Segovia - Part 6

If you look closely, you can see the valiant students who climbed the stairs adjacent to the aqueduct for a better view of the city. Keep in mind, this is after we tackled the tower of the Alcázar!

Segovia - Part 5

Here are a few more photos from our tour of Segovia. This is the Plaza Mayor.

Below is the Casa de picos, or "diamond-tipped" house. As a private family home, the diamond tips were rumored to serve as both defense and decoration. The Casa de picos is now home to an art school and exhibition hall.

Here is the St. Martín church, which dates back to the 13th century.

Segovia - Part 4

During our free time, several students visited Segovia's beautiful cathedral. Constructed in the Gothic style but with a touch of Renassaince, the cathedral was completed in 1577.

Here is Segovia's Plaza Mayor, a popular meeting place for locals and tourists alike. 

Segovia - Part 3

Students and instructors alike braved the blazing Spanish sun (and heat!) to climb the Alcázar´s tower. With a narrow passageway and 152 stairs - we consider it to be quite the touristic accomplishment but every bit worth the effort for the views of the city that it allowed us!

Segovia - Part 2

During our visit, students toured Segovia's famed Alcázar, the site of a former Muslim palace that was later taken over and redone during the Reconquest of Spain. It was here that Queen Isabella and her husband Ferdinand signed the historically important agreement ¨for the Government of the Kingdom¨ (as they each brought their own respective territories into the marriage). A painting inside the of the palace commemorates her coronation as Queen of Castile in 1474 at St. Martin´s church. The palace also served as one of many influences for Disney´s beloved Cinderalla castle.

Nuestra primera excursión - Our first excursion

On Friday, out students had their first "official" excursion outside of León in Segovia. About 35 minutes outside of Madrid by train, Segovia is the capital of the province of Castilla y León and is situated between the Eresma and Clamores rivers at the foot of the Guardarrama Mountains.

Well prepared with their excursion guides, plentiful picnic lunches packed by their host moms and extra sunscreen, students soon found themselves standing before the ancient Roman aqueduct, symbol of the city and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is believed that the aqueduct was constructedsome time  in the 1st century AD during the reigns of the Emperors Domitian, Nerva and Trajan.

La primera comida en Casablanca - The first meal in Casablanca

Last Monday, we started our daily routine here in León - complete with our first classes and lunch at Casablanca, a local restaurant which allows our students to try traditional as well as more modern Spanish dishes. Here are a few photos of their experience:

A few of our more daring diners decided to try some local specialties, including a revuelto con gulas (scrambled eggs with baby eels) and grilled squid.