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!
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.
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