On February 6, we went to Escorial, the royal palace of the Spanish Hapsburg family. The family had a lot of inbreeding (uncles had kids with their nieces in every generation) but I'm sure you already knew that.
What is Escorial? Escorial:Spain and Versailles:France, though Escorial was not ornate as Versailles. Escorial was the Spanish royal palace, but it also has a monastery, a basilica, a school, a Renaissance library, and a museum of the royal private collection. The structure is shaped after a grill (for St. Lawrence - he's weird. To learn more, go read about him somewhere else).
Unfortunately, the basilica - arguably the most beautiful part of Escorial - was closed for restoration. Also, unfortunately, it was freezing (there was actually snow - snow!), and colder than Segovia. I've experienced winters in Williamstown, and I have to say that nothing prepared me for the weather at Escorial. My poor black jacket, which has been suffering since it's the only jacket I have that can somewhat protect me from this weather, needs to retire soon. Where are all my jackets?? (Packed in boxes back in Williamstown.)
We couldn't visit the basilica or the monastery (monks still live in Escorial), but we visited the royal palace, took a quick glimpse at the museum, and walked through the library. Our professor, wrapped in at least 5 layers with a fur hat, always had the desire to talk about something OUTSIDE. Why? I don't know, but here is a picture of us walking OUTSIDE to see something that we couldn't even see because our eyes were shut from the biting wind.
The palace was cold, and it's no wonder that people died young back then (the inbreeding didn't help either). The private rooms were surprisingly small, since the royal family displayed their wealth with their artwork, other rooms and the basilica.
The Library
The main staircase
Since it was really cold, I was in no mood for taking pictures or even being in pictures (I was more concerned with staying warm). Still, ever the Asian tourist, I managed to get some pictures of the exterior:
One of the many courtyards within Escorial, and the site of a chilly mini-lecture.
A side view of the palace (the dome is part of the basilica)
I realize that all I did was complain about the cold, but Escorial was a cool place. It would have been better if the basilica was open, but it was still a worthwhile trip. The town, San Lorenezo del Escorial, reminded me of Martha's Vineyard, with the small shops and quaint setting. Escorial is partly the reason why Madrid, instead of Toledo, is the capital of Spain today. And that concludes trips outside of Madrid (for now, at least)!
Susan
PS We visited the royal tombs, and apparently the body of the deceased Juan, the father of the present king of Spain, is rotting in a special room - we walked by the door - until it becomes nothing but bones. When the body is reduced to nothing but bones, then it (they?) are placed in the Pantheon of Kings, which also houses the bones of Philip II, the king that built Escorial, plus all the kings/queens after. The poor monks have to check the room to see how the body is decomposing. Isn't that lovely?
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