Segovia

Departing for Segovia, Kristina and I learned a valuable lesson about the importance of punctuality: people do stupid things when in a hurry.  Caught up in a conversation with Enrique, I left my house later than intended.  As the elevator reached the ground floor, I realized I hadn't put on deoderant (stupid hurry #1).  Fortunately, I took the extra time to go upstairs because I found that I also forgot to shut off my flat iron (stupid hurry #2)!  As the subway door closed before my face, I received a text from Nick confessing tardiness as well.  With Kristina's train ticket in my possession I felt pressured to make the train; calling her, however, I learned that she had left later than me!  A switch on the subway and a flustered dash later, I arrived the platform to find Nick, Kestrel, Shruti, and Darya.  The train would leave in 3 minutes, Kristina had not arrived, and the conductor would not allow me to leave Kristina's ticket at the window for her.  Anticipating momentary departure, I ran to a train door where I would wait and watch for Kris.  As I ran to get in any door, I heard the same man, who wouldn't let me leave the ticket, yelling for me.  Kris had arrived!  She put her bag through security while I gave over her ticket.  I grabbed her hand and bolted for an open door.  Kristina exclaimed, "Sally, look at my face."  Admittedly, thinking she worried over her makeup or sweatiness, I responded, "Not now: just run!"  We stepped onto the train, and I felt shocked at our unlikely triumph.  When I looked at Kristina, I saw a massive lump on her eye: "Sally, I ran into a glass wall," (MAJOR stupid hurry).  I couldn't help but laugh (A LOT), but trying to retain my good friend qualities, I sought ice for Kris.  Of course, I accidently asked the man for "helado" first (ice cream) instead of "hielo" (ice).  Surely, ice cream would have comforted her equally.  From the train station, we rode a public bus to the 2000 year old Roman aqueducts.  Jabarri, Kristina, and I separated from the rest of the group and ventured into Segovia.  We visited a monastery where we tagged along a tour for just one euro each.  We stopped by a couple closed churches on our way to the cathedral.  Next we enjoy platos combinados with Darya while Nick, Kestrel, and Shruti ate at a restaurant more posh than ours.  Nick ordered the suckling pig - a Segovian specialty - and kindly shared a taste with Jabarri and I.  After lunch, I visited the Alcazar Castle (inspiration for Disney's castle in Sleeping Beauty).  Returning to the castle conjured strong, vivid memories of travelling to Segovia with Jessica and friends in 2003.  I even knew what to expect around each corner!  I had a special moment remembering my trip with Jessi.  We followed our tour of the castle with a photo shoot in the flowered landscape, bought tickets at the bus station, indulged in warm waffles with ice cream and chocolate sauce at a cafe near the aqueduct, and left for Madrid at 9:00 at night.  Feeling ambitious, Kris and I made plans to club with Jabarri, but we both bailed and went to sleep instead!!