Córdoba, Granada, Úbeda

This weekend we went to Córdoba, Granada, Úbeda in southern Spain (Andalucía). It was our school trip through the U of A so there was a fairly good sized group of us. The nicest part was staying in 4-star hotels, having real dinners, and having tour guides to show us around! Oh and I can’t forget not having to pay for entrance fees for anything, that was a definite plus! 
After a 5.5 hour bus ride from Alcalá, we arrived in Córdoba. The city was pretty small, and had a very historic feel. We went on a tour of the city through the gorgeous, yet tiny, ally ways. Then, we visited the Mosque-Cathedral. I felt like such a nerd, but I loved this place so much due in part to the fact we learned about it previously in my art class. It was first erected in the 8th century as a Mosque, and was expanded in later centuries to create the amazingly large building it is today. Right when you walk in you see the famous red and white striped arches supported by pink marble, granite, and black marble pillars. After the spanish reconquista, the mosque was turned into a Catholic church. The king built a cathedral in the center of the mosque with gothic/renaissance style. This may be the most interesting part of the building, because it has this unnatural ability to blend two completely different religious buildings. This is probably my favorite place that I have seen in Spain so far. Words don’t do it justice! That night we had dinner and wine at the hotel and that was it! 


The next day we drove 2 hours to Granada, a much bigger city than Córdoba. It had a similar feel to Madrid since the streets were lined with great shopping. However, Granada is much more beautiful! A river runs through the lower valley of downtown while much of the city rests on the nearby hills. Our hotel had a pool/terrace on top of it’s eighth story, and the views of the Sierra Nevada along with the rest of the city, were amazing. After hanging out at the hotel for a little bit, our group took a tour of La Alhambra, an old muslim community/fortress/palace (or something along those lines). Needless to say, it was also gorgeous, like all the other sights I’ve seen! And again, the detailing of these places is so amazing! In one of the rooms of La Alhambra there was a tiled picture of the Pillars of Hercules, which I have also learned about in art class (it’s so fantastic to see the things I’m learning about, firsthand!).

That night Kim, Kendal, Gretchen, and I went out on the town. We had no idea where to go, so we were asking people on the streets where a nice place to have a drink is; unfortunately, no one was kind enough to help. Finally we ran into some people nice enough to respond to our questions. Halfway through our conversation with these guys one of them says he’s from Amsterdam and asks us if we know where that is. Of course, we say yes; and he responds something along the lines of ‘doubtful, Americans are terrible at geography.’ This isn’t the first time we’ve been hated on by foreigners (some guy in Barcelona, oddly enough also from the Netherlands, told me he hated Americans when I told him I was from the US; then he turned to his friend and started talking crap in Spanish about Americans… Umm, helloooo I can understand Español)! I don’t understand what some people have against Americans… We’re not all the same; why all this stereotyping? 


The next day we traveled to Úbeda (a town I had never previously heard of). It was extremely small, but the interesting part about it was that most of the building from throughout history. The town was built as a small pre-roman community protected by a wall surrounding the city. The churches and buildings we saw on our tour were very pretty, but at this point in the weekend, my feet were killing me, my camera had died, and our tour guide’s accent was too difficult to understand. Honestly, I tuned out most of the tour. After the tour all we wanted to eat was something American, but since Úbeda is so tiny there was no restaurants at all to fit our needs. After a little wandering and checking countless menus, we found an italian restaurant and it really hit the spot! 
After lunch we had a 6 hour bus ride home to Alcalá, and that was the end to my weekend!

¡Viva Barcelona!

Kim, Kendal, Gretchen, Joey and I went to Barcelona this weekend! It was amazing (except for the weather). We got in pretty early on friday (10:30am I think?), but it took us about 2 hours to make our way to/find the hostel. Our hostel was really cute, filled with the exact stereotype of backpacker-type people you would expect at a hostel. We stayed in a room of 8, so we had the chance to meet some new travelers: there was one guy from England and one from Italy in our room, and we met some others from the Netherlands, Germany, and more Americans. After we secured our bags, it was time for some sightseeing!

First we went to the Sagrada Familia, a cathedral still under construction since the death of it’s architect, Antoni Gaudí. The construction began in 1882 and isn’t expected to finish until 2026! It is the most intricate building I have ever seen, with detail covering every inch of the walls. Even the inside is completely detailed with stained glass windows and beautifully crafted pillars that rise up to an elaborately designed ceiling. Needless to say, there are many elements that make the Sagrada Familia a gorgeous cathedral. Next we decided to wander the city a little and go to “Las Ramblas” the big street in Barcelona stretching to the sea port/beach area. Along Las Ramblas you can find tons of street performers, outdoor cafés, shops, etc. That was all we could fit in for the day before it started raining on us, so we went back to the hostel. 


Saturday we woke up and walked down to the beach hoping for a little bit of sun, we were disappointed that the clouds dominated the sky. We walked up through Las Ramblas again and sat down at a little café for lunch. We talked, played cards and people watched after lunch was over. Finally we decided to go to Parque Güell, a park with lots of Gaudí architecture. After climbing some extremely steep hills and using probably 5+ outdoor escalators, we arrived at the Park. (The girls and I had to stop for ice cream in order to take our mind off the ridiculous walk). The view from the top of the park was definitely worth the climb! We could see all of Barcelona and the clouds above the Mediterranean looked incredible. After soaking in the views, we traveled up and down the park and finally stumbled upon the Gaudí house, his famous mosaic lizard, and some other architectural gems. The sun began to set and we knew it was time for dinner so we grabbed some food and a bottle of wine from the grocery store and headed back to the hostel. 
That night we went to a little bar called Chupitos (when I say little, I mean the size of a small hallway) with our Arizona group. They had literally tons of drinks, we tried one called the “Harry Potter shot.” They lined up the glasses, put an orange on top with some sugar, and lit them on fire, then the bartender proceeded to shake something onto them creating sparks flying out of the flames. It was so cool! 
Sunday we woke up early, went to Las Ramblas and played some more cards at an outdoor café while watching the street performers (it was finally sunny and there were lots of interesting people out). Then we headed back to the airport and came home to Madrid!

Madrid Round Two

Our second weekend trip to madrid was more successful! We went to el Parque Warner, which is kind of a 6 flags type of amusement park in Madrid. First when we asked the concierge at our hostel how to get there she gave us directions to “Parque de Atracciones de Madrid” so we went on a short wild goose chase through Madrid trying to find the right theme park. When we arrived at the wrong park there was only one visible roller coaster and we knew that we were in the wrong place so we asked a lady for directions and she was insanely nice but couldn’t get us exactly there. After asking two more people for directions, stalking a childrens’ camp field trip (we slyly found out they were going to the same park as us), a metro ride, and two trains, we finally got there. It was a really fun day once the lines shrunk down and we got to ride the coasters a bunch of times! After the day at the amusement park, we went back to our hostel and cleaned up. Then the girls and I went out on the town for “El Noche Blanco” celebration. The streets were packed. Literally, it was like swimming through people to try and get anywhere. There was music performances, street vendors lining the streets, and little activities all throughout the city. On Gran Vía (a major street), they had set up big swing-sets in the middle of the road for kids and adults too. As we were wandering one of the streets, a candy store began to blast Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance and out of nowhere, four gay guys start dancing in unison. They immediately had an audience surround them because they were really talented and fun to watch! The lines to go inside the museums were way to long to stand in, so we just walked around and explored the city. All in all the night was interesting and fun, but we were so tired that we passed out kind of early.

First Week of School

My first week of classes went really well. I go to school Monday through Thursday for about three hours a day. I love the idea of not having Friday classes! J I am taking intermediate Spanish, introduction to phonetics, literary analysis, and Spanish conversation. However, the literary analysis class was a little out of my league. So three of my friends and I decided to go the easy route and enroll in Theater: theory and practice. We have no homework, no exams, just a performance at the end of the semester. Besides the fact that I have never acted before, it sounds like a breeze. There is anywhere from 6 to 15 students in each of my classes, so there is definitely no sleeping during class. I feel like each class is a private lesson with the teachers. I live about 2 miles from the school, so my friends and I walk to class everyday. The 30-minute walk is not bad now but as winter approaches we will have to figure out a different mode of transportation.

I really like my host family. We are slowly beginning to communicate better. They eat, drink, and talk a lot. So far the food has been pretty good and I have eaten basically everything. Sometimes it is just better that I do not know what I am eating. After dinner the other day, I found out that I had eaten rabbit. But the next day she made me pizza, which tasted amazing!

So the other day I realized that the apartment is still a mystery to me. I have only seen the kitchen, living room, and my room so far. My friends make fun of me because I do not even know who all lives in the same house. I think either one or two of her daughters live in the house but I am not sure.

Anyways, this weekend my friends and I are going to Madrid again. This Saturday is a festival called “La Noche Blanco.” All museums as well as the metro are open for free all night. There is a party in the streets with different activities, exhibits, and musical performances all over the city. It sounds like a once in a lifetime experience, so the girls and I are staying the weekend to experience it! I will post again after this weekend is over to tell you about it! Hasta luego!

First Weekend in Spain

On friday, our group of American students had a guided tour through Madrid during the day. We saw the Palacio Real where the king used to live as well as many other tourist-y sites like the Plaza del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Cine Callao, y más. The school group went back to Acalá after the tour, but a couple of girls and I stayed and had drinks in the Plaza Mayor and then went out on the town. The Plaza Mayor was such an amazing spot to people watch and soak in spanish culture; it’s a square full of people and street performers and sidewalk cafes, surrounded by what I believe are all apartment buildings. The architecture in Plaza Mayor is beautiful (similar to all of Madrid), with european details covering every inch of the square. Cobblestones cover the ground, and one of the sides of the surrounding buildings is covered in a beautiful painting.

On a less extravagant note, we went to McDonald’s for dinner, because it was cheap and we can read the menú haha, it’s the little things like knowing what you’re ordering at a restaurant that really matter sometimes! Plus, believe it or not, the McDonalds’ here are really nice inside, and they serve cerveza as a soft drink choice with your meal! So we were the typical Americans and played Kings cup in McDonalds! :) Sitting here and chatting with the girls over a couple Mickey Ds’ beers was probably the highlight of the night. We went to a discoteca and met up with some local people to show us the nightlife. There nightlife is crazy, things do not start until 2 AM. This is going to take me some time to adjust.
The next day my host mom woke me up early to take me to the fish market. Everything is so fresh and the market smelled horrible. I was so happy to get out of that place. We had a feast for lunch then I took an extremely long siesta. My host family took me to see Lolita (a popular Flamenco singer). Then we went out for drinks with the entire family. When the entire family gets together it is so overwhelming because I swear everyone speaks at the same time. I do not know how they understand each other. Sunday was a lazy day, I ran errands with the girls and then we sat down and talked about the vacations we want to plan while we are here! Oh and for dinner on sunday, I am pretty sure we had pig heart and ears in our rice. Ah this food difference is going to take some time to get used to. But tomorrow is my first day of school! I can't wait! :)

Culture Shock

So my house mom asked me if I wanted a bocadillo to take to Madrid (which is like a sandwich) and I said yes because I did not know what I would have for lunch. Then she asked if I would like ham on it and I said yes. She then goes to her back closet and pulls out an entire pig leg, like with a foot and everything! She begins to cut the meet off of the leg and put it on the sandwich! Ahhhhh I about died, I know ham comes from pig but you don't think of it as an entire leg! Lets just say I will probably be getting Mcdonalds tomorrow for lunch! hahah just kidding but really!

Off to Madrid

It was extremely hard to say goodbye to my dad after such a great week together. But the time came that we said our farewells and went our separate ways. Once I arrived in Madrid, I was supposed to meet up with my best friend Kim but her flight got cancelled. The University was there to pick me up so I did not have any problems getting to Alcala de Henares (a suburb 30 minutes outside of Madrid where I will be studying). My house mom, Hortencia, came to pick me up with one of her daughters. She is 64 year's old, overweight, with a couple teeth missing. I was so overwhelmed by everything that was happening. She began speaking to me and I had NOOOO idea what she was saying. Once we got to my new house, I met her husband and another daughter. She made me lunch and showed me where I will be sleeping for the next four months. I could not understand anything they were saying due to being a beginner at spanish and the strange accent that Spaniards have. Whenever they would look at me, I would just smile and say Si or bien. After lunch was over, I had no idea what to do. So I just went into my room and fell asleep. When I woke up I did not know if I should go sit in silence with them or just sit in my room. I finally got the courage to leave my room and talk to them. Hortencia and another daughter took me into town to show me where the school was. Then we sat down for cervezas and tapas at a cute little restaurant. I soon found out that the waiter was another one of her children. She has three daughters, one son, and two grandchildren. We went back to her house and had dinner. I was not hungry at all... they tend to overfeed me here. But I felt obligated to eat dinner because I did not want to be rude. With a full belly I went straight to bed.

Orientation was early the next day. It was so nice to see Kim and other familiar faces. Orientation consisted of learning about house etiquette, insurance, and a tour of Alcalá de Henares. The city is so beautiful; it is old and the architecture is incredibly detailed. On one building off Calle Mayor (a major street here) the rain pipes along the sides of the buildings are built to look like dragons- the water drains out the bottom of their mouths near the street. Our university is housed in an old cathedral/monastery, thus it is very beautiful! But that is all for now! Tomorrow we are going to Madrid for a tour of the city, Can't wait! :)

Paris with my Dad

So the adventure begins! My dad and I decided to travel to Europe a week early and explore Paris. It was truly a week that I will never forget. After 14 hours of traveling we finally arrived to our hotel. It was a very small hotel with a balcony overlooking Rue Cler (a famous Parisian street with lots of little shops and many people). I realized that my dad and I are perfect travelers for each other: we both like to take lots of naps, eat good food, enjoy the city, and wake up at the same time in the middle of the night due to jet lag. Each morning we would start our day off with café con leche and an omelet, then begin our adventures of sightseeing. During our five days in Paris we saw the Eiffel tower, the Louvre, Arch De Triomphe, Nortre Dame, Sacre Coure, Versailles, and many other museums. I realized that I am not too enthusiastic about art, but we tried to appreciate all the wonderful masterpieces that surrounded us. My favorite museum that we went to was Musee de L’armee, which was a museum of ancient guns, armory, and shields. During this week I saw many BFB's (Big French Buildings), had the most expensive latte that I will ever drink (10 euros=13 dollars), shared many deep conversations about life with my father, and got lost many times but by the end of the trip we had conquered the city.