Alright…an update…
I went to Paris.
It was amazing.
I took a lot of pictures.
I went to a concert in the gardens of the Royal Palace last night.
It was amazing.
We weren’t allowed to take pictures.
School is done tomorrow.
I have to study.
I leave on the cruise in 4 sleeps.
The end.
Details:
Paris. When I say we I am referring to Stephanie, Kallie, and I. Stephanie and Kallie are 2 girls who are in the same program as me. Well it was a whirlwind few days. We landed in Paris on Thursday evening around 7. After asking we figured out where the metro was and bought passes for the days we were there and began the adventure. The metro was fun! We were serenaded by a violinist at one point. Well after about 20 min. on the metro we made it to our stop. Then we had no clue where to go. All I knew was it was by this train station and what road it was on. Somehow by the grace of God we stumbled upon the hotel. The people there were really friendly which was nice and contrary to what many people had told me!
That night we went to a place that overlooks the city. It was a beautiful view of Paris that is a huge city with no skyscrapers. We didn’t stay too long, because even though it is a popular tourist spot it is also a popular place for the locals to come and drink and smoke weed. So we took our pictures and left!
Friday morning we started out hopping on the metro and going to the Arc of Triumph. It was pretty cool to see and when Tour de France finishes there I can now say I have been there! Again we snapped our pictures and hopped back on the metro to the Eiffel Tower. I have always dreamed of seeing the big hunk of medal! It was pretty sweet to have that dream come true. It was a beautiful day and we climbed the 700 some odd stairs to the 2nd story. The sites again were phenomenal. It was also nice that they had posters to tell us what we were looking at! Well again we took our pictures and kept moving on. We hopped back on the metro and got off on one of the main shopping roads in Paris. We stopped in a few stores only to have our jaws drop at the prices! It was outrageous how much things cost. Though then again I really don’t go in such stores in the states though I do know they exist. 550 euros around $900 for sunglasses…$4000 for purses…$1500 for perfume! I had a great time looking at all the stuff! We got side tracked and ended up going to a couple museums, palaces, and cathedrals. It seems that on every street corner there is something amazing to see! Eventually we got back on track and kept walking to the Louvre.
After 6 pm everyone under 26 gets in the Louvre free so we walked around the fountains and listen to an opera singer practice in the courtyard and finally went in at 6. The Louvre is HUGE! We walked around for like 3 hours and did not do it justice! We did see the Mona Lisa and other notable pieces of art. Someday I will have to go back and soak it in a little more!
By 9 we were exhausted. So we hopped back on the metro and headed back to the hotel first grabbing a bite to eat and about fell off our chairs when looking at the price of a can of pop. $7!!! Ridiculous! It was like that everywhere we discovered!
Saturday morning we woke up to rain. Good thing I grew up in WA and rain don’t bother me! We first ventured out to find Moulin Rouge and to go souvenir shopping. Well I have never been in a red light district. I was very cultured! It was sex store, after porn store, after awfulness…it was very eye opening and sad! We find Moulin Rouge and took pictures and then got out of there! We all bought our souvenirs and headed back to the hotel. Kallie and I decided to not eat jelly sandwiches like we had Friday, we were trying to save pennies, and find a restaurant. We wondering in the rain suffering from indecision and finally decided on this whole in the wall Mediterranean place. After pointing to what we wanted on the menu we got our food. It was yummy and the pop was only $2!!!
In the afternoon we hopped back on the Metro and walked around the Opera house. We wanted to go in but the auditorium was closed, which would have been amazing to see. Guess I will just have to go back! We stumbled upon this amazing cathedral that had Coliseum type pillars and there was a wedding just finishing so we got to see the bride and groom and the decorated church. After dreaming about getting married in France, we continued on…
We headed towards Notre Dame. We stopped at a few places along the way before finally getting there. The stained glass windows are amazing! The whole architecture of the place was incredible! We attended mass which was a neat experience, though we did not understand a word!
We then found a restaurant and I had a ham and cheese crepe. Crepes are the French food and I rather liked the 3 that I had! Nutella and crepes are a great combination! Well I had to use the restroom so I went to go find it in the restaurant. Well I found one and it had urinals, so I figured that wasn’t the one for me! So I was walking around looking for one and one of the restaurant employees informed me that yes indeed that was the bathroom and that I were to use it. So I obliged and used it. Not too sure about this unisex bathroom thing when the urinals are not in stalls or something…enough said.
After eating we continued walking around and waiting for it to get dark because we wanted to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower, the Arch, Moulin Rouge etc. in the dark. So we took the metro as far as we could and ended up in modern Paris where there are skyscrapers and this big arch of offices. I counted it to be about 30 stories high. There were also other random art things, and we enjoyed walking around and seeing Paris from on top of the hill. Well it finally got dark so we went and took our pictures, ate another crepe and headed back to the hotel.
Sunday morning we woke up, hopped on the metro, hopped on the plane, hopped on the bus, and walked ‘home’. All in all it was a great whirl wind trip!
Sunday afternoon a few of us walked around the beautiful park in the center of Seville. There are fountains and ponds and bridges and beautifulness!
Monday was school and shopping. There are big sales going on so I bought a few things. I have to pack today and tomorrow…it will be interesting! Monday night I went to a bbq at a bar with a few girls. By a bbq I mean grilling things on a George Foreman inside of the bar. I found it rather comical. But it was fun to hang out with some of the locals and experience a Spanish bbq!
Tuesday again was school and then a 2 hour nap! And then about 10 of us decided to get dressed up and eat dinner alongside the river. It was beautiful! And then we got to experience a concert in the gardens of the royal palace. The music was a violinist, cellist, and a tamborist. They were very good and the fact that we were sitting under the stars in the gardens was amazing! We rather enjoyed it.
Today was school, nap, studying, drinking a chocolate shake while studying, Encuentro (praise and worship) and now writing this because I don’t feel like studying!
Friday I have a 12 train ride to Barcelona and I will be meeting up with Donna on Saturday and will be leaving on the cruise Sunday!!!!
It will be sad to leave here. The family I am living with is great. The girls I have come to know are amazing, and this city is wonderful. Though I won’t miss dodging the dog poop on the way to school everyday!
This is long enough!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
As some of you may know Spain won the EuroCup! And I was hear to experience it! I was able be with a crowd of Spaniards to yell and scream to the TV. The celebration out on the street was CRAZY! I think the whole city emptied out into the plazas. There wasn't a horn that wasn't being honked or a voice not being heard. I wonder how many people were late to work the next day!!!
This past weekend we went to Granada to see La Alhambra. It is Arabic palaces, a castle, cathedral, gardens dating back to the 9th century. It was the home of the king and was were political stuff happened. It was very beautiful and just awesome. The buildings were phenomonel with all the intricate details in the designs on the walls and the patios and gardens were amazing. It is not really anything I can explain and would be rather boring. So I will spare you! Google it if you want to see and learn more! :)
Also in Granada we went shopping and walked around the old city. We experiences tapas, apetizers. It is just a beautiful city at the foot of the Sierra Nevadas. It was a fun city to hang out in.
Monday we went to an assisted living home and visited with the old folks. They told me I don't talk right...I haven't developed the Castillian accent of no 's' and using the the sound correctly. It was fun to talk to them though. Also that evening we went to a flameno dance. It is a traditional Spanish dance and was very interesting to see.
Today we went to the royal house palace whatever here in Sevilla. It is still used whenever royalty rolls in...It was very impressive. Tomorrow we are going to an art museum and Thursday to another place to look at art.
Today 3 friends and I rented a paddle boat and paddled down the river. That was fun and relaxing! We enjoyed being on the water and then walking around trying to find an open churro stand, and never found it! It was disappointing!
Well Thursday I go to Paris!!! I am very excited. And then next Thursday the program is done! :( But the adventures won't stop! I've got a cruise to go on!!!
This past weekend we went to Granada to see La Alhambra. It is Arabic palaces, a castle, cathedral, gardens dating back to the 9th century. It was the home of the king and was were political stuff happened. It was very beautiful and just awesome. The buildings were phenomonel with all the intricate details in the designs on the walls and the patios and gardens were amazing. It is not really anything I can explain and would be rather boring. So I will spare you! Google it if you want to see and learn more! :)
Also in Granada we went shopping and walked around the old city. We experiences tapas, apetizers. It is just a beautiful city at the foot of the Sierra Nevadas. It was a fun city to hang out in.
Monday we went to an assisted living home and visited with the old folks. They told me I don't talk right...I haven't developed the Castillian accent of no 's' and using the the sound correctly. It was fun to talk to them though. Also that evening we went to a flameno dance. It is a traditional Spanish dance and was very interesting to see.
Today we went to the royal house palace whatever here in Sevilla. It is still used whenever royalty rolls in...It was very impressive. Tomorrow we are going to an art museum and Thursday to another place to look at art.
Today 3 friends and I rented a paddle boat and paddled down the river. That was fun and relaxing! We enjoyed being on the water and then walking around trying to find an open churro stand, and never found it! It was disappointing!
Well Thursday I go to Paris!!! I am very excited. And then next Thursday the program is done! :( But the adventures won't stop! I've got a cruise to go on!!!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
A much needed update!
Well it has been a busy past few days. Saturday we went to a beach that was about an hour away by bus. There were 10 of us that went, and it was beautiful! The beach was called Matalascanas. Spanish lesson-mata means kill las the and canas is sugarcane. So before the beach was taken over for public access it was all sugarcane. We were there for about 7 hours enjoying the hot sun and the cool water. Interesting things we saw were that no one has trucks so they have their boats stored in store houses and have John Deeres that pull them down so there were tractors on the beach. We saw a man being pulled out of the water and first aid people performing CPR. That was scary, but the man coughed so he was at least alive! Here the news they show everything and are in your face, so they were in the face of the guys that was not breathing…One other interesting observation was the European openness of nudity. All in all it was a fun-low key day. The only annoying part was the bus driver told us the first bus back was at 4…it was at 6.
Sunday we got some much needed sleep! We went to the cathedral here in Sevilla which is the 3rd largest in Europe. It is rather impressive. We walked to the top of the bell tower and got a bird's eye view of the city. There is a lot more history and whatnot, but I won't bore you! We also walked around different neighborhoods and went to a museum that told the history of exploration including the exploration of the Americas. It is interesting to be on this side of the ocean and see it from a different perspective! That pretty much sums up Sunday. We wanted to go to a bull fight but they are on break so I don't know if it will work out to go to one which makes me sad. I want to see a bull die a painful death. Well not really but I want to be cultured!
What I am neglecting to tell you all is how badly my feet hurt during the weekend. I think my shins were going to explode and my feet were going to fall off. We walk about 2-3 hours a day on average in about 100 degree weather. Lovely eh? I think my feet are used to it now, because I miraculously have no pain!
Monday was class and it was a Monday! After class we, and when I say we it is because I am never alone but it varies in who the we is! Well we took a different route home and went shoe shopping. I bought some shoes on Friday actually. You all will love them and laugh because they so aren't me, but I like them and I am embracing the Spanish in me, and they will be me whether you like it or not! Anyway, we went shoe and window shopping. I just love all the little shops, and all the fun townhouse like places…The streets and buildings have so much character! Well we didn't shop long because all the shops close at 2:30 for siesta time. I think we should embrace this idea. Then again it isn't light till like 11 everyday either…Well Monday evening we went back to school and painted fans. It was a fund raiser and a cultural experience because on every street corner you can buy a fan. After painting we went to McDonalds. Gross I know! We however had to try the highly recommended coffee with ice cream. It's like a root beer float only with ice cream! It was tasty!
Then it was home for dinner. We eat at like 10 every night, but lunch isn't till 3 so it all works out. We eat a lot of food! I have not had beef since arriving here!
Tuesday we had class then 4 of us took a train to a city called Cadiz which is another beach! It too was beautiful! We met up with a group of students from Texas and lets just say they know how to have a good time. It was rather eye opening! Cadiz was impressive. It must have been an old fortress because there were big fortress walls with cannons still in them. But we did not have a lot of time to walk around and see the actually city. We were tired when we got back but it was definitely worth the 2 hour train ride!
Yesterday we went to Cordoba which show a strong influence of the Muslims. We first went and saw ruins of an ancient city and then we went to the Mosque that was turned into a cathedral now it is a combination of the too. The first part of it was built in the 8 century and it is just an impressive building! I need to get pictures up. We are studying the art and the influence that Christians and Muslims have so it was interesting to see the combination! We ate lunch in the patio of the Mosque and walked around the cute little shops of Cordoba and were very ready to get on the air conditioned bus!
That pretty much brings me to now. This weekend we are headed to Granada to Alhambra. And then next weekend Paris. I had to choose between a bull fight and Paris. I really do want to experience a bull fight because it is such a Spaniard thing, but Paris I just could not pass up! So I am pretty much excited beyond belief for that!
Stay tuned!
Sunday we got some much needed sleep! We went to the cathedral here in Sevilla which is the 3rd largest in Europe. It is rather impressive. We walked to the top of the bell tower and got a bird's eye view of the city. There is a lot more history and whatnot, but I won't bore you! We also walked around different neighborhoods and went to a museum that told the history of exploration including the exploration of the Americas. It is interesting to be on this side of the ocean and see it from a different perspective! That pretty much sums up Sunday. We wanted to go to a bull fight but they are on break so I don't know if it will work out to go to one which makes me sad. I want to see a bull die a painful death. Well not really but I want to be cultured!
What I am neglecting to tell you all is how badly my feet hurt during the weekend. I think my shins were going to explode and my feet were going to fall off. We walk about 2-3 hours a day on average in about 100 degree weather. Lovely eh? I think my feet are used to it now, because I miraculously have no pain!
Monday was class and it was a Monday! After class we, and when I say we it is because I am never alone but it varies in who the we is! Well we took a different route home and went shoe shopping. I bought some shoes on Friday actually. You all will love them and laugh because they so aren't me, but I like them and I am embracing the Spanish in me, and they will be me whether you like it or not! Anyway, we went shoe and window shopping. I just love all the little shops, and all the fun townhouse like places…The streets and buildings have so much character! Well we didn't shop long because all the shops close at 2:30 for siesta time. I think we should embrace this idea. Then again it isn't light till like 11 everyday either…Well Monday evening we went back to school and painted fans. It was a fund raiser and a cultural experience because on every street corner you can buy a fan. After painting we went to McDonalds. Gross I know! We however had to try the highly recommended coffee with ice cream. It's like a root beer float only with ice cream! It was tasty!
Then it was home for dinner. We eat at like 10 every night, but lunch isn't till 3 so it all works out. We eat a lot of food! I have not had beef since arriving here!
Tuesday we had class then 4 of us took a train to a city called Cadiz which is another beach! It too was beautiful! We met up with a group of students from Texas and lets just say they know how to have a good time. It was rather eye opening! Cadiz was impressive. It must have been an old fortress because there were big fortress walls with cannons still in them. But we did not have a lot of time to walk around and see the actually city. We were tired when we got back but it was definitely worth the 2 hour train ride!
Yesterday we went to Cordoba which show a strong influence of the Muslims. We first went and saw ruins of an ancient city and then we went to the Mosque that was turned into a cathedral now it is a combination of the too. The first part of it was built in the 8 century and it is just an impressive building! I need to get pictures up. We are studying the art and the influence that Christians and Muslims have so it was interesting to see the combination! We ate lunch in the patio of the Mosque and walked around the cute little shops of Cordoba and were very ready to get on the air conditioned bus!
That pretty much brings me to now. This weekend we are headed to Granada to Alhambra. And then next weekend Paris. I had to choose between a bull fight and Paris. I really do want to experience a bull fight because it is such a Spaniard thing, but Paris I just could not pass up! So I am pretty much excited beyond belief for that!
Stay tuned!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
¡España!
Well folks...I am here safe and sound. I arrived Wednesday at 3 pm this time. I am happy to say that my bag also arrived with me! My flights went well. They were long but I slept most of them. I am living with a family and then also my roommate Blanca. It will be amazing if I get a word in the way that Blanca and my mama talk! My family is very nice. Living in the apartment is the mom and dad and a 23 year old daughter. It is a 3 bedroom apartment...
After arriving yesterday I took a quick nap and then Blanca and I walked around for a couple hours. It is amazing how long the sun stays up here! It was 9 pm and it felt like it was 4 with how high the sun was! It is HOT! But we stay inside and all the stores close from 1:30-5:30 for siestas because no one wants to be out with the sun being that intense! The city is a city! There are stores and lots of cars and people. The people here are beautiful and casual attire is my top formal wear! So I look like a tourist! Ah well!
Today the program began. We took a tour of a few central spots of the city. The architecure here is amazing. A lot of old buildings with great history... I will try to post pictures eventually! We walked through one neighborhood that was definitely the Sevilla seen in books with the narrow roads, tall buildings, and flowers on the decks... The cathedral is a phenomonal building one of the biggest in the world. There is so much history here!
I have nothing too exciting to report...we are hoping to go do things this weekend...check out a beach or something! So much to do and so little time!
After arriving yesterday I took a quick nap and then Blanca and I walked around for a couple hours. It is amazing how long the sun stays up here! It was 9 pm and it felt like it was 4 with how high the sun was! It is HOT! But we stay inside and all the stores close from 1:30-5:30 for siestas because no one wants to be out with the sun being that intense! The city is a city! There are stores and lots of cars and people. The people here are beautiful and casual attire is my top formal wear! So I look like a tourist! Ah well!
Today the program began. We took a tour of a few central spots of the city. The architecure here is amazing. A lot of old buildings with great history... I will try to post pictures eventually! We walked through one neighborhood that was definitely the Sevilla seen in books with the narrow roads, tall buildings, and flowers on the decks... The cathedral is a phenomonal building one of the biggest in the world. There is so much history here!
I have nothing too exciting to report...we are hoping to go do things this weekend...check out a beach or something! So much to do and so little time!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Melanie and others say I need to blog so thus I begin...
I leave for Spain in about 10 days. I can't even begin to believe that...I am going to Spain. Pretty exciting! I've been emailing a fellow student who will be my roommate for the 3.5 weeks of taking the class. Her name is Blanca which means white. I don't think she is white though because she is Mexican. She lived in Mexico till she was ten so Spanish is her 1st language. Interesting that I will be in Spain rooming with a Mexican. I am excited about that though because she can teach me a lot too!
I miss New Mexico. 3 things I miss the most: the people, the sun (its appeared once since arriving in WA) and my bed. 3 things I don't miss: the wind, the cats, and the half eaten bird that the cats drug in. I've been painting Lance and Jessica's kitchen since arriving home, I'm glad to have something to do! Funny how I feel guilty doing nothing, because I didn't just teach all year and need time to unwind?! I must be Dutch, always have to be doing something!
I leave for Spain in about 10 days. I can't even begin to believe that...I am going to Spain. Pretty exciting! I've been emailing a fellow student who will be my roommate for the 3.5 weeks of taking the class. Her name is Blanca which means white. I don't think she is white though because she is Mexican. She lived in Mexico till she was ten so Spanish is her 1st language. Interesting that I will be in Spain rooming with a Mexican. I am excited about that though because she can teach me a lot too!
I miss New Mexico. 3 things I miss the most: the people, the sun (its appeared once since arriving in WA) and my bed. 3 things I don't miss: the wind, the cats, and the half eaten bird that the cats drug in. I've been painting Lance and Jessica's kitchen since arriving home, I'm glad to have something to do! Funny how I feel guilty doing nothing, because I didn't just teach all year and need time to unwind?! I must be Dutch, always have to be doing something!
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