(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.
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