Segovia Pictures

On Saturday the Georgetown program took a short bus one hour north to the historic Spanish town of Segovia. The place is famous for two things: its Roman aqueduct and its delicious pig. On Saturday afternoon we dined gratis, reveling in a succelent feast that centered around this farm animal. Among the most memorable moments was in bringing the pig out on a platter, the server made a large demonstration in cutting the pig parts with just a plate. His purpose was to show the meat was so tender that a knife was not needed to cut the body. He then proceeded to toss the plate in the air so that it smashed into pieces on the ground. Quite a spectacle. Another interesting aspect of the trip was the mini snow storm that hit shortly after lunch. After 3 or 4 weeks of sun and 70 degree heat, it was odd to be exposed to cold weather again. But, I kindof liked the challenge of weathering the elements again. Makes you feel tough when you're trecking along outside. The trip was very short, and we returned to Madrid around 7 oclock. The night was relaxed, and with Sunday came a grand, family dinner. My host mother's cousins, grandkids, sister and her husband, and my host sister all gathered for a racuous feast of pulpo gallega, specialty cheese and bread, olives, lucious strawberries, and my host mother's famous paella. The paella consists of a risotto like rice, calamari, shrimp, chicken, and vegetables. It's quite a dish. and she makes it a massive skillet for special occasions. A very Spanish weekend; I have to say. This week I make my preparations for a trip to Italy. I'll be in touch.

Hasta pronto,

B