Goodbye Boston, Hola Madrid

Yes, the title of this post speaks truth. In 3 short days, I will be boarding a plane at Boston's Logan Airport en route to Madrid. The image directly above this text was taken a little over a year ago, when I was on my way to Madrid for the first time. I recall snapping this photo when I was about 25 minutes away from landing at Barajas International Airport, which is Spain's busiest airport and the tenth busiest airport in the world according to madrid-mad.com. The number of passengers coming into and departing from the capital of Espana is impressive, seeing as its location in the dead center of Spain is not particularly near any one body of water.

I am scheduled to land in Terminal 4, which has been a source of controversy since its opening in 2006. From the airport's perspective, opening Terminal 4 was the only way to maintain Barajas' reputation as the creme de la creme of European airports. Its opening more than doubled the number of flights/hour, pushing the number of passengers/year over 50 million. Spaniards living in the northeast neighborhoods of Madrid, however, didn't like the idea of an expansive terminal invading their neighborhoods. Many protested the terminal's grand opening, believing pollution would skyrocket. Others feared that even more noisy planes would hover above their homes, disrupting their daily lives. Nevertheless, Terminal 4 opened and 3 years later is working overtime. From a passenger's point of view, Terminal 4 is a bit large and requires some walking, which is never fun when your only travel partner is an overweight suitcase that refuses to keep up with you. That being said, the architecture is unique and the size of the terminal resonates. Last year, knowing that I was competently navigating around the world's largest airport terminal left me feeling like an accomplished traveler. (Note: In the summer of 2008, China opened an even larger airport terminal.)

Now, you may be asking, "how can a poor college student afford to spend her spring break in Europe?" Funny you ask. I'm actually wondering the same thing. The best answer I can give you is that I can't, but I'm going anyway. My second tour-de-Madrid is going to make this blog worth reading and writing. I plan on exploring the ins and outs of Madrid's diverse barrios, compiling photos and videos along the way. Upon my return, I will embark on a similar adventure in Boston so that I can present you, the reader, with an in-depth understanding of both cities. So, if I don't update over the course of the next week, you know why. I'll be somewhere in Madrid, eating tapas, watching flamenco, wandering Retiro, etc. Seems life as a poor college student isn't so bad after all...

A view of Terminal 4 (above)

jamon, jamon, jamon

This appetizing leg of pig is known as 'Jamon Iberico' and you can find it or its less luxurious counterpart 'Jamon Serrano' in almost any Spanish kitchen. These famous cured hams are staples of the Spanish diet. When I was in Spain, I generally ate Jamon Iberico, also known as pata negra, because the woman I lived with was a ham snob-she only ate the best of the best. Jamon Iberico comes from the black Iberian pig, which resides in the southernmost regions of Spain. There are different types of Jamon Iberico, the best of which is Jamon Iberico de Bellota. The pigs that produce this incredibly tasty but expensive meat are fed only acorns in a free-range environment. These pigs live a life most other pigs dream about. In other words, they are spoiled rotten! Usually, Jamon Iberico is dried and preserved for up to 4 years before enjoyed. Its legal entry into the United States came in 2007, and the more desirable Jamon Iberico de Bellota arrived a year later, in 2008. Before that, most of us were unaware of Jamon Iberico's greasy greatness.

Imagine my surprise upon arriving in Spain last year, entering my senora's kitchen for the first time, and laying eyes on a black-hoofed beauty innocently perched atop the counter...

If you're looking for good cured ham in the Boston area, check out Tasca or Dali, two of my favorite Spanish restaurants.

Only A Moon Away...

(Top) The Moon in Madrid, February 2008 vs. (Bottom) The Moon in Boston, February 2009. A year later and an ocean apart, and the moon still insists on hiding behind the trees...
I took the first picture of the teardrop-shaped 'Spanish' moon last year when studying abroad in Madrid. I took such a picture, which may not seem all that remarkable in its own right, to curb my homesickness. Seeing the moon reminded me that my friends and family back in Boston would see the same moon six hours later, a thought which shrunk the distance between us. I very clearly remember the night I snapped this photo. The air did not demand that I wear a jacket, but it was crisp enough to remind me that spring was not yet on the horizon. When photographing the moon a year later in Boston, the air was significantly cooler. After all, the average temperature in Madrid in February is 52 degrees whereas in Boston, it's a chilly 38. Both picture-snapping occasions called my attention to the simple beauty of the moon. In all cultures and in all countries, it's to a universal source of beauty. It's a constant.

As you read my blog, which aims to compare and contrast the vibrant cities of Madrid and Boston, I ask that you recall this post and remember: we all look at the same moon. Whether you're in Spain or across the Atlantic Ocean in America, the moon remains unchanged. There are just some things that transcend cultural borders...

Spanish and English speakers alike, I recommend the song CaraLuna ('Face of the Moon' or 'Moonface') by the Latin American pop group Bacilos.