¡Un día al campo!

Today was a great Sunday. I feel like it was one of my favorite days in Granada so far. I got to go to the campo or the family farm with my family. This farm was the farm that my host father's mother owns. She has other family that lives on the farm in other houses. The grandmother of the family has an apartment in Granada and this is where they go during the week sometimes in the summer or on the weekends.

The drive was about 20 minutes outside of Granada. We drove though so many olive groves that there was no way I could find my way back if I got lost there. The house itself was pretty cool. It had a standard layout of one great room with a large fire place. This was how it was when it was first built, the "Abuela" or grandma added a new kitchen and extra rooms on the first floor as well as a whole second story. We started the day out as the men did some yard work, of course making the Sunday meal. We cooked a lot of potatoes, and I mean a lot on the hearth fire. It was quite an extravaganza to see another culture work together to make the family meal. After the potatoes they put big slices of bacon on a tool to cook over the fire. The bacon tasted like BBQ and I was quite satisfied to have something American tasting.

After the meal, all of the men took a little nap and the women talked for about an hour. It was nice to be in this family atmosphere listening to Spanish gossip. What I have come to understand about people is that at the end of the day we are actually more alike then we are different.

Also after lunch two of the little grandsons, my little host brother included, wanted to go on an excursion out into the farm. Apparently they do this all the time. Their tradition is to get a backpack of food and go wander for a couple of hours. I seriously thought this was so cool and wished I was 10 again to have the innocent freedom. While the little boys did this, we cleaned up and went for a walk around the property with the grandma. I met two other American girls studying abroad in Granada that were staying with the grandma. So us 4 went in search of wild asparagus. All over her yard is olive trees and some family garden plots. There was also a common water fountain with a basin used for washing. There are actually fish that live in that basin all year round too. It was so nice to get this introduction. I could probably spend the rest of my life in Spain, and never know all that there is too know about Spain.

Watching Spring

So these past two weeks have been filled with slow events. Last Friday I woke up and was almost late for my Cordoba trip in the Southern part of Spain. Cordoba has been significant in all that I have learned here in Spain because it was the capital city when the Islam kings had power before the Spanish Inquisition. While there we saw the famous Mezquita (Mosque) that is insanely old. In the backround of my picture you can see all the arcs and columns that it is famous for. It was a nice little day trip and the driving to get there we saw different scenery then all the olive tree groves that are close to Granada.
Sunday of that weekend, me and my friend Ann went to the beach in Malaga, which is south of Granada. We were afraid of it being topless, but luckily only one women went topless. She just happened to be old, with the saggiest chest anyone ever saw. And her husband was the harriest man to walk the face of the earth too. I guess Europe's topless beaches are gonna have to break our American minds in some how. However, after seeing that we can tuffen out some more beaches. We ended a lovely day of tanning by ordering some calamari and alioli sauce and watching the sun set over the beach.
The past couple of weeks has been busy with tests and projects so it has been good that it has been low key. However yesterday was one of my best friends, Kelley Westerberg's 21st birthday. It was quite a shindig if I do say so myself. It would be a bigger deal to be turning 21 at home, but here the drinking age is 18. So it was legal for everyone to relax and celebrate the birthday girl. We went out Thursday night to a chupiteria. A chupiteria is a place that specializes in shots. Don't worry we were safe about it, but it was fun because they had all different kinds. I'm not gonna lie, one of the most intense shots was called "Chicago". We had to have that one to honor our home city. It had tequila and was actually quite gross. The next one was called "USA" and was cool because the was red, white, and blue. After the festivites of some warm up shots, it was off to the discoteca in the caves, called Camborio. What a great way to spend your birthday in a discoteca overlooking the Alhambra. It was a long and fun night!
Because in Spain when you go out you stay out until 6 in the morning, we pretty much needed all friday to recouperate from being so tired. So it wasn't until about 6pm that we got ourselves together and took a walk to the best spot to enjoy the view of the Alhambra. There we watched the sunset, listened to the gitanos/hippies play their spanish flamenco music, and got Spain's best ice cream later. Everything is in blume on the streets you can smell the flowers and all the citrus scents from the orange trees on the streets too. Besides that relaxed state of mind, yesterday was the first day of spring. This means a celebration obviously for all the youngins of Granada. It was a mad house trying to navigate our way through the city because all the people were walking in an opposite direction to meet and botellon. Botelloning is a concept where you get alcohol and walk around the streets and drink. However there is a meeting point in Granada for people to do this, and this was where they were headed. People had coolers that two people needed to carry! I guess it's just the Spanish way of life to celebrate like this! We did not participate as to some locals it can be controversial because the cops some times get ivolved. But it looked like everybody was having a good time on the streets. It was crazy, seriously what a life!!


Also on a side note, it has come to my attention that a company from England wants to change the name of the Sears Tower. Seriously, first comiskey park, then marshall fields, we can not let this happen to the Sears Tower. Comiskey Park was changed to US Cellular field, and the ironic thing is that my cell phone doesn't receive service there and its outside!! Macy's has the most horrible customer service I have ever delt with and they are no where near as clean as Marshall field's was. A name change can mean serious business for us. Let's not let people take our customs away from us! What's next a change to the name of Giordano's, the John Hancock, or even better Lake Michigan!!!??!?!?!? Please use your power to protest and go to this website and sign a petition to tell those BRITS TO BACK OFF!!
Sign here: http://www.itsthesearstower.com/

More Paris S'il vous Plait!

I can't rank the different trips I have had because each one was at a different time, and gave me a different idea on the world. Paris, France was nothing like I had imagined. Every part was different and a mix between artistic, romantic, classic, strong, and just downright fabulous. I even thought the air smelled better than normal. After a 3 am bus ride and a 9:55 am flight from Sevilla to Paris Kelley, Ann and I finally found our apartment that we rented for the weekend and set out to see the Eiffel Tower. This was the perfect way to start our day. We made sure to stay there until dusk to see the light show that they off every hour. After admiring something I had waited to see my whole life, we took a boat ride down the seine river. The view was beautiful and we saw everything from Notre Dame to the Louvre lit up at night. By the end of this we were exhuasted, went home and slept very well.
Friday was our non-stop day. We woke up went to the Arc de triomphe, down champs elysees, saw the madeline church, a marker of where King Louie and Marie Antoinette were beheaded, special gardens close by, musee de orsay that had many impressionist works, Notre Dame, and ofcourse the Louvre. What a day, I couldn't feel my feet by the end of it. Out of those I really like the musee de Orsay because I got to see some of my favorite impressionist works by Monet, Mary Cassatt, Edgar Degas, and Renoir, and of course Van Gogh! It was so cool to look at their signatures and know that they stood in the same distance from their paintings that I did. Another highlight was Notre Dame because we went to the top of the bell tower. This was our spot to see the whole aerial view of Paris. We also liked to think of the Hunch back of Notre Dame. Some how everywhere we go our thoughts went back to Disney movies we saw as a kid. I know my Auntie Mo would not of liked this because the stairs to get to the top were never ending in twisting tower that we couldn't see the end. But we made it and loved it. Before the Louvre Kelley and I tried crepes on the street made with Nutella. O MY GOSH. Totally necessary to do before you die. Kelley and I were sad when they were done. We made it to the Louvre at 6 for our free student entrance and saw the Venus de Milo and ofcourse the Mona Lisa. Two biggies to check off our list. By this time we were deader than the trip to Paris.
Saturday was more relaxing as we went to Versailles and saw the hall of mirrors where countless balls took place, the wedding of Louie and Marie, and of course the signing of the Treaty of Versailles that ended WWI. I tried to take a picture of myself in the mirror. I mean if mirrors could talk I could be included in history! I know how corny. After this we headed back to Paris to check out the artist's quarter Monmatre. By far this was my favorite part of the trip and Paris. This place had such a great vibe. We saw the Sacre Cour church, Van Gough's house, Paris's last vineyard, and even Moulin Rouge. I did get to try a French quiche!!! The foodie in my was stoked because we cooked all of our own food, so to get some of the culture this was was good. This weekend was so jam packed that I cannot even possibly tell you everything. As a professional traveler I am proud to have done all that in 3 days.
Overall, the people were great. Some were impressed that we spoke Spanish. They also were nicer if we asked if they spoke English before bombarding them with English questions first. All in all Paris is a city that I cannot possibly know all about in 1 visit. I can't wait to go back!