Segovia

I am a bizarre sleeper. My roommate reports to me each morning whether I laughed or kicked or spoke spanglish the night before as I dreamt. Today I woke up happy to be living in the 21st century. In Spain before the 2nd century women in Segovia, Spain literally trekked miles so that they and their families could stay hydrated and be cleaned by the nearest fresh water lining the Guadarrama moutains. Yesterday I stood beneath the oldest, most incredible piece of architecture I have ever seen. Granite stones masterfully molded into arches floating 900 ft above me. I first feared that I would be crushed by the ancient design, secured solely by architectural genius. Then, they drew me in. I stood directly beneath the keystone or center stone that fastens every perfectly sized stone together. Without cement, caulk or Elmer’s glue the Roman’s engineered an aqueduct that provided water to the town of Segovia since 2nd century. It worked as the sole water supplier for the town of Segovia until the 1960’s. Glaring up through these man-made rocky rainbows I saw daylight seeping through every crevice between each stone and its neighbor. The aqueduct and monuments like it make me truly appreciate Europe for its age and beauty. Unlike the United States, which is youthful, modern and progressive, Spain and Europe in general is ancient and brimming with culture and diversity. There is so much to see and even more to learn. Bring it on Europa!