March 21 this year was one of the greatest school days ever. It was an amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the infinite sunny hillsides, snake-like winding streets and stunning monuments of Madrid. To just feel the history of the place was a privilege, but the trip was jam-packed with countless other sources of excitement. I'm hoping to take you there too, via this account. Get ready for take-off!
Day 1: Drawing is always a great way to pass time when embarking on a long journey so that is what I did, for a long time. But then came Heathrow Airport and after security it was time for lunch before boarding. How sweet it was to bite into a delicious Pret ham & cheese sandwich after a long coach journey. We spent a while loitering at the terminal, before the clock struck 10:30, and we set off to board.
After getting organised and shuffling around for a bit, everyone was seated and ready for take-off. The anticipation of an entirely new country pulsed through my veins as the plane skittled down the runway and lifted into the air. I took my last glimpses of England from the aisle window as we soared through the infinite blue.
After 2 hours Spain slipped into view. A huge mass of rugged mountainous coastline, with snow-capped peaks. The Pyrenees. Nearly there! And soon we were. The plane glided down to the runway and screeched to a stop. Now again it was Chaos Hour. Unload baggage, rush around trying to find the terminal, go the wrong way, come back again. But stepping out from the comparative coolness of the airport into the outside world was subjecting to a wave of heat. This is when the realisation dawns that you're in a different country. And a warm one at that! A look around revealed an arid landscape of rocky cliffsides bathed in dying afternoon sun. Beyond, fields of cadmium yellow flowers stretched as far as the distant snow-capped mountains of the north. It was a sight to behold, nothing like the UK's rolling green hilltops.
Our hostel was a tall cream building perched on a street corner. While the teachers organised things, we spent some time outside enjoying the wonderful Spanish sunshine. Up in the blue, birds of prey were migrating north. Already Spain had convinced me it was worth coming again, after but 2 hours.
After dumping our respective bags in our respective rooms, we got back on the coach to visit the Bernabeu, home to the Real Madrid football team. After a quick walk around the galleries full of trophies and memorabilia from previous games, was the gift shop.
At 8:45 we reconvened for dinner at La Quintina, where we were to try a selection of traditional tapas. As we sat and talked about the day amongst ourselves, waiters brought a volley of amazing dishes to the table. Iberian ham, fine cheeses, croquettes and much more, gradually disappeared from our plates. My personal favourite was the croquettes: little bundles of cheesy goodness encased in crunchy breadcrumbs and finished with a smattering of ham. A lovely end to somewhat chaotic day. We returned to our rooms, and I lay in bed, wondering what tomorrow would bring.
Day 2: After breakfast, we had whistle-stop walking tour of the city centre. The Plaza de España, the and the Royal Palace were all part of our journey through the streets. On our way we passed greener areas alive with the flashing colours of butterflies and the squawking of parakeets.
The buzzing chatter of the wonderful Spanish language was all around as we ambled through the streets. In a blur the tour was over, though, so we took to the streets in search of lunch. We arrived after a short walk at 100 Montaditos, a small lunch and tapas restaurant near El Retiro Park. Food was mostly small bites, but the ordering scheme was chaos and half the time I had little clue what I was eating. Whatever it was it was good, so in that way all roads lead to Rome.
After a refreshing meal, we set off on foot for where we'd spend the next part of the day: Retiro Park. For me this was heaven, as the birdwatching here was rumoured excellent.
We enjoyed a lovely time experiencing the sights and sounds of a green enclave amongst the hustle and bustle of urbanity. Some played football; others cricket. I just wandered, taking in the atmosphere of Spain in spring.
4:15. Time to leave for something perhaps even greater than birdwatching (I know!!!). Churros! Each of us was allotted 4 foot-long, inch-thick strips of fluffy pastry, and we tucked in with glee. The chocolate dip was even more amazing.
Not much happened after this, but there was time for several hours of shopping. This, of course, interested me greatly, so I spent much of the time sitting in a plaza, taking photos of some ducks. Although there was a traditional seafood paella for dinner. I am not going to divulge.
Day 3: Theme Park Day! The journey was great, because I saw 3 Black Vultures. But the theme park was a terrifying mix of rollercoasters, lurching spinners and - worst of the lot - a huge drop tower. I loved it! The feeling of unearthly dread as you climb to the top, the view of the entire province before you come toppling to the ground; a word to sum it up would be exhilarating.
For 7 hours we stayed in the theme park. This was the official Parque Warner, made by the creators of Harry Potter, DC, Looney Tunes and many more beloved childhood franchises. Most of the time I milled around in a group with my roommates, skipping from ride to ride as we pleased.
Possibly my favourite ride was the spinning teacups. 7 hours of fun, and that's pretty much it. So afterwards there was extra time to pick up souvenirs from nearby gift stores, and then subsequently a delicious fried chicken and chips dinner, a welcome energy boost after a day of so much activity. I went to bed content with my trip. I knew it would end soon, but I was ready.
Day 4: Aeroplane day 2: return of the aeroplane.
After packing we went to breakfast and were given another chance to go roaming the streets of the city centre on a freelance souvenir hunt. I obtained some more bubble-wrapped pieces of memorabilia and found a fried chicken restaurant. Also among the morning's entertainments list was a brief second part of the guided tour. This took us past a delicatessen full of prime cuts of meat, fine cheeses and croquettes. I think I've fallen in love with them now. It was over quickly, and soon we found ourselves again on the bus to Madrid airport. On the way home I mostly looked out of the window. I gradually saw Spain's rugged rocky deserts slip away, fading into the watery hinterland of the Eastern Atlantic.
On the return bus journey, I chatted away to my friend Sam for the last time that holiday. Tomorrow we would all come back to normal school to live normal lives and eat normal food.
To finish, I would like to thank Mrs Nagel, Miss Salamaña and Mr Hopgood for staffing this trip and giving us such a great time. But most of all, Miss De Vega: behind the scenes with each meticulous detail of planning this, she brought the trip to life.
By Oscar Lawrence, U4
Oscar also writes for the Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
To read some more of Oscar's work click here!