Segovia

We woke up late yesterday to head to Segovia. Leaving Madrid, we saw the sun for the first time since we arrived, and as soon as we were out of the city it lit spectacular views of snowy mountainsides. We were all excited to take photos of the landscape, but we had no idea what was coming. 

About forty minutes into our drive we passed through a tunnel under one of the smaller mountains. As soon as we popped out the other side, we entered Narnia. The pine trees along the highways were covered in snow and we could see white ground for miles ahead of us. I spent the rest of our drive staring out the window in awe. 

We arrived in Segovia at about two o’clock to find roads covered in melting ice. We explored the city on our own - taking numerous photos of the aqueduct, the cathedral, and more amazing views - until we met at four to tour the castle. 

First referenced in the 12th century, Alcàzar de Segovia has served has a fort and a castle for 22 kings and is now a UESCO World Heritage Site. It is also believed to have inspired Walt Disney’s vision of Cinderella’s castle. Yesterday it was fairly empty until the eighteen of us arrived. The ornately decorated ceilings were cool enough to tempt us into wanting to live there, but the desire for modern heating in the chilly weather changed our minds. After a long and difficult climb up a dizzying spiral staircase, we found more amazing views to photograph at the top of the castle tower. 

It was one of the most astounding days of my life, and it served as a reminder of how grateful I am for the opportunities at Harpeth Hall. Not one of us ended up disappointed with our change of plans. 

We left Segovia in the evening to finally meet our host families in Valladolid. While we were all nervous to spend the next 36 hours speaking only Spanish - with no Americans in sight - we were excited too.
-Grace Miller