’ve seen the Taj Mahal in India, wild Sumatran orangutans, and I even got married in Cuba. I’ve seen a whole lot of things since I began travelling at the age of 19. But Europe is so different from all that…

Just one of the incredibly detailed sculptures we saw today

In South East Asia, you find pagodas, beaches, street food and Tuk tuks. In Europe, we’ve encountered cathedrals, palace squares, tapas bars and double decker tour buses. Both have their charm and value and I can’t say I’ve enjoyed one over the other, but this is all to say that it’s all so surprisingly different.

The bus was quite different from our usual Tuk Tuk experiences. All wheels stayed on the ground on this bus at all times. It was a bit boring to be honest…. ?

That’s what fascinates me about humanity. We have come so far in the last thousand years. In Europe, aquaducts (plumbing), democracy and the printing press were invented. Eastern countries brought the world inventions like gun powder, paper currency and the compass. Each area of the world has brought “something to the table”, and we’ve all become stronger as a result of these inventions and of course, we’ve built upon them as well.

I’m not sure where shopping streets were invented but I’ve seen them everywhere I’ve ever gone. This one was particularly beautiful!

How is this all connected to a sculptures, you might be asking yourself? We’ll, I’ve seen what Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam have brought to the world, but as we sat in a massive and beautiful Cathedral today, I considered the ways Christianity helped to form the world (religions also affect human progress, after all… Not just countries!). I think one of the most important things Catholicism, specifically, has encouraged in the world, is art.

This was sculpted into the doors of the Cathedral. It’s only one small part of a much larger piece.

In Europe, we are surrounded by sculptures, paintings and frescos. They are an incredible feat of human ability. Take a look at just a few examples, if you need convincing.

And of course, every once in a while, you get tricked and think you’re seeing a statue, but you’re really seeing a street performer!

Tomorrow we begin our road trip to Segovia, Avila and Toledo! Can’t wait!!