Barcelona Baby!!!!

So I know I haven't posted in a while, but I have so much to inform. This past week I spent with my Auntie Mo. It was great to have someone here that I could show them all the great spots that I've found in Granada. I took Auntie Mo to Mirador de San Nicolas to show her the great view of the Alhambra and to get her excited for our trip there. Not only did she have to get adjusted to the time change, but the walking and crazy roads of Granada. Everything here is so old that most of the times there are tiny rock formations to walk on instead of cement. After her adjustement to this old world, she was finally ready to see the Alhambra on Sunday. She really enjoyed it because she got to look at the Mirador de San Nicolas where we were the day before. For me, this was my second time at the Alhambra. There are more flowers and trees budding, and I knew my way around this old monument. Who couldn't ask for more on a warm 70 degree Sunday.

Monday was the beginning of our quest to Barcelona to see my new Uncles and my Auntie Mo's good friends, Jim and Emili. They have a beautiful apartment that has an incredible view. The architecture everywhere in Barcelona is awesome. It made me think of what people who have never visited Chicago must think when they come there because we have great Architecture too. It seemed like everywhere I turned in Barcelona there was a Gaudi building. I saw the Sagrada Familia which is a building that Gaudi never finished building. The best way to describe it, is that it looks like a frozen melted sand castle. Gaudi was actually run over by a tram while looking at his beautiful work of the Sagrada Familia in the late 19th century. When I was there, there was construction on it to finish according to Gaudi's plans. I have no idea how this guy thought of his designs in his mind, but they are absolutely beautiful.


Later on that day we also went to Parque Guell.
This was a home designed by Gaudi for a wealthy family that is now turned into a Park. I was stoked because once I got there I realized that America's Next top model had a finally show filmed there. They had a run way show in the crazy caved pathways that are there. This was the reality tv show junkie in me that was excited. I told Jim it reminded me of Disney world. He thought I was nuts but all of Gaudi's work is colorful and wavy like something out of candyland or a child's imagination. Anything Gaudi I now love.

After a day in a half we went to Sitges to Jim and Emili's second house. Sitges is a great beach city south of Barcelona in Catalunya. Just like in Barcelona they speak Catalan and Spanish. It was weird to have the menus there in another language as opposed to just Spanish like I'm used to. That night we saw a parade for Carnival. Sitges has the biggest mainland celebrations for Carnival. All I have to say is that it was nuts. The floats and dancing was more than I could handle. It really was a lot of fun. Everybody in town was in this parade. We really need to party more for fat tuesday.

Thats not all we did in Sitges though. The beach front was beautiful the next day even though it was quite obvious of all the partying the night before. After a morning stroll, some shopping, and touring we went for Paella. This traditional dish was something I was waiting for since I got in Spain. It is a rice dish that varies with seafood or meat in it. We had the seafood paella. Lucky for all the walking I do in Spain, because I would be 400 pounds with all the good food.

For my last day in Barcelona, Auntie Mo and I finished up some shopping and site seeing when we came back from Sitges. Barcelona and Sitges was the perfect addition to my first vacation from school in Spain. I really feel like I know Spain better after being some where different than the southern part and speaking Spanish in another area too.

Back home in Granada Auntie Mo and I ended our vacation with a trip to the Arabic Baths. This place was a recreation of Arabic baths used in Antiquity where we could relax for 2 hours between a cold, medium, and hot bath, and a sauna. We were lucky to get a 15 minute message included. If you ever come to Granada this is a must do. Check out the website to see where we were because we couldn't take any pictures: http://granada.hammamspain.com/index.php?nSeccion=1

I'm including a picture here of the real ancient Arabic Baths found in Granada that Auntie Mo and I visited after our wonderful encounter with the new relaxing ones.

Over all, another successful week! Thanks again to Auntie Mo, Jim and Emili!! Next weekend I'm on my way to Paris!!

¡No pasa nada, en Granada!

This weekend was a successful weekend spent in Granada. Traveling gets tiring after a while, and wears on my Spanish speaking ability. That's why some touring in Granada was necessary for this weekend. Thursday night was fun because we discovered some of the discotecas right here is Spain. It's so much fun to go out in Spain because you never know who you are going to meet. Us girls met some people from Madrid that on Thursday that we could even meet up with when we travel there later on in our semester. Not only that but it helps to practice your Spanish with locals when you go out too. I have come to actually find that some vino or cervezas actually make my Spanish come natural : ) I have no idea how to explain that one cause without alcohol the thought process is much longer to speak another language.

Friday was a beautiful day that got up into the 70's here in Granada. My friends Martha and Ann came with me to the best look out point in Granada. Its called Mirador San Nicolas. From there we ate our bocadillas that our señoras made for us and spent two hours basking in the warm sun, listening to the hippies play their Spanish Flamenco music, and looked out onto the beautiful Granada scenery. I felt like I had to pinch myself because it didn't seem real. In our casual day time we met a family that was from the Catalonia region of Spain. They had a conversation amongst themselves where they went in and out of 3 languages. We of course noticed the English and Spanish and later learned that they speak Calalan the language of Catalonia. The two young boys were fluent in all three and were both under the age of three. We were all baffeled because we wish we could be like those boys. It is so easy for them. Seeing this European lifestyle really opens my eyes to the necessity of languages here. It is not as necessary in the US, but I wish it was. I really feel that it is a gift to be taught another language at such a young age because not only does it brighten your future but it widens the amount of people you can communicate with and have relationships with in the future. Maybe someday there will be more stress put on Americans to be bilingual.

Saturday was a great day. My favorite day yet, maybe even my favorite day in my life. For most of you who know me, you know my love of food. I actually think food and I are more emotionally involved than anything. I know it very well, and it knows me very well. To celebrate Valentine's Day together, us girls went wine tasting after visiting a local market. The place where we went wine tasting is known as La Oliva and is close to my school. First we tried some different olive oils and then we had 3 delicious different wines with a selection of tappas that complimented each wine. Oh my God, I was in heaven. Every olive oil tasted different. Francisco our host explained how olives are essentially like apples. A green apple is different from a red one, and all taste different depending on when you pick them. This is exactly how olives are and changes how olive oil is. It was amazing. Our first white wine was a dry wine, but definately not sour. It was from Granada and my favorite of the day. We had many tappas that complemented it. The pate was phenomenal and so was the sardines that were flavored in a lemon olive oil. I know that would have been my dad's favorite. Another thing that Franciso did was take a piece of whole grain bread and have us spread some avocado on it and place a piece of Jamón ibérico (Iberian ham). The flavors and aromas blended so well. I know that avocados can be fatening, but what a great difference to mayo or mustard!

Our red wine was delicious that was paired with a goat cheese that had been rolled in aeromatic herbs and another cheese that was a combo of goat and cow milk. This last one was comparable to parmesan but out of this world. We also had an assortment of chorizo, salchicha, and black sausage (Spanish meats). I could not of been happier. The last wine was a desert wine that he paired with spanish pastrys, candies, and chocolate. Taking the time to enjoy everything and compare the food really gave us a new sense of Spanish food and culture. It was amazing because I couldn't want anything more in life, let alone on my trip to Spain.

On the way home Kelley, Amy , and I went and saw Granadas Bull fighting ring. It felt old to look into, but definately something I would like to maybe see in the future. I don't necessarly support the slaughtering of animals for fun, but it is Spanish culture. What a better time to really see Spain then when they are practicing a old custom.

This weekend was great. Today was spent catching up on relaxing, homework, and my Grey's anatomy. I just wish this feeling of content could last forever!

Kelley, I don't think we're in Europe anymore....

So this past weekend was insane. I had so much fun and feel totally accomplished to check off my list that I was in 3 continents in 1 month: North America, Europe, and Africa. Only rock stars on tours do that. Anyways, Morocco was beautiful. I was surprised to see that it was really green in North Africa. We took took a bus and a ferry and another bus to get to our hotel in Morocco. I believe the town we stayed in was called Tetouan at a 4 star hotel called Dreams hotel. I roomed with my friend Kelley Westerberg and enjoyed the nice beds, strong shower pressure, and view from our room. Saturday was the beginning of our journey at 7 am. Our guide's name was Arabic so he referred to himself as Michael Douglas because that's his favorite American movie star. The entire trip he went back and forth between Spanish and English. We saw live market in Tetouan and exchanged our Euros for Dirhams (Moroccan currency). The market itself was interresting but also overwhelming. At times there were smells that were horrible, and then you would walk by an old women selling fresh cilantro and mint.
After the market they took us into this beautiful "art gallery" and showed us the handmade rugs of the Moroccan women. They had different ones of different sizes and demonstrated them in a large room for all of us to see. We could hold on to some if we were interrested and discuss the prices later. In Morocco most places do not have set prices, they barter. After the demonstration was over different men/venders came to get you and discuss with you prices personally. I had three things that I was interrested in and the guy offered 375 Euros for all of them to me. I was completely discombobulated because the men don't give you time to think, all they do is ask your price and then suddenly they shake your hands and tell you its a deal for 100 Euros. So for 100 Euros I bought a hand crafted rug from Morocco. I keep telling myself that it is a magic carpet because I have no idea why I bought it or spent that much money. Whatever the case my grandchildern will enjoy this rug, correction magic carpet, because it has to stay in the family for many generations. I'm thinking of selling blood to actually pay for it. I guess I have a lot to learn in life when it comes to being quick on my toes. I'm going to blame this on the fact that my mom didn't have that little brother I wanted and neither did my Auntie Mo. If I had a little brother, it would have been easier for me to not buy that rug.
After this, me and some other people were still in shock. We got to ride camels in Tanger which was a highlight of my life. One more thing to check of my list, riding a camel in Africa. But I actually think the camel was half dead. Before ending our long day we got to see the point in Tanger where the the Mediteranean sea and the Atlantic meet. There was a light house to mark the spot and off in the distance you could see Portugal. It was mid afternoon and beautiful. I actually saw a vender selling hand carved elephants, turtles, and camels. Ever since I was a little girl I wanted a little elephant. So I bought one where the Mediterranean sea meets the Atlantic ocean. I really felt my journey was complete.
Sunday we spent touring a town called Chechaouen. It is located in a mountain range that used to be apart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Spain before the two continents split. The life there was cleaner and more intruguing than the other two cities we saw. The people did not hassel you to buy things from them either.
The trip was successful. The food was ok, not my favorite as I consider myself to be kind of a food conosouir. They used cuscus in many meals. Also we had to buy our own drinks on the trip. It is also not healthy for foreigners to drink the tap water so we didn't do that. We did drink a mint tea that was delicious, but one thing that I really enjoyed was a desert of oranges. The thing that made it great was that they sliced oranges and sprinkled sugar and cinnamon on top of the oranges. It was so fresh and perfect to end a meal.
The people are mainly Muslim in the areas that we went. If we say women they were just doing their shopping for the day. It was only men out socializing. In the apartments that we saw usually 5 families of about 5 or 6 people each live there. That means about 25-30 people. It is just different. Most people that we met were atleast bilinguel. If people saw us they spoke Spanish to us assuming we were European and listened to our guide. We met many people that spoke 4 languages, Arabic, French, Spanish, and English. This really makes me think that Americans are lazy when it comes to studying.
The trip home was long and I learned a lot. I couldn't help but feel mesmerized by the scenery and thankful for everything and everyone that got me to that point in my life. I might have come back with a lighter wallet, but going to see things like I saw changed my perspective on life and people in one tiny weekend.

Just an update before I, ya know, take off to Morocco for the weekend!!

Well the most constant thing this week has been the rain. I have a pair of boots that have not dried in 5 days. I have been wearing flats because they can dry by the estufa. This week has been low key with the anticipation of going to Morocco tomorrow. I'm most excited about riding a camel. This is one of those things to check of my life list. There will be more to come about Morocco, but for now I want to fill you in on some random things I have noticed/learned this week in Spain.

*Gay marriage is legal here in Spain.
*Spanish families (at least my family) get into their pjs before dinner at 930.
*They don't drink milk regularly like we do. And if they do its the real good stuff with lots of fat.
*The federal state monetarily funds the Catholic church so they do not depend on donations as the church does in the US.
*The word pulpo means octopus, but put in context means creepy guys. It is used a lot of those touchy feely spaniards that tell women how guapa they are. The same goes for the word buitre which means vulture. Those describe the men who stare about the room looking at all the women. Its funny how some how people of all cutures are so different, but end up thinking the same.

Thats it for now....

Sevilla "no8do"

Sevilla, Espana was simply beautiful. We crammed so much into this weekend that I now consider myself an professional tourist. We arrived on friday to see the cathedral there and the Giralda tower. My favorite was seeing where Christopher Colombus is buried in the Cathedral. We all took pictures of discovering the Americas with him. The feeling was so weird to be staring at the grave of the person who is to thank for part of my existence as the way I am. All of my past history teachers would have been proud. After that seeing the Giralda tower was so neat. This was the only part that wasn't reconstructed in history and is Moorish architecture. We went over 30 flights up to see the city from that view.

Besides all of this, I saw the Real Alcazar which is a palace that different kings have lived in. The gardens went on forever. I think the only person with a backyard like this in the states would be Oprah or Martha Stewart. Saturday night we saw flamenco from the city where it began. Some girlfriends and I watched in true Sevillian style by drinking the traditional southern Spainsh drink, sherry, or fino as the locals call it. It was absolutely disgusting and strong but the flamenco made me forget the horrible aftertaste in my mouth.

Today was spent treking around in the rain. As the ultimate tourists, nobody could stop us. I actually wore flip flops because atleast this way my feet would be dry when I came in a building. All my other shoes were already sopping wet. I got so many odd looks from people, but whatever I am American and comfort is always necessary. After walking around more we stopped for lunch and found this great place in the heart of Sevilla. We ate sandwhiches on tiled stairs in the deli that were absolutely deliscious. Going to quaint places like this really made the trip. After that we finally saw the Plaza de Espana. I have no idea its importance, but it is a huge building in Sevilla that one must see in their life. The rain even stopped just in time for us to get there.

Now being home in Granada I feel like I know Spain even better. Tonight at dinner I understood more and know that traveling and getting the full culture is the best way to learn a language. I can't even imagine how I will feel in another month from now.