Grace's European Adventure

Costa Brava

2010-03-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went on a school trip to Costa Brava. It was a refreshing change to take a trip where everything was planned out for me, and all I really had to do was follow the leader. I didn't necessarily want to go on the school planned trips, but Costa Brava seemed really neat and beautiful, and I knew that I probably wouldn't make it to that area of Spain on my own. (given you really need a car, or a bus tour).

Until the 1960's Costa Brava, translating to "Wild Coast", was an area associated with poverty and hardship. In the 1960's, however, it became transformed to a popular tourist destination. Today, it is a well known and visited area of Spain.

We began the trip early on Friday morning. The road we took had much historical significance because it was the same road that in 1936 was taken over by over 470,000 people crossing the border to escape the horrors of the Spanish Civil War.

It was fitting that our first stop, La Jonquera, was a stop that many of these refuges passed through in their transit to France. Here, in La Jonquere we visited the Museu de i'Exili. The museum is one of two museums in Spain’s entirety to show homage to the memory of the Republican exiles. It was created in 2008 by the Catalan governments in attempts to show homage to the memory of the Republican exiles.

Before coming to Spain, I hadn’t heard much of Spanish history, however after being here, I now understand why. In particular, the story of these Republican exiles, who fled Spain to escape the horrors of the war, was silenced during the 40 years of Franco’s dictatorship. Franco considered these people to have been fugitives, and even after Franco’s death and the transition to a constitutional monarchy in Spain, the silence continued. After silence for so many years, it was hard to break, and even today it is quite a hushed subject.

The museum aims to illustrate the tragic months when the Spanish Civil War ended and the Second World War was about to begin. It was a nice museum, but we were all left a little confused, because all the information and descriptions were in Catalan. This made it basically impossible to understand anything. It was kind of frustrating because I was really interested in the subject, but couldn’t make sense of anything.

After leaving the Exile Museum (both intrigued and confused) we were supposed to head to Collioure, a supposedly beautiful, seaside town in southern France. However, due to the crazy snowstorms we got last week (which, Costa Brava, being more northern than Barca, got hit with even more snow) Collioure was completely closed down. The snow everywhere on the trip was pretty crazy. Huge piles of snow still lined the streets, even though the weather had already turned nice again.

So, our leaders made a quick change of plans and we went to Perpignan, the capital of northern Catalunya. (in France) It was kind of a silly stop because everything was in French and Catalan, so no one understood anything. Also, the massive amounts of snow, and inadequate drainage systems left rivers running through the streets. So, we trudged around this alright (nothing great) town, and got wet and cold.

One thing we did explore was the Palace of the Kings of Majorca. It was pretty, and from the top of one of the towers we had a nice view of the city.

After kind of a bust of a day we headed to our hotel in Girona. It was a great hotel (awesome beds, great sheets, amazing showers). Overall very luxurious. Had a nice dinner and then went to bed.

The next day we all were hoping for a better day. Thankfully, we got our wish. Day 2 was awesome! First we went to Figueres, Spain, the birthplace of the artist Salvador Dali. Here, we visited the Dali Theater Museum. It was such an interesting, educational, and fun experience. Everything about the building, the art, and the architecture was so bizarre. It all had symbolism though, and thankfully we had a great guide for this museum who was able to help us understand many of the nuisances we never would have understood.

Dali must have been quite the character. Very talented, but seemingly very strange. He lived a very extravagant and eccentric lifestyle. He claimed his life was one big “Carnaval,” and in honor of this created a piece of work featuring a car and a naval ship. (car-naval). He also had an odd fascination with his wife, Gala. She is present (in one form or another) in every room of the museum. Dali lived in the museum until his death, and is now buried there (you can see his tomb). It was a really strange museum, but very, very interesting.

After leaving Figueres, we left for Cadaques. Boy, was this a trip. Although only about 25 miles, the trip took close to an hour. Cadaques is considered a treasured town of Costa Brava because not many tourists venture there due to the difficult access. It was a stunning drive though, as we had to go over the mountains to get there. As our teacher explained, Cadaques (like most of Costa Brava) is where the Pyrenees “melt” into the ocean. This creates the beautiful rocky coastline that is so loved.

After this somewhat scary drive, we arrived in Cadaques. Situated on the Cap de Creus peninsula, Cadaques is considered one of the most symbolic places on Costa Brava. It also served as a source of inspiration for many famous painters and artists, in particular Salvador Dali, where his family had a summer house.

The town was small, but very quaint. It reminded me of how I expect Greece to look like. Tiny streets, white house, blues doors, majestic water. It was such a treat to get to explore this tiny town.

After exploring the town and eating a small lunch at a seaside restaurant, we headed to Portlligat. Only about a 20 minute walk from Cadaques, Portlligat is a small village located in a small bay. Salvador Dali lived in the village and his house still stands (it is now the Casa-Museo Salvador Dali). The museum only allows 8 guests to enter at a time, so we couldn’t go in. It was still fun to explore this teeny,tiny port.

It was also very interesting to see how crossing a hill could change the landscape and water so much. While Cadaques was very reminiscent of Greece, Portlligat reminded me of Ireland or Scotland with its deep blue water and rocky coast line. After some exploration, we boarded the bus back to Girona.

After getting back in Girona, I explored around with a few friends. (including getting some hot chocolate. So good!) Later went back to the hotel for dinner. After dinner I went out with some friends and we got pink cava. Pink (or rose) cava is more rare than regular cava, but boy was it a treat. Even sweeter than the normal cava. Very tasty.

Woke up early the next morning for a “3 hour tour” of Girona. As we learned, Girona has rich history, and historical significance due to it’s privileged position midway between the sea and the mountains. Today, Girona is still a blossoming city. It has the highest quality of life of any city in Spain, and Lance Armstrong once lived there. As part of the tour we saw the Arab Baths, The Jewish Museum (one of the largest and best preserved Jewish quarters in Europe), The Cathedral (featuring the second oldest tapestry in the world, and a beautiful church that took some 400 years to complete), and The City Walls(which are very well preserved, and which you can still walk on).

Our final stop of the trip was to Besalu, a small medieval town. It was such a peaceful stop. The weather (like the whole trip) was beautiful. It was also Sunday, so not that many people were there. Not only was it beautiful to enter this village dating back to the Middle Ages, but also it was fun because there were neat souvenir shops and restaurants. We only had about an hour there, but we all wished we had had more time. It was a nice way to end a good trip.

Arrived back in Barcelona around 7:00 Sunday night. Overall it was a really nice trip. I enjoy going to places in Spain because I think as cool as it is to gallivant around Europe, it is important to remember that Spain has much to offer as well. Trips like this open my eyes to the gems of Spain that are often overlooked when exploring Europe.

Andorra

2010-03-10T01:45:00.001-08:00

This past weekend I went on a ski adventure to a stunning mountain range relatively close to Barcelona, The Pyrenees. The Pyrenees are located in Andorra, a teeny, tiny country wedged in between Spain and France mostly noted for its mountains and skiing. When I say small, I truly mean small. I felt liked we walked half of the country by the end of the weekend. It is a very beautiful country though, overtaken by the Pyrenees.

We stayed near Andorra la Vella, the capital, and highest capital city in Europe, elevated at 1023 meters. Also of interest is that the people of Andorra have the second highest human life expectancy in the world, at 82 years old.

We took a bus from Barcelona to Andorra, because it was the cheapest (and only )way to get to Andorra la Vella. The drive was beautiful, but very, very windy. We winded through small mountain villages, over lakes, and up and over mountains. We could see the Pyrenees off in the distance for most of the three hour trip.

After getting off at the bus station in Andorra la Vella, we attempted to find our hostel. The hostel gave us misleading directions, and we ended up on the complete wrong side of town. It was getting dark, and everyone we asked (including the police officers) gave us varying directions. Finally we asked a pharmacist, and she helped us catch a bus to where we needed to go. Getting to the hostel took a lot of time and effort. (as we had to converse in Spanish the entire time.) We were both getting a little frustrated because no one was helping us, but finally we got it straight, and in the process saw the president of Portugal, who was visiting in Andorra that same weekend.

We arrived at our hostel, and were greeted by a fantastic lady, who really helped us. She was so nice that it made up for the faulty directions the hostel had online. She helped us pick where we should ski the next day and gave us other information about the town. We headed up to our room, a small and simple room with a shared bathroom. Not glamourous, but exactly what we were looking for...economical. Plus, everyone else staying there was skiers so that was neat too.

After settling in, we walked around the town. We ate a nice dinner in a little restaurant, and attempted to find something to do. We didn't have much luck, however, as the town was pretty deserted and sleepy at night. All the skiers must have come down from the mountain and crashed.

One thing we did check out was the local hot mineral pools, or hot springs. It was in a really neat glass, modern building. The place was called Caldea, and I guess it was a hotspot for skiers at night. We didn't actually enter though, because the prices were very steep and the reservations for the times we could go were full. If I ever go back, I definitely want to try and check it out though. It looked very soothing and relaxing, and with its mix of outdoor and indoor themed pools of hot mineral water, it looked like a great time.

We went to bed relatively early to get an early start on our ski adventure. Up at 8 am, and went to a small coffee/pastry shop for a coffee and pastry. (Barcelona has ruined us for prices. A coffee and pastry was only 1.85E. That is unheard of in Barcelona.) After breakfast we went to a little market to grab some bread and cheese and fruit to have for lunch at the ski resort.

We packed up a backpack and put on layers of all our clothes. (neither of us had "official" ski gear, but we worked with what we had). After more transportation confusion, we found a bus that would take us up to the mountain we wanted to ski at. The bus dropped us off at a small town, Masana, and from there we rented skis and got lift tickets. Then we had to take about a 10 minute gondola ride up the mountain. Until this point, we hadn't seen too many snow covered peeks, but as soon as we got off the gondola, we were surrounded. Beautiful, snow capped mountains were everywhere. It was really exciting and there were skiers everywhere. We quickly rented a locker, put on our equipment, and hit the slopes.

The day was absolutely beautiful. Bright blue skies and lots of sun. The slopes were really great (a little clumpy from the warm weather and lots...i mean LOTS of people!) We had a nice time skiing, except for a small mishap which left Amy and I separated. In attempts to get back to her I had to go up another mountain and ski down a big hill. I wasn't fully thinking about what I was doing and was going to0 quick trying to get to her, and in the process I wiped out. I really banged up my knee, but thank goodness I didn't break anything. The hills were very intense, and I saw lots of people wipe out (although, not too many injuries). I finally met up with Amy again and we headed down to the lodge for a late lunch.

After enjoying our packed lunch, we just explored around a bit. My knee was too banged up to continue skiing, so we had to stop the day a little earlier than we wanted to. (although, the resort ended up closing at 5 anyway). I guess I am used to Peak and Peek with lighted slopes at night, but bigger places with multiple mountains don't have the ability to light up that many slopes, so they have to close earlier.

After going back down the gondola, we explored Mansana a bit, got some coffee, and then headed back down to our hostel. We stopped at a little grocery store for some dinner foods. (Cava, bread, and cheese) and went back to the hostel. Not a very eventful night. We were both exhausted, and I could barely move my leg.

The next morning, after a nice long sleep, we packed up and explored around Andorra la Vella. We didn't find too much interesting. Most of the shops were big name stores, perfumeries, or cigarette stores. Since Andorra is tax free, many people come to experience the duty free shopping. I was kinda bummed there weren't more (actually any) unique little shops. The weather started to get overcast, and we were thankful that we had skied the day earlier.

At 3 we caught the bus back to Barcelona. It was a nice relaxing and beautiful weekend. Although I was left injured, I still had a great time. I don't know if I will be able to say again in my life that in less than a week I both surfed and skied. Pretty neat experience!

Morocco

2010-03-02T06:12:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I embarked on a grand adventure. Technically though, it shouldn't be included in my "Grace's European Adventures" because I wasn't in Europe.... I was in Morocco, AFRICA!

I left with a few friends Thursday night. We were supposed to leave the Barcelona airport at 10:00 pm, but our flight was delayed (there were bad airline strikes in France that slowed everything down). At any rate, we were delayed for about 2 hours. Not bad, but not fun when Africa was awaiting us. We flew Royal Air Maroc so as soon as we stepped on the plane, we got an immediate Arabic vibe. All the signs were in Arabic and we were served a very interesting meal.

Finally, after a two hour long flight,we arrived in Morocco at 1:30am(they are an hour behind Barcelona). The Marrakech airport was quite tiny, and we had to walk up to the terminal. In the waiting area we were greeted by our "tourguide" (if you would even call him that). He helped us navigate our way to our hostel. Stepping out of the airport, everything immediatley felt so strange. The people were all so different, speaking different languages (French and Arabic), and wearing different clothing.

According to our guide, Toby, everything is a hassle in Morocco. This was evident even by observing the taxi drivers, as the simple task of getting a taxi took quite some time and haggling. (This is when it was helpful to have Toby). We drove through the town. Marrakech, like most cities, has an old town(with walls for fortification) and a newer, expanded part of town. We were staying in the old town, about 1 minute from the huge, well known market.

At this point we were all exhausted. Toby led us through the streets (or should I say dirt alleys) to our hostel. We were staying at a different hostel then the others, and Toby simply led us up the alley and said, cya at 7:50 tomorrow morning in the main square. We ventured inside and were greeted by a man (not speaking, English...or Spanish. That was a problem that would emerge throughout the weekend. We all kept instinctively using Spanish, and they couldn't understand.) He led us to our room..a long, narrow room with 5 really narrow, really rock-hard beds. It seriously looked like I just stepped into Aladdin. Everything had such an Arabic feel. Also to our surprise and confusion, we had a window which opened up into a living room? It was all very random and totally sketchy, but we were exhausted, and so we washed up (in the bathroom without toilet paper) and tried to fall asleep. Oh, one other note. We (thankfully) correctly assumed that the water was not drinkable. The problem was none of us had much water. Good thing our "guide" told us we shouldn't drink the water, or directed us in the way of some bottled water....NOT! Oh well, we survived on minimal water, and took note to buy water the next day. All in all we maybe got 3 hours of sleep. We were scared and tired, but we were in Africa!

We had an early awakening to the sound of the morning prayers and roosters crowing. We crawled out of bed, and headed to the market (we slept in our clothes). We exchanged our Euros to Dirham which left us feeling pretty rich as 1 Euro = 10 Dirhams! Nice! We then walked out to the market square where we were greeted by Toby and our other guide, Marijuan (yes, his name was Marijuan) and we met the other 8 people in our group. (There were 12 of us total).

It was really cool to see Marrakech in the day. The vendors were starting to set up their stands, and camels and donkeys and other creatures were just wondering around. Quite a surreal experience (especially on 3 hours of sleep). We climbed in the van and were off. We drove out of the old part of the city, into the newer, more modernized area. I think that is were most normal tourists stay. We had the much less comfortable, more sketchy experience, but, looking back, I would have taken it any day over a glamourous hotel. It was a character building experience. After leaving the city we headed to the southern beach town of Agadir. The trip was absolutely beautiful, and we worked our way by and through the Atlas mountains, a stunning, snowcapped mountain range that stretches across the northern part of Africa.

We stopped for some typical Moroccan breakfast at around 9am in a small market off the side of the road. Everyone sat together at a very long table. I learned that this is the typical way Moroccan's eat. Every meal is "family style" with communal dishes and minimal utensils. For this meal we ate Moroccan pancakes (so good) and cornbread with honey and butter. We also had Moroccan tea, something I immediately fell in love with. It is really strong tea with lots of mint leaves and sugar. They brought it out in a big pot and you put the mint and sugar in yourself and mix it. I love tea, and this was by far the best tea I have ever had in my entire life.

After our delicious breakfast, we continued on our journey. The sun was already starting to get really hot, and so the rest of the trip we travelled up, down, and around the mountains with the windows open and sun shining on our faces. It was like a dream. The drive was quite scary, however, and every time I started to fall asleep I would awake to sudden breaking or accelerating. The drive was very long, but exceptionally beautiful. From the Atlas mountains, to the rural villages, to the camels alongside the road, or the goats in the trees (yes, tons of goats in trees), we were truly experiencing Africa.

We finally made it to Agadir, and to the beach town of Taghazout, a small, Berber fishing/surfing community outside of Agadir. We all jumped out of the van, eager to catch some rays and absorb the awesome village culture. Some people wearing authentic, arabic clothing, and then there were surfers wearing close to nothing. It was such a mesh of cultures and people. Very interesting. Immediately we heard the prayer being broadcasted from the local mosque. I expected it to be serene and calming, but no, their prayer sounded like a combination of an auction and a political rally. On Fridays (equivalent to our Sundays) the prayer is broadcasted 5 times a day (starting in the wee hours of the morning and ending late at night). They pray every day, 5 times a day, facing Mecca. It was a bit jarring to have this loud and almost scary prayer going off while we were trying to grasp where we were and gather our belongings.

With minimal guidance, we found our surf house. It was very tall and skinny (like a town house) with about 5 floors. We dropped our stuff off in one of the main living spaces and went up to the uppermost floor, the terrace.The view from the terrace was surreal. You could see the whole tiny village, the ocean, the mountains, and Agadir off in the distance. The terrace itself was so cool too. It was full of couch-like beds and tables and just had a really homy, comfortable feel. There were a lot of other people just hanging out up there (people who were also staying in the surf house/hostel) We all ate lunch together than headed down to grab a surfboard and go down to the beach.

This wasn't your typical, lay-in-the-sun kind of beach. It had a rocky coast, and I guess it was perfect for surfing. At any rate, all the rocks made it very tricky to get down to the beach (especially with a board and wetsuit in hand). It was a beautiful walk though, and after arriving to the beach we all suited up and got our quick lesson. Our instructors told us a few things (mainly safety issues) and we were sent out into the waves. It was so hot (about 90 degrees) that we all rushed into the water. We all paddled out, and tried to catch our first wave.

Surfing was a lot harder than I expected. Well, I guess I didn't expect it to be easy, but I didn't realize the amount of strength and stamina required for the sport. Given our lack of sleep, it was extra hard. It was really fun though, and the waves were large,but fun to be in. I never officially got "up" on my feet (i did on my knees, haha) but our instructors said it would take a good week before you could really master the sport. Some of the guys in our group got up for a few short seconds, but the girls had a harder time. We were in the water for a long time though, and by the time we got out, I was so exhausted. My arms were incredibly sore, and so we just laid out on the beach. (even though the sun was, by this point, going down). After a quick rest, we headed back up to the surf house. Phew, the walk back up the rocks was even harder, especially because we were all so sore.

We went down to the local market. (Friday was market day in Taghazout). We bartered for some jewelry and other souvenirs. Later, I came back to the hostel and took a much needed shower. I met some girls who were at the surf house from Switzerland (they were au pairs there) and I went with them down to a little beach side cafe (even though it was dark) to get some tea. We each got our own huge pot of amazing Moroccan tea for the equivalent of .7E. So cheap. It was crazy how cheap the food was in Morocco. It was nice getting to meet some new people though, and they had some interesting stories about life as an au pair. The one girl used to live in Akron, Ohio. What a small world!

After getting back to the hostel, we all went up to the terrace for a tremendous barbeque. They had a huge grill and we all just sat around and talked and laughed and ate, ate,ate. Literally this bbq (which didn't start until like 10) lasted at least 3 hours. So much food. It was a really good time though. After the party, I immediately crashed.

Woke up the next morning to a terrace breakfast of baguettes and homemade peanut butter! So amazing. In Barcelona, they find peanut butter to be very odd, so it was really nice to be able to have some, especially being homemade. After breakfast we got our boards and went down to the beach. The weather was a bit overcast, and the waves were really huge. (A storm was brewing). We decided not to go surfing, because it was just too scary. We wet suited up, and attempted to go out, but it was seemed dangerous. Instead we rode camels down the beach. It was a very cool experience, and the man took us on a pretty scary ride. Over rocks, through the water, down a sand dune, galloping (do camel's gallop?) on the beach. It was an awesome ride, something that legally that never would have occurred in the US. You would have had to sign your life away before going on a ride like that.

As the day got more and more overcast, we headed back up to the surf house and decided to explore the little town. It was a really neat little town. It was kind of odd because the streets were disgusting, full of trash and gross things, but despite all this, the city remained incredibly beautiful. The city was like one big oxymoron.

We had a really fun time wondering through the tiny alleyways and bartering in a few shops. I swear you can barter for everything in Morocco. I asked Toby if you could barter for gas. He laughed and said no, but I feel like just about everything else is fair game. We ate a little snack at a really cool beach restaurant. The inside was very arabic feeling, and there were low couches to sit on with bright colored cushions and pillows everywhere. Really cool.

After another great day, we packed up and headed back to Marrakech. (we had to get back for our flight the next morning at 10 am) It had started to rain, so despite having to leave such a beautiful location, it wasn't as upsetting, given the weather. It was a long drive home, and we stopped for another family style meal at a roadside stand. This time we had Tagine, a slow cooked stew in a special pot over a fire. (kind of like a rustic crock pot). Amazing,tender food though. We also had tea. They joked that tea is called, Moroccan whiskey, because it is so strong, and because much of Morocco is "dry" due to its religious nature.

We arrived around midnight back to Marrakech. The market was still jamming (although I guess that it was mostly food at this hour, no vendors). It was pouring down rain, so we made our way back to the main hostel and hung out for awhile while we waited for our room. Later, we were assigned our rooms. The girls were lucky enough to get the same sketchy hostel with no toilet paper. This time we approached the situation differently though. We smartened up and took our own toilet paper.

Surprisingly, coming back to the same room we shared the first night was like coming around full circle. It had been a whirlwind of two days, but we had returned back to that room much more brave. We weren't scared at all, and after all that we had seen and experienced we felt so much more cultured and ready to brave anything. In fact, the second time around we kind of "liked" the hostel. What we initially perceived as sketchy had turned to charm. We had grown to be more open after two days of experiencing such a different place.

We woke up early the next morning, and got to the airport to enjoy a small breakfast of coffee and amazing Moroccan pastries. We were all exhausted, and slept most of the way home. After arriving back at the Barcelona airport, we took a quick restroom break. Me, being tired and absent minded, left my bag full of everything I had bought on the back of the bathroom door. I didn't realize this until I got back to my apartment. I was so bummed! Thankfully though, after much confusion my bag was found and I went back to the airport the next day to retrieve it.

Overall, the trip was one of the most enriching experiences of my life. I had fun, I learned a lot, and I became a braver and more accepting person. Viva Africa!

Carnaval!

2010-02-17T05:47:00.001-08:00

Phew, so I'm finally getting some time to write about this past weekends festivities. Starting last Thursday and up through last night(Fat Tuesday) was Carnaval time in Spain. While Brazil (Rio) remains the all time Carnaval, Spain still holds a pretty spectacular celebration. While Barcelona doesn't go all out, the small coastal town of Sitges (about an hour south) really embraces the Carnaval season. From elaborate costumes and floats, to singing and dancing in the streets, people come from miles to enjoy the celebrations of Sitges(considered one of the top 3 Carnaval destinations in Spain, along with Cadiz and the Canary Islands). Carnaval serves as one last, crazy, ridiculous hurrah before lent. Every one goes all out, even the children participate. Last week, walking home from school on Friday it seemed that every child was dressed up. So cute, it reminded me of our Halloween.

So on Saturday, some friends and I took the train down to Sitges. We left early, as to avoid the massive crowds on the train (it gets pretty crazy i guess), and so we could see the town before the festivities began. As soon as we arrived, we knew a party was in store. There were streamers and confetti everywhere. We explored the small town, really enjoying the beautiful beaches. Unfortunately it was cold that day, but better weather than Barcelona (where it rained all day). The town was absolutely gorgeous, and we were all glad that we came early enough to enjoy it in the daylight. It was relatively small, and very quaint. It reminded me of Greece. (Small white cottages, blue doors, etc, etc.) Actually the town is very well know for it's beaches (in the summer) and it's extremely flamboyant population. I guess it's a pretty crazy place in the Summer, but also for Carnaval week.

We bought crepes. (my first time buying them here, SOO good). I got banana and nutella! It was amazing. After relaxing on the beach and enjoying our crepes, we continued to wonder around the city. It was pretty dead. (everyone must have still been sleeping, or else prepping for the night's activities). We decided to just chill in a bar until things started to liven up.

After leaving the bar around 6, we were surprised to see the streets completely filled. In just a few hours the town went from a sleepy village to a booming party. We followed the music that was loudly playing, and once we got there we realized it was like a parade. (not a formal parade, but just two bands with all kinds of instruments) People (dressed in all sorts of crazy costumes) were singing and dancing behind the bands. So, we put our masks on and joined in on the fun. It was such a great time, and we really felt "part" of the parade. We just danced and laughed with all the people around us. Everyone was decked out and having a great time.

After parading all around town, the bands kind of broke up. At this point, more and more and more crazy people with crazy costumes entered the city! I swear there was every type of costume imaginable(lots of drag!!!). So many people having so much fun. We left before it probably got to the maximum level of craziness. We were cold and had been there all day and wanted to make sure and get the last train home. It is an all night affair I guess. Pretty crazy! People sure know how to have a good time here in Spain. Maybe that's why (as I learned today in class) that the average life expectancy in Spain is over 80 years old (7th best in the world). I don't know where the US stands, but probably lower do to our stressful and intense lifestyle.

At any rate, I came home completely exhausted. The next morning though, I got up to experience some things around Barcelona. Coincidentally, the same weekend as Carnaval fell the festival of Santa Eulaila or Laia. (One of the patron saints of Catalunya). Laia is remembered as a children's saint because she died so young (at age 13, protesting in defense of Christian persecution). It is a very sad story, but she is warmly remembered by the Barcelona community. This festival is for children, and features many activities suitable for young kids (and foreigners who find everything fascinating, like me). Part of the festival features a parade of large costumed characters. The figures are called "gegants" and are a typical part of special Catalan festivals. The figures were huge, and represented different important people in Catalan's history. There were over 50 of these massive figures. It was quite impressive to witness, and very fun to see all the children enjoying the parade so much. Each time a new set of "gegants" would parade by, a new band would parade with them. (the bands were simple with recorders and drums, but still very cool).

After the gegants came the part of the festival I was most looking forward to, the castellers. Castellers are a famous Catalan tradition that involves forming human towers(or "castles"). The tradition started back in the 18th century, and has continued today. Like the gegants, castellers are popular at many festivals and town events.

I had heard about the castellers and seen pictures, but nothing compared to seeing these massive human castles being built live! These people are so talented and so strong! Equally impressive was that all types of people were included. Children (at the top obviously), women (petite and buff) and men (large and small). It was so fascinating to watch. They were like monkeys, wiggling their way up and down each other. We watched them build tower after tower. (There were about 5 different "groups" from different areas of town.) It is really an honor to represent your part of town as part of the casteller group. It made my back hurt just to watch though.

Overall it was a really fun and cultured weekend. It was definitely a switch going from the crazy parties of Sitges to the kid friendly festival of Barcelona, but it was such a great weekend. I really enjoy that the Spanish people do fun things like this. Not only is it fun for the individual, but I think it is great for the entire community to come together in such a welcoming way. Everyone "belonged" at both of these festivities, something less common back home.

Sunday...

2010-02-14T13:07:00.001-08:00

Ahhh, it is Sunday. I never really thought much of Sundays back home. In fact, they were usually filled with running errands and doing last minute stuff to prepare for the upcoming week. Things are a little different in Spain. As I found out one of my first weekends here, Barcelona nearly shuts down on Sunday! Well, not really everything, but it shuts down everything that could enable you to be consumeristic. At first, I didn't really like the whole idea, but now that i've been here a few weeks, I really like the sleepy Sunday kinda motto.

As a result of no real stores or shops being open, I have found myself looking outside of the box to find cool things to do on Sundays. Just because things are closed, doesn't mean people stay inside. Sunday is the day where many museums and parks are free. As a result, it is common to see people outside with their families enjoying one another's company. Whether heading to a museum or strolling through a park, it is refreshing to see this sort of activity going on. The focus is really brought in on friends and family, and it is nice to see a day devoted to one another.

Consequently, I have gone on many neat adventures on Sunday. Last weekend I went to Montjuic. Simplified, Montjuic is a hill overlooking the city and harbor. As a result of being home to the 1929 World Exhibition and the 1992 Olympic Games, the "hill" offers some awesome features. One is the Palau Nacional. This building is really cool, and takes a long time to hike up the steps of it. Once you get to the top, though, you can see an amazing view of the city. From there, you can enter the MNAC (National Museum of Art of Catalunya). It is a beautiful museum, and was free! (due to the fact that it was free the first Sunday of the month. Score!) The museum included many sections featuring various Catalan works from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Modern eras. It was very interesting, and combined with the stunning views and building, an overall great place.

After the museum we wondered around Montjuic, through some various gardens, and up to the Olympic Stadium. We were allowed to enter the stadium, and I was kinda surprised at how un-grand it was. After further investigation, I found it was built back in 1927 for the '29 Exhibition. Barcelona tried to win the 1936 Olympic bid as well. As a result of the age, the stadium seemed outdated. After the olympics it housed the RCD Espanyol football team (the 2nd team to FCB) but the team was moved in 2009. The 2010 European Athletics Competition is supposed to be held there, but it looks to me like some work is needed before that can happen.

After the stadium, we wondered down the main road of Montjuic, past the Olympic Museum and Miro Museum and past the Olympic diving pools. They were so gorgeous, and featured a beautiful view over the entire city! The pool is now open to the public. I hope I can swim there before the semester ends. It looks like it would be quite the experience.

Later, we climbed a hill up to a small and absolutely gorgeous park overlooking the city and harbor! It was so spectacular. There are gondolas that run up and down the park, but it seems like a waste of money, if you ask me. It is a fairly easy walk up the hill, and not worth the 9E. There is, however, a gondola that goes from Montjuic over the ocean to Barcelona. I definitely want to go on it, maybe once it warms up some more. There are also plenty of other things I still need to see in Montjuic. It is such a cool area though, and I'm so glad I got a taste of it.

This Sunday, I went again to Montjuic, this time with Ana and Jose. They showed us a "secret" place. Also in Montjuic, is the palace where the royal family stays when they come to Barcelona. Ana got invited there for work one time, so she knew where it was. Otherwise, they try and not overly publicize the location of the palace. It was very beautiful, and had very nice views. Too bad the weather was kinda stinky this morning. It was still a fun adventure to go on with my "family." Almost as fun as seeing the palace was driving in the car. I have missed riding in cars, and it was fun to be in a car jamming out to techno tunes with Ana and Jose.

I guess what i'm saying, is unlike at home where Sundays are go, go, go get ready for the upcoming week, here it's more of a relaxed, one last family moment of the week.

Tomorrow, I shall write more about this weekends festivities. They were crazy, to say the least! Happy Valentines Day everyone. (Here Valentines day is inexistent, and that is more than ok with me :)

5 weeks!

2010-02-11T11:33:00.000-08:00

Wow, I have officially been in Barcelona for 5 weeks! How insane to think I'm 30% done with my trip. I don't like to think that way though. I want to cherish every minute of my time here in this incredibly awesome city!

I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to study abroad. It has already been such a life changing experience. That being said, it is really hard being away from all the people I know and love. I have never, ever been away from my parents for longer than 4 weeks. I have always been close to my parents, and cherish the time I get to spend with them. We definitely have our "moments", but overall we are a very tight unit. Hitting this 5 week mark has been really hard, because I miss them a whole, whole lot.If anything though, being away has helped me appreciate them even more.

I have been really blessed as a kid. I have never properly expressed my appreciation for my parents and all they have done for me (in this regard). Ever since I was a baby (literally, 2 months old), my parents have enjoyed traveling around the country. As a result, I have been lucky enough to visit almost all 50 states, and see so many spectacular sights. This is so special to me because not only have I got to see such amazing things, but I have been able to to do it with my family, the people who mean the most to me.

I didn't always feel this way though. Ask my family. I used to be a big brat (i'm sure they still think i am at times) I always enjoyed vacations but constantly complained about "sharing the backseat" with Wes for a 24 hour nonstop journey across the country. We would bicker and fight over who was hogging the seat. (I was always pretty good at that :) At any rate, throughout these bratty years, I sometimes found myself wondering why we couldn't be like other families and go on normal vacations. I wanted to fly somewhere tropical and stay at a resort and be pampered. My parents thought otherwise. They liked long drives, camping in the mountains, and living rustically. It took me many years to appreciate how dang fortunate I was (and am). Looking back, I would never change any of my vacation experiences. I got to see things I never would have seen if we would have "gone to the beach" and experience quality family moments that I never would have had if we would have embarked on the more typical "family vacations."

I wish I could do over all my early years of vacations. I wish I could have realized how fortunate and lucky I was to able to be exploring the world. My parents (my mom in particular) wanted to provide us with educational and adventurous opportunities, and unfortunately, many times I did not fully appreciate what I was seeing and doing.

I have so many wonderful memories that I will never forget. From Jackson Hole, Wyoming (the Hall family all time favorite spot), to Sugarloaf Mountain, to the Rio Grande, many of my best memories so far in life have come from times I've spent with my family.

I don't know if they realize how appreciative I am, but I hope they do. Without instilling that sense of adventure in me (since infancy), I probably never would have embarked on my current adventure. They are my inspiration, and I hope one day I can be as neat of parents and take my kids on as cool and unique trips as they have taken me on.

Everyday when I see something cool, I wish they could be right by me experiencing it too. Thankfully, sooner than later, they will get to embark on their own little European adventure. I can't wait to share this experience with them. Until then, I will continue to miss and love them!

Another Week

2010-02-05T13:33:00.000-08:00

Geesh, another week has flown by. Nothing too major occurred this week. School is picking up pace. It seems like every class involves multiple speeches, group work, and a midterm and final. In addition, a lot of my classes include field studies. Field studies (or mini field trips) are a nice way to break up the monotony of typical class, and also to give us real life examples and experiences of what we're learning in class. That is one really awesome thing about living in a city. You have access to so much stuff to enhance your learning experience.

This Monday was my first field study. It was to El Raval, a district right off Las Ramblas. I had never explored there so it was neat to get to go. The field study was designed to see various important areas and places in El Raval. In order to find them we had to ask people (it was for Spanish class). We were all so worried about finishing in time that speaking to people seemed so easy. It always seems like when your least concerned about speaking and you "just do it" that it is the easiest. After the field study we had to write a composition (in Spanish) about our experience. I had Ana look over mine before I turned it in. I was a little embarrassed because it was pretty juvenile sounding, but it was easier than I expected. Maybe I am getting better at Espanol (or Spanglish at least)

On Wednesday morning I had another field study for my class, Barcelona The City as a Place to Live. We explored the Gothic Quarters. It was very interesting, and although I've already explored it a lot, our teacher explained us some small nuances that I may not have caught on to had I not had a guide. One thing that stuck out from the trip was that although I thought last weekend's trip to Tarragona was unique because we got to explore such old ruins, it turns out the Barcelona has equally as old of ruins. Tarraga and Barcino (as they were once called) were both towns of Roman importance. (although Tarraga had much more importance than Barcino). We saw the columns (which were very well preserved) of Augustus' palace (in Barcelona). I guess it is cool to know that we have equally as old and historic things here too(just not nearly as many as in Tarragona).

I'm really enjoying all the walking I can do here in Barcelona. Unlike back at home where even a simple destination involves driving, here I can get to and from most places without having to set foot on public transportation. I find walking to be very refreshing, and a good time to clear my mind. Also, walking is a good way to improve my Spanish (by hearing bits and pieces of conversations) and also improve my knowledge of the city. I try and take new routes to school when I have time. It is interesting because each new route involves learning so many new stores. There are just so many stores and restaurants, it is unbelievable. Even on the main street that I frequently walk on, I find myself seeing a "new" store each time I walk it.

On one of my excursions home, I was cutting through some back streets and I saw all these huge stores filled with really cool things. I walked in a few of them and was really confused because everyone would greet with "mayor." I thought it was just something nice, so i'd say hola, and peruse through the store. One store I actually purchased a really cool shawl for 3E! The stuff was so insanely cheap, I couldn't resist. After coming home and asking Ana about the area of town, she informed me that it is a wholesale area, where only special buyers (with a card that says they own a store) are allowed to purchase things. I guess that's what the word mayor means. At any rate, I guess that explains why the stores were fairly empty, and people were giving me strange looks. Oh well, live and learn. The woman probably felt bad about my confusion and just sold it to me. That's one thing about being here....I've learned to embrace awkward situations. At home I try and shy away from looking stupid, but here I know I am going to look stupid because there are so many unfamiliar barriers (language, culture, and basic way of life differences) that I'm bound to look like I don't know what's going on. I just go for it.

One night this week we went to a free museum that featured a cool exhibit about Eixample, the area of town I live in. The Eixample is an extension of the city that was planned and designed by Ildefons Cerda. Cerda's design was to make the city very grid-esque. The expansion occurred in the late 1800s after the walls of the medieval city were torn down in 1860. Still today it is considered to be one of the most unusual urban space in Europe. The idea of the community centered around blocks of housing that were octagonal, rather than a typical square. (as to avoid sharp edges, and make transportation move more efficiently). The exhibit was huge, and it was neat to see, especially since we live in Eixample and so we could easily pick out which one our house was in all the models and pictures.

Many of the buildings in the Eixample, were designed by famous Modernisma architects including Gaudi, Cadafach, and Montaner. Yesterday, I went on a walking tour called "Modernisme." It explored many of the modern building and facades that Barcelona has become famous for. Unlike my other tours which featured the central areas of town, it was great to learn more about the outskirts (including Eixample). On the tour one of my favorite buildings was the Palau de la Musica Catalana, designed by Montaner. I only saw the outside (I've heard the inside is even more phenomenal) but even the outside was gorgeous. From unique brickwork to cool sculptures and intricate mosaic tile work, the Catalan Music Palace was beautiful. I definitely want to go see a show there and experience the inside. I also really enjoyed Casa Batllo, one of Gaudi's stunning creations. We also saw Gaudi's Casa Mila. I was less impressed with this, but I heard it is very cool to go inside. Overall the tour was really informational, and helped me learn more about the importance of modern architects and their great and lasting effects on Barcelona.

Palau de la Musica Catalunya

This block is nicknamed "the apple of discord" because it features so many unique modern styles. (including Casa Amatller:Cadafalch, Casa Battlos:Gaudi, and Casa Albert Lleo Morera: Montaner(can't be seen in this picture)

Last night I went out to two really cools bars. I'll just briefly describe them since this blog is getting long. One was a fairy tale bar complete with a forrest, waterfalls, a wishing well, castles, and chirping crickets. It was pretty cool. Next we went to a bar that was called Hook. It was decked out in a pirate theme (like the movie Hook) and I guess it had some historical significance. I can't recall or figure out what though.

Today we ventured on a day trip to Montserrat, a mountain top monastery about 30 miles Northwest. We took the train from Barcelona.It was a beautiful ride accross the countryside and then all of a sudden this seemingly random mountain range just appeared. Later, I read that the range in "just 6 miles long and a result of ten million years of geological upheaval and erosion on a conglomerate that once lay beneath the sea." According to my guidebok, archaeological finds in several of the caves revealed human presence since neolithic times (4000 BC), but the real story begins (according to legend) in 880 AD when apparently the Virgin Mary appeared in a cave. This claim caused excitement and later 4 chapels were built in the area. Thus began the enthrall with Montserrat. In 1025 the Monastery was founded, and a black wooden image of the Virgin Mary was carved. This image is still on display today and many Catalans make the pilgrimage to see the figure. (In 1881 the Virgin of Montserrat was declared Catalunya's patron saint). Disaster struck this small mountain top monastery twice, once when Napoleon's troops destroyed much of the monastery, and once during the civil war. Fortunately the Manastery has survived and today it is home to about 30 monks.

After arriving at our train stop, we observed the beautiful and dramatic mountains for a few minutes before taking the gondola up to the monastery. The gondola offered fantastic views of the mountains above, and river below. At the top we could see clear to the Sea one way and clear to the snow capped Pyrenees the other way! At the top we explored around for sometime, taking in the spectacular views and unique rock formations. We did a small hike (there were a lot more rigorous and spectacular hikes, but it was pretty windy and chilly today, and I'll wait for my parents to hike to the very top:-)

Gondola ride to the top (looking down)...eeeee

View from the top

Rock formations and part of the Monastery

At any rate it was a really cool and beautiful experience. Very peaceful and nice to get some fresh air! After spending about 3 hours looking around, we headed back down. Before doing so, however, we hit up a local market (where people from the local villages bring their goods to sell. Lots of yummy cheeses, honey, and fig things. I bought one cause it was just so pretty, and I felt good supporting these people.)

Our figgy treats

Overall it was a great and beautiful day. I'm pretty tired from all our walking, but getting out of the city was a nice change of pace. Tomorrow I hope to go to a museum here(Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya...it's free the first Sunday of the month!) and explore Montjuic. (where the Olympics were).

Tarragona

2010-01-31T03:37:00.000-08:00

Last night I arrived home from my second adventure away from Barcelona. I went on a school organized and mandated study journey to the coastal city of Tarragona, a small city about 60 miles south of Barca (although still located in the region of Catalonia). The tour was three days long and organized by the school. In fact, we received very little information about the trip until the night before, so most everything we did was a surprise.

Thursday morning, between the hours of 7:45 and 8:45 all 470 of us left to Tarragona. It was almost humorous the amount of America students in this relatively small town. We kind of took over the city with our 8 tour buses and 4 hotels. Despite having so many kids, it was very well organized, and there was never more than 25-50 or so people doing the same thing at once.

It only took about an hour to get there and the drive was beautiful. The road ran parallel to the Sea most of the journey, and we went through many mountainous regions and tunnels. (It almost reminded me of something you would find out west). After arriving in Tarragona, we began our first tour, which included a historical walking tour all around town. Tarragona is one of the oldest cities on the entire Iberian peninsula as the Romans arrived around 200BC. Tarraco was the first Roman military foundation, as its location atop a hill served as a natural watchtower, and it also served as the capital of the Roman Province of Hispania Citerior. Obviously the city isn't Rome, but it is very unique in the Western half of the Mediterranean for the quality, quantity, and state of preservation of many of its Roman structures, and it is now a World Heritage site.

We first viewed the amphitheater, where public executions and gladiator shows took place back in the 1st century AD. It is now recognized as one of the ten wonders of Catalonia. After, we explored the old part of town. This area still displays the intact city walls which are very well preserved. Within in the city walls encompass the three parts of the old town: The Cira (where chariot races were run), The Forum(where meeting were run, and the province was governed), and The Temple(which was later turned into a Cathedral after the inquisition).

View of Tarragona (including Roman Amphitheater)

Sarah and I in the subterranean tunnels

The ruins were very interesting. I have never really been a history buff, but it was very fascinating to be walking around things that were 2000 years old. For lunch, we ate in a restaurant that was one of the old arches of the Circa. It was very cool, and I ordered my first Menu del Dia. (consisting of lots of yummy food). Later that day we explored more of the city and went to a local museum that featured more ruins and artifacts. After a long day of walking and touring we headed back to our hotel, Hotel Astari. It was located on Via Augusta, a very historic road that connected southern Spain to Rome (back in the day). The hotel was very beautiful and we had a small ocean view from our balcony.

The next day (after a very early start) we went to Torres Vineyards, one of the major wine producers in Spain (and worldwide). The tour was very interesting and included a train tour around the vineyards (although it would have been better if everything wasn't so dead looking). We also watched a movie, participated in some crazy Tunnel of Seasons (where you could smell the different vineyard scents of the seasons) and finally tasted some wine. One boy was so excited about his 3E Torres Wine purchase, and he came back to the bus and was telling everyone, only to be told by one of our teachers that he had bought vinegar! HAHA.

The Sunrise the first morning (from our balcony)

After the vineyards we departed to Altafulla, another coastal town that appeared almost ghostlike (due to the time of year). We ate a wonderful lunch at a little beach side restaurant, and had some time to just spend at the beach. It was so wonderful to just take off my shoes and walk around the beach in such a scenic place. After the beach, we walked down to another Roman ruin site, Els Munts. Here we saw the ruins of a Villa where a high Roman official lived in the summer months. It was interesting to see these ruins,and to see how the lifestyle of the the fortunate few differed from the normalcy of Tarragona. As part of the tour we had to dress up like Romans. It was so bizarre, but made the experience pretty funny. Later we hiked to Medol, the quarry where the Romans obtained all the limestone for the structures they built in Tarragona.

The Beach at Altafulla

El Medol

After a long day we came back and ate another gorgeous meal at the hotel. (I haven't mentioned yet, but all the meals were provided as part of the trip, and man, IES outdid themselves. We ate so well! Everything was so gourmet,authentic, and amazing!) For dinner that night we ate our first course, and only after finishing it, I realized I had ate octupus! Ahhh, Grace Hall does not eat seafood! I was impressed with myself though, and actually didn't mind it.

After dinner, we ventured out for the night. It was awesome because the bars we went to were both built into the ruins. So even my nightlife revolved around Roman Ruins. It was pretty cool to be drinking beer in a structure that was over 2000 years old. The second place we went to was called El Cau (The Cave) and it was literally a cave, that was part of the subterranean tunnels that connected the Cirus to the Local Forum back in the day. It was neat and authentic and there was a cool live band (it was like a Spainsh/Irish/Regaee mix) At any-rate, it was a fun night.

El Cau

(not the best pic, but the atmosphere was so cool)

The next (and final) day a friend and I got up early to go watch the sun rise over the beach! What an awesome way to begin the day.

Sunrise at the beach

View of Tarragona after the sunrise

Afterwards, we left the hotel and travelled up in the mountains to a beautiful monastery, Poblet. According to our guide, it is one of the most important and largest medieval monastic complexes that exists in Europe. It was built in 1150 and was founded to colonize the conquered lands of New Catalonia. After touring and learning about the monastery, we took a nice hike throughout Paraje Natural, the woodlands and mountains that surround the monastery. Many of the reasons this beautiful land and trails have been kept in tact is due to the monastery, and how it encourages the lasting beautification of natural refuges. I guess it is typical for the natural areas around monasteries to be beautiful and very well preserved.

Poblet

After the tour and hike, we ate another outstanding lunch. For an appetizer they served us Calcots, a typical Catalan delicacy (grilled sweet spring onions served with a Romesco sauce). It was pretty hilarious, because they served them to us in these huge platters and none of us knew how to begin eating them. It wasn't until they explained us how, that we learned the authentic way to dig in.

mmm,calcots!

Finally, as a last stop we toured the 12th century medieval town of Montblanc. It was very neat (and WINDY!). The town is still completely surrounded by the city walls. After a trip full of Roman ruins, it was a nice change.

View from the top of MontBlanc

View from the outside of MontBlanc

Overall, although exhausting, the trip was very informational. Not only did we learn a lot, but it also gave us a good chance to get to know more people and professors. We were organized by bus according to our Spanish class, and we had no say in where we wanted to stay or with who, or what we wanted to eat, or where we wanted to go. They jam packed the schedule from 8 in the morning till 8 at night (well actually dinner started at 8, but due to the slow style of eating we finished at about 10 each night).

We all just did what we were told and embraced the unknown. It was a refreshing trip in two ways. 1) Absolutely everything was planned. Unlike Madrid, where we had to plan and devise our entire trip plan, it was nice to just go with the flow on this one. 2) It was also refreshing to be in such a beautiful place. Barca is beautiful, don't get me wrong, but there are 1.6 million residents here which means people, everywhere. It was nice to be somewhere a little less intense for a few days. Although the weather was just about the same as Barcelona, Tarragona is known for it's "eternal spring." Overall, from the weather to the history to the daily surprises, it was a great trip!

Madrid!

2010-01-25T12:04:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm back from my first successful venture away from Barcelona to the nearby city of Madrid, the capital of Spain! It was great to see another Spanish city,and taking this trip made me appreciate the city i'm living in even more. Although the weekend was exhausting and I brought back a nasty cold and earache, the trip was awesome. I think we got a really good taste of the city for being there less than 48 hours.

We got into Madrid about 7:00ish on Saturday morning at a bus station the size of an airport (I swear, it was HUGE). Dreary eyed, and half awake, the four of us trudged along, and miraculously figured out how to get to our hostel. It was really convenient that the bus station was located at a metro stop and the close proximity was a nice surprise, especially since none of us were really coherent enough to figure much out. From the metro, we arrived at Puerta del Sol (the center of town) where our hostel was. It was a great location, because all the main roads branched out from the plaza. We found out our hostel didn't open until 9:00, so we went to a cafe across the street and ate a nice breakfast with LOTS of coffee.

Puerta del Sol

I´ve never stayed in a hostel, so this whole hostel life was totally new to me. Our hostel was located on the third floor of a building, and it seemed a little shady walking up to it the first day, however afer we entered it was so cool! Everything was all IKEA furnished, which I guess is how most hostels are furnished(Warning: the picture below contains graphic images, not appropriate for young children!haha). At any rate, it(the furniture, not the art) makes for a really nice, modern setting. We checked in and left our baggage (since we were early, our room wasn´t quite ready) So, about 9:30 we set out exploring.

Our Hostel

Arriving early in the morning was really beneficial for getting us moving. Had it not been for the circumstance, it may have been more challenging to get going at such an early hour. In fact, the town was so quiet for most of the morning. (all the Spaniards must have still been in bed). We didn´t really have a set plan. I tried to do some reading beforehand, but it was just hard to make a game plan(especially since the book I choose to read was in German or something..haha).

So map in hand, off we went to explore. Throughout the morning we actually saw A LOT of Madrid.(The Royal Palace, Cathedral, various squares and round abouts, Plaza Mayor (a huge square in the center of town), many churches, and a few parks) We saw a lot more than I would have guessed. After coming back to our hostel around 1, we got our room and took a short siesta. We also checked out where we´d been that morning.

Plaza Mayor

After devising a game plan, we left the hostel about 3 to go get some lunch. After trying to find a cool authentic place, with a nice vibe and cheap food, we finally decided to give up! The place we went was nice, nothing to extra authentic, but alright.(It had kinda a gay theme, which was interesting and unexpected until we looked at the decor.) After our meal, we explored some more, and caught the sunset at an Egyptian Temple. The Temple was given as a gift to Spain from the Egyptians, and was just a beautiful place, with views over the whole city . After some more exploration, we went to a local supermarket and picked up some light snacks for dinner.

Egyptian Palace

The Royal Palace

(the king hasn't lived here since the 1930's)

At this point, I realized how nice it was to be staying in a hostel. I guess I always had these preconcived notions of hostels being scary or unclean or odd, but really everything was the complete opposite. Included in our extremely cheap hostel stay was a bed, a locker, municipal bathrooms and showers, access to a kitchen and eating area, free computers, and a nice living room with lots of movies, couchs, and travel books (even a swap book section). We sat in the kitchen and ate our food, while others sat around us eating and cooking. It was just so neat to meet people from all over the world. Literally! I wish I could have stayed longer to have met more people.

The idea behind hostel living seems pretty simple. There are so many things available to use, but it only works because everyone is respectful of everybody and everything. With this mutual respect comes a really neat living situation where people appreciate and look out for one another. Even if I had the money to stay in a glamourous hotel, I´d choose a hostel anyday. The atmosphere is just so one-of-a-kind, and unlike anything I´d ever experienced.

Later on, we went out and walked around. So many neat things to do at night in Madrid. We stumbeled upon a small bar with flamenco dancers, and we peeked in the back door and saw a few minutes of the show. It was very cool and i wish i would have had tickets.

Woke up early to read up on Madrid, and what all we needed to see in our last day in Madrid. We started off the day by eating so churros and chocolate. mmmm,mmm,mm. I actually would have prefered if the chocolate was a little more chocolatey, but overall it was a delicious investment. Next we went to a huge market, that spans the whole way down one street. It is called El Rastro and is only open on Sunday. There were so many people there, and such bizarre stands. From used clothes, to dog beds, to candy and socks, El Rastro had it all.

After, we headed up to a different part of town that we hadn´t yet explored. (Calle de Alcala) This road had many important historical sites including many governmental and national buildings. From this road we ventured into Madrid's very large and very impressive park, Parque del Buen Retiro. This park was massive and just gorgeous. It featured many fountains, winding paths, well groomed hedges, 2 palaces (one being all glass and one being a masterpiece of Valazquez, and a huge lake complete with rowing boats. We were so tired by this point of the day, that we actually all collapsed and took a short siesta. The four of us all lined up on a ledge and relaxed in the sunshine. Multiple people took pictures of us. (we must have looked strange, but it was necessary to muster up the energy to finish the day) So much walking!!! We refused to take the metro (so we could see everything).

Parque del Buen Retiro

Parc del Buen Retiro

Palace of Communications

After the park, we headed to El Prado, a museum considered to have some of the best European art from the 12th- 19th centuries. We went during the times of free admission, so it was a very nice cultural and free experience. One particularly famous work featured there was Diego Valezquez's Las Meninas. It was intersting because this is the piece that Pablo Picasso painted 58 recreations of (some that I saw in his museum here in Barca). My favorite pieces were The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch. I really enjoyed it's symbolism and the idea behind it. Also, I liked The Three Graces by Rubens. (haha, just because it had my name in it, and was pretty).

After the museum, we headed back to the hostel, grabbed some food, and made our way back to the bus station for our departure back to Barca. Arrived back in town about 7 am Monday morning. A long weekend, but very fun, interesting, and educational.

I do have to say though, going to another city really allowed for reflection on Barcelona. I read somewhere that Barcelona is comparable to Boston(architecturally, combo of historic with modern, eclectic vibe) while Madrid is comparable to NYC(big city, lots of museums and theaters).I liked Boston a lot more then NYC, and although I really enjoyed Madrid, I am so glad to be back in Barcelona. It's funny to say, but after being away for a few days, i wanted to come back to my home(away from home) ...Barcelona :)

2010-01-22T09:52:00.000-08:00

The weather finally got nice again yesterday, so it's been great to see the sun again(something i got so accustomed to so quickly). Yesterday, I had a day full of classes, but it was just so nice, that in my one break I went down to the beach to do a little reading. (what a nice option to have!) It was so peaceful sitting in the sun and getting some reading done. So many people are at the beach for it being January. (However, all the locals are bundled in bulky coats and scarves. Strange, but I guess it's a cultural thing. )One kid was swimming yesterday, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't from here and just was doing it to say he'd swam in the Mediterranean.

Yesterday after my classes, I hung around town and hit up a few shops(including the grocery store to buy a few things). I love to walk around the grocery stores here. The food is not completely different then our food, but some things they eat seem really random. I don't know, I just find it fun to wonder up and down the aisles, trying to read the cans and guess what could be made with the food. One type of food, pan tomaca, is authentic to Catalan cuisine. I actually had it for the first time yesterday in a sandwich. People in my classes talk about how strange it is, but I found it to be yummy. It's basically crushed tomatoes ,some spices, and olive oil. It's brushed or crushed onto the bread. (basically to replace a sliced tomato). I guess you can make it yourself, or they sell it in the store. I really enjoy putting marinara sauce on my sandwiches back home, so this is similar and yummy.

Anyway, after wondering around the store, I went to a wine testing that I signed up for at school. It was in a really neat, very old wine shop. The testing took place in an old back room, surrounded by wine racks. Very cool and classy. I actually felt a little too classy, haha. I'm not the world's biggest fan of wine, but I figured maybe if I learned about it, i'd appreciate it a little more. The class was very informative, and we learned a lot about wine, how to "properly" drink it, how to classify its aromas, how to tell its various qualities, etc, etc. We also learned more about cava, the authentic drink of Catalunya, which of course I enjoyed. Wine is so dang cheap here. The one bottle we tried he said they sold for 3E. He said the same bottle would go for about 20E is France, and who knows how much back home. He explained that there is an overload of wine production here in Spain, which makes it so cheap.

This morning I woke up and went and saw La Sagrada Familia before my class. It was really neat, still a work in progress, but very massive and impressive. I am going to go back and get a ticket to go inside when I have more time.

Tonight at midnight, I'm leaving on my first trip outside of Barca! A few friends and I are traveling to Madrid. I'm really excited to experience another Spanish city, and we all figured Madrid was a good city to start out as a travel destination. We are going by bus, which probably won't be the most comfortable accommodations, but it was what was cheapest. Everyone raves about how cheap European travel is, but to get from Barca to Madrid is so pricy! I could have flown to London for cheaper than to Madrid. At any rate we got a good deal on the bus, and we'll get there tomorrow morning, then spend all Saturday and Sunday in Madrid, then bus it home just in time for classes Monday morn.I will have to tell you all about my adventures when we return.

2010-01-20T01:03:00.001-08:00

Not a lot has happened in the last few days, the weathers been dreary, and I've begun my classes, so I haven't had as much time to explore. Too bad I actually have to go to class! haha, just kidding, my classes are all so interesting, and I'm excited to be learning about stuff I like.

On Sunday, Angelina and I went up to the mountains to see a park, Jardins del Laberint d'Horta. The park was created in 1802 when a family decided to host a huge party to celebrate the visit of Carles IV. Later the family donated the park to the city. The highlight of the park was a huge, hedged maze. (I got lost in it for about 20 minutes.) It was very overcast that day, but the fog and haze made everything seem more green and mystical. Overall, it was very nice and relaxing, and a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the city. That is one of the reasons I love Barcelona so much: access to my two favorite things. I can go to the mountains or the beach, all while getting to live in a big city. (My three dream lifestyles all squashed into one city!)

On Monday I began my actual classes. The whole going to class thing is really cramping my style, but I guess I should make the most of it. The classes I am taking are actually really cool, and very different from typical college courses back home. One class is about living in the city of Barcelona, its architecture, design of public spaces, and activities, and then comparing this to other European and American cities. Another class is about the European Union, its geography, history, and past and current economic and political policies. I am also taking International Marketing, Management Across Borders (studying the impact of national and cultural differences on business situations), and Spanish.

Unfortunately, these classes are not going to be any easier though (everyone says studying abroad is cake, but I think this program is pretty rigorous and expects a lot out of the students......I already have so much reading, all neat and interesting, but time consuming) It's interesting because the professors teach differently here (as most are used to teaching Spanish students) In Spain, students don't "worry" about their grades as much as students in the U.S. As long as they pass, they are content. Catalans think it's hilarious that Americans are more concerned with a letter grade, rather than the content they've learned in the class (which is really true if you think about it, i'm just so stuck on the whole "get good grades thing".) As a result, some of the teachers teach in a style that is reflective of Spanish students who just want passing grades. This is a little frustrating, because I too want to learn, but I also want to get decent grades. Also, some students studying abroad are on a pass/fail system, so as long as they "pass" their GPA won't change. I wish Penn State would do that.

Like I mentioned before, it's not that I don't want to try hard in my classes. They are all so interesting, it's just there's so many other things I'd rather do than read and study. I guess I will just have to spend my time wisely, and make the most out of every minute. I just want to know everything there is to know about Barcelona, and see everything there is to see and more. It's funny that I'm so fascinated with everything. When I ask Ana about various places she'll say, oh I've never been there, or oh, I haven't done that. At first this struck me as odd, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that even though Mercer is so teeny, tiny, I know there are things I still haven't seen yet(in Mercer, Mercer County, Erie, etc.). I guess when you go to a new place, it inspires you to seek out and find as much as you can in the limited time you're there. I take the area I live in at home for granted...and think, oh, i'll see that tomorrow. Being in Spain, and realizing how much I love to explore, makes me realize I need to seek out things to do at home. Some times I write off where we live, because everything is so same-old, same-old, but really if I think about it, I could probably find some pretty neat places, I just need to be more enthusiastic about seeking out cool and unique places.

That being said, there are still things that Barcelona has that really, truly inspire me(in ways Mercer or Erie haven't). I've never been very artistic. I like colors and shapes and collages and putting things together in funky ways, but I've never been good at drawing(especially being accurate). Being in Barcelona though, and being surrounded by such unique architecture and fabulous colors and sights, has made me inspired to "create". I bought some colored pencils yesterday, and am starting to draw (in my own, abstract way). I'm excited that the city has inspired me in this way.

The city has also inspired me to live a more simple lifestyle. I am learning to live with a lot less stuff than I am used to, and I really like it. (In fact when I think back to what a consumer I have been in the past, it disgusts me! Food, water, electricity, clothes, beauty products, etc, etc. the list could go on forever ). Having so few belongings here is like a huge weight being taken off my shoulders. It is liberating to live with so little, but I am accustomed to being at home with so much, and still wanting more! (silly me!) Seriously though, just being abroad for almost two weeks has already made we realize that I have way too much STUFF! Europeans are just more simple and I want to be more like them. When I came here, I was so worried i wouldn't have the "right" stuff, but everything has worked out and if anything I still have too much stuff.

Back home I was always making lists. (mainly of stuff I thought I needed). Here, I find myself making lists of things to see, and places I need to go. Life is so much better this way. Back home, consuming things and buying stuff was like a hobby I needed to be happy, here, I am so happy just walking, people watching, and seeing all there is to see. I would rather spend my money on cultural experience, than new shirts and shampoos.

Ok, sorry I just vented forever about these personal revelations. haha. Off to read!

"Mes que un club!"

2010-01-17T03:33:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was one of the greatest days yet! I had the chance to go to my first FCBarcelona futbol game. Such an incredible experience. I didn't start out the day intending to go to the game, so actually getting to go was quite exciting!

It all began yesterday morning when I met up with a friend and we bought books for classes, stopped at La Bocqueria for more fruit salad and went down to the peer to eat our little lunch (an amazing apple muffin and fruit salad) After our little picnic, we walked around down by the port, and by the Maremagenum ( a huge shopping mall right on the water). We talked about how fun it would be to go to the game, but how it was probably too late.

So we made the decision to just go to a pub to watch the game( Barca vs. Sevilla). I decided this mainly because Jose and Ana wanted to take us to a free light/water show at Font Magica (it seems very reminiscent of the Cesar's Palace light show in Las Vegas). I had already told them on Friday that I would go with them to the light show, so I decided actually attending the game after the show would be cutting it too close.

However, plans quickly changed. After I got home from my exploration, I was talking to Ana, and when I told her I had thought earlier about possibly going to the game, she got soooo excited and immediately got dinner together so we could go to an earlier showing of the light/music show so I could make it to the game. According to Jose (a futbol fanatic) he said this was one of the best and most exciting games I could afford to go to while hear. I guess Barca recently lost to Sevilla, so this game meant a lot. Their excitement and enthusiasm helped me make up my mind, so I called up my friend, we decided to go, and she went and got us tickets(which were still on sale, surprisingly).

After a quick dinner, we went in Jose's work car to the water show, and it had been cancelled for some reason. This was good though, because I could get to the game earlier. They dropped me off at a metro stop and I was off to the game. The metro station was quite an experience. People decorated in FCB gear singing and cheering. The metro was so incredibly full and I was jammed against people like a sardines in a can. I really had no clue where I was going, but I just followed the masses. After arriving at the Camp Nou I found my friend and we made our way to our seats. Camp Nou is the largest stadium in Europe, and despite being older, it was very impressive. Our seats were the absolute highest seats possible in the entire stadium, but surprisingly, the view was still great. It was also good because this last row of seats had an awning over it, so we didn't get wet and cold like the thousands of others.

The stadium was so alive, and everybody was whistling and carrying on. It was really a lively event, especially considering it was so late, 10:00 pm. (that's early here though). If they played a sporting event that late at home, everyone would be falling asleep.

Earlier that day, when we were down by the peer, I had bartered with a man in a shop for a Messi jersey. Messi is number 10, so I knew I had to have his jersey. FCB's jerseys are extra cool because they say UNICEF on them. The club donates a percentage of the money they earn to UNICEF. They are one of the first clubs to adopt such a philanthropic idea.

It was extra exciting to be wearing number 10 last night because Messi scored his 100th goal for FCB. I keep telling people he did it for me. Obviously he didn't, but it was still very exciting. Every time we scored, all the people around us became like our instant friends.(highfiving us and such). It was fun. I'm not sure what the crowd was screaming half the time, but it was intense. Overall, the fans just seemed very proud of their team. FCB's slogan is "More than a club," and you could tell by the fans passion and strong nationalism, that for them, it was more than the team, it was a way of life. Great game, 4-0 victory over Sevilla!

After the game, it took about an hour to get home. Traffic was crazy, people were everywhere, and the metro lines were jam packed. I walked to another line, a few blocks away, and even it was just so full. I finally got home about 1:30. What a great experience!

Living in a Dreamworld

2010-01-16T02:51:00.000-08:00

I keep singing the Rilo Kiley song "Dreamworld." Even though the lyrics refer to something different, I can't help but sing the chorus because daily I have to remind myself that this is real, you are really here in Barcelona! You aren't in a dreamworld.

As I mentioned in my last post, a few days ago I had the opportunity to partake in another walking tour, "Be Gourmet in Barca". Like the other tour, it was very, very enjoyable. We learned a lot about the different types of food in Barcelona, and discovered "Barcelona's most emblematic gastronomic establishments and Catalan gastronomic culture."(I obviously didn't write that, haha) The main highlights of the tour were the two large markets we stopped at. The rest of the trip we just winded down streets in the old town and our tour guide discussed a variety of places to eat, what they offered, and how they came to be in business. The first market we stopped at was Mercat de la Boqueria. This market was right off Las Ramblas, and many Catalans shop there most, if not every day. The market was very incredible. Full of every type of fruit, vegetable, candy, chocolate, and seafood you could every possibly want. I could have easily spent at least an hour wondering around just browsing all the different thing you could buy.

I'm the type of person that is big into presentation. If a store lays something out in a nice display, I am definitely more apt to buy it. This considered, La Boqueria was like my heaven. Each booth (which would be devoted to one type of food) had such a precise and perfect layout. Not a piece of fruit or fish or chocolate was out of place. It was amazing, especially considering the amount of people that go in and out of the market a day. It made for a really great "show" of food.

Another thing that amazed me was that I was not utterly sickened by the enormous

seafood selection. It didn't smell bad at all, and that may have been one of the reasons I wasn't grossed out. At any rate, the seafood section was really fun to explore, and many of the creatures were still alive :( If anyone has every heard the lobster story from our vacation to Maine, they would understand that I just really don't like the idea of seafood, especially when it is still alive. Poor lobsters! Maybe I'm growing up, because this didn't seem to bother me as much as my younger years.

After exploring the market, we got a small thing of fresh fruit salad. I was in heaven. Each piece of fruit was just exploding with flavor. mmmm,mmm,mmm! In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I went back yesterday and bought another one. For only 1E, it was definitely a great deal, and that day we got it for free as part of the tour.

We ended the tour at the other large market in the city, Mercat de Santa Caterina. This market is relatively new, and extremely modern in its design (unlike the old Boqueria). At this market, we went into the restaurant portion (which, sidenote, Jose designs kitchens for a living, and he designed the whole kitchen for this restaurant.) At this restaurant we got two tapas. (One with sausage, and one with anchovies) We also received Cava, the Catalan version of champagne or sparkling wine. According to our guide, it is called Cava because it is double fermented in a cave for nine months or more. The wine is aged in a dark, cool “cava,” at a temperature between 55 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit, and the bottles are turned occasionally. This process causes the residue from the yeast to collect in the neck of the wine bottle. The neck of the bottle is then frozen, which forces the sediment out, and the bottle is re-corked immediately. At any rate, it's my new favorite, and tastes just Welch's sparkling grape juice. Cheers to Cava!

That night we went on a "pub crawl" across town sponsored by some company to get students involved in the local "scene." It was fun, and showed us some neat spots. Next morning (yesterday I guess) I got up and decided I needed to hit the beach. It was 60 degrees, and I knew that I couldn't miss my chance to soak up some sun. While wandering down to the beach (it's a couple miles away) I saw one of the most, if not most, horrific sights I have ever scene. Call it bad luck, I'm not sure, but I saw ANOTHER person get hit by a car. This time the man was clearly dead, and was laying stone cold on the ground with blood everywhere. It was such a sad sight, and it took all I had to remain composed (i did let out a few tears because it was just so sad). Onlookers had taken to helping him, so I left quickly. Witnessing two accidents in one week has been the worst part of living in Barca.

In trying to clear my mind from what I just witnessed, I got a little turned around on the streets, but eventually made it out to the beach! It was such a gorgeous day, and I counted at least 60 surfers in the water. I don't know how they did it because the waves were so incredibly enormous! Very impressive! I sat and watched for about an hour, then headed back to class (another 3 mile trek!)

After class, Tina and Angelina wanted to see the beach, so we wandered back down to the beach (stopping first at La Boqueria so they could see how cool it was) We all got fruit salad and fresh fruit juice and walked out to the beach to enjoy the sunset (which doesn't really set on the beach, more so over a mountain). After a long walk by the beach (near the port residential area of Barceloneta) we ventured on home for a delicious dinner by Jose! Best pizza I have ate in my entire life. Peppers, tomatoes, cheese, onions, olives, and artichoke hearts(all put together on a homemade pizza)! So amazing (my mom would have been in heaven). Later we went out to a Salsa club, which was very cool and authentic! The Spaniards sure know how to have a good time, and a salsa club is a great way to witness that. Late night, but a fun time. When I got home, my legs were so tired that I decided to googlemap how far I walked, and I walked 14 km! Icarumba, that's 9 miles in one day! No wonder I was so exhausted. Great exercise I guess.

Now off to explore some more of the city...and walk, walk,walk! Everyone else is still sleeping, but I just can't resist this beautiful day and city. What a dreamworld!

Already one week!

2010-01-14T01:51:00.001-08:00

It's been exactly one week (almost to the minute) of me stepping into my apartment for the first time. It's hard to believe this much time has flown by! 1 week down, 16 to go, and I still have so much I want to see in just Barcelona (not even including other travel adventures). Unfortunately, I have a feeling time will continue to fly by...the days just keep zooming by.

It's been a few days since I've wrote, and geesh, I've done so much I can't even remember it all. On Tuesday we began out Spanish classes. (very challenging and all in Spanish). She won't say one word in English (she'd rather act it out then tell us). It's good though. It definitely makes me stay alert the entire class (no doodling on margins in this class). That night we had a welcome ceremony at a really nice local hotel. Only problem was that there were so many people in such a small space that it made it really hot, and everyone was hungry, and there was very limited food. Oh well, I've felt welcomed to the city in many other ways, and don't need a an official welcome ceremony to make me happy. After the ceremony I went out with some friends to a really neat pub/bar. All the bars here are just so cool. This one (Oveja Negra) was like a huge cave with fireplaces everywhere. Very medieval looking. Supposedly it offers some of the best Sangria in Barca. I'd have to agree, it was quite spectacular.

Each morning I've enjoyed getting up and exploring the city by myself before class. All my friends have classes at such varied times, it's just easier to explore on my own(for now). I walk everywhere, so it's a nice way to get familiar with the town. Yesterday I explored down by the Olympic Village

although after my 2 hour trek around the city I had little time to actually enjoy the beach.) Very cool though, and I will definitely go back when it's sunny. Today it's a little overcast, but yesterday was very hot and sunny.

All the people from Barcelona were dressed in their winter coats, while all us students had such light jackets on. It's like summer to us, but freezing for them(which is silly, 55 degrees is not freezing). After seeing the coast for a few short minutes, I metroed it back to class, making it just in time.

After class, I had the opportunity to go on a really cool walking tour. (Only problem is we have to wear these radios and earphones....HELLO TOURISTS! Not really a good way to blend, but a good way to learn. )Our school offered two tours this week, and yesterday's was "In the Footsteps of Picasso." It was very, very interesting, and in addition to showing us many locations in Picasso's upbringing, our tour guide also explained to us a lot about the city in general (especially the old town, and the way things used to be). Although Picasso was not born in Barcelona, he spent many of his much crucial "formative" years in the city. Barca also served as a lasting source of inspiration for many of his great works. The tour took us past taverns and restaurants he spent time at, to the different locations where he lived, and down many streets that he named his work after. (Such as Les Demoiselles d' Avingon, a work which portrays 5 female prostitutes from a brothel on Avinyo Street in Barcelona)

The tour ended at the Picasso museum, which featured a large collection of his works. (especially ones from his earlier years, which his mother saved). I read somewhere that he is one of the few artists that has so many pictures from early in his childhood (as his parents realized his talent at an early age and preserved much of his work, which they would later donate to the museum) The museum also showed the progression of different styles of painting Picasso adopted throughout his life. He began as a realist, painting very regular things, followed by the Blue period where things become more abstract and as the name implies...blue, then on the cubism (what I think of his art as being), and finally onto very erotic work. The museum had a special exhibit on this, and it was quite "different." I never would have guessed Picasso had such an "interesting" mind. At any rate, the tour was very informative, and I left feeling very cultured.

Today I am going on a tour of cuisine in Barca. I will have to fill you in on that tomorrow.

2010-01-12T01:36:00.001-08:00

Buenas Dias!

Yesterday was yet another wonderful day in Barcelona. Seems to be a common theme. I began the morning by going on a little adventure by myself. I walked to a park, very near my house, Parc de la Ciutadella. It will be a great place to run, once I figure out a good time to go running. There were many people at the park, running and walking, many times with their dogs. So many people have pets here, I am surprised. They are mostly all small dogs though. (Tessa and Nelson would be beasts here! )

This city has many parks, something I'm not used to coming from a small town with one, rather lacking park. The Parc de la Ciutadella is Barcelona's most central park. The park includes a zoo, a lake, a large fountain and several museums. The Catalan Parliament is seated at a building in the center of the park.

After exploring the park and the areas surrounding it, I ventured home, stopping by a neat yarn store and a market to buy some toothpaste and soap.

Our orientation session was very interesting, and we made goals for the semester, which was a very good idea. Hopefully I can meet my goals of becoming conversational in Spanish and mastering Barcelona and various parts of Europe. In addition to writing down and discussing our goals, we also discussed different things we'd all been experiencing. After talking to most of my class, it seems that I have REALLY lucked out in regards to my host family (especially in regards to their cooking). Jose is like a gourmet cook, and Ana is just as good (even though she doesn't think so). Last night she made us a spectacular meal. Other kids said that they had very odd meals (such as cereal with coffee on top), and their families did not refrigerate their milk or eggs. I guess it's all just a matter of getting used to a different way of doing things.

After class, my class went on our scavenger hunt. Pretty sure we lost (their were 39 teams and only 2 prizes). At any rate, we had fun (making many pit stops at random shops and cafes) We also got the change to explore a really neat area of the city, The Barrio Gotic(The Gothic Quarters). Here the city Barcino was founded by the Romans in 15 A.D. This part of town contains many ancient buildings, rich with history.

The area has very narrow streets that wind around (what I picture Venice being like) The shops were very neat, and had MUCH better prices then Las Ramblas. I definitely want to go explore there again. Very cool. After that I came back home, ate, and later on went out to a bar that was called the Dow Jones. The prices of drinks reflected the demand of drink at that time. The bartender was very cool and from Belgium. I ordered a white Russian, and he had NO clue how to make it, so I explained it to him (with my HUGE knowledge of bars and drinks) and then another waiter made it. Later he made himself one, and absolutely loved it. He kept thanking me for introducing it to him (because I guess in Belgium they would "never think of such a combination")

Another day in Barca

2010-01-11T01:16:00.000-08:00

Another great looking day in Barcelona, and more stories to share. Yesterday was a very nice, relaxing day. After the other girls woke up, Angelina and I ventured down to the Sea, while Tina went to La Sagrada Familia.

First stop after leaving the apartment was back to Placa de Catalunya. This is considered the "center" of town, and where our school is located. In the center of the square is a huge area with a star shaped pattern in the ground. There are tons of pigeons, everywhere, and lots of little stands where you could buy feed for the pigeons. So, we bought some bird food, and began to feed the pigeons. At first I was a little apprehensive, but they were very friendly, and it was quite fun, especially sharing the food with small children who also wanted to feed the pigeons.

Next we ventured down Las Ramblas. (The other day we only went a few streets down) Today we travelled the whole way down. After the bird stands, and numerous "human statues" there were fresh flower booths, and local artists selling their painting. Las Ramblas is quite the place. I have a feeling it is considered very touristy, but it is still a fun trip for one of the first few days in Barcelona. At the end of the street (on weekends) there is a small market with local artists and vendors. Lots of really cool jewelry, scarves, and purses! Ahhh, everything I love. I have to limit myself though, considering I have 4 months to make purchases. While perusing the stands, it was necessary to speak Spanish, as many of the vendors couldn't speak English. I am starting to get more bold when it comes to speaking Spanish. At first I was hesitant, but instances like this give me more confidence that I can do IT!

After exploring the street market, we finally got to the MEDITERRANEAN SEA! It was so beautiful, but it was beginning to get dark, and very chilly. We didn't stay too long, but it was nice to see. I think it will be more beautiful when I can see it not at the Port (which is where we were). Next time I will try to go to the beaches to see it. After exploring down by the peer, we walked back up Las Ramblas.

We stopped at a small souvenir shop and each bought a caganer. (Angelina bought The Queen of England, and I bought Obama.)The caganer is a particular feature of modern Catalan nativity scenes, and is also found in other parts of Spain and southwestern Europe, but it is most famous in Barca. According to wikipidea (not a "reliable" source, i know, but good enough for now) "possible reasons for placing a man who is in the act of excreting waste in a scene which is widely considered holy include: tradition, humor (which the Catalan people truly have), equality of people (everyone defecates), fertilization of the earth, naturalism, etc" At any rate, I had to get one while here. (despite being over priced, and very souveniresque)

After shopping around, we stopped at a small cafe for some coffee. I got my favorite, cafe con leche. (Basically half espresso and half milk in a small cup) It is so delicious. Angelina got Suizo, which is hot chocolate. (Which is extremely thick!!) I need to find some churros before I get this. mmmm. Another interesting note about all the cafes here. At home, we are so accustomed to coffee on the go, but here it is much less common to get coffee and take it away. People enjoy drinking their coffee in a mug and sitting down and relaxing with friends in the cafe. I like this idea, but sometimes it would be nice to take it with me on the go to. I guess I just need to relax a little. haha. I don't think coffee to go is completely obsolete, but it is definitely much less common.

Took the metro home, and relaxed until dinner, and then relaxed until bed. The exhaustion from the past few days caught up to all of us. I think we were running on adrenaline or something those first few days, but thankfully I got a much needed good nights sleep last night, and now feel great.

Off to explore the grocery store with Tina and then go to my class. Later we have a scavenger hunt around the city. (Should be interesting). Hasta Luego.

El cielo es azul y el sol es muy hermoso hoy!

2010-01-10T02:58:00.000-08:00

Ahh, it is SUNNY in Barcelona! How amazing. Yesterday at my school, we had to do a little ice-breaker where we drew a picture that first came to our mind and what it symbolized/meant to us. I drew a sun, and explained myself by saying that I live in a place where the sun never seems to shine(Pennsylvania), and I am so excited to be in Barcelona where they are known for their sunshine! So today, after 2 days of mediocre weather (which I still can't complain about compared to the snow back home) it is SUNNY! We plan to venture out and see the Mediterranean sea and walk on the beach today. How exciting for January!

Two crazy things occurred yesterday, which helped me to remember that... a) this is NOT the USA and b) I better be smart/on guard...always. Yesterday was the first day that each of us girls had to venture out into the city on our own (as we all started our session at the school at different times) So when it was my time, I ventured out. I shouldn't have been nervous, but I kinda was. All on my own in a big city only having walked around for one day. I am typically decent with directions, but Barcelona really enjoys "round abouts", and they make EVERYTHING more difficult. I couldn't imagine driving here. The people are so crazy and drive so fast, and these silly one way roundabouts are everywhere. Yuck. At any rate, the roundabouts get you turned around really easy, because you think you are going straight on a road, then BAM you realize that you have been walking 5 blocks on the wrong street thinking you were going straight(but really you have been going left). No me gusta!

Ok, so I left my apartment, and upon crossing the first street I had to cross, I here a loud crash sound. Slowly, I look around the cars that blocked my vision, and I see that a car had hit a man on mo-ped, and he was laying there, screaming in Spanish. The man in the car got out, and they the two men were yelling and carrying on. It was a mess, but I needed to cross the street so I just kept on without starring. (I usually like to figure out what's going on, but in this instance, I just kept going) The lesson I learned from this (after discussing this encounter with Ana) is that traffic is fast and crazy here, and you must obey the traffic signs. As a walker in the city even if the walk light is red and no one is coming, don't go. Wait for green because things like these accidents occur all the time.

After my session at the school, I found the name of a street past the school that might have the type of electronic store I needed to get my phone. So, I found the street, and a store, and a phone! Success! I was so excited because previously no one understood my phone situation, but finally I got someone willing to help me. (because it was an independent phone store rather than a brand name store).

After finding my phone, I was walking back home on Gran Via (the street I live on...but about 10 blocks away) and I here a lady screaming, and I look back and she is basically playing tug a war with this man over a gym bag in the middle of a crosswalk. I don't know if he was trying to rob her, or like Ana maybe thought, she had robbed him, and she was trying to act like it was her bag when really it was his. At any rate, it was scary to witness, so I scurried ahead, as to avoid any trouble.

Don't get me wrong, the city is very safe. These are just two fluke instances that I happened to encounter my first day off by myself. If you have common sense, these things won't happen. (or so I've been told, haha)

After another amazing dinner by Jose (he is quite the chef) we headed out for the night. We took the metro, which was so clean and nice compared to public transportation in the U.S. It is nice though, because we could walk home. It seems like we really lucked out with our location. Most people I talk to have to take at least a 15 minute metro ride to get into town. Thankfully, we have like a 10 or 15 minute walk to get to school... (Saving money and getting our exercise in!)

Well off to shower and explore some new areas of the city! Miss you all!

Photos

2010-01-09T10:52:00.000-08:00

Tortilla de Espana con jamon y ensalada

Ana and the dogs: Cotufo y Kika.

Me Gusta Barcelona!

2010-01-09T02:51:00.000-08:00

Hola amigos!

I have now been in Barcelona for 48 hours, and boy has the time flown by. I already feel like I live in the city for weeks. I arrived Thursday morning at 9 am (3am home time) and have been enjoying myself every minute since.

When I began my journey to get here I kind of “forgot” where I was actually going …until I boarded the airplane to Barcelona. There it hit me, as I was completely surrounded by native Spanish speaking people. From there on out I knew it was going to be a crazy and confusing journey. Luckily the airplane ride wasn’t bad, and I was surprisingly impressed by the amount and quality of food that the airline provided ( 2 meals, a snack, and multiple beverage services). Overall it was a good flight, and easy journey navigating through the BCN airport, customs, baggage claims, finding the IES room, and catching a taxi. It was also fortunate that Angelina and I were the first students (despite the large number of students that arrived in Barcelona at the same time) to get to the IES room, therefore the first students to get all our information and leave the airport. We had about a 20 minute taxi to our home, well apartment. (No one has homes inside the city, everyone lives in apartments.) We live on Avinguida Gran Via de led Corts . It is one of the main roads through town, so we have access to a wide variety places. (via walking, the metro , or the bus)

After arriving at the apartment complex’s door, we were very confused by the calling system used to message people on various floors. We finally figured out what we were doing and got in touch with our host Senor Joseph (pronounced “Yo”seph). This was a surprise considering IES only told us of our host Senora, Ana. Jose is so nice, but only speaks Spanish. Talk about immersion. We chated with him for a short while, and he showed us to our rooms. Angelina and I share a small but very cheerful room, with bright colors and artsy decorations. Later on I found out that Ana came to Barcelona from Venezuela, and there she owned an art studio, so her apartment here is filled with wonderful art in cool colors. She has done such a great job decorating,, and it really makes me feel at home. Back to our room, in addition to being cute and tiny, it has a door to a great patio that is about the size of the room. It is so wonderful, and will be nice to sit outside and do homework. We also have access to the roof, but have yet to explore it, given the cold weather.

After settling in we took a long siesta, and woke up just in time for dinner (la cena) at 8:30p.m. Late, I know! This time is early for the Spanish too. Typically dinner is between 9-11p.m.. This really blew my mind. At any rate, we had a nice first dinner, and got to meet and chat with Ana. She is wonderful, and speaks nearly perfect English. (She studied in London for 4 years ). In addition to Ana and Joseph they also have two small dogs. (Kika and Kotifa) Kotifa is the Venezuelan word for popcorn. They are very cute. Yippy, but nice to have around. In addition to meeting Ana, me met our third roommate, Tina. She had a room to herself, and us three girls share one bathroom which works out perfectly.

After a long nights sleep, we woke up to a very nice breakfast. One thing about Spain that I’ve come to realize is that everything is small (size, quantities, etc.) but so fantastic! Everything! The people, the houses, the cars, the pets, the food…small, but awesome. Despite being small, they make everything count. For example, everytime we eat (Ana serves us breakfast and dinner) she sets the table so nicely, and we pour water from a pitcher. Everything just seems so fancy, which created the illusion of things being bigger than they really are. Maybe I’m just used to America and the way we stuff our faces as quick as possible. Everything just seems slower, more laid back, and they make even the small things matter.

After drinking some Spanish café con leche and taking a nice warm shower, I was feeling much better. What a fix for jet lag! After breakfast and getting ready we went out to explore the town. It has been quite cold in Spain. (not snowy or below freezing like the States, but freezing for the Catalonians.) The temperatures are averaging around the mid 40’s. We explored what seemed like much of the town, although in actuality it was only a very small portion. We found where our university is, tried to find help for my phone (trying to get technical help with a phone while attempting to speak another language is not fun! It is not fun in English, but exceptionally difficult in Spanish. ) We walked around Placa de Catalunya (the “center” of town) and down Las Ramblas. The Ramblas (a street only meant for walking) is full of strange and fun things. From spray painted statues to kiosks full of birds for sale, Las Ramblas was very unique. We ventured off the main street, and found a small café to eat lunch. After exploring the city for about 5 hours, we headed back to our apartment, where the jet lag started to hit again. We all took a small siesta, and woke up just in time for dinner with Jose.

Despite not speaking much English, Jose is so sweet and funny. He tries so hard, and that just makes it so cute and special. He made us a Spanish tortilla. (Which is like an omlet with potatoes and ham in it) SO good! Also, he made an awesome salad full of random but delicious things. (raisins, mandrins, etc.) It tasted so gourmet. He calls us girls Angelina Jolie, Grace Kelly, and Christina Aguilera. It makes us chuckle. After dinner, Ana came home (she got off work at 9 p.m.) and we gave them our presents, which they really liked. Afterwards, Jose found all our house on google earth. He was so surprised to see how rural it was where I lived. He was postive it would show up on google earth, but like always, it was still blurry. They ain’t got them kinda high technology our there in Jeff Twp.

After that, we ventured “out on the town.” Haha. We didn’t even leave our apartment till 12:30. I mean,if you know me, you know how bad I stink at staying up, so this whole time thing is such a change for me, but I want to see and experience everything I can. So if that means staying up all night, then I’m in! After wondering for a long time (our area of town is very residential, so there are few hip night places, we found a small bar that was just the chill sort of atmosphere we were looking for). Angelina and I spoke Spanish thei whole time (broken up by interjections of English words we were unfamiliar in spanish). I’m sure any Spanish onlooker got quite a kick out of our broken Spanish. We decided that the last night of the semester we would return to the bar and try it over again. (hopefully our Spanish will be so much better by that point!) It was a really fun time though, and we eventually went to bed around 4 a.m. Icarumba!

Woke up this morning having barely gotten any sleep(for my standards), but I didn’t want to be rude and miss breakfast, so I dragged myself out of bed. The spanish coffee really helps! It is strong but in a not overpowering way. (ie, i feel super awake without getting the jitters, like sometimes I do at home)

Well, I have class in a few hours and need to go figure out my phone situation beforehand. Sorry for writing so much. I have just learned and seen so much…it is so exciting, I just want to share it all! I wish you were all here so you could experience this wonderful place with me. I promise to write shorter and less windy epics in the future!

Hasta Luego!

Testing, testing

2010-01-03T15:36:00.001-08:00

Hello all!

At this point no one knows I am creating a blog(well my mom wanted me to...this'll be a nice surprise for her), therefore I don't expect anyone to even be reading this particular post. I'm thinking of it as practice for the upcoming months:)

I sit here on my couch next to my beautiful xmas tree and warm fireplace, thinking of how fortunate I am to have a nice warm house to be in on this cold, cold evening. It has literally been snowing all day! More and more snow seems to accumulate each time I look outside.(I guess that's what you get living in Pennsylvania in January) It's been a very lazy day for me. Since I can't go out due to all the snow, I've spent most of the day relaxing with my mom and pets, reading( the 7th Harry Potter book, since I don't remember much from my first read through a few years ago),cooking (i never cook, but today i successfully made irish soda bread with craisins and chili...boredom must have been getting to me), and watching multiple football games to see if those Pittsburgh Steelers will actually make the playoffs. Doubtful, but we shall see! :-)

In 2.5 days I will be embarking on a very exciting, once in a life time journey. I will be spending the entire semester studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain. While there I will live with a host family (well a Senora and two other girls), taking International Business courses through a program called IES, and hopefully getting to see some awesome European sights. I am really excited about this opportunity, but I will definitely miss my family, friends, and home while I'm away for such a long time. In fact, I've never been away from home for longer than a month, so four months away from the norm is going to be a challenge. I'm up for it though, and I hope to use this blog as a way for me to keep in touch with the people I will be missing from back home.

Well I have about 2000 things I need to get done within the next few few days, so I guess I should stop writing and go take care of some laundry!

Until Barcelona,

Grace