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.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
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!
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