Wednesday, February 6, 2008
back from spain onward to...
yeah so once upon a time a few months ago, i was in spain and now i'm back. it was a great ride, and i had a blast. sorry that i didn't keep the last few months updated... i got a little homesick and then my computer junked out on me. but life is good and i am back in oxford, mississippi, working a ton and loving life. i recently got hired to work for the mississippi teacher corps this summer, and i can't tell you how excited i am! i will be their summer intern and it should be exciting. i believe in their vision 110%... mississippi needs positive people working towards change. and honestly, that's all i want to do with my life- work towards positive change. so i started my peace corps application today... i think that's what i want to do with my life. at least right now anyway. i'm excited about the opportunity to serve on a bigger scale. and for a longer time. 27 months... it would be a long time but i'm single so why not? life is funny... i trust that the Lord will put me where he wants me...
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
italia and some word vomit... yum!
A ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS…
First off, I feel like I should apologize to anyone who has talked to me recently- I’ve been in the weirdest mood of my life! And it’s been a little crazy- kind of a mixed between dead tired, homesick, really happy, and sort of stressed out. It makes for a fun combo- trust me. Living and studying in another country really runs you through the gamut as far as emotions are concerned- you love where you are but some days you have a harder time understanding than others and that’s hard, places are familiar but no place is home, and people are friends, but unless you came with someone, these people aren’t your closest friends. And surprise, surprise, I miss my Mama and Daddy and brother! It’s hard when I only get to talk to them once a week, if that. I don’t know- it’s weird and it sounds silly. I’m not really sure why I’m posting this on here, but now everyone knows where I’m at- so to speak, haha. And thank you to Josh Kercho (who is not reading this, but if any of you know him, pass along the message) for introducing me to Matt Chandler’s sermons. Chandler is like Dane Cook but in preacher form. He’s wonderful, and I’m hopelessly addicted to his sermons. I listen to them all the time. They’re keeping me sane, to an extent.
CINQUETERRE, ITALY- where in the world, or rather Italy, is that?
Okay, so we had our first holiday weekend and Amanda and I headed to Cinqueterre, Italy. For those of you who are scratching your heads wondering where that is, it’s on the north western coast, just south of Pisa. It’s five small towns built into the rocky coast line. The towns have only been reachable by land within in the last 50 years- previously, they were only reachable by boat. They are connected by paths, the most famous of which is the “Via Dell’ Amore” or “street of love”. This path connects Riomaggiore to Manarola. The path is lined with graffiti proclaiming the love of thousands of couples. Once upon a time (yes, story time!), the walk was the only way young people could meet from the two towns and that’s where they had “dates” and fell in love. Anyway, it’s beautiful, and at the end of the walk, couples “lock” their love on the railing with actual locks. It’s a really neat thing… I liked it a lot. The towns are beautiful, and now they are connected by local train. The place is off the beaten path, and until recently, has not been a tourist destination. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a break from life. It’s a place out of a fairy tale, a place trapped in time with no desire to escape or change. The CT is a place without the hurry of real life, a place where young adults come to take a break from school and traveling, it’s a place to rest, a place to revitalize the soul.
OUR ADVENTURE BEGINS- getting to the 5 Terre…
Amanda and I rode the bus from Bilbao to Madrid on Thursday to catch our flight from Madrid to Milan. The bus ride was uneventful and we were able to sleep and listen to our iPods sin problemas. We arrived in Madrid with some time to kill, but we headed to the airport anyway (we’ve done Madrid twice before) to explore terminals 1-3 (we explored T4 on our way to Switzerland). We walked around and found a place to sit and break out our rations- a box of cookies, granola bars, oranges, and a tortilla con patata (my favorite!!!!). We had about 3 hours to kill before we needed to check in, and for real, I looked at my watch after what I thought was about 30 or 45 minutes to only to realize that it was time to go! We headed up to check in only to learn that Travelocity had messed up our reservation and Amanda’s ticket was a child’s ticket. Thankfully, the fares were the same price and she only had to pay 15 euros to have the ticket reissued. Anyway, we checked in and had a 1.75 euro chicken sandwich from the greatest American restaurant, McDonald’s, and waited to fly to Milan. We arrived in Milan and caught a cab to the train station- thinking that we would make the 11:20pm train. HAHA- CHISTE GRANDE! Trenitalia’s website did not have correct information on it, and the next train to Monterosso was at 6am. Our cab driver didn’t want to leave us at Milan Central Station, but we told him that we were poor college students and stayed anyway. We hung out in the freezing cold station, moving every 20 minutes or so and keeping watch over ourselves and each other. Finally, we saw a couple and a woman sitting next to a wall. We went over and sat next to them, and shortly after that, a policeman came up. I showed him our ticket (thinking that we needed it to be on the platform), and he escorted Amanda and I to a heated room with benches and security guards and sleeping people! I actually slept, and it was wonderful and I had some crazy dreams- if only I could remember what they were. We boarded the train and slept almost the entire three hour trip to Monterosso.
THE LORD IS GOOD- and upon stepping off the train, we saw the Mediterranean…
I thought I was going to cry- we were so tired and our trip had, up to that point, been a crazy logistical nightmare. We stayed on the beach for about 45 minutes before purchasing our Cinqueterre cards (access to all hiking trails, trains, and buses- a wonderful deal) and heading to Riomaggiore to find a cheap place to sleep. We arrived in Riomaggiore and were greeted by pirates who were eager to offer us a cheap place to sleep. We found a place with MarMar rooms for 20 euros a night. The walk up smelled of wine, but the place was great- I would definitely stay there again. We put our stuff away and began to wander. We walked the Via Dell’ Amore and hit up a beach in Corniglia- the weather was perfect! We ate a late lunch/dinner at a pizzeria in Vernazza. The food was so good and wonderfully cheap! We watched an amazing sunset and headed to our room. We were asleep by 7:30pm- we hadn’t really slept in about 36 hours.
THE STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN DOES EXIST- it’s called the hike through 5 Terre…
Amanda and I set out to hike through all five towns- everyone there calls it “THE” hike. We took at train from Riomaggiore to Monterosso as Rick Steves recommends doing “THE” hike backwards. I’m glad we read his stuff on Cinqueterre- his information was crazy helpful, especially the info about the hike. Anyway, the first leg was hard! Monterosso to Vernazza is all stairs, and really, it’s pretty much straight up. The views are gorgeous, as you hike along the rocky coast line. There were plenty of people on the trail, so we were “forced” to take lots of breaks and drink lots of water. We made it to Vernazza around lunch time and hit up the same pizzeria for some fried bread (I can never remember the name of the stuff but it’s wonderful!). I had normale and with pesto, while Amanda tried the normale and with sun dried tomatoes. All were wonderful. We walked around Vernazza for a little bit- read: enjoyed the Mediterranean and rested. We found the trail marker and began the second leg of our hike- Vernazza to Corniglia. While this leg had plenty of stairs too, we found it to be easier but still crowded. The scenery just got prettier as we passed the vineyards on the hillsides. We arrived in Corniglia, and did just as Rick Steves suggested- tried the gelato made from the local honey at the only gelateria in town. He wins again, it was wonderful! Then, we headed from Corniglia to Manarola- a very easy hike. As we arrived in Manarola, the fishermen were lowering the boats in for the day. We stopped and watched them, and before we knew it, the sun started to go down! We watched a gorgeous sunset in Manarola before skipping down the Via Dell’ Amore to Riomaggiore. We watched the stars come out and headed back to our place in Riomaggiore to shower before dinner. We showered and went on a search for real Italian food. We found lasagna and ravioli and crepes (with Nutella!) and some crazy company. While we were eating (on a terrace outside), we met some Australians, a crazy Tasmanian called Tazzy, and two other Americans. All were close to our age with incredible stories to tell. One of the Americans, Jason, is 22 and traveling the world. He fights forest fires across the US (although he left before the San Diego fires got huge) and wanted an adventure. Another crazy thing about this dude- he was one of the first people down to New Orleans after Katrina, and I wish y’all could hear him talk about the things he saw- a total war zone littered with dead bodies. Clearly, this guy was really interesting to talk to. His journey started in London and is moving his way eastward across Europe to Athens, Cairo, and Thailand (but he’s skipping Spain- shame, shame, SHAME!). His adventure will end in December after some time in Australia. He taught me how to use the “manual” setting on my camera, and this made me very happy. Anyway, we chatted it up with these cool kids for several hours (they were all sorely disappointed that I did not have a deep south accent… ) and then headed back to our place to get some sleep.
WE HAVE RADARS FOR PARKS…
We caught the 6:05am train from Riomaggiore to Monterosso and the 6:55 train from Monterosso to Milan. While in Monterosso, we got yelled at by an angry Italian man for sitting at his tables eating cookies- we were 2 of 4 people at this place. Anyway, we said buenos dias to our amigo and moved down to the beach to watch the sunrise. It was gorgeous! We arrived in Milan with several hours to spare before our flight, so we explored the city for a little bit. Milan is okay- parts are pretty. We found a park with a castle. The leaves were really pretty. We ate some of the cookies from our box. We finally headed to the airport, and wait, when did we get our gate number? 10 minutes prior to boarding. We rode the tram to the plane, boarded, and took off. We arrived in Madrid and headed to the bus station. We made it in time to catch the 7pm bus. We were dead tired on the bus, but our bus driver was determined to prevent us from sleeping. For real, the guy blasted the radio (Spanish radios all play American pop music/ early 90s music) for the ENTIRE bus ride until we stopped. When we got back on the bus after our 30 minute stop, a Spanish woman asked him to turn his dance party down. Finally, we were able to sleep. We made it back to Bilbao around 12:30am and waited in line for a cab. I slept at Amanda’s host family’s apartment since the metro was closed and I am too cheap/ poor to pay for a bajillion dollar cab ride from San Mames to Las Arenas (a 45 METRO ride). Amanda and I slept and then headed to school for her 9am class and my 10am class.
OVERALL…
Overall, it was a great weekend. Logistically, it was a nightmare and I wouldn’t do that part again. I was blessed with a great travel buddy, and we kept each other’s sanity when we both wanted to break down in Milan Central Station on Thursday night (yes, we went through every guy we’ve every liked, relived every sappy sweet moment we’ve had in our lives, etc.)We had a blast in CT and we met some really cool people. Everyone has a story to tell, and traveling through Europe as a college student has been a great way to hear a few. I’m headed to Germany this weekend, sadly, without Amanda. I’m going with another friend and I’m excited- I know we’ll have a blast. More on that adventure next Monday…
THIS WEEK’S SET OF SHOUTOUTS- in case anyone is really reading this… haha.
Palace ladies- you’re in my thoughts and prayers daily- the purple beads come with me everywhere. I love all of you!
Amigos- I can’t wait to see yall when I get back to the states! And I mean all of my friends across the US- from Arizona (JULIE!) to Texas to Mississippi and everywhere in between.
Mama and Daddy- I love you and I miss you and I can’t wait to talk to you soon! Tell Grandaddy that I love him and I miss him and that I can’t wait to see him when I get home!
Robbie- I wish you were here with me! You’d be so much fun to travel with… someday, we’ll do Europe together, someday. In the more recent future, can we just hang out? Over Christmas break, please? I’ll fight Cameron and Albert for time with you… haha, but seriously. Good luck on Friday night!
First off, I feel like I should apologize to anyone who has talked to me recently- I’ve been in the weirdest mood of my life! And it’s been a little crazy- kind of a mixed between dead tired, homesick, really happy, and sort of stressed out. It makes for a fun combo- trust me. Living and studying in another country really runs you through the gamut as far as emotions are concerned- you love where you are but some days you have a harder time understanding than others and that’s hard, places are familiar but no place is home, and people are friends, but unless you came with someone, these people aren’t your closest friends. And surprise, surprise, I miss my Mama and Daddy and brother! It’s hard when I only get to talk to them once a week, if that. I don’t know- it’s weird and it sounds silly. I’m not really sure why I’m posting this on here, but now everyone knows where I’m at- so to speak, haha. And thank you to Josh Kercho (who is not reading this, but if any of you know him, pass along the message) for introducing me to Matt Chandler’s sermons. Chandler is like Dane Cook but in preacher form. He’s wonderful, and I’m hopelessly addicted to his sermons. I listen to them all the time. They’re keeping me sane, to an extent.
CINQUETERRE, ITALY- where in the world, or rather Italy, is that?
Okay, so we had our first holiday weekend and Amanda and I headed to Cinqueterre, Italy. For those of you who are scratching your heads wondering where that is, it’s on the north western coast, just south of Pisa. It’s five small towns built into the rocky coast line. The towns have only been reachable by land within in the last 50 years- previously, they were only reachable by boat. They are connected by paths, the most famous of which is the “Via Dell’ Amore” or “street of love”. This path connects Riomaggiore to Manarola. The path is lined with graffiti proclaiming the love of thousands of couples. Once upon a time (yes, story time!), the walk was the only way young people could meet from the two towns and that’s where they had “dates” and fell in love. Anyway, it’s beautiful, and at the end of the walk, couples “lock” their love on the railing with actual locks. It’s a really neat thing… I liked it a lot. The towns are beautiful, and now they are connected by local train. The place is off the beaten path, and until recently, has not been a tourist destination. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a break from life. It’s a place out of a fairy tale, a place trapped in time with no desire to escape or change. The CT is a place without the hurry of real life, a place where young adults come to take a break from school and traveling, it’s a place to rest, a place to revitalize the soul.
OUR ADVENTURE BEGINS- getting to the 5 Terre…
Amanda and I rode the bus from Bilbao to Madrid on Thursday to catch our flight from Madrid to Milan. The bus ride was uneventful and we were able to sleep and listen to our iPods sin problemas. We arrived in Madrid with some time to kill, but we headed to the airport anyway (we’ve done Madrid twice before) to explore terminals 1-3 (we explored T4 on our way to Switzerland). We walked around and found a place to sit and break out our rations- a box of cookies, granola bars, oranges, and a tortilla con patata (my favorite!!!!). We had about 3 hours to kill before we needed to check in, and for real, I looked at my watch after what I thought was about 30 or 45 minutes to only to realize that it was time to go! We headed up to check in only to learn that Travelocity had messed up our reservation and Amanda’s ticket was a child’s ticket. Thankfully, the fares were the same price and she only had to pay 15 euros to have the ticket reissued. Anyway, we checked in and had a 1.75 euro chicken sandwich from the greatest American restaurant, McDonald’s, and waited to fly to Milan. We arrived in Milan and caught a cab to the train station- thinking that we would make the 11:20pm train. HAHA- CHISTE GRANDE! Trenitalia’s website did not have correct information on it, and the next train to Monterosso was at 6am. Our cab driver didn’t want to leave us at Milan Central Station, but we told him that we were poor college students and stayed anyway. We hung out in the freezing cold station, moving every 20 minutes or so and keeping watch over ourselves and each other. Finally, we saw a couple and a woman sitting next to a wall. We went over and sat next to them, and shortly after that, a policeman came up. I showed him our ticket (thinking that we needed it to be on the platform), and he escorted Amanda and I to a heated room with benches and security guards and sleeping people! I actually slept, and it was wonderful and I had some crazy dreams- if only I could remember what they were. We boarded the train and slept almost the entire three hour trip to Monterosso.
THE LORD IS GOOD- and upon stepping off the train, we saw the Mediterranean…
I thought I was going to cry- we were so tired and our trip had, up to that point, been a crazy logistical nightmare. We stayed on the beach for about 45 minutes before purchasing our Cinqueterre cards (access to all hiking trails, trains, and buses- a wonderful deal) and heading to Riomaggiore to find a cheap place to sleep. We arrived in Riomaggiore and were greeted by pirates who were eager to offer us a cheap place to sleep. We found a place with MarMar rooms for 20 euros a night. The walk up smelled of wine, but the place was great- I would definitely stay there again. We put our stuff away and began to wander. We walked the Via Dell’ Amore and hit up a beach in Corniglia- the weather was perfect! We ate a late lunch/dinner at a pizzeria in Vernazza. The food was so good and wonderfully cheap! We watched an amazing sunset and headed to our room. We were asleep by 7:30pm- we hadn’t really slept in about 36 hours.
THE STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN DOES EXIST- it’s called the hike through 5 Terre…
Amanda and I set out to hike through all five towns- everyone there calls it “THE” hike. We took at train from Riomaggiore to Monterosso as Rick Steves recommends doing “THE” hike backwards. I’m glad we read his stuff on Cinqueterre- his information was crazy helpful, especially the info about the hike. Anyway, the first leg was hard! Monterosso to Vernazza is all stairs, and really, it’s pretty much straight up. The views are gorgeous, as you hike along the rocky coast line. There were plenty of people on the trail, so we were “forced” to take lots of breaks and drink lots of water. We made it to Vernazza around lunch time and hit up the same pizzeria for some fried bread (I can never remember the name of the stuff but it’s wonderful!). I had normale and with pesto, while Amanda tried the normale and with sun dried tomatoes. All were wonderful. We walked around Vernazza for a little bit- read: enjoyed the Mediterranean and rested. We found the trail marker and began the second leg of our hike- Vernazza to Corniglia. While this leg had plenty of stairs too, we found it to be easier but still crowded. The scenery just got prettier as we passed the vineyards on the hillsides. We arrived in Corniglia, and did just as Rick Steves suggested- tried the gelato made from the local honey at the only gelateria in town. He wins again, it was wonderful! Then, we headed from Corniglia to Manarola- a very easy hike. As we arrived in Manarola, the fishermen were lowering the boats in for the day. We stopped and watched them, and before we knew it, the sun started to go down! We watched a gorgeous sunset in Manarola before skipping down the Via Dell’ Amore to Riomaggiore. We watched the stars come out and headed back to our place in Riomaggiore to shower before dinner. We showered and went on a search for real Italian food. We found lasagna and ravioli and crepes (with Nutella!) and some crazy company. While we were eating (on a terrace outside), we met some Australians, a crazy Tasmanian called Tazzy, and two other Americans. All were close to our age with incredible stories to tell. One of the Americans, Jason, is 22 and traveling the world. He fights forest fires across the US (although he left before the San Diego fires got huge) and wanted an adventure. Another crazy thing about this dude- he was one of the first people down to New Orleans after Katrina, and I wish y’all could hear him talk about the things he saw- a total war zone littered with dead bodies. Clearly, this guy was really interesting to talk to. His journey started in London and is moving his way eastward across Europe to Athens, Cairo, and Thailand (but he’s skipping Spain- shame, shame, SHAME!). His adventure will end in December after some time in Australia. He taught me how to use the “manual” setting on my camera, and this made me very happy. Anyway, we chatted it up with these cool kids for several hours (they were all sorely disappointed that I did not have a deep south accent… ) and then headed back to our place to get some sleep.
WE HAVE RADARS FOR PARKS…
We caught the 6:05am train from Riomaggiore to Monterosso and the 6:55 train from Monterosso to Milan. While in Monterosso, we got yelled at by an angry Italian man for sitting at his tables eating cookies- we were 2 of 4 people at this place. Anyway, we said buenos dias to our amigo and moved down to the beach to watch the sunrise. It was gorgeous! We arrived in Milan with several hours to spare before our flight, so we explored the city for a little bit. Milan is okay- parts are pretty. We found a park with a castle. The leaves were really pretty. We ate some of the cookies from our box. We finally headed to the airport, and wait, when did we get our gate number? 10 minutes prior to boarding. We rode the tram to the plane, boarded, and took off. We arrived in Madrid and headed to the bus station. We made it in time to catch the 7pm bus. We were dead tired on the bus, but our bus driver was determined to prevent us from sleeping. For real, the guy blasted the radio (Spanish radios all play American pop music/ early 90s music) for the ENTIRE bus ride until we stopped. When we got back on the bus after our 30 minute stop, a Spanish woman asked him to turn his dance party down. Finally, we were able to sleep. We made it back to Bilbao around 12:30am and waited in line for a cab. I slept at Amanda’s host family’s apartment since the metro was closed and I am too cheap/ poor to pay for a bajillion dollar cab ride from San Mames to Las Arenas (a 45 METRO ride). Amanda and I slept and then headed to school for her 9am class and my 10am class.
OVERALL…
Overall, it was a great weekend. Logistically, it was a nightmare and I wouldn’t do that part again. I was blessed with a great travel buddy, and we kept each other’s sanity when we both wanted to break down in Milan Central Station on Thursday night (yes, we went through every guy we’ve every liked, relived every sappy sweet moment we’ve had in our lives, etc.)We had a blast in CT and we met some really cool people. Everyone has a story to tell, and traveling through Europe as a college student has been a great way to hear a few. I’m headed to Germany this weekend, sadly, without Amanda. I’m going with another friend and I’m excited- I know we’ll have a blast. More on that adventure next Monday…
THIS WEEK’S SET OF SHOUTOUTS- in case anyone is really reading this… haha.
Palace ladies- you’re in my thoughts and prayers daily- the purple beads come with me everywhere. I love all of you!
Amigos- I can’t wait to see yall when I get back to the states! And I mean all of my friends across the US- from Arizona (JULIE!) to Texas to Mississippi and everywhere in between.
Mama and Daddy- I love you and I miss you and I can’t wait to talk to you soon! Tell Grandaddy that I love him and I miss him and that I can’t wait to see him when I get home!
Robbie- I wish you were here with me! You’d be so much fun to travel with… someday, we’ll do Europe together, someday. In the more recent future, can we just hang out? Over Christmas break, please? I’ll fight Cameron and Albert for time with you… haha, but seriously. Good luck on Friday night!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
estoy enfadado con Barcelona!
Okay, so this is definitely my favorite European city so far… we had a blast!!! I went with some of the girls from my program who know people studying in Barcelona this semester- we got a pseudo local taste of the place which was wonderful!
Barcelona is located in Catalonia (on the Mediterranean) where they speak catalán (a mix between French and Castilian Spanish). It’s the same deal as the el país vasco where they speak eurskara (where I live in Spain). Gaudí had a huge influence on the architecture, and the buildings show it… check out my pictures on facebook to see exactly what I mean. We stayed at Centric Point hostel near Plaça Catalunya and Las Ramblas (the famous street!) and Passeig de Gràcia. The place was nice (for a hostel), cheap, and in a perfect location! Plaça Catalunya is in the heart of Barcelona.
WHERE WE WENT…
DAY 1
We arrived late Thursday night and went to bed almost as soon as we got there. The next day we ate breakfast at our hostel (I love it when b’fast is included!), got a map, and headed out. We ventured down Las Ramblas first. Las Ramblas is the most famous street in the city. There are all kinds of crazy street vendors and performers and shops. They sell pigeons (why you would want one is beyond me…), rabbits, touristy stuff, etc. along the street. The place is crazy but wonderful! The street leads to Plaça Portal de la Pau, where the Christopher Columbus monument is located. We stopped and hung out by the Mediterranean, which is a gorgeous blue right now! We visited the Gothic Quarter and Catedral de Barcelona, which was started in the 13th century and finished in the 15th century. The church was under construction when we were there. We saw the outside, and it’s gorgeous. The Gothic Quarter is very “old Europe” with narrow streets and tall buildings. The rest of the day was spent wandering aimlessly around Barcelona (Barceloneta, The Eixample, etc. ) and hitting up every market we saw. I love European markets- you can find all kinds of stuff in them and really get a sense of the local culture. On Friday night, we ate a Citric, a really great restaurant that serves all kinds of stuff. We met up with some of the girls’ friends and went to several really neat places along Las Ramblas, etc. The only bad part of the night was the rain, and we got drenched. My jeans were not dry by the next day.
DAY 2
After breakfast, we were on a mission to find “The Bagel Shop”. Yes, that’s the real name of the place and it exists off Las Ramblas in Barcelona. We found the Bagel Shop only to hear some terrible news- they didn’t have any bagels, but if we came back in an hour or so, they would. We headed back to the Mercat St. Joseph for some fresh fruit! We bought some fruit salad and headed back to Plaça Portal de la Pau to enjoy our fruit and the incredible weather. After we finished our fruit, we headed back to the Bagel Shop and purchased our bagels. We took them to Parc Güell, a beautiful park designed by Gaudí. The place resembles something out of a Dr. Suess book. It’s crazy fun! We ate our wonderful bagels and 3 or 4 hours just hanging out at this place- like I said, the weather was perfect! We met up with another one of the girls’ friends and he took us to Olympic Stadium, where we got in for free- some sort of children’s festival was going on there.
We also went to Montjuïc (the main sight for the ’92 Olympic games) at Plaça d’Espanya to watch the light show- the fountains light up to music and it’s really cool! I sound like a little kid, but it was awesome! I was freezing though because I was in shorts- my jeans were still wet from the night before and I only brought one pair. That night, we went to the beaches at Vila Olímpica and met up with some more college kids on a quest to find the 3rd World Series game. We found the game at an Irish Pub and had a blast watching the Red Sox win again- and former Ole Miss player Seth Smith get a hit for the Rockies.
DAY 3
We missed the free breakfast, so we hit up Dunkin Donuts for a taste of the states. We took our time on Sunday. Many shopes are closed, even in touristy Barcelona so we strolled through the city and it was wonderful. We visited the Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s masterpiece. We headed to Vila Olímpica, well actually we meant to go to the Olympic Village, but ended up at Vila Olímpica, a mistake but not a bad one. The beaches are gorgeous and I found plenty of sea glass- something I can’t find on my beloved Emerald Coast beaches. We ate tapas/real food at a local place, and it was good and very cheap. We headed to the Barcelona soccer stadium, hoping to catch that night’s game. Turns out, we bought tickets for the “B” team game. Oh well, we had fun anyway. I finally found churros- I love them. They’re wonderful, and I’ll tell that to anyone- despite what my friends might say. haha. We ate dinner at a Pita Inn, and the food was excellent. I really like pitas- they take me back to my time spent in the San Juan mountains, eating hobo packs. Yum!!! We headed back to the hostel, and I went to sleep while everyone else headed back to the Irish Pub to watch the Sox win it all!
OVERALL-
I love Barcelona, a lot. I’ll go back in a heartbeat, so if any of you decide to plan a trip their, let me know because I want to go with you! We had a blast and I got back just in time for class on Monday morning. The weather was great- a nice change from the rainy grossness of the Basque country. Anyway, I’m headed to Cinqueterra, Italy, this weekend and I’m stoked. Next weekend, I’ll be in Pamplona and maybe Burgos? Who knows. Anyway, I love all of you! Robbie- congrats on that TD pass and the MA High School Heismann nomination- I’m proud of you, little brother!
Barcelona is located in Catalonia (on the Mediterranean) where they speak catalán (a mix between French and Castilian Spanish). It’s the same deal as the el país vasco where they speak eurskara (where I live in Spain). Gaudí had a huge influence on the architecture, and the buildings show it… check out my pictures on facebook to see exactly what I mean. We stayed at Centric Point hostel near Plaça Catalunya and Las Ramblas (the famous street!) and Passeig de Gràcia. The place was nice (for a hostel), cheap, and in a perfect location! Plaça Catalunya is in the heart of Barcelona.
WHERE WE WENT…
DAY 1
We arrived late Thursday night and went to bed almost as soon as we got there. The next day we ate breakfast at our hostel (I love it when b’fast is included!), got a map, and headed out. We ventured down Las Ramblas first. Las Ramblas is the most famous street in the city. There are all kinds of crazy street vendors and performers and shops. They sell pigeons (why you would want one is beyond me…), rabbits, touristy stuff, etc. along the street. The place is crazy but wonderful! The street leads to Plaça Portal de la Pau, where the Christopher Columbus monument is located. We stopped and hung out by the Mediterranean, which is a gorgeous blue right now! We visited the Gothic Quarter and Catedral de Barcelona, which was started in the 13th century and finished in the 15th century. The church was under construction when we were there. We saw the outside, and it’s gorgeous. The Gothic Quarter is very “old Europe” with narrow streets and tall buildings. The rest of the day was spent wandering aimlessly around Barcelona (Barceloneta, The Eixample, etc. ) and hitting up every market we saw. I love European markets- you can find all kinds of stuff in them and really get a sense of the local culture. On Friday night, we ate a Citric, a really great restaurant that serves all kinds of stuff. We met up with some of the girls’ friends and went to several really neat places along Las Ramblas, etc. The only bad part of the night was the rain, and we got drenched. My jeans were not dry by the next day.
DAY 2
After breakfast, we were on a mission to find “The Bagel Shop”. Yes, that’s the real name of the place and it exists off Las Ramblas in Barcelona. We found the Bagel Shop only to hear some terrible news- they didn’t have any bagels, but if we came back in an hour or so, they would. We headed back to the Mercat St. Joseph for some fresh fruit! We bought some fruit salad and headed back to Plaça Portal de la Pau to enjoy our fruit and the incredible weather. After we finished our fruit, we headed back to the Bagel Shop and purchased our bagels. We took them to Parc Güell, a beautiful park designed by Gaudí. The place resembles something out of a Dr. Suess book. It’s crazy fun! We ate our wonderful bagels and 3 or 4 hours just hanging out at this place- like I said, the weather was perfect! We met up with another one of the girls’ friends and he took us to Olympic Stadium, where we got in for free- some sort of children’s festival was going on there.
We also went to Montjuïc (the main sight for the ’92 Olympic games) at Plaça d’Espanya to watch the light show- the fountains light up to music and it’s really cool! I sound like a little kid, but it was awesome! I was freezing though because I was in shorts- my jeans were still wet from the night before and I only brought one pair. That night, we went to the beaches at Vila Olímpica and met up with some more college kids on a quest to find the 3rd World Series game. We found the game at an Irish Pub and had a blast watching the Red Sox win again- and former Ole Miss player Seth Smith get a hit for the Rockies.
DAY 3
We missed the free breakfast, so we hit up Dunkin Donuts for a taste of the states. We took our time on Sunday. Many shopes are closed, even in touristy Barcelona so we strolled through the city and it was wonderful. We visited the Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s masterpiece. We headed to Vila Olímpica, well actually we meant to go to the Olympic Village, but ended up at Vila Olímpica, a mistake but not a bad one. The beaches are gorgeous and I found plenty of sea glass- something I can’t find on my beloved Emerald Coast beaches. We ate tapas/real food at a local place, and it was good and very cheap. We headed to the Barcelona soccer stadium, hoping to catch that night’s game. Turns out, we bought tickets for the “B” team game. Oh well, we had fun anyway. I finally found churros- I love them. They’re wonderful, and I’ll tell that to anyone- despite what my friends might say. haha. We ate dinner at a Pita Inn, and the food was excellent. I really like pitas- they take me back to my time spent in the San Juan mountains, eating hobo packs. Yum!!! We headed back to the hostel, and I went to sleep while everyone else headed back to the Irish Pub to watch the Sox win it all!
OVERALL-
I love Barcelona, a lot. I’ll go back in a heartbeat, so if any of you decide to plan a trip their, let me know because I want to go with you! We had a blast and I got back just in time for class on Monday morning. The weather was great- a nice change from the rainy grossness of the Basque country. Anyway, I’m headed to Cinqueterra, Italy, this weekend and I’m stoked. Next weekend, I’ll be in Pamplona and maybe Burgos? Who knows. Anyway, I love all of you! Robbie- congrats on that TD pass and the MA High School Heismann nomination- I’m proud of you, little brother!
Monday, October 22, 2007
a wonderful weekend exploring the Basque country...
BTW- IT'S COLD NOW... and that does not make me smile... haha. but for real, it's really cold here!
URDAIBAI y GERNIKA y SAN JUAN DE GAZTELUGATXE
So on Friday, CIDE took us to the places listed above, and we had a wonderful day. The weather was gorgeous which was perfect for our hike down to the peninsula of Gaztelugatxe.
Urdaibai is a biosphere located in the Basque Country of Spain. The area of land encompasses 22 pueblos and 45,000 inhabitants. The most famous town located in the biosphere is Gernika. Gernika is the historic capital of the Basque Country. The tree of Gernika represents the freedom of the Basque Country and anti-Franco sentiments. We watched a video (in English!) that explained the history and part of the video was definitely from the perspective of an acorn. On April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the town of Gernika was bombed. Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica” depicts this tragic day in Spanish history. I had the opportunity to see the original painting while in Madrid at the Reina Sofia. I enjoyed learning the history behind Picasso’s historic work. Also in Gernika, we had the opportunity to visit the Museo de la Paz- Gernikako Bakearen Museoa- translation: the Peace Museum at Gernika. The museum was incredible! Everything was in Spanish, and for once, I felt like I understood most of what I read, a huge improvement from recent weeks. Words inspiring change for peace from Gandhi to Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King, Jr. to the Dalai Lama adorned the walls. After our trip to Gernika, we headed to a restaurant for a traditional Basque lunch: potato and carne soup, cod (tasted like a salt lick and definitely still had the scales on it), and a wonderful chocolate dessert. Daddy- I know you’re shocked, but yes, I tried the fish. Actually, I’ve tried everything here. I’m all about experiencing the culture to the fullest, which sometimes means eating stuff I wouldn’t touch in the states. Anyway, after lunch we boarded the bus for the short ride to Gaztelugatxe. On the peninsula of Gaztelugatxe sits the church of San Juan. The walk is not easy but definitely worth every step. The church is 74 meters in altitude and there are approximately 231 steps from the top to the bottom. The origins of the church can be traced back to the 10th century and it has been of great importance to the local fisherman. The church is beautiful and offers incredible views on all sides. The walk up to the church slightly resembles the Great Wall of China, only shorter. I loved the opportunity to get some real exercise. My body craves time away from the city, and I finally got it! The walk down was fun, and much to my surprise, I’m still in decent shape. Stations of the Cross line the walk from the bottom of the steps to the church. Like I said, the place was gorgeous! The weather was perfect- a nice breeze and plenty of sunshine. The walk up was definitely tougher- it reminded me oh so slightly of the hike up to the Top of the World. It was definitely not that hard but it was definitely steep. Anyway, we enjoyed a wonderful day on our last CIDE excursion.
VITORIA- the capital of the Basque country
On Saturday, I headed to Vitoria with some of the girls. We left Bilbao around 1:30 and arrived in Vitoria in the middle of siesta- yup, everything was closed. We walked around, saw a church, found the old town, the Basque government buildings, and a bunch of other stuff. Sadly, it was all closed. We sat in a park for a little bit, enjoying the sunshine and the ducks. We walked around for a little bit more and headed back to the bus station. On the way to the bus station, we found a Chinese store and I bought a pair of black flats for 10 Euros. They’re pretty cute, but they’re not quiet broken in yet. We headed back to Bilbao and met up with another friend at Casco Viejo, only to find out that on a Saturday night, everything closes at 9pm. We were left to find food elsewhere, so we headed to Zubiarte, the mall near Deusto, and grabbed a pizza. It was a nice way to end a good afternoon exploring the Basque country.
ART in the USA- celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Guggenheim Museum
On Sunday morning, I met up with the same group of girls and we ventured over to the Guggenheim Museum. The museum celebrated its 10th anniversary this weekend, and lucky for us, part of the festivities included free admission on Saturday and Sunday. We walked around for almost an hour. The current exhibit is a wide variety of art from the US, from the Revolutionary War to today. We saw works by Edward Hopper, Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, and Thomas Cole, just to name a few. I definitely enjoyed getting to see a bit of home in Europe. We also toured the Basque artist exhibit which was interesting to say the least. Let’s just say that I’m still learning how to appreciate modern art- haha.
Overall, it was a good weekend. My week went pretty smoothly. I feel like I got a lot done. The next two weeks are about to be crazy busy, as I’m traveling both weekends and I have a final in my grammar class and a debate in my conversation class and our Europe in the World professor was not happy with how little we all knew in class on Thursday. Anyway, this coming weekend I’ll be in Barcelona! I’ll be sure to write how that goes next Monday. I’m excited to say the least. I really enjoy the group of girls I’m going with, and the following week, Amanda and I are taking on the world again with a trip to Cinqueterre, Italy. I love all of you… girls, I miss y’all like crazy and hope that I can come see y’all in the spring! Mama and Daddy and Robbie- like I continue to say, I wish y’all could be here with me. Friends in Oxford- oh man, spring is going to be a blast! I only wish that all of you were going to be there when I get back. Anyway, have a great week!
URDAIBAI y GERNIKA y SAN JUAN DE GAZTELUGATXE
So on Friday, CIDE took us to the places listed above, and we had a wonderful day. The weather was gorgeous which was perfect for our hike down to the peninsula of Gaztelugatxe.
Urdaibai is a biosphere located in the Basque Country of Spain. The area of land encompasses 22 pueblos and 45,000 inhabitants. The most famous town located in the biosphere is Gernika. Gernika is the historic capital of the Basque Country. The tree of Gernika represents the freedom of the Basque Country and anti-Franco sentiments. We watched a video (in English!) that explained the history and part of the video was definitely from the perspective of an acorn. On April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the town of Gernika was bombed. Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica” depicts this tragic day in Spanish history. I had the opportunity to see the original painting while in Madrid at the Reina Sofia. I enjoyed learning the history behind Picasso’s historic work. Also in Gernika, we had the opportunity to visit the Museo de la Paz- Gernikako Bakearen Museoa- translation: the Peace Museum at Gernika. The museum was incredible! Everything was in Spanish, and for once, I felt like I understood most of what I read, a huge improvement from recent weeks. Words inspiring change for peace from Gandhi to Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King, Jr. to the Dalai Lama adorned the walls. After our trip to Gernika, we headed to a restaurant for a traditional Basque lunch: potato and carne soup, cod (tasted like a salt lick and definitely still had the scales on it), and a wonderful chocolate dessert. Daddy- I know you’re shocked, but yes, I tried the fish. Actually, I’ve tried everything here. I’m all about experiencing the culture to the fullest, which sometimes means eating stuff I wouldn’t touch in the states. Anyway, after lunch we boarded the bus for the short ride to Gaztelugatxe. On the peninsula of Gaztelugatxe sits the church of San Juan. The walk is not easy but definitely worth every step. The church is 74 meters in altitude and there are approximately 231 steps from the top to the bottom. The origins of the church can be traced back to the 10th century and it has been of great importance to the local fisherman. The church is beautiful and offers incredible views on all sides. The walk up to the church slightly resembles the Great Wall of China, only shorter. I loved the opportunity to get some real exercise. My body craves time away from the city, and I finally got it! The walk down was fun, and much to my surprise, I’m still in decent shape. Stations of the Cross line the walk from the bottom of the steps to the church. Like I said, the place was gorgeous! The weather was perfect- a nice breeze and plenty of sunshine. The walk up was definitely tougher- it reminded me oh so slightly of the hike up to the Top of the World. It was definitely not that hard but it was definitely steep. Anyway, we enjoyed a wonderful day on our last CIDE excursion.
VITORIA- the capital of the Basque country
On Saturday, I headed to Vitoria with some of the girls. We left Bilbao around 1:30 and arrived in Vitoria in the middle of siesta- yup, everything was closed. We walked around, saw a church, found the old town, the Basque government buildings, and a bunch of other stuff. Sadly, it was all closed. We sat in a park for a little bit, enjoying the sunshine and the ducks. We walked around for a little bit more and headed back to the bus station. On the way to the bus station, we found a Chinese store and I bought a pair of black flats for 10 Euros. They’re pretty cute, but they’re not quiet broken in yet. We headed back to Bilbao and met up with another friend at Casco Viejo, only to find out that on a Saturday night, everything closes at 9pm. We were left to find food elsewhere, so we headed to Zubiarte, the mall near Deusto, and grabbed a pizza. It was a nice way to end a good afternoon exploring the Basque country.
ART in the USA- celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Guggenheim Museum
On Sunday morning, I met up with the same group of girls and we ventured over to the Guggenheim Museum. The museum celebrated its 10th anniversary this weekend, and lucky for us, part of the festivities included free admission on Saturday and Sunday. We walked around for almost an hour. The current exhibit is a wide variety of art from the US, from the Revolutionary War to today. We saw works by Edward Hopper, Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, and Thomas Cole, just to name a few. I definitely enjoyed getting to see a bit of home in Europe. We also toured the Basque artist exhibit which was interesting to say the least. Let’s just say that I’m still learning how to appreciate modern art- haha.
Overall, it was a good weekend. My week went pretty smoothly. I feel like I got a lot done. The next two weeks are about to be crazy busy, as I’m traveling both weekends and I have a final in my grammar class and a debate in my conversation class and our Europe in the World professor was not happy with how little we all knew in class on Thursday. Anyway, this coming weekend I’ll be in Barcelona! I’ll be sure to write how that goes next Monday. I’m excited to say the least. I really enjoy the group of girls I’m going with, and the following week, Amanda and I are taking on the world again with a trip to Cinqueterre, Italy. I love all of you… girls, I miss y’all like crazy and hope that I can come see y’all in the spring! Mama and Daddy and Robbie- like I continue to say, I wish y’all could be here with me. Friends in Oxford- oh man, spring is going to be a blast! I only wish that all of you were going to be there when I get back. Anyway, have a great week!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
I AM TALL... watch this video. please.
http://olemiss.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=611985224624
I'll post for real tomorrow, but please, everyone, my girls especially, watch this video. This is why I've worked at Sky Ranch, this is why I love that place, this is why I came back, this is why it will forever be one of the best jobs I've ever had, this is why I too am tall...
oh man, I love sky ranch... i miss you ladies of the palace!
I'll post for real tomorrow, but please, everyone, my girls especially, watch this video. This is why I've worked at Sky Ranch, this is why I love that place, this is why I came back, this is why it will forever be one of the best jobs I've ever had, this is why I too am tall...
oh man, I love sky ranch... i miss you ladies of the palace!
Monday, October 15, 2007
spanish independence day in the spanish basque country... not your typical 4th of july celebration
Another fabulousy rainy week in Bilbao and a restful weekend…
Okay, so this week was crazy hectic too… that’s pretty much become the story of my life. I finally found some medicine for the junk I had in my pecho (yo tengo “crap” en mi pecho). One of the girls gave me some Nyquil from the States and it worked wonders. I slept through the night and woke up feeling refreshed! What a nice feeling! I had another test in my Spanish 300 class and a presentation on the European Parliament for Europe in the World (my all time favorite class!). I think both went well, but we shall see when the grades come back. I spent a lot of time at the dorms this week- studying for my test and just hanging out. The guards don’t really like me- I have a hard time leaving by curfew, but I’m learning… haha.
SPANISH INDEPENDCE DAY IN EL PAIS VASCO… yeah, they want their own.
Okay, so on Tuesday, there was a bombing in Bilbao. ETA is the terrorist group here, and basically, they want the Basque country to be its own independent country. The six year cease fire ended the week before I got here in September. Recently, there’ve been riots in San Sebastian and Pamplona. Really, it sounds crazy but it’s not anything we worry about. Well, we walked into school on Thursday morning, and there was graffiti everywhere (on the walls, etc)! What did it say you might be wondering? I have no idea as it was all written in the Basque language of Euskara. Friday was Spain’s 4th of July (a national holiday). The Basque country refuses to celebrate, as they want their own independence day. We received an email from the US Embassy in Madrid encouraging us to be careful and pay extra attention when in public places. ETA doesn’t want any extra casualties, but as one of the guys said, even unintentionally killing Americans is like bonus points. We’re targets and we felt it this week, hence why we really stayed in on Friday. I have yet to feel really unsafe here. The Spanish are not allowed to carry guns- which is comforting- at least I have some chance to save myself. Anyway, Friday was a wonderful day of sleeping in and hanging out with Kristin and Boo in the dorm. Bilbao was pretty empty on Friday anyway.
ASHTON SEBASTIAN VISITS SAN SEBASTIAN- for those of you who remember Chandler’s ridiculousness from 8th grade…
On Saturday, Kristin and Boo and I went to San Sebastian for Boo’s Basque Culture class project. We got up and caught the 11am bus (it’s about 1hr and 15min away). We sat in the back and listened to our iPods, which was wonderful. We arrived and began meandering around the city. The day was beautiful- the weather was warm and the sky was clear. We visited the Cathedral of the Good Pastor, walked around the old town, climbed to the top of the statue of San Sebastian (above the city), and played in the sand on the beach. We ate hamburgers at an outdoor café and got some really tasty helado for dessert. We met up with the Richmond guys (who are in Boo’s group for this project) and took lots of pictures. We had a blast, said goodbye to the boys, and headed back to Bilbao on the 6:30pm bus. On Saturday night, we went to a fiesta! We got off the bus and saw what looked like a state fair, but as we walked along we found several concerts, people dressed in traditional Basque attire, and a whole lot of random junk. It was definitely a cultural experience…
Here’s what’s going on this week- the usual Monday of 2 hours of class and a nice hour long run before I use the internet at the school in the afternoon, Tuesday- Amanda and I are hitting up the other half off postre shop (um, best thing ever!) after a long day of classes, Wednesday- my day in the lab with Kristin and Boo, half off postres, and studying for the culture quiz on Thursday, Thursday- culture quiz! and the day that I spend a bajillion hours at school- from 10am-5:30pm, Friday- our last CIDE sponsored excursion to the Biosphere- I have no idea what this is… and money for books is due- ugh. Saturday, wine country tour! Also on my agenda for this week, finish my Koch fellowship application, make my schedule for Spring 2008 in oxford, and plan when to meet up with Kate, book my flight to Sevilla, and figure out what’s going on with Paris. I hope everyone has a wonderful week- I love you all!
Okay, so this week was crazy hectic too… that’s pretty much become the story of my life. I finally found some medicine for the junk I had in my pecho (yo tengo “crap” en mi pecho). One of the girls gave me some Nyquil from the States and it worked wonders. I slept through the night and woke up feeling refreshed! What a nice feeling! I had another test in my Spanish 300 class and a presentation on the European Parliament for Europe in the World (my all time favorite class!). I think both went well, but we shall see when the grades come back. I spent a lot of time at the dorms this week- studying for my test and just hanging out. The guards don’t really like me- I have a hard time leaving by curfew, but I’m learning… haha.
SPANISH INDEPENDCE DAY IN EL PAIS VASCO… yeah, they want their own.
Okay, so on Tuesday, there was a bombing in Bilbao. ETA is the terrorist group here, and basically, they want the Basque country to be its own independent country. The six year cease fire ended the week before I got here in September. Recently, there’ve been riots in San Sebastian and Pamplona. Really, it sounds crazy but it’s not anything we worry about. Well, we walked into school on Thursday morning, and there was graffiti everywhere (on the walls, etc)! What did it say you might be wondering? I have no idea as it was all written in the Basque language of Euskara. Friday was Spain’s 4th of July (a national holiday). The Basque country refuses to celebrate, as they want their own independence day. We received an email from the US Embassy in Madrid encouraging us to be careful and pay extra attention when in public places. ETA doesn’t want any extra casualties, but as one of the guys said, even unintentionally killing Americans is like bonus points. We’re targets and we felt it this week, hence why we really stayed in on Friday. I have yet to feel really unsafe here. The Spanish are not allowed to carry guns- which is comforting- at least I have some chance to save myself. Anyway, Friday was a wonderful day of sleeping in and hanging out with Kristin and Boo in the dorm. Bilbao was pretty empty on Friday anyway.
ASHTON SEBASTIAN VISITS SAN SEBASTIAN- for those of you who remember Chandler’s ridiculousness from 8th grade…
On Saturday, Kristin and Boo and I went to San Sebastian for Boo’s Basque Culture class project. We got up and caught the 11am bus (it’s about 1hr and 15min away). We sat in the back and listened to our iPods, which was wonderful. We arrived and began meandering around the city. The day was beautiful- the weather was warm and the sky was clear. We visited the Cathedral of the Good Pastor, walked around the old town, climbed to the top of the statue of San Sebastian (above the city), and played in the sand on the beach. We ate hamburgers at an outdoor café and got some really tasty helado for dessert. We met up with the Richmond guys (who are in Boo’s group for this project) and took lots of pictures. We had a blast, said goodbye to the boys, and headed back to Bilbao on the 6:30pm bus. On Saturday night, we went to a fiesta! We got off the bus and saw what looked like a state fair, but as we walked along we found several concerts, people dressed in traditional Basque attire, and a whole lot of random junk. It was definitely a cultural experience…
Here’s what’s going on this week- the usual Monday of 2 hours of class and a nice hour long run before I use the internet at the school in the afternoon, Tuesday- Amanda and I are hitting up the other half off postre shop (um, best thing ever!) after a long day of classes, Wednesday- my day in the lab with Kristin and Boo, half off postres, and studying for the culture quiz on Thursday, Thursday- culture quiz! and the day that I spend a bajillion hours at school- from 10am-5:30pm, Friday- our last CIDE sponsored excursion to the Biosphere- I have no idea what this is… and money for books is due- ugh. Saturday, wine country tour! Also on my agenda for this week, finish my Koch fellowship application, make my schedule for Spring 2008 in oxford, and plan when to meet up with Kate, book my flight to Sevilla, and figure out what’s going on with Paris. I hope everyone has a wonderful week- I love you all!
Monday, October 8, 2007
el pais vasco en francia y mas
So, this past week was pretty crazy. It rained- a lot. Spain likes rain, well at least the Basque country does. Speaking of which, I stinkin’ love the Basque country. It’s not touristy at all. They speak two languages- Castilian Spanish and Euskara (Basque). But yeah, this week was nuts. I had a ton of reading and spent most of the week frustrated- the speaking lab computer program doesn’t understand a word I say which means that it takes me twice as long to get stuff done in there, and I couldn’t articulate a thought to save my life in my language class. But it ended, and on Friday, CIDE took us to the French Basque country and the cities of St. Jean de Luz and Biarritz in France and Loyola, Spain. St. Jean de Luz and Biarritz are both on the Atlantic coast and are beautiful little towns by the sea. We visited la Plaza Louis XIV, la Maison Louis XIV, la iglesia de San Juan Bautista, el paseo de la Grande Plage, el Hotel du Palais (a palace turned into a hotel), el iglesia ortodoxa ruso (Russian Orthodox church), la roca de la virgen (so gorgeous- the rock of the virgen Mary by the sea- check facebook for pictures!!!), el Mercado culderto de la Rue des Halles, la Plaza Clemenceau, la calle Edouard VII, la Basílica de Loyola, and La Casa Torre. The Basílica de Loyola is the church of San Ignacio. It’s gorgeous- once again, check facebook for pictures. Mama, Daddy, and Robbie- I wish yall were here to experience all of this with me! Mama and Daddy- yall would’ve loved the basilica. The history behind it all, the in laid marble, the resemblance of every basilica to the architecture of Church of the Ascension, it’s all incredible. We had a good time, and the French Basque country is very similar to the Spanish Basque country, only they aren’t an autonomous body within France and they’re desire to secede is almost non existent compared to the Spanish. Everything was written in Euskara and French. Tapas, pintxos, basque cream cake (it’s gross- I promise), and the flag were everywhere. We had paella (a rice and meat dish- it’s yummy!), chicken, pan (mucho pan!), and flan (so gross- it tasted like eggs, and yes, I know it’s made from eggs) for lunch. Our bus broke down in Spain, just outside of the French border, and we had to wait an hour for another one. All I have to say is that one hour is nothing compared to the thirteen I spent in Amarillo this summer- my girls know exactly what I’m talking about- how about that motel and breakfast with Texas shaped waffles? haha. I love yall! We got back, and I hung out at the dorm for a little bit with Boo and Kristin. I got yelled at by the guard because I left 2 hours late- oops. On Saturday, we celebrated Amanda’s 21st birthday. We had a blast and dressed up- Dan and Steve looked very dapper in their button downs with a tie (Dan) and sweater vest (Steve). I enjoyed the opportunity to wear Grove attire on a different continent. haha. We went to a discothèque and had a blast. We’ve decided that, as Americans, it’s our job to show the Spaniards how to have fun. And for real, we do it… The Lord has blessed CIDE and me with some crazy fun kids and I’m having a blast. If I can ask yall to pray for one thing, I’m fighting a chest cold- my voice is pretty much gone and I have more phlegm in my lungs than I know what to do with (Mama- I know, I know, I should just suck it up and go to the doctor). Anyway, I love yall and hope you have a wonderful week! Check facebook for pictures of the French Basque country. I love all of the comments on my pictures and the messages!
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