By the end of this walking tour, I had learned a lot about my host city’s history and important landmarks.
After seeing the historical sights on the tour, the second step I took was exploring the city by myself. Madrid is a city that is full of life. There are always people on the streets! Because of that, one of the first things I decided to do was go shopping. Instead of going to an American retail store like H&M, I went to Stradivarius and Pull&Bear, which are European stores. The stores were located in the heart of a shopping district called Sol (Sun). Since this area is extremely popular with the locals and tourists, you could learn about Madrid through its people. Within these stores, you could see diversity. I could hear different languages, ranging from Portuguese to Mandarin! In the short time that I have been in Madrid, I have seen how dedicated this city is towards art. Within the city limits, you can find the National Museum of the Prado and the Reina Sofía National Art Museum Center. Art in Madrid is not only found in museums but on the street, too. While I explored Madrid, I found a lot of colorful murals. By exploring the city on my own, I had the opportunity to view and discover the city from my own perspective.
To become integrated into a new culture, you have to learn about its history. The walking tour taught me about all the different architecture, buildings and landmarks. By exploring the city streets on my own, I got a first-hand perspective of what local life in Madrid is like. The art in the streets of Madrid also showed me the vibrancy of this culture. I am enjoying becoming a part of Madrid!
