Today started a bit earlier than expected; a wakeup call rang in a half hour before my individually-set alarm. After debating breakfast or not I decided to head downstairs and pick together a rather eclectic plate. Final preparations for the day took place and then it was off to the bus! Our main venture today was to the Museo Nacional Del Prado. No photographs were allowed, but overheating definitely was. Dehydrating lowered my ability to focus or find a lot of enjoyment in the tour, unfortunately. The tour was delivered well, though. Our almost-improvised final exhibit was Bosch's famous triptych, El Jardín de las delicias ("The Garden of Delight"). I managed to cut through a small crowd for a view at the three panels directly in front of it. I think at this point I was beyond listening to the words of our guide; the imagery and amount of detail was mesmerizing. I don't know what my collected knowledge about this piece has become, but it simply exists. (Thank heaven for that!!) I had cooled down a bit, but after the bus brought us back to the vicinity of the Royal Palace to have lunch, an aria rang from the Royal Theater. I couldn't identify it, but I recognized it. And I was lifted from feeling relatively miserable to such joy. Music is what this trip is about!! Next to address was the dehydration, which was alleviated during lunch, which featured some pork tenderloins in sherry sauce. I wasn't ecstatic about the sauce, unfortunately. Post-lunch included a visit to the grocery store and then a fun solo adventure. The nearby Parque de Roma was bigger than expected; the large triple-fountain was a very nice surprise. What was discouraging was the graffiti on nearly every bench; the words were hateful. But the longer I spent in the park the more people appeared with wide smiles on their faces. A special garden at the park center and a nicely sized gazebo were nice inclusions. I did notice a bridge, however, which extended over a main highway and into another part of Madrid. I made my way over and located a mall, multiple green spaces (parks), and a whole bunch of cherry blossom trees. After wandering around I eventually returned over the bridge and went back to rest before the first concert. Our bus brought us to Álcala de Henares for our first concert. The church we would perform at, the Catedral de los Santos niñas Justo y Pastor, was absolutely incredible. The choir did a short rehearsal before we walked a few of the nearby streets to seek some water and snacks; I picked up some cookies from a pastry shop for post-performance. The opening concert of our tour was absolutely remarkable. The energy from the audience was so thrilling; it was just so moving. Our performances will only improve from here! I talked a bit with an audience member afterward, and then it was time to head back! The end of the day included a very tasty sandwich at the hotel dinner just before midnight-local time. Late dinners will become regular across the next few days. I am so incredibly excited for the next performance; tonight's audience stood up, clapping, twice! And the size of the audience was very respectable. Onward and upward!
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We landed at the airport and our full group of 52 musicians proceeded ahead to meet our tour guides. A severe delay caused our day to start late, but soon enough our bus left the airport and drove to the center of Madrid. Scheduled for today was a panoramic tour of Madrid, partially by bus and partially on foot. Our first stop was at the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas. This is the third largest arena for bull-fighting in the world, but it is deemed possibly the most significant. Several monuments and etchings illustrate scenes of bull fighting and the memories of fallen fighters. The tour continued with several anecdotes being shared from the bus, but there were moments to leave the bus and explore. I was happy to find the Palacio de Congresos de Madrid and nearby, a monument dedicated to Gandhi. A return to the bus showed incredible fountains, monuments, and archways towering above the streets. Our tour transitioned to walking along the streets, which brought our group to small alleyways and wide squares of performers and people in costumes. Our choir actually got to sing in one of these squares for a television program, attracting some native boys to join in and sing mockingly. Other natives and/or tourists circled around and were very impressed by our Caña Dulce (Zúñiga, arranged by R. Wesby). Our final stop before lunch was the Plaza de Oriente, set between the Royal Palace and Royal Theater. Then lunch was, admittedly, the best grilled chicken I ever had. I was too scared to try ordering in Spanish, although I considered doing so. Maybe next time. The next portion of the day included checking into our first hotel and waiting for Caña Dulce to air on TV, but it never happened. I dozed off a bit, but eventually headed over to Retiro Park with a friend. And what an incredible park it is! Retiro Park is filled with gardens and fountains, as well as incredible monuments. The Rosaleda is an incredibly vast and symmetric garden, whereas other portions of the park included various types of trees, bushes, and flowers. Some of the remarkable structures include Fuente del Ángel Caído and the "Crystal Palace" Palacio de Cristal. There were many fun moments, including seeing cats run around with abandon and feeling the love in the air amongst many couples. A nice dinner and some light conversation ended the first full day in Spain. Up next: concerts and more!
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