I am courageous, resilient, and unstoppable!

I think every little girl dreams of living in a palace and acts out elaborate tea parties with her little dolls and dishes. Well, the little girl in me is pleased to announce my trip to the Royal Palace in Madrid this week. As I'm a writer and not a photographic artist, I'll only share a few of my favorite photos for you here, as I'm sure there are MUCH better photos available. Throne of His Royal Majesty  Before we go into the royal palace though, come with me on a little tour around the city of Madrid. It's the capital of Spain, so of course there are lots and lots of things to see there. We first peered through the windows of this humongous library with rows and rows of books from floor to ceiling. We didn't go into the library, but I snapped a picture from the window. If only bookworms had teeth strong enough to chew through glass in order to get to the books inside! Library with Lighted Bookshelves We next paid a visit to the museum that houses Picasso's mo...

This week our class went on a field trip to the Catedrál de León here in León, Spain. I've been looking forward to this, and it did not disappoint! I've shared pictures of the outside of the building before, which is very impressive, but I was not prepared for the beautiful stained-glass windows inside the building. I took pictures, but honestly, you really need to see this in person to understand the real impact it has on you when the sun shines through the glass and creates an array of such exquisite brilliance that you can't even comprehend. It's like it passes through your physical eyes and reflects off your very soul. Needless to say, it was very, very beautiful.  This was my favorite stained-glass window in the building. I was also fascinated by the early "microphone" they had mounted above each pulpit. This wasn't electronic, of course, but it worked by creating an echo that could reverberate throughout the hall so the sound would carry farther. It ...

I was sick all week last week, so I wasn't able to go to school. I get pretty lonely when that happens, but I was able to finish up a handwork project I was working on. In the meantime, I wasn't planning to go on the field trip with my class this weekend, but I woke up feeling better on Saturday morning, so I decided to join them. We went to Cueva de Valporquero, a cave full of stalactites and stalagmites. It was beautiful! I've never been in a cave before, so I was really impressed. It was immense, profound, and had numerous corridors throughout. Water runs through the cave, so the formations will continue to change over the years.  Cueva de Valporquero One of the Many Staircases Throughout the Cave There were stairs all over the place, but my classmates were determined to let me see as much of the cave as possible. It was a view worth seeing, for sure. I was in awe. The cave had been lit with spotlights everywhere, so you could enjoy it without headlamps or anything, but ...

We went on a field trip to Galicia and visited the "End of the World" where it was once believed there was nothing left besides ocean. What a magnificently beautiful place! With a view like that, I'm honestly not sure why they felt the need to find out it wasn't all there was in the world. Anyway, I'm excited to share my experience and pictures of this wonderful trip with you all. Hercules Tower and Finisterre in Galicia, Spain We first went to Santiago de Compostela which is believed to be the burial place of the apostle Paul, known as Santiago in Spain. There is a huge cathedral built to him there, and this is where most pilgrimages on the Camino de Santiago end. It was rainy and cold the day we were there, and I have to admit that I prefer the Catedral de León, but it was still an amazing experience to be there. There were "pelegrinos" (people who walk the camino) all around the cathedral, and the atmosphere was one of excitement and praise which I fo...

The beautiful Basque Country in Spain is in the northeastern part of the country and is best known for its delicious food. You basically can't buy anything nasty there, and while my digestive system didn't love all the variety I introduced over the two days we were there, I still tried some of the local tapas and enjoyed every bite.  Basque Country Tapas Smoked Salmon Tapa in Bilbao We went on a field trip to the Basque country and made some stops in some beautiful historic sites along the way. We first stopped in Bilbao where we visited the famous Guggenheim museum which has a huge dog-shaped 3D planter out front. I don't understand a lot of modern art, but I really enjoyed a room that had large spiral structures you could go inside of. The sound in each one was different depending on the shape, and I spent most of my time going from shape to shape ringing the little bike bell on my front-end power assist to see how they all sounded. It was really fascinating.  3D Living S...