OK. Ok ok ok ok. I'm a terrible blogger. Lo siento.
ANYWAYS since I only have one week left here I'm going to briefly summarize the recent past events, and then later this week I'll upload pictures.
-Earlier this week Mike and I celebrated 4 years by going out to a vegetarian restaurant. This was the most amazing (and only) four course meal I've ever had (definitely pictures of that later). After we ate we strolled down Las Ramblas and watched all of the street performers.
-We all went to a small bar called "Chupitos" (which means "shot" in spanish) and it was one of the craziest things I've seen thus far. It's this TINY TINY little bar which serves theme and ritual based shots for 2 euro. There was a GIANT black board with random names written for different shots and you just chose them and ordered. One called the Harry Potter involved a lot of fire and sparks (details on this later with pictures). There was another called Finding Nemo which was a shot of liquor topped with an enormous amount of whipped cream and an m&m thrown of top. You were to take the shot and find the m&m in your mouth later. Another one was taken by putting pop rocks in your mouth, taking the shot, and swishing it around in your mouth until it became too explosive to swallow. Let me emphasize THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF FIRE THESE ALL ENTAILED. Another one called the Pulp Fiction was taken through a syringe and a straw. Long story short, this place was really cool.
-On Thursday I gave a 20 minute presentation on Sex, Segregation, Jews and Christians in Medieval Iberia. I'm under the impression that it went very well.
-Saturday and Sunday were spent on an excursion to Roses (Costa Brava) about 2 and a half hours north of Barca. We spend most of it on the ocean, one day we rented a paddle boat with a giant slide on top, and today we rode a catamaran into a cove and dove off of the boat and swam for an hour. We spend all of today on an island which consisted of ZERO VEGETARIAN OPTIONS. I basically starved for the past two days...ughhh this is getting really frustrating. The pictures here are great...but the food is seriously terrible.
Ok I have a composition due in Spanish tomorrow that I haven't even started yet and I reek of the Mediterranean Sea. But I promise promise that I'll post some pictures soon.
Only one week left!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
VIVA SAN JUAN!!!!
So as it turns out I was severely misinformed.
I was under the impression that due to the deep traditional roots of the event of running with the bulls, the process had adapted to provide ethical treatment of all beings involved. In other words, I was certain that the bulls were taken care of in a humane matter. After further research I find out this is not the case.
I feel absolutely terrible for even beginning to make plans to go see this. Thank god I didn't buy a bus ticket.
Last night/this morning was San Juan. I'm proud to announce that our entire group of friends make it from 9:30pm until 8am non stop. :D
First we made our way to Monjuic, which was where the Catalunyan art museum was, to watch a light show. Around midnight, we walked down Las Ramblas, stopped for some pita, and moved on toward the beach! Stopping at the Christopher Columbo tribute, we took a moment to appreciate the lions.
Finally, we arrived at the beach.
The 8am trek home was rough, especially when there were thousands of people cramming into the metro. But it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and one that I'll never forget.
***I'LL EDIT THIS TOMORROW MORNING WITH PICTURES
I was under the impression that due to the deep traditional roots of the event of running with the bulls, the process had adapted to provide ethical treatment of all beings involved. In other words, I was certain that the bulls were taken care of in a humane matter. After further research I find out this is not the case.
I feel absolutely terrible for even beginning to make plans to go see this. Thank god I didn't buy a bus ticket.
Last night/this morning was San Juan. I'm proud to announce that our entire group of friends make it from 9:30pm until 8am non stop. :D
First we made our way to Monjuic, which was where the Catalunyan art museum was, to watch a light show. Around midnight, we walked down Las Ramblas, stopped for some pita, and moved on toward the beach! Stopping at the Christopher Columbo tribute, we took a moment to appreciate the lions.
Finally, we arrived at the beach.
The 8am trek home was rough, especially when there were thousands of people cramming into the metro. But it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and one that I'll never forget.
***I'LL EDIT THIS TOMORROW MORNING WITH PICTURES
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Boxed Wine and Train rides.
WILL YOU GUYS PLEASE GET ON SKYPE ALREADY?! I'M ON USUALLY AROUND 11-2pm YOUR TIME. RACHEL I'M TALKING TO YOU, AND BY YOU GUYS I MEAN EVERY SINGLE ON OF YOU THAT I A) LIVE WITH OR B) TALK TO ON A REGULAR BASIS. YOU ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM THIS PLEA! >:O
Chicos!
So I definitely suck at this whole updating everyday like I said I was going to. But I promise this post will be a good one. Last Saturday we went on an excursion to Sitges (about 40 mins away). My host family, along with many other people told me this is where all of the gay people in Spain mostly live. (YES!) Unfortunately, the great shopping was the ONLY evidence of their congregation.... I saw maybe 2 couples total. The city itself however, had the most magnificent beach that I've ever seen. There was waist deep, crystal clear water and pure sand for what seemed like miles!
Before Sitges we visited a vinyard which was one of the coolest things I've done so far on this trip.
Fanta, you are my only friend.
On Sundays very few things are open...the museums and the malls and that's usually it. Therefore on Sunday we ventured onward to visit the museum of Catalunyan Art. It was closed by the time we got there but we were still allowed inside the building.
After the museum and a failed attempt at the mall we decided to take a train to the top of a nearby mountain which had a mysterious castle on top of it. However, the kid that swore he knew it was the correct train was mistaken. 15 minutes after we had been on the train he presents the information that he is unsure where we are, and that we were most definitely on the wrong train. So at the next stop he just GOT OFF. Not wanting to leave him behind we all got off the the train so find ourselves...in Colombia? There was wilderness EVERYWHERE and not a single town in sight. (Keep in mind my roomate has six fresh stiches in her knee from when she gashed it on a rock in the ocean 2 days earlier). The only thing to do was to...HIKE! We walked briefly on a dirt road and after a local had pointed us in the correct direction we ended up at a quiant and possibly solo restaurant in Les Planes.
This restaurant turned out to be AMAAAZING! We ordered sangria and bread and the bread came toasted, with fresh tomatoes to squeeze and fresh garlic to spread as well as olive oil and salt to top it off. YUM! After we ate, they brought a complimentary dessert wine with assorted nuts. Everyone had to pass the wine around and not drink from the spout...needless to say this was somewhat dificult for most of us.
Tonight is the festival de San Juan. The custom is that today everyone had school and work and on Wednesday everything is closed. Why is everything closed the day after the holiday you ask? That's because it's expected that everyone stays out from midnight until 8am to watch the sunrise on the beach. I'm going to die...I'm useless without sleep. haha wish me luck on this one!
Other than that I've just been getting really good at riding the metro and my spanish is continuing to get better. I can feel myself understanding more and more every day. Pastries and coffee throughout the day are becoming completely routine and french baguettes are purchased and eaten daily. I bought my first bit of Spanish clothing today :)
Chicos!
So I definitely suck at this whole updating everyday like I said I was going to. But I promise this post will be a good one. Last Saturday we went on an excursion to Sitges (about 40 mins away). My host family, along with many other people told me this is where all of the gay people in Spain mostly live. (YES!) Unfortunately, the great shopping was the ONLY evidence of their congregation.... I saw maybe 2 couples total. The city itself however, had the most magnificent beach that I've ever seen. There was waist deep, crystal clear water and pure sand for what seemed like miles!
Before Sitges we visited a vinyard which was one of the coolest things I've done so far on this trip.
Fanta, you are my only friend.
On Sundays very few things are open...the museums and the malls and that's usually it. Therefore on Sunday we ventured onward to visit the museum of Catalunyan Art. It was closed by the time we got there but we were still allowed inside the building.
After the museum and a failed attempt at the mall we decided to take a train to the top of a nearby mountain which had a mysterious castle on top of it. However, the kid that swore he knew it was the correct train was mistaken. 15 minutes after we had been on the train he presents the information that he is unsure where we are, and that we were most definitely on the wrong train. So at the next stop he just GOT OFF. Not wanting to leave him behind we all got off the the train so find ourselves...in Colombia? There was wilderness EVERYWHERE and not a single town in sight. (Keep in mind my roomate has six fresh stiches in her knee from when she gashed it on a rock in the ocean 2 days earlier). The only thing to do was to...HIKE! We walked briefly on a dirt road and after a local had pointed us in the correct direction we ended up at a quiant and possibly solo restaurant in Les Planes.
This restaurant turned out to be AMAAAZING! We ordered sangria and bread and the bread came toasted, with fresh tomatoes to squeeze and fresh garlic to spread as well as olive oil and salt to top it off. YUM! After we ate, they brought a complimentary dessert wine with assorted nuts. Everyone had to pass the wine around and not drink from the spout...needless to say this was somewhat dificult for most of us.
Tonight is the festival de San Juan. The custom is that today everyone had school and work and on Wednesday everything is closed. Why is everything closed the day after the holiday you ask? That's because it's expected that everyone stays out from midnight until 8am to watch the sunrise on the beach. I'm going to die...I'm useless without sleep. haha wish me luck on this one!
Other than that I've just been getting really good at riding the metro and my spanish is continuing to get better. I can feel myself understanding more and more every day. Pastries and coffee throughout the day are becoming completely routine and french baguettes are purchased and eaten daily. I bought my first bit of Spanish clothing today :)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
La Escuela :( y la playa :D
Hola chicos!
Today we started classes:
9am-12 Spanish
3:30-6 Between Tolerance and Conflict:Christians, Muslims, Jews and the Iberian Peninsula
What does this mean you may ask! Well, this means that from the hours of 12-3:30 my schedule will consist of a 10 minute walk to the beach, and a 3 hour siesta on the beach and a 10 minute walk back to campus.
"But what will you eat?"
I will eat un bocadillo (an incredible vegi sandwhich my host mom packs for me)!
"Oh but what about dessert?!"
Well, I will stop by the MANY PASTRY SHOPS ALONG THE BEACH and enjoy fresh pastries y cafe. (Jealous yet? :D)
"But will there be naked people on the beach?!"
Yes....unfortunately many people go topless/thong-full on the beach...however, this is the norm and by keeping my bathing suit on I am the one who is looked at funny.
"Oh, did you see Sagrada Familia yet?!"
Yes I did. It was incredible.
Antonio Gaudi first began this cathedral as a tribute to the Holy Family. Gaudi (who had taken over the original plans) flipped the original sketches upsidedown and begin his project. Construction began in 1882 and the cathedral is said to be completed in 2030.
There are to be 18 towers total. We got to go inside one of them to the top!
Narrow Staircases!
Also, tonight I attempted to tell my host mom that she has the best food in all of Spain. Honestly, this wonderful lady cooks better vegetarian food then I've ever had in my life. Last night she made us brownies and she told me she didn't put milk in them because she knew I didn't drink it ^.^
Barcelona is where I need to be. I honestly have found something here that I was pining for and which was compeltely unobtainable in the states. We're looking at visiting Rome or the UK, which means either taking a weekend trip or extending our tickets to stay here longer (my first choice of course is to stay longer). There's about six of us who are dead set on traveling outside of Spain and as soon as we find a cheap flight we're going. So hopefully you will hear from me soon announcing the tickets that we bought to go abroad studying abroad.
My spainsh is getting so much better. I tested into the intermediate level class as did Laurie, Chris and Miguel which RULES. In my religion/history class we have to give a 25 minute oral presentation by ourselves (UGH), but I snagged the oh so misfits appropriate topic of Judaism and ritualistic murder.
Walking everywhere has been wearing hard on my poor feet. The metro is incredibly easy to ride (as it is convenient) but walking is still our main mode of transportation. It's exhausting. We're withing 20 minutes of walking from Las ramblas which is essentially a hybrid between 16th street and the vegas strip (more so containing lots of bars, patios and dudes selling Nitrous Oxide out of smiley face balloons). The people on Las Ramblas are one of a kind however and it's fast becoming my favorite place to people watch.
Well I suppose that's all for now, hopefully anyone reading this is still interested in what I am experiencing hah.. If not, esta bien porque me gusta recordar mis adventuras.
Adios!
*I still don't understand why the pictures are being cut off on the right -.-
Today we started classes:
9am-12 Spanish
3:30-6 Between Tolerance and Conflict:Christians, Muslims, Jews and the Iberian Peninsula
What does this mean you may ask! Well, this means that from the hours of 12-3:30 my schedule will consist of a 10 minute walk to the beach, and a 3 hour siesta on the beach and a 10 minute walk back to campus.
"But what will you eat?"
I will eat un bocadillo (an incredible vegi sandwhich my host mom packs for me)!
"Oh but what about dessert?!"
Well, I will stop by the MANY PASTRY SHOPS ALONG THE BEACH and enjoy fresh pastries y cafe. (Jealous yet? :D)
"But will there be naked people on the beach?!"
Yes....unfortunately many people go topless/thong-full on the beach...however, this is the norm and by keeping my bathing suit on I am the one who is looked at funny.
"Oh, did you see Sagrada Familia yet?!"
Yes I did. It was incredible.
Antonio Gaudi first began this cathedral as a tribute to the Holy Family. Gaudi (who had taken over the original plans) flipped the original sketches upsidedown and begin his project. Construction began in 1882 and the cathedral is said to be completed in 2030.
There are to be 18 towers total. We got to go inside one of them to the top!
Narrow Staircases!
Also, tonight I attempted to tell my host mom that she has the best food in all of Spain. Honestly, this wonderful lady cooks better vegetarian food then I've ever had in my life. Last night she made us brownies and she told me she didn't put milk in them because she knew I didn't drink it ^.^
Barcelona is where I need to be. I honestly have found something here that I was pining for and which was compeltely unobtainable in the states. We're looking at visiting Rome or the UK, which means either taking a weekend trip or extending our tickets to stay here longer (my first choice of course is to stay longer). There's about six of us who are dead set on traveling outside of Spain and as soon as we find a cheap flight we're going. So hopefully you will hear from me soon announcing the tickets that we bought to go abroad studying abroad.
My spainsh is getting so much better. I tested into the intermediate level class as did Laurie, Chris and Miguel which RULES. In my religion/history class we have to give a 25 minute oral presentation by ourselves (UGH), but I snagged the oh so misfits appropriate topic of Judaism and ritualistic murder.
Walking everywhere has been wearing hard on my poor feet. The metro is incredibly easy to ride (as it is convenient) but walking is still our main mode of transportation. It's exhausting. We're withing 20 minutes of walking from Las ramblas which is essentially a hybrid between 16th street and the vegas strip (more so containing lots of bars, patios and dudes selling Nitrous Oxide out of smiley face balloons). The people on Las Ramblas are one of a kind however and it's fast becoming my favorite place to people watch.
Well I suppose that's all for now, hopefully anyone reading this is still interested in what I am experiencing hah.. If not, esta bien porque me gusta recordar mis adventuras.
Adios!
*I still don't understand why the pictures are being cut off on the right -.-
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