Happy Halloween!

In third grade I dressed up as a black cat for Halloween, so as a third grade teacher, I thought it was only appropriate to dress up as a black cat again. (Also, cat ears and a black tail were the cheapest costume I could find. I'm on a teacher's budget, people.)

With my students at school, I'm a lot more open about being a crazy cat lady than I am here on this blog. Nevertheless, my students were less than surprised when I showed up to school channelling my inner Kitty Purry. Although Spain has only recently adopted a diluted version of Halloween, most Spaniards think that all Halloween costumes must be scary and overtly terrifying. Imagine their disappointment when I showed up to school as a precious little kitten while everyone else was dressed as vampires, witches, zombies and pirate ghosts. (It was just like in Mean Girls when Lindsay Lohan shows up to a Halloween party wearing a horrific zombie bride costume, but everyone else is wearing animal ears... except today was the exact opposite.)

That said, I had so much fun celebrating Halloween like a kid again. It made me want to go trick-or-treating and stuff my face with candy (specifically Reese's Peanut Butter Cups), but sadly nobody does that here. Maybe one day trick-or-treating (and peanut butter) will catch on in Spain, but for now I'm just glad I had the opportunity to celebrate Halloween abroad. 

Have a happy Halloween, everybody!

Segovia

Emanating charm and character, Segovia is the quintessential small Spanish town. Only a 30 minute train ride away from Madrid, this picturesque medieval town is the perfect escape from city life. While Segovia is most famous for its historic Roman aqueduct, it also boasts a breathtaking castle and cathedral. Visiting Segovia felt like stepping back into time and living in a fairytale.

While in Segovia, we wandered through the narrow streets and explored the regal Alcázar, where we climbed to the top of the tower and enjoyed majestic views of the city. We also indulged on Segovia's notorious dish of roast suckling pig, also known as cochinillo. (While it was undoubtedly savory, rich and worth the splurge, at times I had a hard time reconciling with the fact that I was literally eating a baby pig on a plate... snout, hooves and all. Poor Babe.) Afterwards we enjoyed several copas in Plaza Mayor, and then sipped on velvety hot chocolate near the emblematic aqueduct.

While Octobers in Spain are nothing quite like those back home, spending this past Sunday discovering a picture-perfect town in the mountains was the best way to spend an autumn day. The few trees sprinkled about town were vibrantly changing colors, a crisp fall breeze was in the air, and the hordes of tourists that usually pollute such towns in the summertime had long since disappeared. Although the sun was beating down on us all afternoon, it was the first time I could actually tell that it is autumn here in Spain. Naturally, I loved every minute of it.

Círculo de Bellas Artes

I think it's fair to say that I have a new favorite rooftop bar in Madrid... let alone in the entire world. Boasting breathtaking panoramas of the city skyline, La Azotea del Círculo de Bellas Artes undoubtedly offers the most spectacular views of Madrid. We arrived at dusk just in time for the golden hour, and proceeded to sip our suprisingly affordable white wine while admiring the sublime views of Banco de España, Plaza de Cibeles and Gran Vía. We marveled at the scenery as the sun lazily melted into the skyline, setting the sky ablaze with colors. The views were just as incredible after sunset as the city sparkled at night. Suffice it to say, it was the perfect autumn evening in Madrid.

La Azotea del Círculo de Bellas Artes

Calle Alcalá 42

Metro: Banco de España, Sevilla