Although it’s been a long while since I’ve written, I have a feeling that this one is going to be very long.
As most of you know…my spring break was last week and I went on a weeklong excursion to Italy. I hit all the greatest spots and ended up in Rome on Easter weekend, which couldn’t have been more impressive.
We began the journey on Thursday April 2nd when we left for the airport at 10 pm after loading our bellies with Chinese food from the only Asian restaurant in Toledo. We got to the airport around midnight and had quite the night ahead of us. Our flight didn’t leave until 6 am, but because public transportation doesn’t start running until 7 am on Saturdays (and cabs from Toledo to Madrid run about 100 euro), we had no other option than to sleep in the airport. Trust me…sleeping in the airport IS as bad as at sounds. Our flight took off on time and landed in Milan at about 8:30. We then hopped a bus, which took about an hour to get to the city center. We had planned on checking out the Cathedral in Milan. But by 11 am with no sleep we all were exhausted (and Milan, although it is the fashion capital of the world is really quite industrial looking and far less than breathtaking to look at). So we ate some food (our first taste of real Italian) and hopped right on a train to Venice.
Although I had heard that Venice was unimpressive, all of my misled preconceptions were taken away immediately upon stepping on the island. The old town has a quaint feel that oozes the idea of Italian small neighborhood. The concept of a city with the canals for streets is just as mind-blowing in person. The Piazza San Marco boasts a beautiful cathedral and is lined with elegant restaurants. The entire town is lined with shops filled with Venetian glass (and I had to indulge). Although I have bought very little during my entire European escapades (I like to think the memories and photographs will be enough and less damaging to the bank account), I bought 5 pairs of Venetian glass earrings. Every one of theme is intricate and unique with beautiful detail. Don’t worry, some are souvenirs. In Venice, it is hard to find lodging on the main islands because real estate is expensive because some of the city is deteriorating. So, my friend Conor found an apartment to rent, which was massive and allowed us to save some money by cooking meals. Overall, Venice nightlife is non-existence, and the weather was not on our side in the town. The first night we were too tired and lost (tricky canals) to explore the nightlife, and the second night it was close to a torrential downpour. Though we set off in the rain, we eventually stopped to gather warmth at a classier looking wine bar. We ordered one bottle of wine, and the owner took a liking to us. When we tried to leave, he gave us three more bottles of wine and appetizers for free. Such is the life of an American tourist in Italy.
After Venice we took a train to the Tuscan city of Florence. I had always heard great things about Florence, and the descriptions were all spot on. A smaller city, Florence is very walkable. All of its great sights are within a 10-15 minute walking distance of each other. Also shockingly, Venice was the town of American tourists. For the entire duration of the two day stay, I only saw American college aged girls in my hostel, and apparently you don’t even need to know a word of Italian to get by in Florence. The pictures that I have from Florence are among the most gorgeous of the bunch so be sure to look at them on facebook.
Although we couldn’t see the statue of David because the Uffici was closed on Monday (and that was our main day there), we saw all of the other sites that Venice has to offer. The Duomo church offers the most impressive view of the city (after climbing 437 stairs!!) and the Piazza di Michaelangelo gives you a downward view of the town’s nightlife (and not to mention a bronze replica of the David). Florence also has a a large leather market where I bought an Italian leather belt and a pair of super hip yellow sunglasses (which I by accident left in Rome and shed a tear about earlier today…hopefully somebody else from my group recovered them). My friend Dan’s friend from high school is studying in Florence so she acted as our official tour guide for the weekend. Overall, Florence is a highly recommended Tuscan treasure.
The third stop of our trip was the little known area of Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre is a stretch of 5 tiny hiking and beach towns. Because of the contrast between mountain and sea, I would contend that Cinque Terre is one of the most beautiful places in the world. The first day we sat on some rocks and just listened to the sound of the sea and soaked up sun. After our 4 days of vigorous traveling, we definitely needed the break. We went to a nice dinner that night and then for a drink at the only bar in town, Bar Centrale. We retired early because we knew we had a big day ahead of us.
The next morning we woke up at 9 to head to the beach. Cinque Terre is an area of five towns that are all connected by hiking paths. The fifth town, Monterosso del Mare has the best beaches. So we took the train to the last town to soak up some rays. At about 2 we ate some lunch on a waterfront restaurant (very Lake Geneva, but much cooler) and then started off on the 4-hour mountainous hike it takes to get back to our apartment in the first town. We hike for about 3 hours before we decided to take the train back (because we had dinner reservations for 8:30), but the workout was one of the best I’ve had in Spain. That night we ate and then went to Bar Centrale again, but this time we made some really cool British friends who we almost convinced to come to Rome with us the next day.
All traveling had been smooth sailing until we left on Thursday to head from Cinque Terre to Rome. We intended to stop in Pisa for two hours (in order to see the leaning tower), but when we got off the first train at Pisa and tried to get tickets to take the 3 p.m. train to Rome, there were no seats left. We had to get on another train about 20 minutes later, and therefore did not get to see the leaning tower. I did, however, buy a postcard of the infamous landmark.
When we arrived in Rome, I immediately went to meet up with my best friend and roommate Kim (who is a very hard woman to contact because her cell phone got stolen and her computer broke). Since the University of Notre Dame had planned a Notre Dame abroad reunion for Easter in Rome, there were approximately 100 ND kids in the ancient city this weekend. The first night we ate dinner and went to a bar where I knew about 40 people. It was a nice little treat to remind me at home and a great precursor to how fun senior year is going to be…everyone is connected somehow at our school of 8,000. I also got to see Alexandra Dinverno (a friend from high school) because she lives in the same housing complex as Kim.
The next day we got up to do all the necessary touristy things of Rome: Trevi Fountain, The Coliseum, The Forum, The Pantheon, the Piazzas, etc. After our touring, Kim and I and our two other girl friends, Mary (also in Rome) and Katie (my good friend in Spain) made a fabulous Italian dinner to save some money and have a good time. We made pesto pasta with caprese salad and grilled zucchini. For desert we frosted a cake with nutella and sliced strawberries and kiwis to put on top. Definitely one of the better meals I’ve had so far. Later that night, we had another ND reunion.
The next day I had to wake up at 6:30 so that I could join the ND organized tour of the Vatican (definitely worth the 6:30 wake up call). We got to see everything: St. Peter’s the Sistine Chapel, the Catacombs, etc. with a personal tour guide. The visual impact of the Vatican City cannot be described in words. It is suffice to say that it is a must see site in your lifetime.
Again I went out to dinner with Kim and Mary and some of our guy friends at school. We went to this cute little neighborhood called Trastevere, which was able to give us a taste of authentic Rome. I had delicious spaghetti carbonara (be jealous, Moe…it’s a Roman specialty). I left shortly after dinner because of the dreaded morning, which was to come…
Which brings me to Easter morning: I had to wake up at 3:30 to make sure that we were at the airport by 5 am. Our flight was on time and we landed in Madrid at 9 but we didn’t get to Toledo til 2 p.m. Exhausted, I showered and headed to school so that I could write an essay before mass in the Toledo cathedral at 6:30 pm. After mass I got to Skype my whole family that made me miss home a little bit. Thus, I’m ending my night writing this journal entry/email so that you all could know what a great time I’m having, but also to let you know that I will be home in 24 days.
My best friend from home, who most of you know, Britany is coming, along with my other good friend Adam from Barcelona this weekend to visit me in Toledo and Madrid. On Sunday I am going to Maria Luisa’s daughters house in the suburbs of Toledo to have a goodbye dinner since it will be my last weekend. Scary how quickly time flies.
Ciao bella! Miss and love you all!
The next time I write it will be about my adventures in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
An update
So I know I haven’t written in a long time, but I will give a brief summary of what happened the last few weeks in my European adventures:
After the Barcelona weekend, the school funded a trip for us to go to Granada. (March 6-8). There we stayed in a nice four-star hotel and saw the Alhambra. It’s a palace of Moorish and Christian influence and was almost named a man made wonder of the world in 2007. The Alhambra is quite impressive: its massive gardens and sprawling buildings are big enough to be considered its own city.
On Sunday (the 8th), Mike came to visit. I was nervous about finding him in the airport because he didn’t have a phone, but it ended up all right. That day I showed him Parque Retiro (which is the massive park in Madrid the size of central park). Then I took him for free tapas at the infamous “El Tigre” (it means “THE TIGER” and its a tapas bar which gives you massive portions of delicious free food after ordering one drink). We continued the night by strolling along the Plaza Mayor and Plaza del Sol and ate dinner at an Italian restaurant on the Gran Via. The next day we got up early so that I could make my 10 am class on time in Toledo. The rest of the week, I showed Mike around Toledo (we went in the beautiful cathedral…which I am convinced is the prettiest cathedral in the world) and went to dinner with my friends. On Thursday, we left for Paris to meet up with my friend Lindsay and her boyfriend.
For those of you who have not been, Paris is a city that cannot be described with words. Everything about the city is breathtaking: the view from the Eiffel tour, the Eiffel tour lit up at night, the arc de triumph, sacre couer. We also visited Napolean’s burial site, the Louvre, and Notre Dame cathedral. We certainly did not have enough time to explore the most beautiful city in the world.
The next weekend, Dad and Lauren came to visit. The first few days we stayed in Madrid and did the same touristy things that I took Mike to do. We also went to the Reina Sofía museum which houses a lot of original Picasso and Dalí works. We then went to Toledo Monday-Wednesday, and back to Madrid on Thursday. We ate lunch with my host mother on Wednesday, and Dad and Lauren finally were able to realize the kind of food I have to eat everyday (have one of them explain it to you…it will be much funnier. Ask about the asparagus and mayonnaise cake). On Thursday we went back to Madrid and on Friday we went to tour King Phillip II’s monastery in El Escorial. We came back to Madrid that night and ate dinner with my friend Andrea and her parents at an Asian inspired restaurant.
The next morning, Dad and Lauren left, while I took a bus to Valencia to celebrate my friend José’s birthday. While we were supposed to hang at the beach all day, the weather thwarted our plans. Instead, we went to an “indie” theatre which showed the original version of Slumdog Millionaire in English with Spanish subtitles. It was a nice way to remember home, and for those who have not yet seen the movie, I highly recommend it.
That night we went out for a lot of paella to celebrate José’s birthday. This morning, I came back to Toledo and have just been cruisin’ the internet since then, procrastinated some homework. I cannot believe I have just about 2 weeks left in Toledo. In four days I leave for Spring Break in Italy for a week. After that, I have just about 10 days left in Toledo before I begin my adventures in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. I come home in 38 days. Wow. Time flies.
Miss you all
Ellyn
After the Barcelona weekend, the school funded a trip for us to go to Granada. (March 6-8). There we stayed in a nice four-star hotel and saw the Alhambra. It’s a palace of Moorish and Christian influence and was almost named a man made wonder of the world in 2007. The Alhambra is quite impressive: its massive gardens and sprawling buildings are big enough to be considered its own city.
On Sunday (the 8th), Mike came to visit. I was nervous about finding him in the airport because he didn’t have a phone, but it ended up all right. That day I showed him Parque Retiro (which is the massive park in Madrid the size of central park). Then I took him for free tapas at the infamous “El Tigre” (it means “THE TIGER” and its a tapas bar which gives you massive portions of delicious free food after ordering one drink). We continued the night by strolling along the Plaza Mayor and Plaza del Sol and ate dinner at an Italian restaurant on the Gran Via. The next day we got up early so that I could make my 10 am class on time in Toledo. The rest of the week, I showed Mike around Toledo (we went in the beautiful cathedral…which I am convinced is the prettiest cathedral in the world) and went to dinner with my friends. On Thursday, we left for Paris to meet up with my friend Lindsay and her boyfriend.
For those of you who have not been, Paris is a city that cannot be described with words. Everything about the city is breathtaking: the view from the Eiffel tour, the Eiffel tour lit up at night, the arc de triumph, sacre couer. We also visited Napolean’s burial site, the Louvre, and Notre Dame cathedral. We certainly did not have enough time to explore the most beautiful city in the world.
The next weekend, Dad and Lauren came to visit. The first few days we stayed in Madrid and did the same touristy things that I took Mike to do. We also went to the Reina Sofía museum which houses a lot of original Picasso and Dalí works. We then went to Toledo Monday-Wednesday, and back to Madrid on Thursday. We ate lunch with my host mother on Wednesday, and Dad and Lauren finally were able to realize the kind of food I have to eat everyday (have one of them explain it to you…it will be much funnier. Ask about the asparagus and mayonnaise cake). On Thursday we went back to Madrid and on Friday we went to tour King Phillip II’s monastery in El Escorial. We came back to Madrid that night and ate dinner with my friend Andrea and her parents at an Asian inspired restaurant.
The next morning, Dad and Lauren left, while I took a bus to Valencia to celebrate my friend José’s birthday. While we were supposed to hang at the beach all day, the weather thwarted our plans. Instead, we went to an “indie” theatre which showed the original version of Slumdog Millionaire in English with Spanish subtitles. It was a nice way to remember home, and for those who have not yet seen the movie, I highly recommend it.
That night we went out for a lot of paella to celebrate José’s birthday. This morning, I came back to Toledo and have just been cruisin’ the internet since then, procrastinated some homework. I cannot believe I have just about 2 weeks left in Toledo. In four days I leave for Spring Break in Italy for a week. After that, I have just about 10 days left in Toledo before I begin my adventures in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. I come home in 38 days. Wow. Time flies.
Miss you all
Ellyn
Monday, March 2, 2009
Barcelona
Just a quick outline for a journal entry:
Since I didn’t journal last week, I thought I’d recap the last two weekends of my life in this one:
Last weekend, it was Carnaval so my friends and I decided to stick around Madrid and Barcelona. On Thursday, the streets of Toledo were teeming with lots of children dressed in Halloween Costumes (or Carnaval costumes, whichever you prefer). There was a parade, a big brass band, and a stage set up in the middle plaza. But the party didn’t truly start until Saturday.
Friday afternoon we headed to Madrid because we had heard that the Carnaval there was huge. All of us girl had bought bright colored tights and beautifully decorated masks to celebrate. The boys complained that they didn’t have costumes. So we went to El Corte Ingles (which is Spain’s version of a Nordstrom + a Walmart) and they floated around the toy area until the came up with the most ridiculous costumes. They bought skeleton masks for one euro and bright colored wigs. It is suffice to say that they looked like dead drag queens, and here is the real joke: little did we know that the people of Madrid do NOT, in fact, celebrate Carnaval. They looked like hilarious buffoons as we walked around Madrid. (See facebook pictures for those who have it). We still had a super fun time, and probably more fun because we were all dressed up.
Saturday we returned to Toledo where there actually was a huge Carnaval celebration. They had set up a makeshift bar in the middle of the plaza and there was a stage playing live music. During mid afternoon, there was a huge parade with loud music that went through the town, and at night the plaza was jam packed with people dressed as anything you can imagine. NOTE: it is a popular Carnaval theme for men to dress like women.
Okay so this weekend. I went to Barcelona to visit Britany and Adam Baljevich. We left Thursday for the Madrid airport even though our flight wasn’t until Friday morning. We had to spend the night in the airport because public transportation in both Madrid and Toledo doesn’t start running earlier enough to get us to the airport at 5:30 for our 7:30 flight. But when we got to Madrid, our friend Courtney introduced us to her parents that were visiting, and they took us to dinner at this tapas restaurant. It was very relaxing and enjoyable to just have a nice dinner.
After “sleeping” in the airport, we finally landed in Barcelona and I met up with Britany at about 9 am. We ended up taking naps for a while, and when Brit went to class at 2 o’clock, I met Adam for lunch. We then walked up and down “Las Ramblas” which is the famous street in Barcelona with a huge market. Lauren’s favorite part of Spain is located in the market: a large wall of gummy candies. We continued on to walk down to the port so we could look at the beautiful view of the water. We then met some of Brit’s friends for a happy hour, went out for tapas, and went home to get ready. That night at the club, there was a mini Maine South Reunion. I ran into 3 people I knew this weekend accidentally. It’s crazy how a continent can be so small.
Saturday we woke up and Brit and I were determined to do a entire view of Barcelona in a day. Twelve hours and about twelve hours of walking later, I had seen all the major points of Barcelona. Sagrada familia (a church designed by Gaudi that is taking over 100 years to complete) and Park Guell (which are both designed beautifully by Gaudi), other Gaudi buildings, the Olympic Park (from the 1992 Olympics), the Arc de Triompf, and the Born neighborhood (it’s a little Lincoln Park like). Adam, Brit, and I ate dinner at this great restaurant in the Born neighborhood and got gelato afterwards. We went home to rest for a little before heading out to meet up with my Notre Dame friends at a Bar called Dow Jones. This bar has a board like the stock market where prices of drinks fluctuate. Whatever is popular at the time goes up in price, and then everyone tries to buy the lower drinks. Sometimes there is a “stock market crash” and the drinks are all really low priced. Pretty neat idea for a bar.
Next weekend we are going to Granada with the school to see the Alhambra (really famous Spanish Palace). The school is paying for the entire weekend, including a 4 star hotel. When I come back on Sunday, I will go immediately to the airport to get MIKE! I am so excited for him to come visit and see where I have been living for the past two months. Then, the two of us are going to Paris and meeting up with my friend Lindsay and her boyfriend. It should be a pretty exciting week, as long as I get my work done!
Miss you all!
Since I didn’t journal last week, I thought I’d recap the last two weekends of my life in this one:
Last weekend, it was Carnaval so my friends and I decided to stick around Madrid and Barcelona. On Thursday, the streets of Toledo were teeming with lots of children dressed in Halloween Costumes (or Carnaval costumes, whichever you prefer). There was a parade, a big brass band, and a stage set up in the middle plaza. But the party didn’t truly start until Saturday.
Friday afternoon we headed to Madrid because we had heard that the Carnaval there was huge. All of us girl had bought bright colored tights and beautifully decorated masks to celebrate. The boys complained that they didn’t have costumes. So we went to El Corte Ingles (which is Spain’s version of a Nordstrom + a Walmart) and they floated around the toy area until the came up with the most ridiculous costumes. They bought skeleton masks for one euro and bright colored wigs. It is suffice to say that they looked like dead drag queens, and here is the real joke: little did we know that the people of Madrid do NOT, in fact, celebrate Carnaval. They looked like hilarious buffoons as we walked around Madrid. (See facebook pictures for those who have it). We still had a super fun time, and probably more fun because we were all dressed up.
Saturday we returned to Toledo where there actually was a huge Carnaval celebration. They had set up a makeshift bar in the middle of the plaza and there was a stage playing live music. During mid afternoon, there was a huge parade with loud music that went through the town, and at night the plaza was jam packed with people dressed as anything you can imagine. NOTE: it is a popular Carnaval theme for men to dress like women.
Okay so this weekend. I went to Barcelona to visit Britany and Adam Baljevich. We left Thursday for the Madrid airport even though our flight wasn’t until Friday morning. We had to spend the night in the airport because public transportation in both Madrid and Toledo doesn’t start running earlier enough to get us to the airport at 5:30 for our 7:30 flight. But when we got to Madrid, our friend Courtney introduced us to her parents that were visiting, and they took us to dinner at this tapas restaurant. It was very relaxing and enjoyable to just have a nice dinner.
After “sleeping” in the airport, we finally landed in Barcelona and I met up with Britany at about 9 am. We ended up taking naps for a while, and when Brit went to class at 2 o’clock, I met Adam for lunch. We then walked up and down “Las Ramblas” which is the famous street in Barcelona with a huge market. Lauren’s favorite part of Spain is located in the market: a large wall of gummy candies. We continued on to walk down to the port so we could look at the beautiful view of the water. We then met some of Brit’s friends for a happy hour, went out for tapas, and went home to get ready. That night at the club, there was a mini Maine South Reunion. I ran into 3 people I knew this weekend accidentally. It’s crazy how a continent can be so small.
Saturday we woke up and Brit and I were determined to do a entire view of Barcelona in a day. Twelve hours and about twelve hours of walking later, I had seen all the major points of Barcelona. Sagrada familia (a church designed by Gaudi that is taking over 100 years to complete) and Park Guell (which are both designed beautifully by Gaudi), other Gaudi buildings, the Olympic Park (from the 1992 Olympics), the Arc de Triompf, and the Born neighborhood (it’s a little Lincoln Park like). Adam, Brit, and I ate dinner at this great restaurant in the Born neighborhood and got gelato afterwards. We went home to rest for a little before heading out to meet up with my Notre Dame friends at a Bar called Dow Jones. This bar has a board like the stock market where prices of drinks fluctuate. Whatever is popular at the time goes up in price, and then everyone tries to buy the lower drinks. Sometimes there is a “stock market crash” and the drinks are all really low priced. Pretty neat idea for a bar.
Next weekend we are going to Granada with the school to see the Alhambra (really famous Spanish Palace). The school is paying for the entire weekend, including a 4 star hotel. When I come back on Sunday, I will go immediately to the airport to get MIKE! I am so excited for him to come visit and see where I have been living for the past two months. Then, the two of us are going to Paris and meeting up with my friend Lindsay and her boyfriend. It should be a pretty exciting week, as long as I get my work done!
Miss you all!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Another article link
For those of you that read Spanish.
http://www.latribunadetoledo.es/noticia.cfm/Opini%C3%B3n/20090216/sentido/terrorismo/7AB34E8F-1A64-968D-595434B5058AACFD
It's about terrorism.
http://www.latribunadetoledo.es/noticia.cfm/Opini%C3%B3n/20090216/sentido/terrorismo/7AB34E8F-1A64-968D-595434B5058AACFD
It's about terrorism.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Ireland
To describe the country of Ireland in two words: beautiful and expensive.
To begin with, the traveling went a lot smoother this weekend. We arrived at the airport and the flight took off with minimal delay. We then got a taste of true Irish friendliness when our cab driver carted us to our hotel. He explained to us the hot spots of Dublin, and pointed out the Gaelic stadium (which is apparently a cross between soccer and rugby). He said that stadium holds 86,000 and some games are even bigger than the Super Bowl.
We arrived at our hotel, which was very nice and about a 15-minute walk from the center of the city, and met my mom and then immediately decided to go get some food. We wandered around the city, ask some friendly Irish folks for directions, and eventually made it to Trinity College (which is in the middle of the city). The Notre Dame kids that study there are lucky—their campus is massive and beautiful and was built in 1592. We went to an Irish pub and quickly ate some fish and chips so we could make it to the Guinness factory before it closed at 5 p.m.
The Guinness factory was also very cool, and delicious. Seven floors of hops and barley, lots of history, and at the top there was a “gravity bar” which gave an eagle eye view of the city. Oh, and they gave you a free Guinness at the top so you can drink a delicious brew while you see the view.
We went back to the hotel to shower and change and wait for the arrival of Phil…so we just ate in the hotel because we were a bit behind schedule. Little did we know that those three euro hamburgers were going to be the cheapest things we ate/drank that weekend (Dublin, yes, is even more expensive than London…but I thought that the money was worth it to see beautiful Ireland). The hotel bar/restaurant is also pretty famous around Dublin. They had a live Beatles cover band there while we ate.
Finally Phil got there, and he ate a three-euro cheeseburger too. We went out to the Temple Bar area, which is the popular bar strip in Dublin. We did a lil’ pub-crawl and hit some pretty neat spots: The “REAL” Temple Bar, Fitzsimons (which had live music as well), and a club called the Purdy Kitchen. The Purdy Kitchen was pretty hilarious because I think it was all 14 year olds in the club on fake I.Ds. In fact, one started talking to me and I asked him how old he was. He said 19, and I responded: “13! What are they doing letting 13 year olds in here.” Needless to say, he did not talk to me anymore and we had a great time dancing by ourselves to American music. They are obsessed with Lady Gaga and Kings of Leon.
Day two: We started off our day at this cute little breakfast joint where I got, yes, a cheese sandwich (it was supposed to be on a croissant but they were out. While there, a little Irish boy came up to us, and said the following, in an ADORABLE Irish accent: “Today is my birfday and I got this camera that takes realllll pictures. We went to Paris last week and I went down the slide at a water park and my bum got wet. And then when I got to the bottom guess what I found? Guess what? All the toys that all other kids lost.” Okay, may not sound that cute via email, but have me do the impression and then you’ll realize that Irish/British kids are far cuter because they have accents.
Then we went on to Dublin Castle and other city center points to take pictures. We decided not to do a bus tour, but went to Malahide Castle on our own. It was located in this cute suburb of Ireland and we were able to see an ancient Irish castle (which was far different from any Spanish palaces I’ve seen). The only setback was the fact that we took a wrong turn after we got off the train and the 15-minute walk turned into a 50-minute walk. Look at the pictures this area was gorgeous.
We thought we’d make it to the James Joyce museum and the coast on the other side of the train stops, but the 50 minute walk set us back a bit. Instead we went to dinner at Brazen Head, the oldest pub in Ireland. It was built in 1165, has delicious Irish food and plays Irish music every night. After dinner we went to a brewery that brews 10 different types of their own beer. We sampled each, went home to get ready, and went out again to a club…this time with some other Notre Dame kids to an area that wasn’t Temple Bar and therefore less expensive but equally as fun.
The next morning we woke early and went to breakfast at Insomnia (the Irish version of Starbucks which is open 24 hours) and did some shopping in some little Irish shops. I bought a clauddaugh ring, just so I can have one that is officially Irish. Then we took cab back to the Dublin airport, and our Irish adventures ended.
It is safe to say we had another fun, and less exhausting than the London experience, weekend of travel.
Next weekend…Carnaval…which is Spain’s even crazier version of Mardi Gras. Apparently, Maria Luisa’s daughter told me I won’t sleep all week because the streets near my apartment will be so loud. Also, sidetrack…I just went for drinks with my friend Conor’s parents (who are visiting), and when I came home (12:30) Maria Luisa was still up. We watch an episode of the Spanish version of Dancing with the Stars together. I guess Spanish and American grandmas are the same.
To begin with, the traveling went a lot smoother this weekend. We arrived at the airport and the flight took off with minimal delay. We then got a taste of true Irish friendliness when our cab driver carted us to our hotel. He explained to us the hot spots of Dublin, and pointed out the Gaelic stadium (which is apparently a cross between soccer and rugby). He said that stadium holds 86,000 and some games are even bigger than the Super Bowl.
We arrived at our hotel, which was very nice and about a 15-minute walk from the center of the city, and met my mom and then immediately decided to go get some food. We wandered around the city, ask some friendly Irish folks for directions, and eventually made it to Trinity College (which is in the middle of the city). The Notre Dame kids that study there are lucky—their campus is massive and beautiful and was built in 1592. We went to an Irish pub and quickly ate some fish and chips so we could make it to the Guinness factory before it closed at 5 p.m.
The Guinness factory was also very cool, and delicious. Seven floors of hops and barley, lots of history, and at the top there was a “gravity bar” which gave an eagle eye view of the city. Oh, and they gave you a free Guinness at the top so you can drink a delicious brew while you see the view.
We went back to the hotel to shower and change and wait for the arrival of Phil…so we just ate in the hotel because we were a bit behind schedule. Little did we know that those three euro hamburgers were going to be the cheapest things we ate/drank that weekend (Dublin, yes, is even more expensive than London…but I thought that the money was worth it to see beautiful Ireland). The hotel bar/restaurant is also pretty famous around Dublin. They had a live Beatles cover band there while we ate.
Finally Phil got there, and he ate a three-euro cheeseburger too. We went out to the Temple Bar area, which is the popular bar strip in Dublin. We did a lil’ pub-crawl and hit some pretty neat spots: The “REAL” Temple Bar, Fitzsimons (which had live music as well), and a club called the Purdy Kitchen. The Purdy Kitchen was pretty hilarious because I think it was all 14 year olds in the club on fake I.Ds. In fact, one started talking to me and I asked him how old he was. He said 19, and I responded: “13! What are they doing letting 13 year olds in here.” Needless to say, he did not talk to me anymore and we had a great time dancing by ourselves to American music. They are obsessed with Lady Gaga and Kings of Leon.
Day two: We started off our day at this cute little breakfast joint where I got, yes, a cheese sandwich (it was supposed to be on a croissant but they were out. While there, a little Irish boy came up to us, and said the following, in an ADORABLE Irish accent: “Today is my birfday and I got this camera that takes realllll pictures. We went to Paris last week and I went down the slide at a water park and my bum got wet. And then when I got to the bottom guess what I found? Guess what? All the toys that all other kids lost.” Okay, may not sound that cute via email, but have me do the impression and then you’ll realize that Irish/British kids are far cuter because they have accents.
Then we went on to Dublin Castle and other city center points to take pictures. We decided not to do a bus tour, but went to Malahide Castle on our own. It was located in this cute suburb of Ireland and we were able to see an ancient Irish castle (which was far different from any Spanish palaces I’ve seen). The only setback was the fact that we took a wrong turn after we got off the train and the 15-minute walk turned into a 50-minute walk. Look at the pictures this area was gorgeous.
We thought we’d make it to the James Joyce museum and the coast on the other side of the train stops, but the 50 minute walk set us back a bit. Instead we went to dinner at Brazen Head, the oldest pub in Ireland. It was built in 1165, has delicious Irish food and plays Irish music every night. After dinner we went to a brewery that brews 10 different types of their own beer. We sampled each, went home to get ready, and went out again to a club…this time with some other Notre Dame kids to an area that wasn’t Temple Bar and therefore less expensive but equally as fun.
The next morning we woke early and went to breakfast at Insomnia (the Irish version of Starbucks which is open 24 hours) and did some shopping in some little Irish shops. I bought a clauddaugh ring, just so I can have one that is officially Irish. Then we took cab back to the Dublin airport, and our Irish adventures ended.
It is safe to say we had another fun, and less exhausting than the London experience, weekend of travel.
Next weekend…Carnaval…which is Spain’s even crazier version of Mardi Gras. Apparently, Maria Luisa’s daughter told me I won’t sleep all week because the streets near my apartment will be so loud. Also, sidetrack…I just went for drinks with my friend Conor’s parents (who are visiting), and when I came home (12:30) Maria Luisa was still up. We watch an episode of the Spanish version of Dancing with the Stars together. I guess Spanish and American grandmas are the same.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The article
Hey,
I know some of you wanted to read my articles in Spanish. The website of the newspaper I work at is sometimes inefficient, but this week, my article was posted.
Here's the link:
http://www.latribunadetoledo.es/noticia.cfm/Opini%C3%B3n/20090209/cultura/flamenco/576E1A1B-1A64-968D-59B942C2DB47E5BD
I know some of you don't speak Spanish...but hey, I guess it's kinda cool to see!
I know some of you wanted to read my articles in Spanish. The website of the newspaper I work at is sometimes inefficient, but this week, my article was posted.
Here's the link:
http://www.latribunadetoledo.es/noticia.cfm/Opini%C3%B3n/20090209/cultura/flamenco/576E1A1B-1A64-968D-59B942C2DB47E5BD
I know some of you don't speak Spanish...but hey, I guess it's kinda cool to see!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Londontown
Because I like to use analogies, I will describe this past weekend as a roller coaster. Extreme lows: flight cancellation, hostel cancellation, sleeping about a combined 3 hours total for the weekend. Extreme highs: London, seeing some of my best friends, free 4 star hotel stay with two free 4-star hotel quality meals. Let’s just say, my friends and I were not fated to go to London this weekend. Just about everything that could have gone wrong, did, but when it came to being in London around old friends and new friends, it became impossible for anyone to be upset.
We left Toledo at 6 am on Friday morning to head to the airport in Madrid. We were supposed to leave Friday morning around 10 am, but right before we were going to board the plane, our flight was canceled. Oddly enough, the flight that was flying out an hour after us (also in to London) was NOT canceled. Easyjet offered us either a refund on our tickets, or a flight out the next morning at 7 am. We chose to stay the night in Madrid with a free four-star hotel and two free meals. We stayed in the Auditorium Hotel, which is supposedly one of the biggest hotels in Europe, but it was located very far outside of Madrid. We went grocery shopping, took a nap, and ate in the hotel for the rest of the day. With less than 3 hours of sleep, we headed to the airport the next morning at 5 am in order to check in for our 7 am flight. When we landed in London, we took a train to London Bridge in order to check into our hostel. Since we had had the hostel booked for Friday, but obviously couldn’t make it because of the canceled flight, my friend Katie had called Friday afternoon and canceled our reservation for that night, but made sure that we still had the reservation for Saturday. The receptionist said everything was fine, but clearly he was incompetent because he ended up canceling our entire reservation for the weekend, and then we had nowhere to stay. Luckily they had availability at their other hostel (but it was 30 minutes further on the tube at the Hammersmith stop). By the time we settled into the hostel we had about 12 hours to see the whole city.
We decided first to go see Notting Hill which is a very chic district of London (also the scene of a Hugh Grant movie). There I met up with my cousin Phil, although it was a little difficult because there were several drunken New Zealanders lining the streets to celebrate their independence. We continued on to the Portabello Market which takes place every Saturday. A two-mile stretch of street is lined with any kind of trinket, food, or accessory imaginable. I bought a dress for 15 pounds and my friend Meghan bought a vinyl Led Zeppelin record for her boyfriend. I met up with my Notre Dame friends studying in London at the market, and Kim who had flown in from Rome for the weekend. After the entire group was together, we decided to do a speed tour of all the hotspots of London: Trafalgar’s square, Buckingham Palace, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, etc. After we finished the walking tour, we finally could check into the hostel (at about 6pm). We went back to the hostel for about 20 minutes and then we to dinner at this restaurant in Trafalgar’s Square (we passed the theatre district on the way which had Les Miserables, Jersey Boys, and several other popular shows playing). Whoever said all food in London is bad lied, because this restaurant was very delicious. Later we again met up with my Notre Dame friends studying in London and went to this three-floor bar/club called O’Neill’s. The first floor was a restaurant, the second floor was more relaxed with tables and loud techno (a little ironic), and the third floor had a really decent live band that covered popular 90s music. We spent a little while on the third floor with the band, but the drunken Irish and British people were a little pushy and the area was too crowded so we spent most of the night on the second floor where we were able to talk for a while. That was one of the main differences: British people like to drink just like American college students do.
We came home at 3 am and left again for the airport at 4:30. Suffice to say, I was extremely tired when I arrived home in Toledo. The 24 hours we spent in London were amazing. I got to see some of my best friends in the world (coming back to Spain only made me miss them more), a family member who I haven’t seen in awhile (but who I will several more times throughout the semester), and hang out with my new friends all together in one what I am convinced is one of the best cities in the world. I have made it my goal to live there at some point in my life (even if it is only for an internship). The city is beautiful and the people are amazingly friendly. My writing is a little less interesting today, probably because I am too tired to think of colorful adjectives that truly describe the excitement of the weekend.
Next weekend I am going to Dublin with a few of my friends to meet my mom and see Phil again. Should be pretty exciting and the Irish folk we met this weekend were INCREDIBLY friendly.
I am pumped.
I can’t believe I’ve been here for a month already.
We left Toledo at 6 am on Friday morning to head to the airport in Madrid. We were supposed to leave Friday morning around 10 am, but right before we were going to board the plane, our flight was canceled. Oddly enough, the flight that was flying out an hour after us (also in to London) was NOT canceled. Easyjet offered us either a refund on our tickets, or a flight out the next morning at 7 am. We chose to stay the night in Madrid with a free four-star hotel and two free meals. We stayed in the Auditorium Hotel, which is supposedly one of the biggest hotels in Europe, but it was located very far outside of Madrid. We went grocery shopping, took a nap, and ate in the hotel for the rest of the day. With less than 3 hours of sleep, we headed to the airport the next morning at 5 am in order to check in for our 7 am flight. When we landed in London, we took a train to London Bridge in order to check into our hostel. Since we had had the hostel booked for Friday, but obviously couldn’t make it because of the canceled flight, my friend Katie had called Friday afternoon and canceled our reservation for that night, but made sure that we still had the reservation for Saturday. The receptionist said everything was fine, but clearly he was incompetent because he ended up canceling our entire reservation for the weekend, and then we had nowhere to stay. Luckily they had availability at their other hostel (but it was 30 minutes further on the tube at the Hammersmith stop). By the time we settled into the hostel we had about 12 hours to see the whole city.
We decided first to go see Notting Hill which is a very chic district of London (also the scene of a Hugh Grant movie). There I met up with my cousin Phil, although it was a little difficult because there were several drunken New Zealanders lining the streets to celebrate their independence. We continued on to the Portabello Market which takes place every Saturday. A two-mile stretch of street is lined with any kind of trinket, food, or accessory imaginable. I bought a dress for 15 pounds and my friend Meghan bought a vinyl Led Zeppelin record for her boyfriend. I met up with my Notre Dame friends studying in London at the market, and Kim who had flown in from Rome for the weekend. After the entire group was together, we decided to do a speed tour of all the hotspots of London: Trafalgar’s square, Buckingham Palace, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, etc. After we finished the walking tour, we finally could check into the hostel (at about 6pm). We went back to the hostel for about 20 minutes and then we to dinner at this restaurant in Trafalgar’s Square (we passed the theatre district on the way which had Les Miserables, Jersey Boys, and several other popular shows playing). Whoever said all food in London is bad lied, because this restaurant was very delicious. Later we again met up with my Notre Dame friends studying in London and went to this three-floor bar/club called O’Neill’s. The first floor was a restaurant, the second floor was more relaxed with tables and loud techno (a little ironic), and the third floor had a really decent live band that covered popular 90s music. We spent a little while on the third floor with the band, but the drunken Irish and British people were a little pushy and the area was too crowded so we spent most of the night on the second floor where we were able to talk for a while. That was one of the main differences: British people like to drink just like American college students do.
We came home at 3 am and left again for the airport at 4:30. Suffice to say, I was extremely tired when I arrived home in Toledo. The 24 hours we spent in London were amazing. I got to see some of my best friends in the world (coming back to Spain only made me miss them more), a family member who I haven’t seen in awhile (but who I will several more times throughout the semester), and hang out with my new friends all together in one what I am convinced is one of the best cities in the world. I have made it my goal to live there at some point in my life (even if it is only for an internship). The city is beautiful and the people are amazingly friendly. My writing is a little less interesting today, probably because I am too tired to think of colorful adjectives that truly describe the excitement of the weekend.
Next weekend I am going to Dublin with a few of my friends to meet my mom and see Phil again. Should be pretty exciting and the Irish folk we met this weekend were INCREDIBLY friendly.
I am pumped.
I can’t believe I’ve been here for a month already.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Sevilla
This past weekend in Sevilla started off very quickly. On Thursday afternoon, my friends Rachel, Erica, Pammy, and I decided to go to Madrid earlier in the day. They wanted to go to the Prado to look at El Greco’s famous paintings (I went last weekend), and I wanted to go to the Apple store to attempt to fix my iPOD and computer problems. I did not make it to the Apple store, but instead we made it to this very delicious Italian restaurant. I wasn’t complaining. Hopefully my computer/iPOD situation gets better—for now, crashing word documents, a broken ipod, and a computer that doesn’t consistently turn on does not sound too appealing.
We then continued to the bus stop in Madrid where we took an over night bus ride to Sevilla. We arrived in Sevilla at 6:15. We couldn’t check into our hostel until noon. It is suffice to say I was incredibly cranky while we went to attempt to find something to eat and tour the famous Gothic cathedral (pictures are on Facebook. I had to climb up 35 flights of stairs to see that view. I repeat, I was not a very happy camper at this point…I had not slept in two days and just came from a 7 hour bus ride…all I wanted was bed). I ended up eating my first “churros con chocolate” which is what you are supposed to “drunk eat” in Spain (although I wasn’t in the slightest bit inebriated). Also, I will probably never eat them again. You all know how much I don’t like sweets, and this was four pieces of heavily fried dough dipped in thick chocolate. Delicious for about two bites, and then nauseating. I have a feeling that you would like them, Moe. In fact, I think you do like them.
Since we toured the Cathedral in the morning and everyone was basically a walking corpse, we took a nap after checking into our hostel. Then we woke up and did a tapas crawl (Sevilla is renowned for its cheap wine and delicious tapas). Later that night came my favorite part of the whole weekend. We went to a free flamenco show at this place called “La carboneria.” The inside of this place looked like a German-style beer hall and people from many different nationalities gathered to see this robust woman do some kind of stiff dance. I was in the back of the bar so I couldn’t see much, but I could hear the guy sing (he was good) and I enjoy the drinks and meeting some blondes from Amsterdam. They immediately wanted to know where my friend Rachel (another blonde) and I were from because we and the Amsterdamians totally stood out.
After the flamenco show, we were heading towards a club called Cathedral (how ironic) when we decided we didn’t want to pay 10 euro to dance with some Moroccans. So my friends Conor, Andrea, and I went to this club. Some Spanish optometrist started talking to us and we just told him funny lies. I am not sure why this night was so fun (I just stood at a bar with my friends and lied to some weird Spainard), but I had a blast.
The next day we visited the Alcazar (an Arab inspired palace built in the 700s—think Disney’s Aladdin) and the Plaza de Espana (which is supposed to be one of the most captivating plazas in all the country. It is ). Later that night we kept it low key (minus the pitcher of Agua de Sevilla [water of Seville]: 1 liter pineapple juice or syrup 1 bottle of cava, a pink, sparkling, fizzy wine located in Spain, 1 cup whiskey, 1 cup cointreau, triplesec, rum and heavy cream) and went to a strip of bars that contained a lot of Americans. Oddly enough, I ran into Amelia Cisneros (I went to high school with her) and met Julie Davis’ (I specify last names because I am not sure who is reading this) roommate and close friends from the University of Illinois. It truly is a small world.
We got our last beautiful view of Sevilla’s waterfront, orange trees and palm trees that night. We woke up the next morning to pouring rain and our bus got stuck in traffic. Oh, and the bus driver took a detour to drop his friend off in a random “pueblo.” We traveled from 130 pm to 1 am that day. In wet clothes. Not that I am bitter or anything. I walked in my door at 1 am and debated going to the corner bar to watch the Super Bowl (even though my favorite part—the commercials—were in Spanish). I sat down my cozy little Toledo bed and instantly my mind changed. It really was good to be back to this place I am starting to call home.
Next week I am going to London and I am SUPER excited because many of my friends and my cousin Philip will be there (don’t worry Aunt Norine and Uncle David, I already contacted him). I cannot wait. In fact I got so giddy on my 12-hour transport home that my friends thought there was something wrong with me. My friend Conor told me that it costs 8 pounds for a bagel in cream cheese in London…maybe since I will starve there, I can finally get rid of all the Papas Fritas Maria Luisa has been making me. Actually, I told her I couldn’t eat them anymore and that I wanted more veggies in my diet, and now all I get for meals is a fat bowl of grilled veggies. Better, but no happy medium. And she is hilarious. She is 76-years old and audits classes at the local university. It was her second day of this one class, and she skipped it to go to the Peluquería (Beauty Salon). Oh, Grandmas and their hair…they are the same in every country.
Miss you all—can’t wait to see you (Mom, you are first)—
p.s. Check your facebooks, pictures are up
We then continued to the bus stop in Madrid where we took an over night bus ride to Sevilla. We arrived in Sevilla at 6:15. We couldn’t check into our hostel until noon. It is suffice to say I was incredibly cranky while we went to attempt to find something to eat and tour the famous Gothic cathedral (pictures are on Facebook. I had to climb up 35 flights of stairs to see that view. I repeat, I was not a very happy camper at this point…I had not slept in two days and just came from a 7 hour bus ride…all I wanted was bed). I ended up eating my first “churros con chocolate” which is what you are supposed to “drunk eat” in Spain (although I wasn’t in the slightest bit inebriated). Also, I will probably never eat them again. You all know how much I don’t like sweets, and this was four pieces of heavily fried dough dipped in thick chocolate. Delicious for about two bites, and then nauseating. I have a feeling that you would like them, Moe. In fact, I think you do like them.
Since we toured the Cathedral in the morning and everyone was basically a walking corpse, we took a nap after checking into our hostel. Then we woke up and did a tapas crawl (Sevilla is renowned for its cheap wine and delicious tapas). Later that night came my favorite part of the whole weekend. We went to a free flamenco show at this place called “La carboneria.” The inside of this place looked like a German-style beer hall and people from many different nationalities gathered to see this robust woman do some kind of stiff dance. I was in the back of the bar so I couldn’t see much, but I could hear the guy sing (he was good) and I enjoy the drinks and meeting some blondes from Amsterdam. They immediately wanted to know where my friend Rachel (another blonde) and I were from because we and the Amsterdamians totally stood out.
After the flamenco show, we were heading towards a club called Cathedral (how ironic) when we decided we didn’t want to pay 10 euro to dance with some Moroccans. So my friends Conor, Andrea, and I went to this club. Some Spanish optometrist started talking to us and we just told him funny lies. I am not sure why this night was so fun (I just stood at a bar with my friends and lied to some weird Spainard), but I had a blast.
The next day we visited the Alcazar (an Arab inspired palace built in the 700s—think Disney’s Aladdin) and the Plaza de Espana (which is supposed to be one of the most captivating plazas in all the country. It is ). Later that night we kept it low key (minus the pitcher of Agua de Sevilla [water of Seville]: 1 liter pineapple juice or syrup 1 bottle of cava, a pink, sparkling, fizzy wine located in Spain, 1 cup whiskey, 1 cup cointreau, triplesec, rum and heavy cream) and went to a strip of bars that contained a lot of Americans. Oddly enough, I ran into Amelia Cisneros (I went to high school with her) and met Julie Davis’ (I specify last names because I am not sure who is reading this) roommate and close friends from the University of Illinois. It truly is a small world.
We got our last beautiful view of Sevilla’s waterfront, orange trees and palm trees that night. We woke up the next morning to pouring rain and our bus got stuck in traffic. Oh, and the bus driver took a detour to drop his friend off in a random “pueblo.” We traveled from 130 pm to 1 am that day. In wet clothes. Not that I am bitter or anything. I walked in my door at 1 am and debated going to the corner bar to watch the Super Bowl (even though my favorite part—the commercials—were in Spanish). I sat down my cozy little Toledo bed and instantly my mind changed. It really was good to be back to this place I am starting to call home.
Next week I am going to London and I am SUPER excited because many of my friends and my cousin Philip will be there (don’t worry Aunt Norine and Uncle David, I already contacted him). I cannot wait. In fact I got so giddy on my 12-hour transport home that my friends thought there was something wrong with me. My friend Conor told me that it costs 8 pounds for a bagel in cream cheese in London…maybe since I will starve there, I can finally get rid of all the Papas Fritas Maria Luisa has been making me. Actually, I told her I couldn’t eat them anymore and that I wanted more veggies in my diet, and now all I get for meals is a fat bowl of grilled veggies. Better, but no happy medium. And she is hilarious. She is 76-years old and audits classes at the local university. It was her second day of this one class, and she skipped it to go to the Peluquería (Beauty Salon). Oh, Grandmas and their hair…they are the same in every country.
Miss you all—can’t wait to see you (Mom, you are first)—
p.s. Check your facebooks, pictures are up
Monday, January 26, 2009
Madrid Weekend
I could honestly say that I did not fall in love with Spain until this weekend when I went to Madrid. Being in a city that was far different from any other city that I have seen was quite the experience. The architecture in the country’s capital is perfectly beautiful among the scenery of the fountains and parks. Those of you who of have facebook can see the pictures from the weekend.
Although we have all heard of the terror stories of pickpockets in Madrid, very few of us have experienced it firsthand. The trip to Madrid began Friday morning. Our school, La Fundación Ortega y Gasset paid for all 120 students to go to Madrid and visit the Palacio Real (it is the old castle for the King and Queen of Spain—they no longer live in it but receive guests from other countries there). As we were waiting in line in a group of 120 obvious Americans, I noticed some interesting looking women (clearly not Americans) standing behind us pretending to take pictures with their camera phones. All of a sudden, a girl in our group taps my friend Erica on the shoulder and tells her that she should be more careful with her wallet because it was hanging out of her purse. Erica replied and said that her purse was carefully zipped and held at her hip. She quickly looked through her wallet at noticed that her 85 euro had been stolen and that the women were quickly walking away. She grabbed the two men in charge of the students at the school, José Luis and Miguel, and the three of them chased after the ladies. When Erica confronted them, they said that they had found her money lying on the floor. Erica, who is part Cuban and speaks Spanish pretty fluently, replied “Alright sure, give me back my money,” and the ladies gave it back to her. They had unzipped her purse, taken out her wallet, unzipped it, taken out her money, and put her wallet back all without any of us noticing. Atleast Erica was able to catch them and save herself 85 Euro.
After the Palacio Real, we took a guided tour of the city and ate lunch at a famous restaurant called “Museo de Jamón” (Museum of Ham). The restaurant has pig legs hanging from the ceiling. Oddly enough, our school ordered us fried chicken at the Museo de Jamón.
Then we went to our hostel (which was actually very nice) and walked around the city some more. We came home to take a nap, then went to eat bocadillos (sandwiches) at a very local place where the waiter was not too pleased to serve Americans. Then we went to this infamous 7 story club call Kapital where they play different types of music on each floor ranging from rap to techno to salsa. Also, I think because of this night I will eventually become a brunette while living in this country.
The following day, a few of us went shopping, walking through Parque Retire (which is a big park in Madrid about the size of central park) and the Prado Museum. While at the park we rented rowboats and spent some time on the small lake in the park just paddling around. Seeing the artwork of famous painters such as El Greco and Velazquez was also well worth it.
Later that night, my friend Conor got the idea to do a pub-crawl in order to see the different types of nightlife the city had to offer. We were supposed to end up at this Irish pub that promised us they would show the Notre Dame vs. UConn basketball game, and we did, but the bar (called Dubliners) had made a false promise. Apparently they do not get ESPN in Spain—so the pub crawl continued.
Sunday morning we had to check out of our hostel and then we were supposed to attend the Rastro Market (which is the biggest flea market in all of Spain) but when we stepped outside of our hostel, it was pouring rain. While some people stayed to see the Real Madrid soccer game, a few of my friends and I were exhausted from the weekend and decided to go home to Toledo. I couldn’t go to the game anyway because I have five classes on Monday and the game started at 9 p.m. Sunday night. Those that stayed were returning to Toledo Monday morning.
On another note, my internet problem is going to be fixed. I found a somewhat pricey way to always have internet through a USB modem. I am going to get this internet thing instead of the membership to the gym. Don’t worry, I will not be a gordita—I am going to start running outside frequently because the weather is already nicer. Also, my friends Katie and Flannery are running a half marathon in Prague in April. Maybe if I am disciplined enough I can attempt to run with them. Wouldn’t that be quite the achievement?
Miss you all—
--Ellyn
Although we have all heard of the terror stories of pickpockets in Madrid, very few of us have experienced it firsthand. The trip to Madrid began Friday morning. Our school, La Fundación Ortega y Gasset paid for all 120 students to go to Madrid and visit the Palacio Real (it is the old castle for the King and Queen of Spain—they no longer live in it but receive guests from other countries there). As we were waiting in line in a group of 120 obvious Americans, I noticed some interesting looking women (clearly not Americans) standing behind us pretending to take pictures with their camera phones. All of a sudden, a girl in our group taps my friend Erica on the shoulder and tells her that she should be more careful with her wallet because it was hanging out of her purse. Erica replied and said that her purse was carefully zipped and held at her hip. She quickly looked through her wallet at noticed that her 85 euro had been stolen and that the women were quickly walking away. She grabbed the two men in charge of the students at the school, José Luis and Miguel, and the three of them chased after the ladies. When Erica confronted them, they said that they had found her money lying on the floor. Erica, who is part Cuban and speaks Spanish pretty fluently, replied “Alright sure, give me back my money,” and the ladies gave it back to her. They had unzipped her purse, taken out her wallet, unzipped it, taken out her money, and put her wallet back all without any of us noticing. Atleast Erica was able to catch them and save herself 85 Euro.
After the Palacio Real, we took a guided tour of the city and ate lunch at a famous restaurant called “Museo de Jamón” (Museum of Ham). The restaurant has pig legs hanging from the ceiling. Oddly enough, our school ordered us fried chicken at the Museo de Jamón.
Then we went to our hostel (which was actually very nice) and walked around the city some more. We came home to take a nap, then went to eat bocadillos (sandwiches) at a very local place where the waiter was not too pleased to serve Americans. Then we went to this infamous 7 story club call Kapital where they play different types of music on each floor ranging from rap to techno to salsa. Also, I think because of this night I will eventually become a brunette while living in this country.
The following day, a few of us went shopping, walking through Parque Retire (which is a big park in Madrid about the size of central park) and the Prado Museum. While at the park we rented rowboats and spent some time on the small lake in the park just paddling around. Seeing the artwork of famous painters such as El Greco and Velazquez was also well worth it.
Later that night, my friend Conor got the idea to do a pub-crawl in order to see the different types of nightlife the city had to offer. We were supposed to end up at this Irish pub that promised us they would show the Notre Dame vs. UConn basketball game, and we did, but the bar (called Dubliners) had made a false promise. Apparently they do not get ESPN in Spain—so the pub crawl continued.
Sunday morning we had to check out of our hostel and then we were supposed to attend the Rastro Market (which is the biggest flea market in all of Spain) but when we stepped outside of our hostel, it was pouring rain. While some people stayed to see the Real Madrid soccer game, a few of my friends and I were exhausted from the weekend and decided to go home to Toledo. I couldn’t go to the game anyway because I have five classes on Monday and the game started at 9 p.m. Sunday night. Those that stayed were returning to Toledo Monday morning.
On another note, my internet problem is going to be fixed. I found a somewhat pricey way to always have internet through a USB modem. I am going to get this internet thing instead of the membership to the gym. Don’t worry, I will not be a gordita—I am going to start running outside frequently because the weather is already nicer. Also, my friends Katie and Flannery are running a half marathon in Prague in April. Maybe if I am disciplined enough I can attempt to run with them. Wouldn’t that be quite the achievement?
Miss you all—
--Ellyn
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The first days of Classes
The fun has ended…for the four days of the week that we have class. Monday I have a pretty full schedule, but the rest of the week is not looking too bad. Today I was supposed to begin my internship, but the editor in chief of the newspaper where I am working (La Tribuna Diaria) had to cover some important noticias (news) at the courts. I am meeting with him tomorrow and I am super excited because interns are supposed to work 8 hours a week, but I have the only special case. I do not have to work 8 hours a week because my work is “en casa” (at home). I get to write my articles from home or the school or wherever I want. I don’t have to even write weekly articles and I get to write about whatever I want. My articles are going to published in the Sunday newspaper. I can send you all the link to the Tribuna later…you can try to read them, but they are going to be in Spanish. Even though he wasn’t there today, I went to the newsroom anyway and got to see them film the Spanish anchors doing the news. ‘Twas pretty neat.
Internet update: The lady I live with has WiFi, but she is 65 years old and her daughter set it up so she doesn’t know how to work it. I wrote her daughter a letter asking the questions I need answered (my host mother is going to visit her daughter this weekend when I go to Madrid) so hopefully the problem can be solved. Otherwise, I got this plan for 7 euro on my cell phone where I can call the U.S. after 8 pm for 15 cents a minute. Still kind of expensive, but atleast while I am traveling I can check in with you all for a little bit.
We have found a new place that we like to frequent. It is called Rincón de Boveda, which means corner bar/cafeteria. The owner is named Pablo and he always gives us free things: pastries, tapas, and when we ask for the check, we always get free shots. Oh yeah, and a bottle of wine costs 6 euro.
Since my friends, Katie and Conor, and I live in the center of the city (and pretty much everyone lives a 20 minute bus ride away) we have been trying to explore the city little every night. Even though Katie has been here the whole year, we keep discovering new rincónes (corners) with super neat things. I have discovered more tiny cafés and bars on these windy streets than I can imagine. I even found a shop that serves free café (coffee) between the hours for 5-7 pm, which is good for me because I am going through coffee withdrawals. I told my host mom that I like to drink coffee in the mornings, and she bought me instant decaffeinated coffee. It is suffice to say, I don’t think I will be drinking that any time soon.
We were supposed to go to the Real Madrid soccer game this weekend, but it turns out it starts far to late on Sunday night. Instead we are going to go the largest street market in Madrid.
I promise to put up photos after this weekend.
Miss and love you all,
Ellyn
Internet update: The lady I live with has WiFi, but she is 65 years old and her daughter set it up so she doesn’t know how to work it. I wrote her daughter a letter asking the questions I need answered (my host mother is going to visit her daughter this weekend when I go to Madrid) so hopefully the problem can be solved. Otherwise, I got this plan for 7 euro on my cell phone where I can call the U.S. after 8 pm for 15 cents a minute. Still kind of expensive, but atleast while I am traveling I can check in with you all for a little bit.
We have found a new place that we like to frequent. It is called Rincón de Boveda, which means corner bar/cafeteria. The owner is named Pablo and he always gives us free things: pastries, tapas, and when we ask for the check, we always get free shots. Oh yeah, and a bottle of wine costs 6 euro.
Since my friends, Katie and Conor, and I live in the center of the city (and pretty much everyone lives a 20 minute bus ride away) we have been trying to explore the city little every night. Even though Katie has been here the whole year, we keep discovering new rincónes (corners) with super neat things. I have discovered more tiny cafés and bars on these windy streets than I can imagine. I even found a shop that serves free café (coffee) between the hours for 5-7 pm, which is good for me because I am going through coffee withdrawals. I told my host mom that I like to drink coffee in the mornings, and she bought me instant decaffeinated coffee. It is suffice to say, I don’t think I will be drinking that any time soon.
We were supposed to go to the Real Madrid soccer game this weekend, but it turns out it starts far to late on Sunday night. Instead we are going to go the largest street market in Madrid.
I promise to put up photos after this weekend.
Miss and love you all,
Ellyn
Monday, January 19, 2009
Photos
Here are some pictures from the first days. I will add more later. One is of me and my friend Meghan in the Central Plaza of Toledo, and the other is of the group during our hike to eat wine and cheese.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The McBeer
The McBeer:
I think we have uncovered one of the weirdest things about Spain so far: The McBeer. Yes, they serve beer at McDonalds. Last night we decided to do a bar crawl to become acquainted better with the city’s nightspots. The rules were one drink per bar. Although McDonalds is NOT a bar, what Americans could pass up drinking a cheap beer in this famous hamburger joint? After McDonalds we went to this little place that serves the best sangria. They put cinnamon in it, which sounds weird, but gives it a great flavor. The owner’s name is Pedro and he loved us. He kept giving us free things: lomo (which is like some sort of bacon/ham) pastries, and shots of something that tasted like Kahlua. The whole one drink one bar thing died when we decided to stay there and get pitchers of sangria. Three of our friends, Kris, Rachel and Jim, had missed the bus into the city and were running late. When they got there, they had picked up a new Spanish friend who was our age named Alberto. We eventually continued on to O’Brien’s, which is this Irish pub we have been frequenting, and then Alberto took us to this discoteca where all the Spainards are at. After finally hitting a wall because I haven’t slept more than 4 hours a night since I’ve been here, I went home at 5. The kids that live in Poligono (which is the suburb that is a 20 minute bus ride outside of the city) had to stay until 7 am when the buses started running again. I told my host mom this when I woke up this morning, and she said the university was silly to put kids so far away. In this country, it is normal to stay out past 6 am, because that is when the discos close.
Before the McBeer, I had dinner with Maria Luisa and then we watched some TV together. All she kept saying (in Spanish, of course) was “Why do they put these ugly men on TV? This is why I never watch TV.” It was pretty hilarious.
Today we are going to drink wine and cheese outside the city walls (Note: Toledo is a walled city and it’s legal here to consume alcohol when you are outside of them. In fact, there is this big outdoor tailgate called Botellón every Thursday where the local University students drink before they go out. We went this past Thursday, but there were not many people there because it was probably about 15 degrees out. Katie says when its warmer there is a huge fiesta) and watch the sun set. Then the NFL play off game is going to be playing at O’Brien’s.
I cannot believe we start class tomorrow. This just feels like a big vacation.
I think we have uncovered one of the weirdest things about Spain so far: The McBeer. Yes, they serve beer at McDonalds. Last night we decided to do a bar crawl to become acquainted better with the city’s nightspots. The rules were one drink per bar. Although McDonalds is NOT a bar, what Americans could pass up drinking a cheap beer in this famous hamburger joint? After McDonalds we went to this little place that serves the best sangria. They put cinnamon in it, which sounds weird, but gives it a great flavor. The owner’s name is Pedro and he loved us. He kept giving us free things: lomo (which is like some sort of bacon/ham) pastries, and shots of something that tasted like Kahlua. The whole one drink one bar thing died when we decided to stay there and get pitchers of sangria. Three of our friends, Kris, Rachel and Jim, had missed the bus into the city and were running late. When they got there, they had picked up a new Spanish friend who was our age named Alberto. We eventually continued on to O’Brien’s, which is this Irish pub we have been frequenting, and then Alberto took us to this discoteca where all the Spainards are at. After finally hitting a wall because I haven’t slept more than 4 hours a night since I’ve been here, I went home at 5. The kids that live in Poligono (which is the suburb that is a 20 minute bus ride outside of the city) had to stay until 7 am when the buses started running again. I told my host mom this when I woke up this morning, and she said the university was silly to put kids so far away. In this country, it is normal to stay out past 6 am, because that is when the discos close.
Before the McBeer, I had dinner with Maria Luisa and then we watched some TV together. All she kept saying (in Spanish, of course) was “Why do they put these ugly men on TV? This is why I never watch TV.” It was pretty hilarious.
Today we are going to drink wine and cheese outside the city walls (Note: Toledo is a walled city and it’s legal here to consume alcohol when you are outside of them. In fact, there is this big outdoor tailgate called Botellón every Thursday where the local University students drink before they go out. We went this past Thursday, but there were not many people there because it was probably about 15 degrees out. Katie says when its warmer there is a huge fiesta) and watch the sun set. Then the NFL play off game is going to be playing at O’Brien’s.
I cannot believe we start class tomorrow. This just feels like a big vacation.
The Second Casa
Finally, after two nights at La fundación (the school) I have moved in with a host family. Well, it isn’t exactly a host family, it’s a host mother. The lady’s name is Maria Luisa, and she lives alone in this beautiful apartment next to the plaza. Her husband died 12 years ago, and she has 6 kids and 12 grandkids. Her father was a military man, so she has lived in places all over the world. I am her first foreign exchange student (many people have had SEVERAL). I would imagine she is about 60, but she loves to learn so she takes classes in anthropology and sociology at the local university. She’s pretty interesting so far. She is making me a tortilla (Spanish omelet) right now. This house is much better than the first…I have my own bathroom and my own balcony that over looks the streets of the city. My friend Katie lives around the corner, and the school and the bars are within walking distance. Still no internet, but atleast I live close enough to the school to use the wifi there.
I received the internship at the daily newspaper. While most internships here require that we work 8 hours a week, I do not have to work, but rather write weekly articles for the paper. I am not quite sure what the specifications are for the job…I find out next Wednesday.
While writing this, I am really struggling to write in English. It’s kind of weird because I keep writing things in Spanish and having to erase them. Tengo la mente Espanola…(I have the Spanish mindset) because I have to talk and think in Spanish all the time…unless I’m with my friends Erica or José (José is from Puerto Rico and Erica lives in Miami and is of Spanish and Cuban descent). Then I make them talk for me because they really know what they’re talking about.
I am going out again tonight…there is no reason I shouldn’t because I don’t have the internet or homework so there’s nothing I can do except write these journal entries. Supposedly there’s a drag queen party somewhere. I think I’ll bring my camera.
Tomorrow I am going to explore the city. Also, there is a public wireless network that I can see on my computer…but it is locked. Maybe tomorrow I can find the place and get the password, and then use the password from my room sometimes…we’ll see. No internet is tough…it means I can’t call dad or mike unless I am at the school, and even there the internet is shoddy.
Next weekend we are going to stay in Madrid. Or atleast that’s the plan.
Un beso,
Ellyn
Update: Since I don’t have internet, I wrote this yesterday and plan to send it later today at the fundación (the school). I am waiting for my friend Meghan to get here so we can go try and join a gym because at the rate we’re going with all this eating and drinking, I am going to gain about 50 pounds. This house is much better. I have a shower with HOT WATER instead of ice-cold water (except Lauren, it’s one of those shower heads that you had in Madrid, so it’s a little scary and hard to work at first) and she is a good cook. Last night she made me tortilla Espanola and it was delicious. It was like an omelet with onions and potatoes in it. And then (MY FAVORITE PART) she left a plate of bread and cheese out to nibble on. This morning she asked me if I wanted milk (I didn’t) but I asked for orange juice. She said she didn’t have it and would buy it. I thought she meant later, but apparently this is too good to be true. I went to brush my teeth and wash my face, and by the time I was done, she had gone down to the corner store and bought me orange juice. What a nice old lady.
I received the internship at the daily newspaper. While most internships here require that we work 8 hours a week, I do not have to work, but rather write weekly articles for the paper. I am not quite sure what the specifications are for the job…I find out next Wednesday.
While writing this, I am really struggling to write in English. It’s kind of weird because I keep writing things in Spanish and having to erase them. Tengo la mente Espanola…(I have the Spanish mindset) because I have to talk and think in Spanish all the time…unless I’m with my friends Erica or José (José is from Puerto Rico and Erica lives in Miami and is of Spanish and Cuban descent). Then I make them talk for me because they really know what they’re talking about.
I am going out again tonight…there is no reason I shouldn’t because I don’t have the internet or homework so there’s nothing I can do except write these journal entries. Supposedly there’s a drag queen party somewhere. I think I’ll bring my camera.
Tomorrow I am going to explore the city. Also, there is a public wireless network that I can see on my computer…but it is locked. Maybe tomorrow I can find the place and get the password, and then use the password from my room sometimes…we’ll see. No internet is tough…it means I can’t call dad or mike unless I am at the school, and even there the internet is shoddy.
Next weekend we are going to stay in Madrid. Or atleast that’s the plan.
Un beso,
Ellyn
Update: Since I don’t have internet, I wrote this yesterday and plan to send it later today at the fundación (the school). I am waiting for my friend Meghan to get here so we can go try and join a gym because at the rate we’re going with all this eating and drinking, I am going to gain about 50 pounds. This house is much better. I have a shower with HOT WATER instead of ice-cold water (except Lauren, it’s one of those shower heads that you had in Madrid, so it’s a little scary and hard to work at first) and she is a good cook. Last night she made me tortilla Espanola and it was delicious. It was like an omelet with onions and potatoes in it. And then (MY FAVORITE PART) she left a plate of bread and cheese out to nibble on. This morning she asked me if I wanted milk (I didn’t) but I asked for orange juice. She said she didn’t have it and would buy it. I thought she meant later, but apparently this is too good to be true. I went to brush my teeth and wash my face, and by the time I was done, she had gone down to the corner store and bought me orange juice. What a nice old lady.
So the journey begins
This is the entry I wrote on my computer the first day I arrived in Spain…I had no internet so I couldn’t post it then.
So the journey begins. Today was the longest day of my life. It is currently 8 pm here, and I haven’t slept in over 28 hours. I couldn’t sleep on the plane even though I drank a glass of vino tinto (red wine). We landed in Madrid around 9:30 and got to the school in Toledo around 11 am, but then sat around until 4 pm when our familias came to pick us up. My family seems very nice…the mother, Rosa, and the daughter (18) Laura came to pick me up at the school. They are both pretty funny. Rosa is a chain smoker and Laura is kinda emo-ish. She makes fun of her 15-year-old brother Diego, which is hysterical. Also, Laura is neither in school nor has a job. She sits at home all day everyday. I guess I’ll soon find out what she does with her life. She told me that Diego stands in the mirror ands says “Soy guapo” (which means I’m handsome). He also plays soccer for his high school team. I do not know much about him because he has only said ‘Hola’ to me. After Rosa and Laura picked me up from the school, they drove me to the house which is about 10 minutes away from the school on a bus ride…not too bad. Then they showed me how the bus system works and how to get to school. They took me to the cell phone shop to get my phone recharged and they took me to the stores to get some stuff I needed for showering etc. They have Internet, but it is not wireless, and I am not sure -how to connect. So as I am writing this I am internet-less. I think I might have to check out getting a wireless router or something like that. The family also has two dogs AND here’s the Ellyn bad-luck you all were waiting for. Currently I am having an allergy attack as bad as if I were around cats. SO I most likely am going to have to move anyway which will be a huge pain in the ass. In fact, it will probably have to be tomorrow. .
Weird things about Spain:
Lights are expensive so they turn the lights out and everything is pitch black in the house and you trip on a lot of things.
They pass out wine like water. And they mix water with Coca Cola
They smoke. A LOT. and EVERYWHERE.
Anyway my family says I’m speaking really good Spanish, and they liked their fanny may chocolates. The dad and brother so far are very rarely around.
TODAY: Anyway, Later that night, I couldn't breathe so the next day I had to move. I am have been staying at the school for a few days, but later tonight, I am moving in with another woman. She lives a five minute walk from the school whcih will be MUCH better that the 20 minute bus ride I had to take. IT is safe to say that she does not have any dogs that I will be allergic to.
Today it is freezing out. Like Chicago cold. We had to get up by 10 and take a 2 and a half hour tour of the city. It was beautiful, but it was also freezing. AND most of us had been out super late the night before. By 12:30 WE WERE STARVING. So we went to a bocadillo shop (sandwiches) and I had a smoked salmon bocadillo and a coke for about 3.50 Euro. It was very delicious.
Right now I am packing and getting ready to move to my family. The internet is very strange here, but I hope to be able to call you all later.
So the journey begins. Today was the longest day of my life. It is currently 8 pm here, and I haven’t slept in over 28 hours. I couldn’t sleep on the plane even though I drank a glass of vino tinto (red wine). We landed in Madrid around 9:30 and got to the school in Toledo around 11 am, but then sat around until 4 pm when our familias came to pick us up. My family seems very nice…the mother, Rosa, and the daughter (18) Laura came to pick me up at the school. They are both pretty funny. Rosa is a chain smoker and Laura is kinda emo-ish. She makes fun of her 15-year-old brother Diego, which is hysterical. Also, Laura is neither in school nor has a job. She sits at home all day everyday. I guess I’ll soon find out what she does with her life. She told me that Diego stands in the mirror ands says “Soy guapo” (which means I’m handsome). He also plays soccer for his high school team. I do not know much about him because he has only said ‘Hola’ to me. After Rosa and Laura picked me up from the school, they drove me to the house which is about 10 minutes away from the school on a bus ride…not too bad. Then they showed me how the bus system works and how to get to school. They took me to the cell phone shop to get my phone recharged and they took me to the stores to get some stuff I needed for showering etc. They have Internet, but it is not wireless, and I am not sure -how to connect. So as I am writing this I am internet-less. I think I might have to check out getting a wireless router or something like that. The family also has two dogs AND here’s the Ellyn bad-luck you all were waiting for. Currently I am having an allergy attack as bad as if I were around cats. SO I most likely am going to have to move anyway which will be a huge pain in the ass. In fact, it will probably have to be tomorrow. .
Weird things about Spain:
Lights are expensive so they turn the lights out and everything is pitch black in the house and you trip on a lot of things.
They pass out wine like water. And they mix water with Coca Cola
They smoke. A LOT. and EVERYWHERE.
Anyway my family says I’m speaking really good Spanish, and they liked their fanny may chocolates. The dad and brother so far are very rarely around.
TODAY: Anyway, Later that night, I couldn't breathe so the next day I had to move. I am have been staying at the school for a few days, but later tonight, I am moving in with another woman. She lives a five minute walk from the school whcih will be MUCH better that the 20 minute bus ride I had to take. IT is safe to say that she does not have any dogs that I will be allergic to.
Today it is freezing out. Like Chicago cold. We had to get up by 10 and take a 2 and a half hour tour of the city. It was beautiful, but it was also freezing. AND most of us had been out super late the night before. By 12:30 WE WERE STARVING. So we went to a bocadillo shop (sandwiches) and I had a smoked salmon bocadillo and a coke for about 3.50 Euro. It was very delicious.
Right now I am packing and getting ready to move to my family. The internet is very strange here, but I hope to be able to call you all later.
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