Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Salamanca, here we come!
Leaving Madrid, I noticed that the city is actually in a valley surrounded by big mountains. Not only was the view pretty, but it made me feel more at home :)
Welcome to Salamanca. I really love all of the parks and gardens that serve as retreats from the stone and big buildings of the city. They also usually have fountains and monuments that serve to cool you off while reminding you of the history/culture of the area. This is certainly a trend I wish we'd incorporate more into the US culture.
We saw one beautiful building after another.
Don't you just want to get lost in these streets?
Weekend excursion?
I have loved Sevilla since I visited in 2005 for a day or two. (You know, the Barber of Seville? Yep, same place). I distinctly remember calling my mom, telling her I was never coming home because I was going to move to Sevilla. Probably not a good idea to say that as a 16 year old out of the country for the first time... BUT it was always my goal to go back. Bekah actually really wanted to visit there because she'd heard such good things about it from several people.
So, when I arrived on Thursday, Bekah and I were bound and determined to take a weekend trip that would allow us to see more of the Spanish country. We tried for Sevilla, but that didn't work. Back up plan: Granada. That way, we could still visit southern Spain. Failed. We thought the weekend trip would never work. So, we spent Friday in Madrid with Trish, a girl who has been living with our host family for 6 months now!! We went to the pool (much appreciated on these 85-90 degree days), shopped a little, and explored. I think the best part was getting to know her a little more. She's the personal guide for the rest of us girls here in the house simply because she knows so much after her long stay and wants all of us to get the most out of our visit. She is so sweet & funny; I'll be sad to see her leave this coming Friday!
Since our plan of a full weekend failed, we finally just decided to do a day trip to Salamanca. No jokes, please. I have wanted to visit Salamanca since (2005) seeing a beautiful courtyard filled with alcoves that represented major cities/provinces. The one for Salamanca was so outstanding. Plus, yes, there is some interest simply because we have a Salamanca at home. To make things more interesting, Bekah actually had the option of studying in Salamanca or Madrid. So it seemed fitting that we should take a little trip to check things out.
It took us about 3 hours to get there (good nap time!). When we arrived, we were astounded by the beauty! Now, Madrid is no slouch when it comes to eye-catching architecture, but Salamanca just seemed much older and even more elegant. Every building looked so regal that it was tough to tell what was old and historically important from what was just a regular (beautiful) building. Thank goodness we bought a map!! We were able to see most of the buildings we wanted, but we didn't get to go in many of them. Apparently, we arrived in the middle of a 3 hour city-wide siesta (my hypothesis - I actually have no idea what was going on). Whatever the reason, many buildings were temporarily closed up. Nonetheless, we really enjoyed wandering around and taking everything in. Salamanca is much smaller than Madrid; it's a university town. The pace is slower, the atmosphere very serene. It was a nice get-away from the hustle and bustle (still very exciting) of Madrid. There was just something about it that couldn't be captured with a camera (though I sure tried!!).
In the end, we were grateful that our idea of a packed weekend in another city didn't come to fruition. I was still trying to get over jet-lag, and Bekah was pretty tired from burning the candle at both ends. In Madrid, you get up early, nap midday, and stay out/up really late. I swear, these people don't sleep! Our host parents (Marina and Carlos) don't get home from the theater school they own until sometime between 10:00 PM and 12:00 AM. So if we stay up to eat dinner with them, that means we don't usually get to bed until around 1:00 AM. I think I was made for the European lifestyle, as I do that naturally :)
Salamanca was extremely enjoyable, and it was nice to explore Madrid more on Sunday. We slept in, spent time with the family, and then went shopping/exploring with Trish. All in all, it was a great weekend!
But next weekend should be even better because we're going to....
....BARCELONA!!!!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Streets of Madrid
Enjoying our walk around town...
Do you recognize the Moorish influence in Madrid? All the water, the fountains, the celebration of what was naturally here. (I do realize this particular fountain isn't a great example of the Moorish influence, but it reminds me that that tradition does exist) I really wish we had some fun fountains in Bradford...
Who doesn't love posing with random monuments that serve as the center for a market??
The street where I live. Now that's a street sign!
We tried to go to a party that Bekah's school was throwing. We found the right place, but no one was there. So, we decided to just walk around since we so enjoyed the quaint little street.
1st Spain pics
Oops - forgot they show up in reverse order...
Me in Spain. I love the streets here. The architecture is just so gorgeous and the colors so nice and bright!
Oh Babs. She was so excited about these trendy pants she'd just bought at a market we stumbled into. And this, boys and girls, is why it rocks to just wander and explore when you're in a new city! :)
My 1st pic upon arriving to Madrid. Don't you just feel the city calling you?
I did something I've never done before -- I finally took a picture on an airplane! Mom & Lisa, this was for you. You told me to document EVERYTHING, so here it is! :) I hope you like it!
It's a Small World After All
I guess my grandpa is right. Sometimes I get annoyed when he sings this song because it gets stuck in my head forever. But it's so true.
Yesterday, I was walking with Bekah and saw a face I recognized. I grabbed Bekah's arm and explained how I knew the girl we passed on the street: she was a Vira Heinz scholarship winner and had studied abroad in London last summer. Had I remembered her name (Kate Loy), I would've said something. But it all happened so fast. I turned to Bekah and said, "Did that just happen?" Honestly, what are the odds?! To run into someone from PA on the streets in Madrid. I think it's an omen that the streets of Madrid hold good things for me to find. Thankfully, I live in the Facebook generation. As soon as I got home, I found and messaged her. Turns out, Kate is working with a theater company that tours Spain. We have plans to go to tapas on Monday. Wow.
But maybe I should start at the beginning of my trip. It starts with Delta calling me on my way to the airport to say my flights were canceled. Oh boy. Thank goodness they had automatically rescheduled me. Whew. I got to Madrid without any troubles. When I walked into the greeting area in the airport, I wondered how I would find Bekah in the crowd. I didn't have to worry for more than a second, though, before I was being tackled and hugged. "Hi best friend!" Finally, FINALLY, we were abroad together!
We came to the house, ate "breakfast,"and attempted to plan out our trips. When it became obvious that we were both too sleepy to make clear plans (that's what happens when I reluctantly sit down after a full day of traveling), we decided it'd be best to take a quick nap. Upon waking, I met Jenny, Monica, Patricia (Trish & her visiting parents) - two girls who are also living here. We all had a quick bite, and then Bekah and I headed out to explore the city. Que fabuloso!!
I'm so grateful that this trip is finally happening. (If you know Bekah and me, then you've probably heard us talking about our desire to study/travel in Spain together). I just can't wait to get out there and explore. So enough blogging. The city is calling! Because, it's a small world after all. ;)
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