Since we came home from all of our traveling, the weeks have flown by. It seems that time has been racing by as we get nearer and nearer to heading home. In less than a week, I'll be back in America. I can't wait to be back, but I thought I'd give at least one more update on my life in Spain before getting back to see everyone I've missed so much.
Getting back into the swing of things after spring break was a little tough. After all that traveling, these last three weeks of school weren't at the top of my priority list. However, we've all put our noses back to the grindstone for the last bit of the semester. This coming week we'll have finals, and we've had a couple papers too, but nothing too rough. My focus has mostly been seeing the sights of Madrid, revisiting all of my favorite spots, and enjoying Spain for all it's worth.
Our friend Ally, on spring break from her semester in London, spent a weekend in Madrid, and it was great to have her around. Nights out, showing her the city, and making sure she experienced things like tapas and sangria were a must. By the time she returned to London, life in Madrid had settled back to normal. In true Spanish fashion, the Wesleyan students here have been making an effort spend as much time out on the town as possible. I even stayed out until 4 am one night, visiting "discotecas" with friends. To be honest, Madrid nightlife isn't really my style, but it's an expected part of the culture, and I thought I should sample it. It's funny how much Madrileños really embrace going out. Even my elderly Señora seems shocked when we get home before 1 am, and encourages us to go out all the time.
I think it's these little things I'll miss the most about Spain. There are so many small quirks I've come to embrace about the culture and the city of Madrid. I thought it might be fun to look back and remember some of them. It's all the little things like:
-the sound of the loudspeakers on the metro saying "El próximo estación..." and the annoying street musicians in the train cars
-Isabel's insistence that we eat second, third, and fourth helpings at dinner
-my church that I've been attending here in Madrid
-the friendly doorman at our apartment building
-the way people in Madrid seem to be constantly walking their dogs, especially in Retiro park
-eating bread with every meal, and fruit for dessert
-the way everything is cooked with olive oil and fresh garlic over here
-people you barely know greeting you with a kiss on each cheek
-people driving motorcycles on the sidewalks, and just driving crazily in general
-terribly grumpy waiters who laugh at you when you try to speak their language
-the way everyone bundles up completely and has umbrellas out at the slightest sign of rain, snow, cool weather, or even fog
-chocolate y churros, café con leche, and milk that comes in boxes and is kept on the cabinet
-the way no one in Spain has dryers and the laundry is always hanging off the balconies
-hearing the Spanish kids speak better than I do, even after four months, about things like Ratoncito Perez (he's a mouse who is the Spanish version of the tooth fairy)
...and so many other things!
So, as I wrap up this last weekend in Spain, I'm looking back and loving the fun and great opportunities I've had. At the same time, I can't wait to be home. I've been missing everyone a lot, and I'll see you all soon! Hasta luego...
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Semana Santa- El Viaje Grande
Where do I begin? The past eleven days have been spent in three countries, traveling for our spring break, and I don't know what to write about first. I guess I'll begin by wishing everyone a Blessed Easter. No matter how far apart all my family and friends were scattered this year, it's wonderful to remember that the power of Christ's Resurrection reaches us all.
As far as my family goes, we certainly were all over the world this year. As my sister and brother-in-law headed to Honduras for a missions trip with their church, Emily and I set off for over a week of adventures in Germany, Austria, and Italy. We managed to pack quite a lot into a short time, so don't be surprised if this is a pretty long blog entry. :)
After flying into Frankfurt, we took a train directly to our first stop, Rothenburg. A quaint medieval town, it more than lived up to the recommendations of my family members who have been there. I instantly knew that I loved Germany when I got there, and was glad to have a couple days to explore and enjoy it. The town is surrounded completely by the old town wall, and most of its buildings date back to the 12th-15th centuries. Emily and I stayed in a cool hostel that was in a converted old mill building, and woke up to perfect weather our first real morning of vacation. We explored the wall, and did the major sightseeing. This included going to the town hall, the market square with its fun clock tower, Saint Jakob's church, and the castle gardens. Rothenburg is also a big Christmas town, so we spent lots of time in and out of its many Christmas-themed stores. The most incredible one was the Kathe Wolfhart store, which seemed more like a forest or a Christmas village because of all the decorations. We got our fair share of souvenirs in all of Rothenburg's cute little stores. One night in Rothenburg, we also took the Night Watchman's Tour, a fun walk around the city narrated by one of Rothenburg's "medieval" watchmen.
Throughout our time in Germany, we also tried to take advantage of all the delicious food. We ate and drank tons of bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzels, and great beer. Although Spanish food is delicious, I felt as though I could eat German food forever. Maybe because of my heritage, Germany seemed to really click with everything I enjoy and am interested in. I'd really like to spend more time there soon, and get a chance to see more of the country.
Our next stop during our all-too-short time in Germany was Munich. The Marienplatz, it's main square, the Frauenkirche, a big, beautiful church, and the Residenz, its imperial palace, were some of the highlights we hit. We also went to the famous Hofbrauhaus, a beer garden, for liters of great beer. It was a ton of fun to sit in that atmosphere with a polka band playing, listening to Germans singing, and laughing at the antics of our waiter. Definitely a great night.
While staying in Munich, we took a day trip to Salzburg, just over the border into Austria. Salzburg is the birthplace of Mozart, as well as the setting for "The Sound of Music," so there were lots of great things to see. We went to see Mozart's birth house and another house he lived in later, and walked around the city, checking out the sights. Some of them were familiar from the movie, and we got a chance to really hear about the behind-the-scenes parts of it by taking the Sound of Music Tour. The tour took us to the various houses used in filming, the gazebo, the wedding church, and on a long drive through the mountains... gorgeous. After a wonderful day in Salzburg, we went back for the evening in Munich.
The next morning, we headed by train to Italy. The train ride cut through the beautiful Austrian countryside, and I really enjoyed it. We arrived in Rome in the early evening, with plenty of time to check into our hostel and meet our friend Ally, who's currently studying in London. She was just getting started on her travels, and we really enjoyed the chance to spend some time with a friend from home. We grabbed some delicious pizza and turned in for the night, because the next morning we woke up bright and early (I mean REALLY early) to go wait for the Vatican to open. It paid off, as we avoided most of the lines, and got to see all the fantastic artwork in the Vatican Museum. The Sistine Chapel was definitely a favorite of mine, and I was very much in awe of the talent mankind has been given by the Creator. As it was Easter weekend, St. Peter's was closed in the morning, and ridiculously crowded in the afternoon, so we just viewed the outside. We also went to the Spanish steps, the Trevi fountain, and the Pantheon that day, all of which were lovely. The weather in Rome was warm and beautiful, so we also spent lots of time eating gelato. I've never tasted such good ice cream in my life. We also had a nice dinner that night, some delicious pasta and Italian wine. At this point, I think I'm getting a bit to used to delicious foods from other cultures... now worries though, seventeen days from now, I know I'll be thrilled to sink my teeth into a good old American burger.
The next day was devoted to Ancient Rome. It was amazing to walk around the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Palatine, and the entire ancient city. It was another great testament to the achievements of humankind throughout the ages, and the history major in me loved seeing all of the ancient ruins, some of which were incredibly well-preserved. Caesar's house and the original Senate building were fantastic. Walking around all day took a lot of energy out of us, so we grabbed some food and headed back to our hostel that evening to relax.
Our original plan had been to travel across Italy and spend time with a friend of Emily's dad's who lives in Silvi, a small harbor town on Italy's east coast. However, after issues with getting in touch with our host, as well as the fact that the earthquakes Italy had been experiencing were very near to our destination, we decided to change our plans. With our Eurail passes, we had the flexibility to instead take a train to Florence. This meant we got to spend more time with our friend Ally as well. We stayed in a town called Prato, in a nicer hotel (thanks to Emily's dad), which was right along the edge of a pretty river with a trail along the edge. For these last few days, it was nice to stay in one place and then take day trips to other nearby Tuscan towns.
We started with Florence, were we saw the major sights like Michelangelo's David, the Duomo, a beautiful church, and the other famous churches, plazas, and buildings. The next day, we took a day trip to Siena. After our busy days in Rome and Florence, we took a slower pace in Siena. The town is a smaller, walled city, with a great atmosphere. We saw its major town hall and a few sights like churches. Most of the day, though, was spent relaxing on Il Campo, the large central square. The weather was gorgeous, as it was throughout the trip, so we worked on some homework, ate gelato (I know, it's a common theme...), and people-watched. It seemed as though the entire town turned out on the square to enjoy the day. Another nice thing about our Siena day was finding an internet cafe that had skype. We were able to call our parents and wish family a Happy Easter, as well as catch up and share our travels with them.
Easter day was spent with a day trip to Volterra, another great town. Due to train schedules, we didn't end up making it to any of the scheduled masses at its couple of churches, but Em and I spent some time reading the Easter Gospels and celebrating all the same. Volterra was one of my favorite cities. Emily had been very interested in going there because one of her favorite book series takes place there, and a movie is being filmed about it. After working in those locations we've read about, we walked around basically the entire town. Another gorgeous little town surrounded by a city wall, Volterra is at the top of the hill, and the countryside of Tuscany spreads out at its feet, creating tons of great views. Additionally, Volterra has some Roman remains, such as a half-crumbled theater. It is a huge producer of alabaster, so we went from shop to shop and found some great souvenirs and gifts. Top that off with a mini "train" ride around the town, an awesome castle or two, and one last chance to enjoy Italian food, and it was a great day.
The next day, we headed to Milan and caught a plane back to Madrid. It was nice to come back to a delicious home-cooked meal and Isabel's two-year-old granddaughters to play with. Now, the realization that these are my last seventeen days in Madrid is sinking in, and I'm both sad and thrilled to be coming home so soon. I've loved being here in Spain, and I'm hoping to soak everything up as much as possible before I leave, in spite of finals and papers looming just around the corner. What amazing experiences I've had here in Spain! Now more than ever, I'm thankful for the many, many wonderful things I've been able to see during my time in Europe. I look forward to seeing and talking to everyone back in America soon! Til then...
As far as my family goes, we certainly were all over the world this year. As my sister and brother-in-law headed to Honduras for a missions trip with their church, Emily and I set off for over a week of adventures in Germany, Austria, and Italy. We managed to pack quite a lot into a short time, so don't be surprised if this is a pretty long blog entry. :)
After flying into Frankfurt, we took a train directly to our first stop, Rothenburg. A quaint medieval town, it more than lived up to the recommendations of my family members who have been there. I instantly knew that I loved Germany when I got there, and was glad to have a couple days to explore and enjoy it. The town is surrounded completely by the old town wall, and most of its buildings date back to the 12th-15th centuries. Emily and I stayed in a cool hostel that was in a converted old mill building, and woke up to perfect weather our first real morning of vacation. We explored the wall, and did the major sightseeing. This included going to the town hall, the market square with its fun clock tower, Saint Jakob's church, and the castle gardens. Rothenburg is also a big Christmas town, so we spent lots of time in and out of its many Christmas-themed stores. The most incredible one was the Kathe Wolfhart store, which seemed more like a forest or a Christmas village because of all the decorations. We got our fair share of souvenirs in all of Rothenburg's cute little stores. One night in Rothenburg, we also took the Night Watchman's Tour, a fun walk around the city narrated by one of Rothenburg's "medieval" watchmen.
Throughout our time in Germany, we also tried to take advantage of all the delicious food. We ate and drank tons of bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzels, and great beer. Although Spanish food is delicious, I felt as though I could eat German food forever. Maybe because of my heritage, Germany seemed to really click with everything I enjoy and am interested in. I'd really like to spend more time there soon, and get a chance to see more of the country.
Our next stop during our all-too-short time in Germany was Munich. The Marienplatz, it's main square, the Frauenkirche, a big, beautiful church, and the Residenz, its imperial palace, were some of the highlights we hit. We also went to the famous Hofbrauhaus, a beer garden, for liters of great beer. It was a ton of fun to sit in that atmosphere with a polka band playing, listening to Germans singing, and laughing at the antics of our waiter. Definitely a great night.
While staying in Munich, we took a day trip to Salzburg, just over the border into Austria. Salzburg is the birthplace of Mozart, as well as the setting for "The Sound of Music," so there were lots of great things to see. We went to see Mozart's birth house and another house he lived in later, and walked around the city, checking out the sights. Some of them were familiar from the movie, and we got a chance to really hear about the behind-the-scenes parts of it by taking the Sound of Music Tour. The tour took us to the various houses used in filming, the gazebo, the wedding church, and on a long drive through the mountains... gorgeous. After a wonderful day in Salzburg, we went back for the evening in Munich.
The next morning, we headed by train to Italy. The train ride cut through the beautiful Austrian countryside, and I really enjoyed it. We arrived in Rome in the early evening, with plenty of time to check into our hostel and meet our friend Ally, who's currently studying in London. She was just getting started on her travels, and we really enjoyed the chance to spend some time with a friend from home. We grabbed some delicious pizza and turned in for the night, because the next morning we woke up bright and early (I mean REALLY early) to go wait for the Vatican to open. It paid off, as we avoided most of the lines, and got to see all the fantastic artwork in the Vatican Museum. The Sistine Chapel was definitely a favorite of mine, and I was very much in awe of the talent mankind has been given by the Creator. As it was Easter weekend, St. Peter's was closed in the morning, and ridiculously crowded in the afternoon, so we just viewed the outside. We also went to the Spanish steps, the Trevi fountain, and the Pantheon that day, all of which were lovely. The weather in Rome was warm and beautiful, so we also spent lots of time eating gelato. I've never tasted such good ice cream in my life. We also had a nice dinner that night, some delicious pasta and Italian wine. At this point, I think I'm getting a bit to used to delicious foods from other cultures... now worries though, seventeen days from now, I know I'll be thrilled to sink my teeth into a good old American burger.
The next day was devoted to Ancient Rome. It was amazing to walk around the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Palatine, and the entire ancient city. It was another great testament to the achievements of humankind throughout the ages, and the history major in me loved seeing all of the ancient ruins, some of which were incredibly well-preserved. Caesar's house and the original Senate building were fantastic. Walking around all day took a lot of energy out of us, so we grabbed some food and headed back to our hostel that evening to relax.
Our original plan had been to travel across Italy and spend time with a friend of Emily's dad's who lives in Silvi, a small harbor town on Italy's east coast. However, after issues with getting in touch with our host, as well as the fact that the earthquakes Italy had been experiencing were very near to our destination, we decided to change our plans. With our Eurail passes, we had the flexibility to instead take a train to Florence. This meant we got to spend more time with our friend Ally as well. We stayed in a town called Prato, in a nicer hotel (thanks to Emily's dad), which was right along the edge of a pretty river with a trail along the edge. For these last few days, it was nice to stay in one place and then take day trips to other nearby Tuscan towns.
We started with Florence, were we saw the major sights like Michelangelo's David, the Duomo, a beautiful church, and the other famous churches, plazas, and buildings. The next day, we took a day trip to Siena. After our busy days in Rome and Florence, we took a slower pace in Siena. The town is a smaller, walled city, with a great atmosphere. We saw its major town hall and a few sights like churches. Most of the day, though, was spent relaxing on Il Campo, the large central square. The weather was gorgeous, as it was throughout the trip, so we worked on some homework, ate gelato (I know, it's a common theme...), and people-watched. It seemed as though the entire town turned out on the square to enjoy the day. Another nice thing about our Siena day was finding an internet cafe that had skype. We were able to call our parents and wish family a Happy Easter, as well as catch up and share our travels with them.
Easter day was spent with a day trip to Volterra, another great town. Due to train schedules, we didn't end up making it to any of the scheduled masses at its couple of churches, but Em and I spent some time reading the Easter Gospels and celebrating all the same. Volterra was one of my favorite cities. Emily had been very interested in going there because one of her favorite book series takes place there, and a movie is being filmed about it. After working in those locations we've read about, we walked around basically the entire town. Another gorgeous little town surrounded by a city wall, Volterra is at the top of the hill, and the countryside of Tuscany spreads out at its feet, creating tons of great views. Additionally, Volterra has some Roman remains, such as a half-crumbled theater. It is a huge producer of alabaster, so we went from shop to shop and found some great souvenirs and gifts. Top that off with a mini "train" ride around the town, an awesome castle or two, and one last chance to enjoy Italian food, and it was a great day.
The next day, we headed to Milan and caught a plane back to Madrid. It was nice to come back to a delicious home-cooked meal and Isabel's two-year-old granddaughters to play with. Now, the realization that these are my last seventeen days in Madrid is sinking in, and I'm both sad and thrilled to be coming home so soon. I've loved being here in Spain, and I'm hoping to soak everything up as much as possible before I leave, in spite of finals and papers looming just around the corner. What amazing experiences I've had here in Spain! Now more than ever, I'm thankful for the many, many wonderful things I've been able to see during my time in Europe. I look forward to seeing and talking to everyone back in America soon! Til then...
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Mi Madre y Tia Vinieron a Madrid
It seems as though I haven't written in forever, and there's a lot to catch up on before I head off on Friday for ten days in Germany and Italy. I've spent a lot of time in Madrid recently, but it's certainly been busy. Teachers are throwing a lot of work in our direction as the semester nears its end, but more importantly a couple weekends ago, I had visitors!
My mom and Aunt Susan came to see me for five days, and it was a blast. I really enjoyed showing them around, and sharing a lot of the things I've learned about Spanish culture and life with them. After picking them up at the airport, we started with a lunch with my Senora, Isabel. She made roasted lamb, a traditional dish from her hometown, Segovia. It was seriously a feast. It was also wonderful to show them where I live and introduce my Spanish "mom" to my real one. Afterward, although they were jet-lagged and stuffed full of food, I kept them busy all day. We walked to Retiro Park, checked out the Fundacion where I attend school, and saw all the major sights of Old Madrid: Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, etc. That night, we got some cokes on a terrace in Plaza Santo Domingo, near their hotel, and then attempted to have a tapas meal. Although tapas are a traditional part of Spanish cuisine, none of the nearby restaurants were too cooperative. We still managed to have some good food and a good time, although I frustrated a waitress or two with my interesting Spanish skills. Either way, it was fun to start teaching them about the great food and wine Spain has to offer.
Friday morning, all rested up, we set out for our big day of Madrid tourism. Our first stop was Plaza de Oriente, to see the beautiful gardens and royal theater. We then went to Palacio Real (the Royal Palace). It had beautiful rooms and art, and was one of my favorites that I've seen here in Europe. Then, we toured the more modern Cathedral nearby, and went up in the dome for a view of the city. Afterwards, we walked back to Plaza Mayor for some souvenir shopping, and we also got a few bocadillos (Spanish sandwiches), which later became our picnic lunch near the Prado. The weather was gorgeous all weekend, so we enjoyed walking around the city and soaking up the sun. After lunch, we the Prado, the most famous of Spain's three major art museums. We rested up in the evening, and went out that night for a traditionally late Spanish dinner, followed by a flamenco show. I enjoyed the show a lot, especially as it was the second one I'd seen and I had opportunity to compare it to the one in Sevilla. It was slightly more modern, and mixed some blues or jazz influence with the traditional flamenco. I was very glad my mom and aunt got the opportunity to see this important part of Spanish culture, not to mention trying the Sangria that came with the show.
Our day Saturday was a great one as well. We took a day trip to Toledo, and I think we all enjoyed getting out of the big city and seeing a more traditional Spanish town. We saw Toledo's beautiful cathedral, did lots of shopping, and went to the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes. I also got to show them where I had lived during my first few days in Spain, when the Fundacion brought us to Toledo for orientation. For lunch, we tried paella, a traditional Spanish dish with rice and seafood. We also walked along a river trail in the evening, stopping for a picnic dinner along the historical "Don Quixote Route."
Sunday, back in Madrid, we went to my usual church, and then to El Rastro, Madrid's big marketplace. That afternoon, we another important part of Spanish culture, a bullfight. While it was interesting to see, I wasn't sure I enjoyed the bullfight. It was certainly a cultural experience, but not quite what I expected. In the end, it wasn't as impressive as I'd expected, and I couldn't quite see the point. Still, I was very glad to have seen it.
Sunday was an exciting day for another reason as well. We received an email in the morning, letting us know that my brother, Mark, was now engaged to his wonderful girlfriend, Emili. Although we wished we could be there to celebrate in person, we were very glad for him!
Our last day together, Monday, was one on which we headed out of the city again. We took a train up to the little mountain city of Cercedilla, where a professor had recommended some hiking trails. The pine forests and mountain streams, as well as the beautiful views of the peaks, made this day my favorite. We enjoyed a picnic lunch and a full day of sunshine and fresh air. Upon returning to Madrid, we had a nice dinner on Plaza Mayor, stopped in a couple more stores for shopping, and then headed back to the hotel. I had purchased some authentic cava (Spanish sparkling wine) in Barcelona, in order to celebrate their visit, so we spent the evening chatting and drinking it. It was a perfect closing to a great weekend. I loved getting to spend time with both my mom and my aunt, and was so thankful they got to make the trip over here and experience this great country. As I looked at it once again from a foreigner's perspective through their eyes, I realized that I've grown to really love Spain, and to know and understand it more than I imagined I would.
Seeing them definitely also made me anticipate coming home all the more. I haven't been too homesick, but I miss all the wonderful people that make my life so great. It's hard to believe that I'll be home now in less than a month. With a trip to Germany and Italy starting tomorrow, the beginning of April will fly by. After that, a few short weeks, and my time in Spain will draw to a close. It's hard to believe it's gone so quickly, but I can't wait to see everyone. Until then, I'll just say that I miss everyone, and I wish all a very happy and blessed Easter! I'm looking forward, in the midst of all of these travels, to celebrating the joy of the Resurrection that I share with family and friends, no matter how near or far they happen to be.
My mom and Aunt Susan came to see me for five days, and it was a blast. I really enjoyed showing them around, and sharing a lot of the things I've learned about Spanish culture and life with them. After picking them up at the airport, we started with a lunch with my Senora, Isabel. She made roasted lamb, a traditional dish from her hometown, Segovia. It was seriously a feast. It was also wonderful to show them where I live and introduce my Spanish "mom" to my real one. Afterward, although they were jet-lagged and stuffed full of food, I kept them busy all day. We walked to Retiro Park, checked out the Fundacion where I attend school, and saw all the major sights of Old Madrid: Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, etc. That night, we got some cokes on a terrace in Plaza Santo Domingo, near their hotel, and then attempted to have a tapas meal. Although tapas are a traditional part of Spanish cuisine, none of the nearby restaurants were too cooperative. We still managed to have some good food and a good time, although I frustrated a waitress or two with my interesting Spanish skills. Either way, it was fun to start teaching them about the great food and wine Spain has to offer.
Friday morning, all rested up, we set out for our big day of Madrid tourism. Our first stop was Plaza de Oriente, to see the beautiful gardens and royal theater. We then went to Palacio Real (the Royal Palace). It had beautiful rooms and art, and was one of my favorites that I've seen here in Europe. Then, we toured the more modern Cathedral nearby, and went up in the dome for a view of the city. Afterwards, we walked back to Plaza Mayor for some souvenir shopping, and we also got a few bocadillos (Spanish sandwiches), which later became our picnic lunch near the Prado. The weather was gorgeous all weekend, so we enjoyed walking around the city and soaking up the sun. After lunch, we the Prado, the most famous of Spain's three major art museums. We rested up in the evening, and went out that night for a traditionally late Spanish dinner, followed by a flamenco show. I enjoyed the show a lot, especially as it was the second one I'd seen and I had opportunity to compare it to the one in Sevilla. It was slightly more modern, and mixed some blues or jazz influence with the traditional flamenco. I was very glad my mom and aunt got the opportunity to see this important part of Spanish culture, not to mention trying the Sangria that came with the show.
Our day Saturday was a great one as well. We took a day trip to Toledo, and I think we all enjoyed getting out of the big city and seeing a more traditional Spanish town. We saw Toledo's beautiful cathedral, did lots of shopping, and went to the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes. I also got to show them where I had lived during my first few days in Spain, when the Fundacion brought us to Toledo for orientation. For lunch, we tried paella, a traditional Spanish dish with rice and seafood. We also walked along a river trail in the evening, stopping for a picnic dinner along the historical "Don Quixote Route."
Sunday, back in Madrid, we went to my usual church, and then to El Rastro, Madrid's big marketplace. That afternoon, we another important part of Spanish culture, a bullfight. While it was interesting to see, I wasn't sure I enjoyed the bullfight. It was certainly a cultural experience, but not quite what I expected. In the end, it wasn't as impressive as I'd expected, and I couldn't quite see the point. Still, I was very glad to have seen it.
Sunday was an exciting day for another reason as well. We received an email in the morning, letting us know that my brother, Mark, was now engaged to his wonderful girlfriend, Emili. Although we wished we could be there to celebrate in person, we were very glad for him!
Our last day together, Monday, was one on which we headed out of the city again. We took a train up to the little mountain city of Cercedilla, where a professor had recommended some hiking trails. The pine forests and mountain streams, as well as the beautiful views of the peaks, made this day my favorite. We enjoyed a picnic lunch and a full day of sunshine and fresh air. Upon returning to Madrid, we had a nice dinner on Plaza Mayor, stopped in a couple more stores for shopping, and then headed back to the hotel. I had purchased some authentic cava (Spanish sparkling wine) in Barcelona, in order to celebrate their visit, so we spent the evening chatting and drinking it. It was a perfect closing to a great weekend. I loved getting to spend time with both my mom and my aunt, and was so thankful they got to make the trip over here and experience this great country. As I looked at it once again from a foreigner's perspective through their eyes, I realized that I've grown to really love Spain, and to know and understand it more than I imagined I would.
Seeing them definitely also made me anticipate coming home all the more. I haven't been too homesick, but I miss all the wonderful people that make my life so great. It's hard to believe that I'll be home now in less than a month. With a trip to Germany and Italy starting tomorrow, the beginning of April will fly by. After that, a few short weeks, and my time in Spain will draw to a close. It's hard to believe it's gone so quickly, but I can't wait to see everyone. Until then, I'll just say that I miss everyone, and I wish all a very happy and blessed Easter! I'm looking forward, in the midst of all of these travels, to celebrating the joy of the Resurrection that I share with family and friends, no matter how near or far they happen to be.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Al Sur y Una Cultura Nueva
This past week, after a quick turn-around from Portugal, we headed off to Andalucia, in the south of Spain, for one of the trips planned as part of our program. Andalucia, with its beautiful weather, strong Muslim cultural influences, and fame for flamenco, represents what most foreigners are really thinking of when they call to mind their idea of Spain. It's certainly different from Madrid, and I was very excited to experience this part of my host country. Our trip was based around the route taken by American tourist and author Washington Irving a couple hundred years ago, so we headed by bus for a week in Córdoba, Sevilla, and Granada.
Our first stop, Córdoba, found us relieved to get off the bus and stretch our legs. We spent some time exploring the pretty river walk before lunch, soaking up the sun and 80-degree Andalucian weather. Then we met up for lunch at a traditional restaurant, getting our first experience with Salmorejo, which is a "salad" made of tomatoes, which our professors insist is NOT soup. But it's basically cold, creamy, light tomato soup. Not my favorite, but once you get used to it, it's not bad. I also found out on this trip that I really like calamari.
After lunch, we headed to the city's main attraction, its famous mezquita-catedral. It's a Muslim mosque that was partially converted into a Cathedral after the Catholics expelled the Moors from the peninsula. We got our first exposure to Muslim architecture, which is absolutely amazing. The whole place was filled with row upon row of double-arched columns with red and white stripes. Also, the walls and ceilings in most Muslim structures, as the culture is opposed to any sort of figures or visual representations of God, are covered in plant-like, geometrical plaster carvings. The detail on every surface with the beautiful tile, plaster, and wood ceilings, is truly astounding. It's also interesting to compare cultures based on the values they convey with their architecture. Muslim buildings are designed to be organic, with gardens, patios, and smoothly flowing water. They are not built to last for centuries, as stone Gothic cathedrals were, but instead are meant to grow and change with the various rulers who allow work on them. The columns used are often recycled from earlier structures as well, and therefore don't always match. It was strange to note the absence of art depicting religious figures, and how that changed in the part converted into a Gothic Cathedral. The blending and interacting of the two cultures that influenced this part of Spain was evident in each detail.
After that stop, we made our way to Sevilla, checked into our hotel, and did some exploring for our first night. It was quite the adventure to try to experiment with local specialties at a nearby restaurant. On top of pretty bad service, it was harder than usual to understand our waitress, as most Andalucians have a pretty heavy accent. Then, we stopped for some ice cream, and also ended up trying one of the oranges that are on the trees all over the streets of Andalucia. A waiter said we could, but I wouldn't suggest it. They're definitely more for decoration than taste... one of the most sour things I've ever had. However, it made for a humorous night before we headed back to the hotel.
The next day, we fit in a lot of educational sight-seeing. The great thing about these Fundacion trips it that we get to bring our professors with us as tour guides, who also happen to be a lot of fun. We saw more Moorish architecture and gardens at the Alcazares Reales, explored Barrio Santa Cruz, and went to Sevilla's Catedral, which is actually the biggest cathedral in Europe. All were great sights and experiences, followed up by a fantastic several-course lunch on the Fundacion.
During our free time that day, we decided to rent a paddle boat on the Guadalquivir River, which made for a perfect, fun, hot afternoon.
That night, we all got dressed up and headed to a flamenco show, which was one of the coolest things I've seen here yet. The show included both male and female dancers, a guitarist, and a singer. All of it was indescribable. From the guitarist's fingers to the dancers' heels, I've never seen such fast, passionate movement. As a music style, flamenco really conveys a lot of the exoticness, spice, energy, and tradition that are important to Spain's culture. I absolutely loved the show.
That brought our time in Sevilla to a close, and the next stop was Granada. We really enjoyed our time here as well, from simple things like walks on the river to the spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. We did some shopping and exploring in our free time, and had a great dinner with the entire group, as well as some fun evening conversations with our professor, Chuck. The tourism highlights were definitely the Capilla Real and the Alhambra.
The Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) is in Granada's cathedral. As Granada was the last city conquered by Ferdinand and Isabella during the Reconquista, they decided that they should by buried there. The visit to their tombs, as well as those of their family members, was awesome for a history major like me. The cathedral itself was also a work of religious art, and included a museum. Afterward, we walked up one of Granada's many hills, to an open space where there was a beautiful view of the city, mountains, and the Alhambra across the valley. It seemed a popular hangout for some of Granada's citizens, and had an interesting feel to it, with a gitano band, street vendors, and a different type of behind-the-scenes culture.
The big highlight in Granada was la Alhambra. It's a fortress built long ago by Muslim kings in Spain, changed and added to throughout the centuries. The foundations of the earliest houses remain, as well as amazing towers and palaces. The fortress as a whole is almost a city itself. The gardens, architecture, and summer palaces were all fantastic, with similar architecture to the other mosques and Moorish palaces we had seen.
After the Alhambra, it was finally time to head back to Madrid. It was a great trip,and I loved this part of Spain's culture. Now I'm back in Madrid for a while, getting back into the swing of class, and looking forward to my mom and aunt's visit this week.
Hasta luego!
Our first stop, Córdoba, found us relieved to get off the bus and stretch our legs. We spent some time exploring the pretty river walk before lunch, soaking up the sun and 80-degree Andalucian weather. Then we met up for lunch at a traditional restaurant, getting our first experience with Salmorejo, which is a "salad" made of tomatoes, which our professors insist is NOT soup. But it's basically cold, creamy, light tomato soup. Not my favorite, but once you get used to it, it's not bad. I also found out on this trip that I really like calamari.
After lunch, we headed to the city's main attraction, its famous mezquita-catedral. It's a Muslim mosque that was partially converted into a Cathedral after the Catholics expelled the Moors from the peninsula. We got our first exposure to Muslim architecture, which is absolutely amazing. The whole place was filled with row upon row of double-arched columns with red and white stripes. Also, the walls and ceilings in most Muslim structures, as the culture is opposed to any sort of figures or visual representations of God, are covered in plant-like, geometrical plaster carvings. The detail on every surface with the beautiful tile, plaster, and wood ceilings, is truly astounding. It's also interesting to compare cultures based on the values they convey with their architecture. Muslim buildings are designed to be organic, with gardens, patios, and smoothly flowing water. They are not built to last for centuries, as stone Gothic cathedrals were, but instead are meant to grow and change with the various rulers who allow work on them. The columns used are often recycled from earlier structures as well, and therefore don't always match. It was strange to note the absence of art depicting religious figures, and how that changed in the part converted into a Gothic Cathedral. The blending and interacting of the two cultures that influenced this part of Spain was evident in each detail.
After that stop, we made our way to Sevilla, checked into our hotel, and did some exploring for our first night. It was quite the adventure to try to experiment with local specialties at a nearby restaurant. On top of pretty bad service, it was harder than usual to understand our waitress, as most Andalucians have a pretty heavy accent. Then, we stopped for some ice cream, and also ended up trying one of the oranges that are on the trees all over the streets of Andalucia. A waiter said we could, but I wouldn't suggest it. They're definitely more for decoration than taste... one of the most sour things I've ever had. However, it made for a humorous night before we headed back to the hotel.
The next day, we fit in a lot of educational sight-seeing. The great thing about these Fundacion trips it that we get to bring our professors with us as tour guides, who also happen to be a lot of fun. We saw more Moorish architecture and gardens at the Alcazares Reales, explored Barrio Santa Cruz, and went to Sevilla's Catedral, which is actually the biggest cathedral in Europe. All were great sights and experiences, followed up by a fantastic several-course lunch on the Fundacion.
During our free time that day, we decided to rent a paddle boat on the Guadalquivir River, which made for a perfect, fun, hot afternoon.
That night, we all got dressed up and headed to a flamenco show, which was one of the coolest things I've seen here yet. The show included both male and female dancers, a guitarist, and a singer. All of it was indescribable. From the guitarist's fingers to the dancers' heels, I've never seen such fast, passionate movement. As a music style, flamenco really conveys a lot of the exoticness, spice, energy, and tradition that are important to Spain's culture. I absolutely loved the show.
That brought our time in Sevilla to a close, and the next stop was Granada. We really enjoyed our time here as well, from simple things like walks on the river to the spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. We did some shopping and exploring in our free time, and had a great dinner with the entire group, as well as some fun evening conversations with our professor, Chuck. The tourism highlights were definitely the Capilla Real and the Alhambra.
The Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) is in Granada's cathedral. As Granada was the last city conquered by Ferdinand and Isabella during the Reconquista, they decided that they should by buried there. The visit to their tombs, as well as those of their family members, was awesome for a history major like me. The cathedral itself was also a work of religious art, and included a museum. Afterward, we walked up one of Granada's many hills, to an open space where there was a beautiful view of the city, mountains, and the Alhambra across the valley. It seemed a popular hangout for some of Granada's citizens, and had an interesting feel to it, with a gitano band, street vendors, and a different type of behind-the-scenes culture.
The big highlight in Granada was la Alhambra. It's a fortress built long ago by Muslim kings in Spain, changed and added to throughout the centuries. The foundations of the earliest houses remain, as well as amazing towers and palaces. The fortress as a whole is almost a city itself. The gardens, architecture, and summer palaces were all fantastic, with similar architecture to the other mosques and Moorish palaces we had seen.
After the Alhambra, it was finally time to head back to Madrid. It was a great trip,and I loved this part of Spain's culture. Now I'm back in Madrid for a while, getting back into the swing of class, and looking forward to my mom and aunt's visit this week.
Hasta luego!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Me Encanta Portugal
This past weekend, three friends and I headed to Lisbon, Portugal. It was a wonderful, relaxing trip. The weather in Portugal was perfect, and we got to see all of the main sights, without feeling too rushed or touristy.
After camping out at the airport to catch our 6 am flight, we arrived in Portugal already somewhat weary. However, upon checking into our hostel, we got a bit more excited for the trip. Rossio Hostel is by far the best hostel I've ever stayed in, with great staff, fun group events planned for the evening, delicious eggs and crepes for breakfast, an awesome atmosphere, and free coffee and tea always fresh and waiting. We took advantage of that last one before setting out to sight-see.
Lisbon is a great city to visit, because it has a very friendly atmosphere and seems far less filled with tourist traps than many places in Europe. It's slightly more off-the-beaten path, but I thought this added to its charm, rather than making it seem run down. On top of this, nearly everyone spoke either English or Spanish in addition to their Portuguese (English surprisingly being the more common choice), so we were very capable of finding out way around. Once again, being in a non-Spanish speaking country made me realize how much I've grown accustomed to using Spanish in everyday life, which is kind of a nice feeling.
Our first stop was Belem, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Madrid, where we checked off several tourist attractions. Some of these included the architecturally beautiful Jeronimos Monastery, some nice gardens, and Lisbon's most famous pastry store, where we decided we loved pasteles de nata, a distinctive Portuguese dessert. Most Portuguese people seem to live up to their national reputation of having quite a sweet tooth. We skipped a couple of the museums, simple because we were tired and didn't feel like long tours. Instead we walked out to Belem Tower, a fortress built during Portugal's age of exploration. It has been used both as a political prison and a structure for the defense of the port, but it served us, for the most part, as a place to take some beautiful (and fun) pictures. We also got to stick our hands in the other side of the Atlantic here. We then grabbed some delicious pitas for lunch and went to the Museum of Coaches, which was full of some beautiful carriages from throughout European history.
We headed back to downtown Lisbon for a bit of exploring and then some time to rest up in our hostel, since I was still going on no sleep from the night before. That evening, we splurged on a seafood dinner at an amazing local restaurant. A small, atmospheric, family-owned place, it had delicious food and an incredibly friendly owner. He insisted on showing us numerous pictures of famous singers, and we discovered that he had once been the President of Portugal's National Fado Association. "Fado" is to Portugal what Flamenco is to Spain. It's the nation's famous traditional style of music, and although it doesn't include dancing like the flamenco does, the guitar playing and singing involved are astounding. Five Fado singers took a turn at the restaurant that night, giving us an amazing show to complement our dinner. We ended up staying at the restaurant for over five hours, sitting in the candlelight and enjoying great wine, Portuguese seafood, and the powerful voices of the singers. The talent and passion was fantastic. I also really enjoyed the way everyone in the little restaurant would join in the singing from time to time. The songs, from what Portuguese I could understand, were focused on the singers' love of Lisbon, Portugal, and those in their lives. It was beautiful.
The next day began with a hike up Lisbon's tallest hill to Saint George's castle, which is very well preserved from the 11th or 12th century. It also had great views. After an unsuccessful search for Portugal's famous tile factory, we did some souvenir shopping. Then we got some pastries, fruit, bread, and cheese, and picnicked in Plaza de Pedro IV. The rest of the day was spent exploring Barrio Alto, the upper neighborhood, shopping, and grabbing some dinner. In the evening we talked with people from our hostel and chatted over coffee.
Sunday we headed back to Madrid, definitely a bit sunburned, but relaxed from a beautiful weekend. I definitely loved Portugal, a perfect spot for a weekend trip. Tomorrow I head to Andalucia for the rest of the week on a trip arranged for us by the Fundacion, which should be spectacular as well. Can't wait!
Hasta luego!
After camping out at the airport to catch our 6 am flight, we arrived in Portugal already somewhat weary. However, upon checking into our hostel, we got a bit more excited for the trip. Rossio Hostel is by far the best hostel I've ever stayed in, with great staff, fun group events planned for the evening, delicious eggs and crepes for breakfast, an awesome atmosphere, and free coffee and tea always fresh and waiting. We took advantage of that last one before setting out to sight-see.
Lisbon is a great city to visit, because it has a very friendly atmosphere and seems far less filled with tourist traps than many places in Europe. It's slightly more off-the-beaten path, but I thought this added to its charm, rather than making it seem run down. On top of this, nearly everyone spoke either English or Spanish in addition to their Portuguese (English surprisingly being the more common choice), so we were very capable of finding out way around. Once again, being in a non-Spanish speaking country made me realize how much I've grown accustomed to using Spanish in everyday life, which is kind of a nice feeling.
Our first stop was Belem, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Madrid, where we checked off several tourist attractions. Some of these included the architecturally beautiful Jeronimos Monastery, some nice gardens, and Lisbon's most famous pastry store, where we decided we loved pasteles de nata, a distinctive Portuguese dessert. Most Portuguese people seem to live up to their national reputation of having quite a sweet tooth. We skipped a couple of the museums, simple because we were tired and didn't feel like long tours. Instead we walked out to Belem Tower, a fortress built during Portugal's age of exploration. It has been used both as a political prison and a structure for the defense of the port, but it served us, for the most part, as a place to take some beautiful (and fun) pictures. We also got to stick our hands in the other side of the Atlantic here. We then grabbed some delicious pitas for lunch and went to the Museum of Coaches, which was full of some beautiful carriages from throughout European history.
We headed back to downtown Lisbon for a bit of exploring and then some time to rest up in our hostel, since I was still going on no sleep from the night before. That evening, we splurged on a seafood dinner at an amazing local restaurant. A small, atmospheric, family-owned place, it had delicious food and an incredibly friendly owner. He insisted on showing us numerous pictures of famous singers, and we discovered that he had once been the President of Portugal's National Fado Association. "Fado" is to Portugal what Flamenco is to Spain. It's the nation's famous traditional style of music, and although it doesn't include dancing like the flamenco does, the guitar playing and singing involved are astounding. Five Fado singers took a turn at the restaurant that night, giving us an amazing show to complement our dinner. We ended up staying at the restaurant for over five hours, sitting in the candlelight and enjoying great wine, Portuguese seafood, and the powerful voices of the singers. The talent and passion was fantastic. I also really enjoyed the way everyone in the little restaurant would join in the singing from time to time. The songs, from what Portuguese I could understand, were focused on the singers' love of Lisbon, Portugal, and those in their lives. It was beautiful.
The next day began with a hike up Lisbon's tallest hill to Saint George's castle, which is very well preserved from the 11th or 12th century. It also had great views. After an unsuccessful search for Portugal's famous tile factory, we did some souvenir shopping. Then we got some pastries, fruit, bread, and cheese, and picnicked in Plaza de Pedro IV. The rest of the day was spent exploring Barrio Alto, the upper neighborhood, shopping, and grabbing some dinner. In the evening we talked with people from our hostel and chatted over coffee.
Sunday we headed back to Madrid, definitely a bit sunburned, but relaxed from a beautiful weekend. I definitely loved Portugal, a perfect spot for a weekend trip. Tomorrow I head to Andalucia for the rest of the week on a trip arranged for us by the Fundacion, which should be spectacular as well. Can't wait!
Hasta luego!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Segovia y Otras Experiencias
A lot has happened in Madrid this week. We've finished our Midterms, stumbled upon great cultural experiences, and been treated by the Fundacion to great sights and sounds. Before my hectic month of March, which includes a crazy amount of traveling and projects due for class, begins, I thought I'd write a bit of an update...
On Wednesday, Carnaval was coming to a close. The Carnaval parade I mentioned last Saturday had been a lot of fun, and a little crazy. People had been wearing costumes all week, and randomly participating in traditions that I didn't quite understand. For instance, the transition to Lent is greeted here not only with the normal Ash Wednesday services, but also with an event called "El Entierro de Las Sardinas." That's right, The Burial Of the Sardines. Apparently, Madrilenos all dress up in mourning clothes and carry a large fish on a platter through the streets, before burying it to represent the end of the festivities. I wanted to make an effort to see this, so I headed to Plaza Mayor, where I had heard it might happen. One wild goose-chase later, I still hadn't seen the Burial of the Sardines. I'm still not really sure where it took place.
I had, on the other hand, run into the biggest crowd of Liverpool fans I've ever seen. It turns out that Wednesday evening also happened to be the Liverpool v. Real Madrid football match for some championship. It was a huge event. Plaza Mayor was entirely packed with Liverpool fans, drunk, singing, playing soccer on top of all the trash, and cheering in preparation for the game. It was ridiculous. After we had observed for a while, my friend Claire and I continued exploring, and ended up sightseeing around Plaza de Espana, with its Don Quixote statue. No Sardines, but still a great time. We even tried roasted chesnuts from a street vendor, just to embrace the city a bit more.
Thursday evening, the Fundacion took us to a theater show called "La Gran Via... Esquina a Chueca." In all Spanish, it was hard to follow, but the general spectacle and the music were very entertaining and humorous. From what I gathered, the plot was an adaptation of an older play. In this version, the government of Madrid is rumored to be planning developing over Gran Via, Madrid's main street. The citizens of Madrid dress up as the various surrounding street names and protest, and end up saving La Gran Via. It had a huge cast, crazy costumes, and seemed to epitomize the lively nature of Spanish music and dance. Not to mention how willing Spaniards seem to be when they need to take to the streets in protest for any cause. It seems as though nearly every week one of my friends or I run into one protest or another. We've seen "manifestaciones" about labor unions, football matches, separatist autonomies, ETA, the war in Israel, communism, etc. In some ways, Spain is a very politically active country, in spite of its stereotype of apathy. A huge corruption scandal is currently uprooting members of the PP, Spain's opposition party, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a protest or too surrounding these headlines as well.
After a fun night of theater-going, we had to wake up Friday morning bright and early for a day trip to Segovia. We started out with a tour of the Royal Palace there, built by Spain's first Bourbon king. It's much more similar to Versailles than the stark Escorial, the last royal palace I went to. We also saw Segovia's famous aqueducts, which are beautiful and impressive, and date back to the Roman era of Spanish history. Then, we had some free time to sight-see around Segovia's Plaza Mayor, with its beautiful Cathedral. A smaller town, it reminded me of Toledo with its winding, narrow streets. (I'll have pictures up on Picasa soon....) It also had a spectacular view of the mountains. Toward the end of the day, we were really able to appreciate this from the top of the tallest tower of Alcazar, a fortress/castle that is old enough to have Muslim and Christian influences. It was very popular as a place of residence for Castile-Leon's royals. Segovia was a relaxing trip, and I liked the city very much. We had a chance to soak up some of the beautiful springtime sun for part of the afternoon, and try Ponche de Segovia, the city's most famous pastry. Que rico...
After getting home Saturday night, we headed out for a relaxed evening at Txoko, a new favorite bar near my house. The free tapas (appetizers that come with your drink) were delicious, and the staff was friendly, explaining various Spanish customs to us in both Spanish and English. The owners come from the Basque Country, one of Spain's northern autonomous regions with its own language, customs, and sense of nationalism. We talked with them about their culture, and realized we were benefitting from at least one element of it: Basques are famous for their delicious cooking. It was a fun night.
That brings us up to date on some of the fun little moments that remind me how different and exciting this country its. The weekends haven't had the best weather lately, so although we were planning on taking a rowboat out on the lake at Retiro, it seems like a cafeteria with a good book and some homework will be a better option for today. Especially now that I know the other Wesleyan kids better and the weather has allowed us to really take advantage of the city, the more I explore and see of Madrid, the more I love my life here. Next weekend I'm headed to Portugal, followed up quickly by a week in Andalucia. I'm sure I'll have even more to write about those amazing things, but until then, que lo paseis buen dia!
On Wednesday, Carnaval was coming to a close. The Carnaval parade I mentioned last Saturday had been a lot of fun, and a little crazy. People had been wearing costumes all week, and randomly participating in traditions that I didn't quite understand. For instance, the transition to Lent is greeted here not only with the normal Ash Wednesday services, but also with an event called "El Entierro de Las Sardinas." That's right, The Burial Of the Sardines. Apparently, Madrilenos all dress up in mourning clothes and carry a large fish on a platter through the streets, before burying it to represent the end of the festivities. I wanted to make an effort to see this, so I headed to Plaza Mayor, where I had heard it might happen. One wild goose-chase later, I still hadn't seen the Burial of the Sardines. I'm still not really sure where it took place.
I had, on the other hand, run into the biggest crowd of Liverpool fans I've ever seen. It turns out that Wednesday evening also happened to be the Liverpool v. Real Madrid football match for some championship. It was a huge event. Plaza Mayor was entirely packed with Liverpool fans, drunk, singing, playing soccer on top of all the trash, and cheering in preparation for the game. It was ridiculous. After we had observed for a while, my friend Claire and I continued exploring, and ended up sightseeing around Plaza de Espana, with its Don Quixote statue. No Sardines, but still a great time. We even tried roasted chesnuts from a street vendor, just to embrace the city a bit more.
Thursday evening, the Fundacion took us to a theater show called "La Gran Via... Esquina a Chueca." In all Spanish, it was hard to follow, but the general spectacle and the music were very entertaining and humorous. From what I gathered, the plot was an adaptation of an older play. In this version, the government of Madrid is rumored to be planning developing over Gran Via, Madrid's main street. The citizens of Madrid dress up as the various surrounding street names and protest, and end up saving La Gran Via. It had a huge cast, crazy costumes, and seemed to epitomize the lively nature of Spanish music and dance. Not to mention how willing Spaniards seem to be when they need to take to the streets in protest for any cause. It seems as though nearly every week one of my friends or I run into one protest or another. We've seen "manifestaciones" about labor unions, football matches, separatist autonomies, ETA, the war in Israel, communism, etc. In some ways, Spain is a very politically active country, in spite of its stereotype of apathy. A huge corruption scandal is currently uprooting members of the PP, Spain's opposition party, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a protest or too surrounding these headlines as well.
After a fun night of theater-going, we had to wake up Friday morning bright and early for a day trip to Segovia. We started out with a tour of the Royal Palace there, built by Spain's first Bourbon king. It's much more similar to Versailles than the stark Escorial, the last royal palace I went to. We also saw Segovia's famous aqueducts, which are beautiful and impressive, and date back to the Roman era of Spanish history. Then, we had some free time to sight-see around Segovia's Plaza Mayor, with its beautiful Cathedral. A smaller town, it reminded me of Toledo with its winding, narrow streets. (I'll have pictures up on Picasa soon....) It also had a spectacular view of the mountains. Toward the end of the day, we were really able to appreciate this from the top of the tallest tower of Alcazar, a fortress/castle that is old enough to have Muslim and Christian influences. It was very popular as a place of residence for Castile-Leon's royals. Segovia was a relaxing trip, and I liked the city very much. We had a chance to soak up some of the beautiful springtime sun for part of the afternoon, and try Ponche de Segovia, the city's most famous pastry. Que rico...
After getting home Saturday night, we headed out for a relaxed evening at Txoko, a new favorite bar near my house. The free tapas (appetizers that come with your drink) were delicious, and the staff was friendly, explaining various Spanish customs to us in both Spanish and English. The owners come from the Basque Country, one of Spain's northern autonomous regions with its own language, customs, and sense of nationalism. We talked with them about their culture, and realized we were benefitting from at least one element of it: Basques are famous for their delicious cooking. It was a fun night.
That brings us up to date on some of the fun little moments that remind me how different and exciting this country its. The weekends haven't had the best weather lately, so although we were planning on taking a rowboat out on the lake at Retiro, it seems like a cafeteria with a good book and some homework will be a better option for today. Especially now that I know the other Wesleyan kids better and the weather has allowed us to really take advantage of the city, the more I explore and see of Madrid, the more I love my life here. Next weekend I'm headed to Portugal, followed up quickly by a week in Andalucia. I'm sure I'll have even more to write about those amazing things, but until then, que lo paseis buen dia!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Vida Diaria
A friend of mine, after reading my blog, told me it sounds like I'm on a four-month vacation over here. To be honest, in some ways he's right. It doesn't quite seem like I'm a part of the real world when I'm here, because of how many opportunities I've had to travel each weekend and see amazing things. This weekend, however, I'm staying in Madrid, so I thought I'd blog about what my life is really like over here between all the travels and fun.
Classes here are very interesting, but probably not as hard as my usual coursework at Wesleyan. I'm finishing up some gen. eds, and taking some courses required by the program, so not a lot of what I'm doing pertains to my major. It's nice to think about other things for a while and have a break from the inevitable heavy reading that comes with history and political science classes. Right now, I'm in a Spanish course, a cultural anthropology course, an international business ethics class, and a philosophy class about Jose Ortega y Gasset, the founder of the Fundacion. I enjoy them all, and I've been able to do tons of reading, writing, and exploring on my own, since the workload isn't too intense.
In between classes, homework, and teaching English lessons, we find time to do some pretty fun things. After school, we often head over to Cafeteria Tana for lunch or cafe con leche before going home. Each night, dinner with Isabel takes some time, and we tend to get into great discussions during sobremesa, Spain's traditional time for sitting around and talking after ever meal. The weather here in Madrid has started to truly feel like springtime. I like to go for walks to Parque del Retiro, Madrid's verison of central park. Sometimes I take my homework there and sit on the bank of the Estanque, the row-boating lake, for the whole afternoon. There's so much to see around town, and some evenings we head to cafe's or bars. One of our favorites has a quiz night on Wednesdays, which we tried out for the first time this week.
From time to time, we also get the chance to experience Madrid's traditions and Spain's culture without traveling too far. Today, we took a short busride to a pueblo ouside Madrid called Chincon. A medieval marketplace festival was taking place there to celebrate Carnaval, the Mardi Gras type celebration that covers Spain throughout this week. Costumes are popular, and Carnaval has become a bit like our Halloween. In Chincon today, the marketplace was full of artisans with awesome handmade products, a falcon trainer, and a band of wandering minstrels. A medieval jester kept trying to joke around with my friend Emily and get her to buy him things. It was hilarious. Then, we took a short donkey ride around town on the "Burro Taxi." After seeing the sights and walking around for a couple of hours, I was hungry enough to try the Sopa Castellano (Castilian soup, consisting more of fat than meat, I think) that they were selling in one-euro bowls from one of the tents. It wasn't bad, as long as I didn't look at it. It was definitely a fun day trip.
Tonight, there's a parade here in Madrid to celebrate carnaval. The sightseeing today has been a welcome change from studying all day yesterday, since midterm exams are coming up this week. It's hard to believe my time in Spain is nearly half-way over. Every day in Madrid makes me enjoy thesubtle aspects of the lifestyle here in different ways. Daily life in Spain provides a completely different perspective than just traveling as a tourist, and it's wonderful.
Classes here are very interesting, but probably not as hard as my usual coursework at Wesleyan. I'm finishing up some gen. eds, and taking some courses required by the program, so not a lot of what I'm doing pertains to my major. It's nice to think about other things for a while and have a break from the inevitable heavy reading that comes with history and political science classes. Right now, I'm in a Spanish course, a cultural anthropology course, an international business ethics class, and a philosophy class about Jose Ortega y Gasset, the founder of the Fundacion. I enjoy them all, and I've been able to do tons of reading, writing, and exploring on my own, since the workload isn't too intense.
In between classes, homework, and teaching English lessons, we find time to do some pretty fun things. After school, we often head over to Cafeteria Tana for lunch or cafe con leche before going home. Each night, dinner with Isabel takes some time, and we tend to get into great discussions during sobremesa, Spain's traditional time for sitting around and talking after ever meal. The weather here in Madrid has started to truly feel like springtime. I like to go for walks to Parque del Retiro, Madrid's verison of central park. Sometimes I take my homework there and sit on the bank of the Estanque, the row-boating lake, for the whole afternoon. There's so much to see around town, and some evenings we head to cafe's or bars. One of our favorites has a quiz night on Wednesdays, which we tried out for the first time this week.
From time to time, we also get the chance to experience Madrid's traditions and Spain's culture without traveling too far. Today, we took a short busride to a pueblo ouside Madrid called Chincon. A medieval marketplace festival was taking place there to celebrate Carnaval, the Mardi Gras type celebration that covers Spain throughout this week. Costumes are popular, and Carnaval has become a bit like our Halloween. In Chincon today, the marketplace was full of artisans with awesome handmade products, a falcon trainer, and a band of wandering minstrels. A medieval jester kept trying to joke around with my friend Emily and get her to buy him things. It was hilarious. Then, we took a short donkey ride around town on the "Burro Taxi." After seeing the sights and walking around for a couple of hours, I was hungry enough to try the Sopa Castellano (Castilian soup, consisting more of fat than meat, I think) that they were selling in one-euro bowls from one of the tents. It wasn't bad, as long as I didn't look at it. It was definitely a fun day trip.
Tonight, there's a parade here in Madrid to celebrate carnaval. The sightseeing today has been a welcome change from studying all day yesterday, since midterm exams are coming up this week. It's hard to believe my time in Spain is nearly half-way over. Every day in Madrid makes me enjoy thesubtle aspects of the lifestyle here in different ways. Daily life in Spain provides a completely different perspective than just traveling as a tourist, and it's wonderful.
Monday, February 16, 2009
La Ciudad de Luz
So this weekend, we went to Paris. It's still amazing to be able to just hop on a plane for a three-day trip... to France! Paris was a beautiful city, and I really enjoyed it. The historian in me loved all the sights I'd heard about in textbooks for so many years, and everything was beautiful. Although we didn't have the best weather, we still managed to have a great time.
Our trip started Thursday after school, when we set out for the airport. By the time our flight got in and we checked into our hostel, we decided to simply get dinner and turn in for the night. One of our friends, Ally, who is studying in London this semester, met us there, and it was awesome to see her.
Friday was a day packed with sight-seeing. We saw everything I had always imagined seeing in Paris. Here's the list:
-the Bastille monument, where the French Revolution got its popular start
-the Pantheon, where some of France's finest are buried. This includes Voltaire, Rousseau, Hugo, Dumas, and Marie Curie, among others. Also, Foucault's pendulum is located here.
-the Catacombes, where the bones of plague and Terror victims have been placed. It was pretty creepy to see the well-organized femurs and skulls arranged in patters, lining wall after wall of this former quarry.
-Notre Dame, which doesn't need much explanation. It was beautiful.
-the Arc d'Triumph and Champs d'Elysees, Paris's famous monument and main street
-the plaza where all the guillotine executions took place during the Revolution and Terror
-the Louvre, where we saw the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, Hammurabi's Code, and tons of other amazing art
-the Eiffel Tour, where we went to the top at night for a beautiful view of the city as midnight came and it became Valentine's Day
Then, on Saturday, we spent the day at Versailles. It absolutely lived up to all the stories of its opulence and beauty. It was a beautiful day, too, if a little cold. After Versailles, we had a few more hours in Paris before we had to head back to the airport, and we did some eating, exploring, and resting.
Since our return to Madrid, things have been great. Catching up on school work has been necessary, but Emily and I sat in a cafe all Sunday afternoon to finish things up. Thanks to one of my Spanish class assignments, I got in a conversation with the bartender about immigration in Spain. It's so fun to actually be able to communicate with real people in this language... what an awesome opportunity.
To top off a weekend filled with dozens of wonderful things, Em and I attended a new church. It's an English-speaking church, and their traditional Anglican services come closer to the Lutheran church I'm used to than anything I've run into so far. After the service, we chatted with some of the members. As an international church, it pulls English-speakers from all over the world together in fellowship, and we had the chance to talk to people from England, New Zealand, and even Nigeria who currently call Madrid their home. I can't wait to get to know the people better and go back to the church. Jumping around between Spanish masses has been interesting, and in many ways an awesome experience spiritually, but the great sermon and hymns at St. George's hit a little closer to home.
Other than that, we headed back to class today, where great discussions in my Ethics and Philosophy courses have been keeping me on my toes intellectually. As midterms approach, I might have to start working a bit harder, but I'm looking forward to it. It's hard to believe we're almost half-way through the semester. With Lent, lots of travel, and a visit from my mom and aunt just around the corner, I have so much to look forward to. As a whole, life couldn't be better.
Our trip started Thursday after school, when we set out for the airport. By the time our flight got in and we checked into our hostel, we decided to simply get dinner and turn in for the night. One of our friends, Ally, who is studying in London this semester, met us there, and it was awesome to see her.
Friday was a day packed with sight-seeing. We saw everything I had always imagined seeing in Paris. Here's the list:
-the Bastille monument, where the French Revolution got its popular start
-the Pantheon, where some of France's finest are buried. This includes Voltaire, Rousseau, Hugo, Dumas, and Marie Curie, among others. Also, Foucault's pendulum is located here.
-the Catacombes, where the bones of plague and Terror victims have been placed. It was pretty creepy to see the well-organized femurs and skulls arranged in patters, lining wall after wall of this former quarry.
-Notre Dame, which doesn't need much explanation. It was beautiful.
-the Arc d'Triumph and Champs d'Elysees, Paris's famous monument and main street
-the plaza where all the guillotine executions took place during the Revolution and Terror
-the Louvre, where we saw the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, Hammurabi's Code, and tons of other amazing art
-the Eiffel Tour, where we went to the top at night for a beautiful view of the city as midnight came and it became Valentine's Day
Then, on Saturday, we spent the day at Versailles. It absolutely lived up to all the stories of its opulence and beauty. It was a beautiful day, too, if a little cold. After Versailles, we had a few more hours in Paris before we had to head back to the airport, and we did some eating, exploring, and resting.
Since our return to Madrid, things have been great. Catching up on school work has been necessary, but Emily and I sat in a cafe all Sunday afternoon to finish things up. Thanks to one of my Spanish class assignments, I got in a conversation with the bartender about immigration in Spain. It's so fun to actually be able to communicate with real people in this language... what an awesome opportunity.
To top off a weekend filled with dozens of wonderful things, Em and I attended a new church. It's an English-speaking church, and their traditional Anglican services come closer to the Lutheran church I'm used to than anything I've run into so far. After the service, we chatted with some of the members. As an international church, it pulls English-speakers from all over the world together in fellowship, and we had the chance to talk to people from England, New Zealand, and even Nigeria who currently call Madrid their home. I can't wait to get to know the people better and go back to the church. Jumping around between Spanish masses has been interesting, and in many ways an awesome experience spiritually, but the great sermon and hymns at St. George's hit a little closer to home.
Other than that, we headed back to class today, where great discussions in my Ethics and Philosophy courses have been keeping me on my toes intellectually. As midterms approach, I might have to start working a bit harder, but I'm looking forward to it. It's hard to believe we're almost half-way through the semester. With Lent, lots of travel, and a visit from my mom and aunt just around the corner, I have so much to look forward to. As a whole, life couldn't be better.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Barcelona: Més que una Ciutat
This past week, the Fundación took us on a trip to Barcelona. It's hard to know where to begin, after a week packed full of amazing sights and experiences. I'd have to say that Barcelona was my favorite place yet. From its unique culture, to its appealing tourist attractions, to the relaxing moments I spent near the Mediterranean, I have one great memory after another of my time in Barcelona.
We started the week on a school trip. It was wonderful to hear the professors explain aspects of the sights and the Catalan culture that I never would have known. Barcelona is located in one of Spain's autonomous regions, and has its own language (Catalan, as opposed to the Castellano Spanish I've been learning), history, and political culture. I loved learning all of this, although the touristy nature of our trip made it more difficult to be submersed in culture and really experience all of these things. We stayed in a nice hotel for the first half of the week, and after the school trip ended, some of us decided to stay through the weekend, so I had my first experience in a hostel as well. Overall, it was a pretty nice place, and being in the city with all my friends from school made for some awesome memories.
I took over three hundred pictures on the trip, so it goes without saying that we saw amazing things. The works of Gaud í, a famous modern architect, were a theme throughout the trip. We saw his Iglesia Sagrada Familia, a beautiful church, as well as two houses he designed, and Parque Güell, all in his very unique style. He used inspiration from nature, the sea, and light in most of his works. He also often featured mosaics and amazing stylistic and functional details. Picasso and Dalí were also influential in Barcelona, and we saw a Picasso museum and ate lunch at Picasso's favorite cafe, Cuatro Gatos.
We also took a trip through the city's beautiful Gothic neighborhood, saw the Cathedral and another beautiful church, great parks, and a Roman excavation site. Other highlights included a tour of the Frexienet Cavas vineyard, Spain's biggest sparkling wine producer. We had fun seeing the special traditional facilities and getting free samples of the cava. Also, because Barcelona hosted the Olympics in '92, we saw the stadium and experienced beautiful views from the mountaintop near the Olympic museum.The city seemed more open and clean than Madrid in places, but above all, I loved having the chance to be on the edge of the Mediterranean. We went to the beach, picnicked on the port with fruit from the enormous Boquería (fruit market), and even took a boat tour of the coast. We also got to witness a tradition that happens each Sunday in Barcelona. Locals meet in the square outside the Cathedral, and perform a group dance called Sardanes to live music.
One more cultural experience that we had was the chance to go to a futbol game. F.C.Barcelona is Spain's other big team. Although they have an enormous rivalry with Real Madrid, I couldn't quite pass up the opportunity to see a pro soccer game for only 18 euro. Don't worry, though, Mark... I'll still be wearing my Real Madrid jersey with pride. Most Spaniards would call this insanity, based on the political and cultural implications the teams have. Spaniards really pour all their passion into their teams. The motto for Barcelona is actually "Més que un club," which means "more than a club" in Catalan. On the other hand, I just called it a very fun time. It was great to see Barça beat Mallorca 2-0, and get into cheering along with the rest of the crowd.
All in all, the week off from classes, exploring the city and growing closer to my friends, was a welcome break. I loved Barcelona, and I'm even more excited for future travels now. We head to Paris on Thursday. It's still hard to believe that this is really my life this semester. My memories of Barcelona will always be great-- es más que una ciudad.
We started the week on a school trip. It was wonderful to hear the professors explain aspects of the sights and the Catalan culture that I never would have known. Barcelona is located in one of Spain's autonomous regions, and has its own language (Catalan, as opposed to the Castellano Spanish I've been learning), history, and political culture. I loved learning all of this, although the touristy nature of our trip made it more difficult to be submersed in culture and really experience all of these things. We stayed in a nice hotel for the first half of the week, and after the school trip ended, some of us decided to stay through the weekend, so I had my first experience in a hostel as well. Overall, it was a pretty nice place, and being in the city with all my friends from school made for some awesome memories.
I took over three hundred pictures on the trip, so it goes without saying that we saw amazing things. The works of Gaud í, a famous modern architect, were a theme throughout the trip. We saw his Iglesia Sagrada Familia, a beautiful church, as well as two houses he designed, and Parque Güell, all in his very unique style. He used inspiration from nature, the sea, and light in most of his works. He also often featured mosaics and amazing stylistic and functional details. Picasso and Dalí were also influential in Barcelona, and we saw a Picasso museum and ate lunch at Picasso's favorite cafe, Cuatro Gatos.
We also took a trip through the city's beautiful Gothic neighborhood, saw the Cathedral and another beautiful church, great parks, and a Roman excavation site. Other highlights included a tour of the Frexienet Cavas vineyard, Spain's biggest sparkling wine producer. We had fun seeing the special traditional facilities and getting free samples of the cava. Also, because Barcelona hosted the Olympics in '92, we saw the stadium and experienced beautiful views from the mountaintop near the Olympic museum.The city seemed more open and clean than Madrid in places, but above all, I loved having the chance to be on the edge of the Mediterranean. We went to the beach, picnicked on the port with fruit from the enormous Boquería (fruit market), and even took a boat tour of the coast. We also got to witness a tradition that happens each Sunday in Barcelona. Locals meet in the square outside the Cathedral, and perform a group dance called Sardanes to live music.
One more cultural experience that we had was the chance to go to a futbol game. F.C.Barcelona is Spain's other big team. Although they have an enormous rivalry with Real Madrid, I couldn't quite pass up the opportunity to see a pro soccer game for only 18 euro. Don't worry, though, Mark... I'll still be wearing my Real Madrid jersey with pride. Most Spaniards would call this insanity, based on the political and cultural implications the teams have. Spaniards really pour all their passion into their teams. The motto for Barcelona is actually "Més que un club," which means "more than a club" in Catalan. On the other hand, I just called it a very fun time. It was great to see Barça beat Mallorca 2-0, and get into cheering along with the rest of the crowd.
All in all, the week off from classes, exploring the city and growing closer to my friends, was a welcome break. I loved Barcelona, and I'm even more excited for future travels now. We head to Paris on Thursday. It's still hard to believe that this is really my life this semester. My memories of Barcelona will always be great-- es más que una ciudad.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
¿Fotos Aquí?
As I get more used to blogging, I've decided to add a few pictures here and there. If you want to see the rest, though, feel free to check out my Picasa album. :)
Las Cosas Pequeñas
This week, I don't have a lot to report. Life has been great, and day-to-day existence in Spain is definitely fun.
I started spending more time with some of the other Wesleyan kids, and I've loved getting to know them better. I played soccer in a park for much of Saturday afterno
on with some friends. A group of us also went to hear Emily, my roommate, play guitar at an open mic night in an international bar last night. She was great, and it was one of the most fun evenings we've had in Madrid.
Class continues to go well. On Tuesday, we took a school trip to the Prado. Although we didn't see it all, since it would have taken days, we did see a good bit of the art of Velazquez, Goya, and El Greco. A lot of the artwork I'd seen in history textbooks was there on the walls, and it was spectacular.
We spent some time focusing on Catalan culture in class this week, because next Tuesday begins our six-day trip to Barcelona. Cataluña, or Catalonia, is one of the autonomous regions in Spain that is pushing for independence. With a different language and a strong pull toward Mediterranean culture, the Catalan state certainly has its differences with Spain. Throughout its history, especially during times of repression under Franco, this aggression was focused into its futbol teams, and an enormous rivalry has developed between Real Madrid and Barca, Madrid and Barcelona's clubs. I can't wait to spend some time in what looks like a beautiful coastal city, full of culture, architecture, and art.
Right now, Madrid is seeing quite a bit of rain and snow. It's definitely perfect weather for some "chocolate y churros," one of my new favorite treats. (The hot chocolate here is ridiculously thick... think pudding
heated up.) The snowflakes are enormous and beautiful, but it's warmer here, so nothing really sticks. It's still enough, however, to cause plenty of excitement and chaos to the Madrileños, who aren't quite used to what I would actually call winter. Little things like this are what keep reminding me of our cultural differences. Another example came today during lunch. Emily and I spent over half an hour trying to explain Groundhog's Day to Isabel. Not only did we start out not knowing the word for groundhog, but once we established this vital information, she still couldn't understand why we would have a tradition celebrating "marmotas." Then again, I guess I can't argue there, it doesn't make much sense to me either. But it was fun to try to explain it in a different language...
So overall, these little incidents keep daily life interesting. Between the great friends I'm making, the wonderful food I'm trying, the moments when I see similarities and differences between my two cultures, and the times when I just enjoy the little things, life is wonderful.
I started spending more time with some of the other Wesleyan kids, and I've loved getting to know them better. I played soccer in a park for much of Saturday afterno
on with some friends. A group of us also went to hear Emily, my roommate, play guitar at an open mic night in an international bar last night. She was great, and it was one of the most fun evenings we've had in Madrid.Class continues to go well. On Tuesday, we took a school trip to the Prado. Although we didn't see it all, since it would have taken days, we did see a good bit of the art of Velazquez, Goya, and El Greco. A lot of the artwork I'd seen in history textbooks was there on the walls, and it was spectacular.
We spent some time focusing on Catalan culture in class this week, because next Tuesday begins our six-day trip to Barcelona. Cataluña, or Catalonia, is one of the autonomous regions in Spain that is pushing for independence. With a different language and a strong pull toward Mediterranean culture, the Catalan state certainly has its differences with Spain. Throughout its history, especially during times of repression under Franco, this aggression was focused into its futbol teams, and an enormous rivalry has developed between Real Madrid and Barca, Madrid and Barcelona's clubs. I can't wait to spend some time in what looks like a beautiful coastal city, full of culture, architecture, and art.
Right now, Madrid is seeing quite a bit of rain and snow. It's definitely perfect weather for some "chocolate y churros," one of my new favorite treats. (The hot chocolate here is ridiculously thick... think pudding
heated up.) The snowflakes are enormous and beautiful, but it's warmer here, so nothing really sticks. It's still enough, however, to cause plenty of excitement and chaos to the Madrileños, who aren't quite used to what I would actually call winter. Little things like this are what keep reminding me of our cultural differences. Another example came today during lunch. Emily and I spent over half an hour trying to explain Groundhog's Day to Isabel. Not only did we start out not knowing the word for groundhog, but once we established this vital information, she still couldn't understand why we would have a tradition celebrating "marmotas." Then again, I guess I can't argue there, it doesn't make much sense to me either. But it was fun to try to explain it in a different language...So overall, these little incidents keep daily life interesting. Between the great friends I'm making, the wonderful food I'm trying, the moments when I see similarities and differences between my two cultures, and the times when I just enjoy the little things, life is wonderful.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Viaje a Salamanca
Saturday, a group of we "Wesleys" decided to check out what the beautiful town of Salamanca has to offer. After figuring out the AVE train system, we found ourselves experiencing our first of (hopefully) many weekend trips. We had a fantastic time, and I can't wait to travel with this group again.
Salamanca lived up to its reputation as a beautiful town for its many tourists and university students alike. We time to fit in most of its highlights, including a great Plaza Mayor, the historical university, the famed "Casa de las Conchas" (a house decorated all with shells), two
Cathedrals, and a Roman bridge. My favorites were the Cathedrals. The old and new are connected through one of the chapels,and each is incredibly beautiful. I'll post some pictures in my Picasa album soon. The university was also great. The classrooms are very old, and some famous Spanish thinkers I've been learning about in Philosophy class are part of its history.
The rest of our time there was spent eating ice cream and pastries in Plaza Mayor, taking silly pictures, and wandering around the city, and conquering the cold weather. It was definitely a great day.
Salamanca lived up to its reputation as a beautiful town for its many tourists and university students alike. We time to fit in most of its highlights, including a great Plaza Mayor, the historical university, the famed "Casa de las Conchas" (a house decorated all with shells), two
Cathedrals, and a Roman bridge. My favorites were the Cathedrals. The old and new are connected through one of the chapels,and each is incredibly beautiful. I'll post some pictures in my Picasa album soon. The university was also great. The classrooms are very old, and some famous Spanish thinkers I've been learning about in Philosophy class are part of its history.The rest of our time there was spent eating ice cream and pastries in Plaza Mayor, taking silly pictures, and wandering around the city, and conquering the cold weather. It was definitely a great day.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Apuntes...
After a pretty eventful week here in Madrid, it's hard to know where to begin. As I went about my daily life this week, things started to feel more normal, and for better or worse, more permanent. The thought that I'll be doing this all semester is exciting, but has also caused me to be a bit homesick from time to time.
A few updates on new developments in my life:
-I've started teaching English lessons to two Spanish kids. Paula and Alvaro are 15 and 10 years old, and so far, they seem to have great English skills to begin with. It's fun to plan lessons for them and have an opportunity to speak both English and Spanish... I end up learning just as much as they do.
- Emily and I have done more exploring of the city, and one of my favorite places is Parque del Retiro. There are some beautiful gardens, a Crystal Palace, and a lake where you can rent rowboats. I'm imagining that I'll hang out there often when the weather is nicer.
-As a political science major, I was able to watch Inauguration Day events from a very interesting perspective. Although it wasn't such a huge deal here as in America, I was definitely surprised at how much news coverage Obama received. I watched him on the Spanish news with my senora, and even picked up a newspaper to commemorate the event and improve my Spanish skills. It turned out to be pretty left-wing, even for Spain, but it was definitely interesting.
Also, on Friday night Emily and I found a bar that also is a used book store and cafe, where we got into a discussion with some British guys about what's going on in America. Although I'm not a fan of Obama's domestic policies, I have to admit that the rest of the world is very excited and thinks he's done a lot for the foreign perception of Americans already. Everyone I've spoken to in Spain is pleased with him, and wishes him well.
-I went to the Museo de America today, Sunday. It's full of artifacts from early America and from the age of exploration. Some of the highlights that I enjoyed were a mummy from between 100 and 400 A.D., a collection of Columbian gold, and a fantastic Mayan collection. We also got to see more of the city on our way there, partially because it was difficult to find our way, which was quite an adventure.
-Also, this morning Emily and I decided to try attending an authentic Spanish mass. It was a rewarding experience both culturally and spiritually. A church near our home, called La Paz, has una misa de niños (a children's mass) on Sunday mornings, and the level of linguistic complexity is much more suited to our abilities. I was able to understand nearly all of the readings and liturgy. The sermon was centered on what it meant to be "pescadores de hombres," or fishers of men. It was very fulfilling to have to focus so intently on what was going on in the service in order to understand it, and the simple children's lessons reminded me of important truths that we sometimes gloss over. All in all, it was a great experience.
This post is getting long enough, so for now, I'll call it quits. My day trip to Salamanca probably deserves its own post, especially since this one is supposed to be full of little "notes" on my life. More to come soon...
Hasta luego.
A few updates on new developments in my life:
-I've started teaching English lessons to two Spanish kids. Paula and Alvaro are 15 and 10 years old, and so far, they seem to have great English skills to begin with. It's fun to plan lessons for them and have an opportunity to speak both English and Spanish... I end up learning just as much as they do.
- Emily and I have done more exploring of the city, and one of my favorite places is Parque del Retiro. There are some beautiful gardens, a Crystal Palace, and a lake where you can rent rowboats. I'm imagining that I'll hang out there often when the weather is nicer.
-As a political science major, I was able to watch Inauguration Day events from a very interesting perspective. Although it wasn't such a huge deal here as in America, I was definitely surprised at how much news coverage Obama received. I watched him on the Spanish news with my senora, and even picked up a newspaper to commemorate the event and improve my Spanish skills. It turned out to be pretty left-wing, even for Spain, but it was definitely interesting.
Also, on Friday night Emily and I found a bar that also is a used book store and cafe, where we got into a discussion with some British guys about what's going on in America. Although I'm not a fan of Obama's domestic policies, I have to admit that the rest of the world is very excited and thinks he's done a lot for the foreign perception of Americans already. Everyone I've spoken to in Spain is pleased with him, and wishes him well.
-I went to the Museo de America today, Sunday. It's full of artifacts from early America and from the age of exploration. Some of the highlights that I enjoyed were a mummy from between 100 and 400 A.D., a collection of Columbian gold, and a fantastic Mayan collection. We also got to see more of the city on our way there, partially because it was difficult to find our way, which was quite an adventure.
-Also, this morning Emily and I decided to try attending an authentic Spanish mass. It was a rewarding experience both culturally and spiritually. A church near our home, called La Paz, has una misa de niños (a children's mass) on Sunday mornings, and the level of linguistic complexity is much more suited to our abilities. I was able to understand nearly all of the readings and liturgy. The sermon was centered on what it meant to be "pescadores de hombres," or fishers of men. It was very fulfilling to have to focus so intently on what was going on in the service in order to understand it, and the simple children's lessons reminded me of important truths that we sometimes gloss over. All in all, it was a great experience.
This post is getting long enough, so for now, I'll call it quits. My day trip to Salamanca probably deserves its own post, especially since this one is supposed to be full of little "notes" on my life. More to come soon...
Hasta luego.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Mi Fin de Semana
I wasn't planning on posting again so soon, but since weekends around here are always three full days (which is brilliant), I feel like I'd be falling behind if I don't blog soon. Somehow, we managed to pack quite a bit into these last few days.
Friday, everyone at the Fundacion was part of an excursion to the northwestern side of Madrid, where we visited El Escorial and Valle de los Caidos. El Escorial is the palace/monastery/college/library/church built by Felipe II (Phillip II) to commemorate his first military victory over the French at the Battle of San Lorenzo. It was amazing to see its size and its simplistic beauty. Room after room was filled with Christian artwork. The mausoleum portion, where Holy Roman Emperor Charles V is buried, along with most of the famous Spanish monarc
hs, was awe-inspiring for me as a history major. The style of the palace is far less ornate that one would expect from a 16th century monarch, but we found out that this reflects Felipe's severe monastical lifestyle and devout religiousness. The Escorial's floorplan is even shaped like a grid to recall the martyrdom of San Lorenzo (Saint Lawrence), who was burned alive on a grill.
As our trip continued, the austere style of El Escorial was only intensified by Valle de los Caidos, a monument built during the Spanish Civil War. Although the Valley of the Fallen is easily recognized by the enormous cross that marks its underground church, this place of worship is far more chilling and terrible than its beautiful mountain surroundings and Christian images would suggest. It was built by prisoners of war for dictator Fransisco Franco, and honors the dead from his side in the war. Franco's tomb is located directly behind the altar. The whole place has a dark feel to it, and expresses the silence and bitterness about the Civil Wat that modern Spain still deals with under its surface. To say the least, seeing these two monuments provided some interesting insights into the Spanish perception of faith, Spain's past, and its current political culture.
Saturday, Emily and I took advantage of some beautiful weather to explore our city. Madrid has some beautiful locations, and we were able to visit quite a few of the tourist highlights, including Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Plaza de Villas, Plaza de Oriente, Teatro Real, Plalacio Real, El Corte Ingles, and Parque del Retiro. If you haven't been to Madrid, this basically means beautiful buildings, great shopping, and a great park, all within walking distance of our apartment. It was definitely a tiring day, but we managed to go out with some of our amigas that night to experience more of Madrid's nightlife.
Today, Sunday, has also been an adventurous one, although unintentionally. We managed to find an English-speaking church, which was a great start, but our trips there and back were definitely over-complicated by public transportation. Let's just say that the minute we thought we were getting good at navigating our way around Madrid, we were reminded of just how American we really are... and how hard it is to understand Spanish bus drivers sometimes.
That said, we got home ready to siesta, but still really loving Spain and our lives here so far. Although I miss family and friends, I'm definitely having a great time.
Hasta luego!
Friday, everyone at the Fundacion was part of an excursion to the northwestern side of Madrid, where we visited El Escorial and Valle de los Caidos. El Escorial is the palace/monastery/college/library/church built by Felipe II (Phillip II) to commemorate his first military victory over the French at the Battle of San Lorenzo. It was amazing to see its size and its simplistic beauty. Room after room was filled with Christian artwork. The mausoleum portion, where Holy Roman Emperor Charles V is buried, along with most of the famous Spanish monarc
hs, was awe-inspiring for me as a history major. The style of the palace is far less ornate that one would expect from a 16th century monarch, but we found out that this reflects Felipe's severe monastical lifestyle and devout religiousness. The Escorial's floorplan is even shaped like a grid to recall the martyrdom of San Lorenzo (Saint Lawrence), who was burned alive on a grill.As our trip continued, the austere style of El Escorial was only intensified by Valle de los Caidos, a monument built during the Spanish Civil War. Although the Valley of the Fallen is easily recognized by the enormous cross that marks its underground church, this place of worship is far more chilling and terrible than its beautiful mountain surroundings and Christian images would suggest. It was built by prisoners of war for dictator Fransisco Franco, and honors the dead from his side in the war. Franco's tomb is located directly behind the altar. The whole place has a dark feel to it, and expresses the silence and bitterness about the Civil Wat that modern Spain still deals with under its surface. To say the least, seeing these two monuments provided some interesting insights into the Spanish perception of faith, Spain's past, and its current political culture.
Saturday, Emily and I took advantage of some beautiful weather to explore our city. Madrid has some beautiful locations, and we were able to visit quite a few of the tourist highlights, including Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Plaza de Villas, Plaza de Oriente, Teatro Real, Plalacio Real, El Corte Ingles, and Parque del Retiro. If you haven't been to Madrid, this basically means beautiful buildings, great shopping, and a great park, all within walking distance of our apartment. It was definitely a tiring day, but we managed to go out with some of our amigas that night to experience more of Madrid's nightlife.
Today, Sunday, has also been an adventurous one, although unintentionally. We managed to find an English-speaking church, which was a great start, but our trips there and back were definitely over-complicated by public transportation. Let's just say that the minute we thought we were getting good at navigating our way around Madrid, we were reminded of just how American we really are... and how hard it is to understand Spanish bus drivers sometimes.
That said, we got home ready to siesta, but still really loving Spain and our lives here so far. Although I miss family and friends, I'm definitely having a great time.
Hasta luego!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
¡Soy una Madrileña!
As life in Madrid settles into a routine, I'm beginning to feel as though I'm actually a part of my surroundings, instead of a complete tourista or a part of one of my own daydreams. We've now figured out the metro, and experienced each of our classes, which seem like they'll be very interesting. With each day, I learn more about Spain and its culture, as well as the city of Madrid.
Small things seem to trip us up most frequently as we try to explore and adjust to Madrid. For example, Emily and I often forget that all of the stores are closed from 2-5:30 or so, for afternoon siesta. As much as we're enjoying the built-in nap in our schedule, it can be frustrating when we want to grab groceries on the way home from classes.
Last Sunday, on our way to El Rastro, we had another adventure when the metro line we were on suddenly closed
down between two stops without explanation. Three bus lines and another metro trip later, we made it to our destination. Not only are there cultural differences, but we also have the experience of living in an urban center for the first time. I've definitely gained some street smarts here in Madrid.
Our trip to El Rastro was great. It's the largest marketplace in Europe, and certainly lives up to its reputation. The booths and shops seemed to go on and on. We got some great souvenir ideas, and also managed to have some conversations with Spaniards. We also got our first authentic lunch at a Spanish cafe, including una bocadilla y copa (a cheap combination of a sub sandwich and beer).
Another adventure occurred when Isabel took us out for an evening of shopping and showing us around the neighborhood. We first went to a fruit market. The fresh fruit in Spain is remarkably cheap, and we eat a piece or two as part of each meal. It's usually given as dessert at dinnertime. Isabel, by the way, is an excellent cook, and we've certainly been enjoying our dinners. After visiting a few other shops, we headed over to Isabel's other daughter's house. Her granddaughter had just gotten a haircut, and is absolutely adorable. Once again, the family was fantastically friendly, and very helpful as we tried to introduce ourselves properly in Spanish.
Today is Thursday, and we're done with our first week of classes. Things are going very well, and I feel as though I'm absorbing more from classes and life in general than ever before. I'm taking an Ethics course and a Philosophy course to finish up my gen eds, and I'm enjoying each. They're very thought-provoking, and I'm encouraged by how much I can understand, even in my classes taught in Spanish. After we got home from school today, Isabel made us cafe con leche (a popular drink over here that's most like our lattes), and we sat for over an hour discussing classes, the sights of Madrid and Spain, and the news with her. It's amazing how quickly my confidence in the Spanish language is growing. Overall, I couldn't be happier with what I'm learning and experiencing. I can't wait to see how the rest of the semester unfolds as I continue to learn the history, culture, and language of these welcoming people.
Small things seem to trip us up most frequently as we try to explore and adjust to Madrid. For example, Emily and I often forget that all of the stores are closed from 2-5:30 or so, for afternoon siesta. As much as we're enjoying the built-in nap in our schedule, it can be frustrating when we want to grab groceries on the way home from classes.
Last Sunday, on our way to El Rastro, we had another adventure when the metro line we were on suddenly closed
down between two stops without explanation. Three bus lines and another metro trip later, we made it to our destination. Not only are there cultural differences, but we also have the experience of living in an urban center for the first time. I've definitely gained some street smarts here in Madrid.Our trip to El Rastro was great. It's the largest marketplace in Europe, and certainly lives up to its reputation. The booths and shops seemed to go on and on. We got some great souvenir ideas, and also managed to have some conversations with Spaniards. We also got our first authentic lunch at a Spanish cafe, including una bocadilla y copa (a cheap combination of a sub sandwich and beer).
Another adventure occurred when Isabel took us out for an evening of shopping and showing us around the neighborhood. We first went to a fruit market. The fresh fruit in Spain is remarkably cheap, and we eat a piece or two as part of each meal. It's usually given as dessert at dinnertime. Isabel, by the way, is an excellent cook, and we've certainly been enjoying our dinners. After visiting a few other shops, we headed over to Isabel's other daughter's house. Her granddaughter had just gotten a haircut, and is absolutely adorable. Once again, the family was fantastically friendly, and very helpful as we tried to introduce ourselves properly in Spanish.
Today is Thursday, and we're done with our first week of classes. Things are going very well, and I feel as though I'm absorbing more from classes and life in general than ever before. I'm taking an Ethics course and a Philosophy course to finish up my gen eds, and I'm enjoying each. They're very thought-provoking, and I'm encouraged by how much I can understand, even in my classes taught in Spanish. After we got home from school today, Isabel made us cafe con leche (a popular drink over here that's most like our lattes), and we sat for over an hour discussing classes, the sights of Madrid and Spain, and the news with her. It's amazing how quickly my confidence in the Spanish language is growing. Overall, I couldn't be happier with what I'm learning and experiencing. I can't wait to see how the rest of the semester unfolds as I continue to learn the history, culture, and language of these welcoming people.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Fotografias...
If you'd like to see pictures of what I've been up to, here's the address for my Picasa Web Album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/auden8
Enjoy!
http://picasaweb.google.com/auden8
Enjoy!
La Primera Semana
After months of anticipation, my semester in Spain has finally arrived. Taking a page out my big sister's book, I've decided to blog my experiences throughout my time in Europe. I hope that these posts can provide some sort of glimpse into my adventures, and help spread the fantastic culture of the country that I'm already beginning to love.
¡Hola de Madrid!
After a long flight, a layover in Heathrow, and lots of airport bonding with my fellow Wesleyan students, I arrived in Madrid around dusk on January 7. The first views we had of Madrid from the plane window pushed all apprehension out of our minds. One short trip later, we found ourselves stumbling off to the bus into the waiting arms of our señoras. The sight of these talkative women was intimidating, especially as they would be taking care of during next few months for our homestays. However, immediately upon being introduced to Isabel, my señora, I was pulled into an hug and kissed on each cheek. I then found myself in a taxi, along with my friend Emily, on our way to our new home, Calle de Sanchez Barcaiztegui 40.
Our señora's home is an apartment in the southeast part of Madrid. It is surrounded by other apartment buildings, each with interesting stores beneath them. We can't wait to c
ontinue exploring our neighborhood. The apartment is small, but clean and homey. Emily and I share a room and our own bathroom, and so far we really like the setup. We are also very thankful to have an amazing hostess. Isabel is a wonderful, caring, woman. Her daughter, son-in-law, and adorable twin granddaughters were visiting during our arrival. The entire family convinced me that most of the tales of hospitality, friendliness, and talkativeness that I had heard about Spaniards are true. After unpacking, we were given an enormous meal, including Spanish dishes such as tortillas (which are almost the same as our omelets). Talking with the family was difficult at first, but with a lot of patience and repetition on both sides, Emily and I are improving constantly. We're getting there little by little, or poquito a poco, as Isabel would say with a laugh.
The next morning, we had our first experience with the crowded autobus on our way back to our school, la Fundación José Ortega y Gasset. From there we took a three-day trip to Toledo for orientation sessions and sightseeing at the Fundacion's Toledo campus. Toledo was absolutely beautiful. For many years, it was the cultural capital of Spain, and it has served as a central location for each of Spain's three key religious groups throughout history: Muslims, Jews, and Christians. This multi-culturalism surfaces constantly in Toledo. We visted several churches, synagogues, and monasteries, including the principle Cathedral of Spain, which had served as a mosque before the Reconquista pushed the Moors out of Spain. All of the architecture was completely beautiful, and as a history major, I couldn't help but love soaking up this amazing heritage. The detail and beauty poured into these incredible old buildings created an atmosphere unlike any in America, and I couldn't help but be all the more thankful for the amazing opportunities I've been blessed with on this trip.
We also had several clases, learning about everything from Toledo's history to Spanish slang and customs. The professors of the Fundacion are all cheerful, helpful, and patient with our limited Spanish skills. Already, I can feel myself becoming more comfortable while speaking and thinking (or trying to) in Spanish.
They say the best way to improve your Spanish is to talk with the natives, so we decided each evening in Toledo to do just that. In Spain, the night life seldom begins before midnight, and most people stay out until the early morning, visiting cervecerías (bars) y discotecas. Still a little jet-lagged, we didn't fully embrace this custom, but a group of us did head out to a bar for our first sample of sangria and tapas. The next night, some of us did more exploring and found a fun discoteca. When in Spain...
Today we finally headed back to Madrid to get settled into our new city for good. We had opportunity to figure out the metra on the way back to our homes. Afterwards, a small group of los Wesleys, as our professors call the IWU students, took a trip to El Museo de Reina Sofia, the museum of contemporary art here in Madrid. In this beautiful city, which is home to the Prado and dozens of others spectacular fountains and buildings, we weren't surprised to find this museum full of amazing culture and works of art. The Picasso collection, including Guernica, and the paintings of Dali and other contemporary artists were breathtaking.
After the museum, we returned to another delicious home-cooked Spanish meal, and talked with Isabel for quite a while. Tomorrow, we're going to attend a church near our home and then go to El Rastro, the largest and most famous marketplace in Madrid. Monday our classes begin, and I'm looking forward to getting into an academic routine. I guess I should apologize for making this post so long, but I had a lot to catch up on just from this first week. However, I guarantee that I won't always have this much to write, especially once I have to get down to work in my classes. But until then... adios del País del Sol!
¡Hola de Madrid!
After a long flight, a layover in Heathrow, and lots of airport bonding with my fellow Wesleyan students, I arrived in Madrid around dusk on January 7. The first views we had of Madrid from the plane window pushed all apprehension out of our minds. One short trip later, we found ourselves stumbling off to the bus into the waiting arms of our señoras. The sight of these talkative women was intimidating, especially as they would be taking care of during next few months for our homestays. However, immediately upon being introduced to Isabel, my señora, I was pulled into an hug and kissed on each cheek. I then found myself in a taxi, along with my friend Emily, on our way to our new home, Calle de Sanchez Barcaiztegui 40.
Our señora's home is an apartment in the southeast part of Madrid. It is surrounded by other apartment buildings, each with interesting stores beneath them. We can't wait to c
ontinue exploring our neighborhood. The apartment is small, but clean and homey. Emily and I share a room and our own bathroom, and so far we really like the setup. We are also very thankful to have an amazing hostess. Isabel is a wonderful, caring, woman. Her daughter, son-in-law, and adorable twin granddaughters were visiting during our arrival. The entire family convinced me that most of the tales of hospitality, friendliness, and talkativeness that I had heard about Spaniards are true. After unpacking, we were given an enormous meal, including Spanish dishes such as tortillas (which are almost the same as our omelets). Talking with the family was difficult at first, but with a lot of patience and repetition on both sides, Emily and I are improving constantly. We're getting there little by little, or poquito a poco, as Isabel would say with a laugh.The next morning, we had our first experience with the crowded autobus on our way back to our school, la Fundación José Ortega y Gasset. From there we took a three-day trip to Toledo for orientation sessions and sightseeing at the Fundacion's Toledo campus. Toledo was absolutely beautiful. For many years, it was the cultural capital of Spain, and it has served as a central location for each of Spain's three key religious groups throughout history: Muslims, Jews, and Christians. This multi-culturalism surfaces constantly in Toledo. We visted several churches, synagogues, and monasteries, including the principle Cathedral of Spain, which had served as a mosque before the Reconquista pushed the Moors out of Spain. All of the architecture was completely beautiful, and as a history major, I couldn't help but love soaking up this amazing heritage. The detail and beauty poured into these incredible old buildings created an atmosphere unlike any in America, and I couldn't help but be all the more thankful for the amazing opportunities I've been blessed with on this trip.
We also had several clases, learning about everything from Toledo's history to Spanish slang and customs. The professors of the Fundacion are all cheerful, helpful, and patient with our limited Spanish skills. Already, I can feel myself becoming more comfortable while speaking and thinking (or trying to) in Spanish.
They say the best way to improve your Spanish is to talk with the natives, so we decided each evening in Toledo to do just that. In Spain, the night life seldom begins before midnight, and most people stay out until the early morning, visiting cervecerías (bars) y discotecas. Still a little jet-lagged, we didn't fully embrace this custom, but a group of us did head out to a bar for our first sample of sangria and tapas. The next night, some of us did more exploring and found a fun discoteca. When in Spain...
Today we finally headed back to Madrid to get settled into our new city for good. We had opportunity to figure out the metra on the way back to our homes. Afterwards, a small group of los Wesleys, as our professors call the IWU students, took a trip to El Museo de Reina Sofia, the museum of contemporary art here in Madrid. In this beautiful city, which is home to the Prado and dozens of others spectacular fountains and buildings, we weren't surprised to find this museum full of amazing culture and works of art. The Picasso collection, including Guernica, and the paintings of Dali and other contemporary artists were breathtaking.
After the museum, we returned to another delicious home-cooked Spanish meal, and talked with Isabel for quite a while. Tomorrow, we're going to attend a church near our home and then go to El Rastro, the largest and most famous marketplace in Madrid. Monday our classes begin, and I'm looking forward to getting into an academic routine. I guess I should apologize for making this post so long, but I had a lot to catch up on just from this first week. However, I guarantee that I won't always have this much to write, especially once I have to get down to work in my classes. But until then... adios del País del Sol!
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