Alright...this is for you faithful, commited Lindsay-Blog readers...the final part to the list of favorites in Spain! Its Sunday of our LAST weekend here, and I'm a whole jumble of feelings. Part of me feels tired and ready. Part of me can't believe I'm about to finish up with this once in a lifetime experience!
So here goes nothing...the final part..a tribute to my home away from home: If you're ever in Salamanca....
11. See the Plaza Mayor right when it lights up for the night. The buildings in Salamanca have this gold-ish glow during the evening, you've got to see it to believe it.
12. Go to Mass in the Cathedral. Or just go to the Cathedral and climb to the top. Theres a fantastic view of Salamanca!
13. Check out the historical University buildings. La Universidad de Salamanca is one of the oldest universities in Spain and in Europe! (Founded in 1218...I think). The university facade is famous because there are some fun hidden things etched into it that you have to find..namely, a frog ontop of a skeleton. If you find it, its good luck! Plus, its absolutely beautiful, really ornate and fun to look at.
14. Go out all night and then grab a bocadillo at a late-night food place. Salamanca nightlife is great because the city is small enough so that you can walk to wherever you want to go. Its also great that there are a ton of college-age kids..and tons of places to go when you decide its time to get some food after a long night of dancing!
15. Take a walk over the roman bridge and sit by the river. Salamanca is bordered by a river that has a very old Roman bridge over it. Its a great jaunt, and people lay out blankets on the banks of the river to sit, chat, drink, play soccer with friends, etc.
16. Get a tapa and a beer at any tapas bar off the plaza...sometimes you can get a beer and a delicious snack for about 3 dollars!
17. Hang out in the plaza on a saturday afternoon. Everyone seems to come out of their houses to walk to the plaza on weekends. People just plop right in the middle of the stone center, grab a helado, and take a nap or sunbathe. For you JMU-ers, its quite reminiscent of the quad on a perfect, sunny day.
18. Live with a Spanish Madre. I realize this one is not exactly feasible..but I had to put a tribute out there for Capilla, my Spanish mama. Its been such a learning experience living in someone else's house, especially someone else who doesn't speak your native language. We've had ups and downs, but I can honestly say now that Capilla is one of the coolest ladies I've ever met. And I think we've come to really enjoy eachother's company.
19. Shop on Calle Toro. Its lined with beautiful shops that are more than a little tempting, some we don't have in the states like: Sfera, Zara, Bershka, Mossimo Dutti.
20. Do Everything. Try Everything. Eat Anything. Love it All.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
If you are ever in Spain..Part III
I am happy to inform you that the weather here has now decided to be GORGEOUS! As if in celebration, yesterday our group spent the day riding horses at a beautiful horse farm in a town outside of Salamanca. I haven't ridden a horse in...about 10 years, and never for a long amount of time. It was crazy. Mine was pretty slow and fairly obedient, so I didn't have a bit of trouble, except for it occasionally running me into branches of trees. The neatest part was that all of our madres came a long to watch us and eat a big picnic dinner. It was cool to finally see all of the madres I've heard so much about, and to show off Capilla, too.
So back to this countdown, eh? I've only got a week left and still TONS of great things to tell you about!
8. Get food from a stand. Like a stand on a street somewhere...anywhere! In my experience, its always good. I've tried fresh baked potatoes stuffed with just about anything you could possibly imagine, and hot, crispy churros with steaming chocolate to dip them in. Way to go, Spain!
9. Try any of the three things Spaniards have thought to do with wine:
- Sangria: wine with fruit and such
- Calimocho: wine with coca-cola (sounds weird...but its good!)
- Tinto de Verano: red wine and Lemonade or lemon fanta...amazingly good and cheap!
10. Back on the places to visit track: Las Cuevas de Castilla...some of the oldest cave paintings in the world! Not to mention the region it is in...Cantabria is one of the most naturally beautiful places I've seen.
Part IV coming soon...if I can manage it amidst all these tests and papers!
Wish me luck. See you stateside in a week!
love,
Lindsay
So back to this countdown, eh? I've only got a week left and still TONS of great things to tell you about!
8. Get food from a stand. Like a stand on a street somewhere...anywhere! In my experience, its always good. I've tried fresh baked potatoes stuffed with just about anything you could possibly imagine, and hot, crispy churros with steaming chocolate to dip them in. Way to go, Spain!
9. Try any of the three things Spaniards have thought to do with wine:
- Sangria: wine with fruit and such
- Calimocho: wine with coca-cola (sounds weird...but its good!)
- Tinto de Verano: red wine and Lemonade or lemon fanta...amazingly good and cheap!
10. Back on the places to visit track: Las Cuevas de Castilla...some of the oldest cave paintings in the world! Not to mention the region it is in...Cantabria is one of the most naturally beautiful places I've seen.
Part IV coming soon...if I can manage it amidst all these tests and papers!
Wish me luck. See you stateside in a week!
love,
Lindsay
Saturday, April 19, 2008
If you are ever in Spain... Part II
Hey all!
The weather here in Salamanca has been absolutely terrible this past week. With all the exams and papers and whatnot...It has been an effort to keep marching on (Especially after being alerted to the fact that Harrisonburg and Chapel Hill are enjoying 80 degree weather!)
But I have decided in order to keep my spirits up (and to distract myself from a looming paper...) I will continue with a few more entries in the "if you are ever in Spain..." series.
Aproveche!
6. El Prado in Madrid. This musuem holds some very important pieces of art, especially by Goya, Velazquez and El Greco. You absolutely must see Las Meninas by Velazquez. It has often been called one of the most influential paintings in the history of art! Mom, Dad, and Marc got to share this experience with me, and while we were walking around, Marc and I stumbled upon one of the most amazing paintings either of us had seen. its got a long title...in Spanish it is: Fulsilamiento de Torrijos y sus companeros en las playas de Malaga by Antonio Gisbert. You can click on the title to see the picture. Its pretty graphic, I warn you...but what impressed Marc and I so much was the story in every man's face..the detail, the pain, the reality. Not to mention its an absolutely HUGE painting. I hope you find it as interesting as we did.
7. See a Bullfight (unless you are extremely morally opposed). I thought I was going to hate it, and it was a little difficult to stomach all of that killing, but in the end, it became like watching a dance, something beautiful and very skillful. Also, watching and listening to the Spaniards who flanked me was quite an experience. In an odd sense, it reminded me a lot of going to an baseball game in the United States.
Two should be good for now...I've got to keep this going, right?
to be continued....yet again...
The weather here in Salamanca has been absolutely terrible this past week. With all the exams and papers and whatnot...It has been an effort to keep marching on (Especially after being alerted to the fact that Harrisonburg and Chapel Hill are enjoying 80 degree weather!)
But I have decided in order to keep my spirits up (and to distract myself from a looming paper...) I will continue with a few more entries in the "if you are ever in Spain..." series.
Aproveche!
6. El Prado in Madrid. This musuem holds some very important pieces of art, especially by Goya, Velazquez and El Greco. You absolutely must see Las Meninas by Velazquez. It has often been called one of the most influential paintings in the history of art! Mom, Dad, and Marc got to share this experience with me, and while we were walking around, Marc and I stumbled upon one of the most amazing paintings either of us had seen. its got a long title...in Spanish it is: Fulsilamiento de Torrijos y sus companeros en las playas de Malaga by Antonio Gisbert. You can click on the title to see the picture. Its pretty graphic, I warn you...but what impressed Marc and I so much was the story in every man's face..the detail, the pain, the reality. Not to mention its an absolutely HUGE painting. I hope you find it as interesting as we did.
7. See a Bullfight (unless you are extremely morally opposed). I thought I was going to hate it, and it was a little difficult to stomach all of that killing, but in the end, it became like watching a dance, something beautiful and very skillful. Also, watching and listening to the Spaniards who flanked me was quite an experience. In an odd sense, it reminded me a lot of going to an baseball game in the United States.
Two should be good for now...I've got to keep this going, right?
to be continued....yet again...
Thursday, April 17, 2008
If you are ever in Spain....Part I
As my return to the states approaches, I have decided to collect some of my favorite anecdotes/sights/activities in a little series called "If you are ever in Spain..." Disfrutais!
1. Visit El Barrio Judio in Granada. A narrow, uphill street lined with shops, cafes, and markets...wonderful!
2. La Alhambra, which is currently in contention for a spot amongst the seven modern wonders of the world. For this fact alone, it deserves a visit. Not to mention beautiful fountains and gardens.
3. Drink a cup of cafe con leche and eat a napolitana de chocolate. mmm!
4.Valencia in General. But especially if you can visit it during the festival "Las Fallas". I don't even know how to describe this to you except to say it was one of the most spectacular things I saw in this entire country! Also, La Ciudad de Artes y Ciencias...it has a kickass aquarium!
5.Try a tortilla bocadillo. Tortilla (not the kind you have in Mexican food!) is a popular Spanish food that is basically comprised of: eggs, potatoes, and sometimes onions. They fry it up omelet style and sometimes sandwich it between two pieces of baguette. Delish.
To be continued....
1. Visit El Barrio Judio in Granada. A narrow, uphill street lined with shops, cafes, and markets...wonderful!
2. La Alhambra, which is currently in contention for a spot amongst the seven modern wonders of the world. For this fact alone, it deserves a visit. Not to mention beautiful fountains and gardens.
3. Drink a cup of cafe con leche and eat a napolitana de chocolate. mmm!
4.Valencia in General. But especially if you can visit it during the festival "Las Fallas". I don't even know how to describe this to you except to say it was one of the most spectacular things I saw in this entire country! Also, La Ciudad de Artes y Ciencias...it has a kickass aquarium!
5.Try a tortilla bocadillo. Tortilla (not the kind you have in Mexican food!) is a popular Spanish food that is basically comprised of: eggs, potatoes, and sometimes onions. They fry it up omelet style and sometimes sandwich it between two pieces of baguette. Delish.
To be continued....
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Feels like Fast-Forward
Hello all!
I am surprised and somewhat bewildered to alert you that I have a little over 2 weeks left here in the beautiful country of Spain. I feel like since Spring Break, the time here has absolutely flown by with little warning. I am now bogged down with papers, the promise of exams, and presentations. Great fun will be had by all, I can assure you. We've just arrived home from our final excursion, which was to the region of Cantabria.
Cantabria is a varied region with snow-capped crags on one side and idyllic beaches on the other! Not so surprisingly, as I have come to learn, our fearless leader Jesus Angel Jimenez decided we would see the entirety of this landscape variety in a mere 2 days. We started our travels off first at the caves of El Castillo, which house some of the oldest cave paintings in Europe! It was so incredible to walk through caves with roofs made of stalagtites, imagining some of the first men who decided to be creative just painting away with their fingers. These crude drawings have so much more significance in our society today than they could have ever realized! I was in awe at the spiritual and mystical quality of the red clay handprints, and the ocre outlines of bison. Its hard for me to explain this feeling fully, but I can sum it up with: No matter where art is, how it was made, or really...what it looks like, Me encanta (i adore it).
Afterwards, we headed to our hotel, a "parador" (basically, a lodge) right on the side of the mountain! By far, one of the most majestic places we've been lucky enough to stay in. The next morning, after sleeping soundly in our beds, we headed up the mountain in cable-cars...so far up our ears were popping from the altitude and the quick ascent. We had snowball fights, watched hardcore hikers prepare for excursions, and took tons of pictures. It was surreal to see so much snow in April, but a welcome surprise, at that.
We ended up, after a pit stop in a historic town called Santanilla, in Santander. Santander is the capital of Cantabria, and although it is sort of small, is quite lovely. Our hotel was right on the beach! After months of missing physical activity, namely yoga, I decided this would be an excellent oppurtunity to begin to rekindle my practice. Myself and a few friends woke up bright and early at 7:15 to do some sunrise yoga on the beach. The crash of the waves was extremely soothing, and doing "sun salutations" to the sun as it was rising was magical.
I am a bit sore, though. Perhaps a sign that I should keep working at it!
More excitement ensued later, including myself being absolutely drenched to the bone with fickle spanish rain and later tripping and falling in front of handsome spaniards and busting my knee while laughing and saying "todo esta bien!" (everything is alright!) But I'll spare us all the embarassment of recounting the entirety of these stories.
I LOVE you all, and can't wait to see you.
besitos para todos,
Lindsay
I am surprised and somewhat bewildered to alert you that I have a little over 2 weeks left here in the beautiful country of Spain. I feel like since Spring Break, the time here has absolutely flown by with little warning. I am now bogged down with papers, the promise of exams, and presentations. Great fun will be had by all, I can assure you. We've just arrived home from our final excursion, which was to the region of Cantabria.
Cantabria is a varied region with snow-capped crags on one side and idyllic beaches on the other! Not so surprisingly, as I have come to learn, our fearless leader Jesus Angel Jimenez decided we would see the entirety of this landscape variety in a mere 2 days. We started our travels off first at the caves of El Castillo, which house some of the oldest cave paintings in Europe! It was so incredible to walk through caves with roofs made of stalagtites, imagining some of the first men who decided to be creative just painting away with their fingers. These crude drawings have so much more significance in our society today than they could have ever realized! I was in awe at the spiritual and mystical quality of the red clay handprints, and the ocre outlines of bison. Its hard for me to explain this feeling fully, but I can sum it up with: No matter where art is, how it was made, or really...what it looks like, Me encanta (i adore it).
Afterwards, we headed to our hotel, a "parador" (basically, a lodge) right on the side of the mountain! By far, one of the most majestic places we've been lucky enough to stay in. The next morning, after sleeping soundly in our beds, we headed up the mountain in cable-cars...so far up our ears were popping from the altitude and the quick ascent. We had snowball fights, watched hardcore hikers prepare for excursions, and took tons of pictures. It was surreal to see so much snow in April, but a welcome surprise, at that.
We ended up, after a pit stop in a historic town called Santanilla, in Santander. Santander is the capital of Cantabria, and although it is sort of small, is quite lovely. Our hotel was right on the beach! After months of missing physical activity, namely yoga, I decided this would be an excellent oppurtunity to begin to rekindle my practice. Myself and a few friends woke up bright and early at 7:15 to do some sunrise yoga on the beach. The crash of the waves was extremely soothing, and doing "sun salutations" to the sun as it was rising was magical.
I am a bit sore, though. Perhaps a sign that I should keep working at it!
More excitement ensued later, including myself being absolutely drenched to the bone with fickle spanish rain and later tripping and falling in front of handsome spaniards and busting my knee while laughing and saying "todo esta bien!" (everything is alright!) But I'll spare us all the embarassment of recounting the entirety of these stories.
I LOVE you all, and can't wait to see you.
besitos para todos,
Lindsay
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Sevilla..and general anecdoting
Sevilla probably deserves its own page in the grand scheme of Spring Break blogging...it was deff. one of my favorite places we went, although it is extremely hard to choose!
We arrived in Sevilla friday afternoon (my 21st birthday!) and had a lovely dinner all together as a group. My good friend David Greenslade is currently studying in Sevilla, and he promised to show me and some of my friends where he and his study-abroad friends go out for a good time. Sevilla has a somewhat similar feel to Salamanca; it was young, a big city with an approachable feel, and sort of hip. He took us around and it was wonderful to catch up with him, although I have to say that my birthday didn't feel quite as exciting or as celebrated as I hoped it would. Alas, 21 doesn't have the same significance in Spain, I suppose. Regardless, I had a great time discovering Sevilla nightlife with David, chatting about bullfights and nostalgia over huge Mojitos in clear plastic cups.
Just like many other major Spanish cities, Sevilla has a beautiful cathedral. Who would have thought I would become sick of seeing these masterpieces! Unfortunately, we've seen so many at this point, its difficult for me to differentiate.
We also got to see a really beautiful place called "reales alcazares" which was effectively giant gardens which we got to walk through. It was a perfect day and we all loved the oppurtunity to be outside in the sunshine!
That concludes my Spring Break. I think those 2 and a half weeks will be one of the most memorable aspects of my 3 months here. Its amazing to think I only have about 3 and a half weeks left in Spain. I feel in some ways like that isn't enough time to do anything...but then on the other hand, I feel very anxious to be home in America with family and friends. Living in another city, country, culture is still sort of hard to wrap my head around. I hope to be able to reflect more eloquently on my time here once it is all over.
Besos!
Lindsay
We arrived in Sevilla friday afternoon (my 21st birthday!) and had a lovely dinner all together as a group. My good friend David Greenslade is currently studying in Sevilla, and he promised to show me and some of my friends where he and his study-abroad friends go out for a good time. Sevilla has a somewhat similar feel to Salamanca; it was young, a big city with an approachable feel, and sort of hip. He took us around and it was wonderful to catch up with him, although I have to say that my birthday didn't feel quite as exciting or as celebrated as I hoped it would. Alas, 21 doesn't have the same significance in Spain, I suppose. Regardless, I had a great time discovering Sevilla nightlife with David, chatting about bullfights and nostalgia over huge Mojitos in clear plastic cups.
Just like many other major Spanish cities, Sevilla has a beautiful cathedral. Who would have thought I would become sick of seeing these masterpieces! Unfortunately, we've seen so many at this point, its difficult for me to differentiate.
We also got to see a really beautiful place called "reales alcazares" which was effectively giant gardens which we got to walk through. It was a perfect day and we all loved the oppurtunity to be outside in the sunshine!
That concludes my Spring Break. I think those 2 and a half weeks will be one of the most memorable aspects of my 3 months here. Its amazing to think I only have about 3 and a half weeks left in Spain. I feel in some ways like that isn't enough time to do anything...but then on the other hand, I feel very anxious to be home in America with family and friends. Living in another city, country, culture is still sort of hard to wrap my head around. I hope to be able to reflect more eloquently on my time here once it is all over.
Besos!
Lindsay
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Part II: Andalucia
I now feel prepared to continue recounting my amazing spring break adventures for all of you, and hopefully you'll be willing to stick with me through what may become a blog post of epic proportions.
After a late night bus trip back from Malaga that yielded me a mere 5 hours of sleep...we got on ANOTHER bus back down to Andalucia, a southern region of Spain.
Granada
Granada was our first stop on the 5 day trip, and I think it has proved to be one of my favorites. The Andalucian region was the last Arab stronghold to be taken over by Ferdinand and Isabel and their oh so benevolent christian intentions. As such, the Arabic/Muslim influence is extremely perceptible, especially in the arquitecture. We got to see a beautiful palace called La Alhambra, a masterpiece that is in contention to be added to the 7 modern wonders of the world. (is 8? or 7? I can't remember). Regardless, The palace was so interesting because from the outside..its nothing special at all. The cool thing about arabic buildings is that they are built on the idea that what is inside should be beautiful, while what is outside should be plain. Therefore, the inside of the "Mezquita" is decorated very ornately, with arabic-influenced motifs all over the walls, and the most spectacular gardens and fountains you're likely to see.
We also got to check out a "Barrio" (neighborhood) that is a really cool manifestation of the middle-eastern influence in this city. Its a winding, uphill, stone street lined with vendors selling hookahs, jewelry, sandals, dresses...everything! Walking up the hill you pass at least 4 or 5 hookah bar/cafes...where people are sitting and chatting, the perfect example of the Spanish/Arabic mix, drinking cafe con leche in between puffs from the hookah.
Cordoba
We only took a day trip to Cordoba, but it was nonetheless very impressive. Every single one of the bigger cities in Andalucia boasts a beautiful Mezquita (Mosque), and Cordoba was no different. Everything was beautifully crafted and uniquely designed. This city had a feeling totally distinct from what we've seen so far in central Spain
More on Sevilla in a few days...I am unfortunately on my way out the door for class!
Amor para siempre,
Lindsay
After a late night bus trip back from Malaga that yielded me a mere 5 hours of sleep...we got on ANOTHER bus back down to Andalucia, a southern region of Spain.
Granada
Granada was our first stop on the 5 day trip, and I think it has proved to be one of my favorites. The Andalucian region was the last Arab stronghold to be taken over by Ferdinand and Isabel and their oh so benevolent christian intentions. As such, the Arabic/Muslim influence is extremely perceptible, especially in the arquitecture. We got to see a beautiful palace called La Alhambra, a masterpiece that is in contention to be added to the 7 modern wonders of the world. (is 8? or 7? I can't remember). Regardless, The palace was so interesting because from the outside..its nothing special at all. The cool thing about arabic buildings is that they are built on the idea that what is inside should be beautiful, while what is outside should be plain. Therefore, the inside of the "Mezquita" is decorated very ornately, with arabic-influenced motifs all over the walls, and the most spectacular gardens and fountains you're likely to see.
We also got to check out a "Barrio" (neighborhood) that is a really cool manifestation of the middle-eastern influence in this city. Its a winding, uphill, stone street lined with vendors selling hookahs, jewelry, sandals, dresses...everything! Walking up the hill you pass at least 4 or 5 hookah bar/cafes...where people are sitting and chatting, the perfect example of the Spanish/Arabic mix, drinking cafe con leche in between puffs from the hookah.
Cordoba
We only took a day trip to Cordoba, but it was nonetheless very impressive. Every single one of the bigger cities in Andalucia boasts a beautiful Mezquita (Mosque), and Cordoba was no different. Everything was beautifully crafted and uniquely designed. This city had a feeling totally distinct from what we've seen so far in central Spain
More on Sevilla in a few days...I am unfortunately on my way out the door for class!
Amor para siempre,
Lindsay
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Long Belated..Spring Break in Spain
How negligent I've been this last month! It has literally felt like a whirlwind of travelling, and now that I am back safe and sound in my home away from home in Salamanca, I feel that I should let you all know some of the great things I've gotten to see!
In Spain the week before Easter is called "Semana Santa" and everyone goes on vacation. As a result of this nation-wide rest-time, our group got to travel for 2 and a half weeks! The first ten days we all made our own plans, and then last part was spent travelling together as a big group. I went on a trip with 5 girlfriends and we had an amazing time spending 5 days in Valencia and 5 days in Malaga.
Valencia
We were lucky enough to plan our trip around this amazing festival in Valencia called "Las Fallas". Las Fallas is a yearly festival celebrated as a symbol of the new year, a cleansing of sins and all of the worry from the year. The way the Valencians demonstrate this idea is by making giant paper sculptures on every street and then on the last day of the festival, stringing the ornate sculptures with what appears to be cartoon TNT and setting them on fire. They burn to the ground amidst a sea of people crammed together, everyone cheering and yelling and feeling the heat from the fire. The most incredible part of the whole thing is how beautiful and well-crafted the sculptures are. Many of them carry political and social commentary, and burning them is a way to rid oneself of all the corruption of the world, etc. It was pretty ridiculous walking around during the day checking all of them out, knowing that their sole purpose for existing was to be destroyed. It truly was a once in a life time experience.
Our hotel in Valencia turned out to be an appartment for six people, equipped with a kitchen, 2 bathrooms, a living room and bedrooms! It was much more luxurious than we expected, and added to all the fun we had, as all of us were able to bond over making dinner and drinking wine, chatting and getting to know eachother better.
Onward to...
Malaga
After all of the sight-seeing and staying up late we did in Valencia, we were all ready for a relaxing 5 days, spent in the sun on the beach. As our hostel was about 5 minutes away from a beach, we got a lot of that. The weather was nice (albeit a bit windy) and although our hostel was a little out of the way, we were able to get around just fine, and got to see some pretty cool things on top of getting rather nice tans.
One aspect of Semana Santa that is very interesting is that there are processions each night in honor of the resurrection of christ on easter. We were lucky enough to see one of these in Malaga, on Good Friday. Many of the processions are jubilant and optomistic, but as Good Friday is the most tragic part of Jesus' journey, the procession we saw was very serious and somber. The procession is hard to describe. Hundreds of men carry wooden "floats" of biblical stories on their shoulders, carrying the weight as a devotion to God. Some go barefoot or blinded by a blind-fold as an extra testament to their devotion. You might recognize the image of men holding candles in robes that eerily resemble what we Americans associate with the KKK. These men are robed in the same manner as the Christians during the Spanish Inquisition, and the outfit serves as a pedagogical symbol, and certainly does not carry the same stigma as the racist image we often have in mind when we see white robes and pointed masks. All in all, it was very beautiful, extremely interesting, and a great symbol of the importance of faith and tradition in the Spanish culture. I feel lucky to have witnessed it.
Speaking of tradition in the Spanish culture...
We also had the chance to attend a bullfight in Malaga. I was apprehensive at first, but upon some reflection decided it might be an important cultural experience. It was pretty jarring at first, to see the sort of things the bull goes through before it is put to death, but after a while, It became very interesting to me. First I focused on the bullfighters. There seemed to be a lot of respect for the power of the bull in the ring, and the matadors were cautious and graceful, dancing around the bull, so careful of where their bodies were placed in relation to that of the bull. Then I watched the audience. This was the best part. When watching the audience, its almost like being at a baseball game in the states. They were popping sunflower seeds, drinking beers, yelling. Contrary to popular belief, there is actually a specific time to yell "Ole!!" and when a torero (bull fighter) is really good, they wave white handkerchiefs in the air, and when he is not very good (aka..doesn't kill the bull on the first try) nobody claps, and the bullfighter takes the scorn with his back turned. It was pretty crazy. I don't plan on attending a bullfight again for a long, long time...but I'm glad I did.
This is getting very long...expect Part II: Andalucia in a few days!
love all,
Lindsay
In Spain the week before Easter is called "Semana Santa" and everyone goes on vacation. As a result of this nation-wide rest-time, our group got to travel for 2 and a half weeks! The first ten days we all made our own plans, and then last part was spent travelling together as a big group. I went on a trip with 5 girlfriends and we had an amazing time spending 5 days in Valencia and 5 days in Malaga.
Valencia
We were lucky enough to plan our trip around this amazing festival in Valencia called "Las Fallas". Las Fallas is a yearly festival celebrated as a symbol of the new year, a cleansing of sins and all of the worry from the year. The way the Valencians demonstrate this idea is by making giant paper sculptures on every street and then on the last day of the festival, stringing the ornate sculptures with what appears to be cartoon TNT and setting them on fire. They burn to the ground amidst a sea of people crammed together, everyone cheering and yelling and feeling the heat from the fire. The most incredible part of the whole thing is how beautiful and well-crafted the sculptures are. Many of them carry political and social commentary, and burning them is a way to rid oneself of all the corruption of the world, etc. It was pretty ridiculous walking around during the day checking all of them out, knowing that their sole purpose for existing was to be destroyed. It truly was a once in a life time experience.
Our hotel in Valencia turned out to be an appartment for six people, equipped with a kitchen, 2 bathrooms, a living room and bedrooms! It was much more luxurious than we expected, and added to all the fun we had, as all of us were able to bond over making dinner and drinking wine, chatting and getting to know eachother better.
Onward to...
Malaga
After all of the sight-seeing and staying up late we did in Valencia, we were all ready for a relaxing 5 days, spent in the sun on the beach. As our hostel was about 5 minutes away from a beach, we got a lot of that. The weather was nice (albeit a bit windy) and although our hostel was a little out of the way, we were able to get around just fine, and got to see some pretty cool things on top of getting rather nice tans.
One aspect of Semana Santa that is very interesting is that there are processions each night in honor of the resurrection of christ on easter. We were lucky enough to see one of these in Malaga, on Good Friday. Many of the processions are jubilant and optomistic, but as Good Friday is the most tragic part of Jesus' journey, the procession we saw was very serious and somber. The procession is hard to describe. Hundreds of men carry wooden "floats" of biblical stories on their shoulders, carrying the weight as a devotion to God. Some go barefoot or blinded by a blind-fold as an extra testament to their devotion. You might recognize the image of men holding candles in robes that eerily resemble what we Americans associate with the KKK. These men are robed in the same manner as the Christians during the Spanish Inquisition, and the outfit serves as a pedagogical symbol, and certainly does not carry the same stigma as the racist image we often have in mind when we see white robes and pointed masks. All in all, it was very beautiful, extremely interesting, and a great symbol of the importance of faith and tradition in the Spanish culture. I feel lucky to have witnessed it.
Speaking of tradition in the Spanish culture...
We also had the chance to attend a bullfight in Malaga. I was apprehensive at first, but upon some reflection decided it might be an important cultural experience. It was pretty jarring at first, to see the sort of things the bull goes through before it is put to death, but after a while, It became very interesting to me. First I focused on the bullfighters. There seemed to be a lot of respect for the power of the bull in the ring, and the matadors were cautious and graceful, dancing around the bull, so careful of where their bodies were placed in relation to that of the bull. Then I watched the audience. This was the best part. When watching the audience, its almost like being at a baseball game in the states. They were popping sunflower seeds, drinking beers, yelling. Contrary to popular belief, there is actually a specific time to yell "Ole!!" and when a torero (bull fighter) is really good, they wave white handkerchiefs in the air, and when he is not very good (aka..doesn't kill the bull on the first try) nobody claps, and the bullfighter takes the scorn with his back turned. It was pretty crazy. I don't plan on attending a bullfight again for a long, long time...but I'm glad I did.
This is getting very long...expect Part II: Andalucia in a few days!
love all,
Lindsay
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Visitors. Movies. Italian Food. Wine.
Hola a Todos!
Today ended Alex´s 5 day long visit to Salamanca. I feel very fortunate to have been able to see my family and my boyfriend all in the course of 3 weeks. Having visitors here in Salamanca has forced me to step outside my comfort zone a little, and to test out my speaking skills a bit more. All in all, I think I was a good host for everyone. (At least I hope!) This weekend was another free weekend in Salamanca, which we spent exploring and experiencing. Saturday during the day we visited some important monuments in Salamanca, including the Cathedral and ¨La Casa de Las Conchas" (Literally, the shell house) which is entirely covered with shell-shaped stones. It was once a home for a prominent Salamantino, but now houses a public library, among other things.
Saturday night (Upon Alex´s arrival) we went out to see the movie "En el Punto de Mira" (Vantage Point). This was particularly exciting for us, because the story is based in Salamanca (loosely) and the set was built in the image of our Plaza Mayor! A proud moment for all. We got to see the Plaza blow up at least 7 times within the movie (see it and you´ll understand). Needless to say, we were all relieved to find the beautiful Plaza in tact the next day when we walked through to eat gelado and socialize.
Sunday we went out for a group dinner at an Italian restaurant. Quite funny how all foods absorb a little bit of wherever they are made...this italian food had a distinctly Spanish flair to it...namely that it was very heavy and rich and mostly cream-based. We were served in a "tapas" style, so we got to taste a little bit of just about everything this restaurant had to offer..including at least 5 different kinds of desserts at the end! We practically had to roll eachother out of the place, but it was a lot of fun. While Alex was here we got a lot of oppurtunites to go out and explore dining in Salamanca. We drank lots of wine, ate delicious gelado, and experienced the beauty of "platos combinados" (combination platters) They have these at about every spanish restaurant you go to, and its just a giant plate piled high with about 5 different things, most of the time eggs in some style, french fries (spaniards do french fries better, I swear), and meat or veggies. The first night we went out, Alex ordered a chicken plato combinado, only to find that instead of a piece of chicken he recieved...almost the entire chicken itself! We got some funny glances and a few sympathetic chuckles from our fellow diners, but all was well. My favorite dish that I ordered this weekend was Artichokes in olive oil with Ham...absolutely delish. As you can probably tell, our visit was an epicurean one, pleasure seeking and just a litttttle bit gluttonous. No complaints here, though!
This weekend I´m off to Barcelona. Can´t wait to tell you all about it!
Hasta Luego, Guapos!
Lindsay
Today ended Alex´s 5 day long visit to Salamanca. I feel very fortunate to have been able to see my family and my boyfriend all in the course of 3 weeks. Having visitors here in Salamanca has forced me to step outside my comfort zone a little, and to test out my speaking skills a bit more. All in all, I think I was a good host for everyone. (At least I hope!) This weekend was another free weekend in Salamanca, which we spent exploring and experiencing. Saturday during the day we visited some important monuments in Salamanca, including the Cathedral and ¨La Casa de Las Conchas" (Literally, the shell house) which is entirely covered with shell-shaped stones. It was once a home for a prominent Salamantino, but now houses a public library, among other things.
Saturday night (Upon Alex´s arrival) we went out to see the movie "En el Punto de Mira" (Vantage Point). This was particularly exciting for us, because the story is based in Salamanca (loosely) and the set was built in the image of our Plaza Mayor! A proud moment for all. We got to see the Plaza blow up at least 7 times within the movie (see it and you´ll understand). Needless to say, we were all relieved to find the beautiful Plaza in tact the next day when we walked through to eat gelado and socialize.
Sunday we went out for a group dinner at an Italian restaurant. Quite funny how all foods absorb a little bit of wherever they are made...this italian food had a distinctly Spanish flair to it...namely that it was very heavy and rich and mostly cream-based. We were served in a "tapas" style, so we got to taste a little bit of just about everything this restaurant had to offer..including at least 5 different kinds of desserts at the end! We practically had to roll eachother out of the place, but it was a lot of fun. While Alex was here we got a lot of oppurtunites to go out and explore dining in Salamanca. We drank lots of wine, ate delicious gelado, and experienced the beauty of "platos combinados" (combination platters) They have these at about every spanish restaurant you go to, and its just a giant plate piled high with about 5 different things, most of the time eggs in some style, french fries (spaniards do french fries better, I swear), and meat or veggies. The first night we went out, Alex ordered a chicken plato combinado, only to find that instead of a piece of chicken he recieved...almost the entire chicken itself! We got some funny glances and a few sympathetic chuckles from our fellow diners, but all was well. My favorite dish that I ordered this weekend was Artichokes in olive oil with Ham...absolutely delish. As you can probably tell, our visit was an epicurean one, pleasure seeking and just a litttttle bit gluttonous. No complaints here, though!
This weekend I´m off to Barcelona. Can´t wait to tell you all about it!
Hasta Luego, Guapos!
Lindsay
Monday, February 25, 2008
Culture Overload: Madrid
Hello Hello Friends and Family!
I haven´t updated in a while, but I was mainly waiting until after this weekend, which was devoted to an excursion to Madrid, Spain´s capital. We didn´t have class on Friday, so we spent the entirety of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday traipsing around the lovely city.
Might as well do this in a day by day fashion, so here goes:
Friday
We started off the day by heading straight to El Prado museum, which is famous for its extensive collection of El Greco, Goya and Velazquez paintings. Namely, El Prado houses Las Meninas, indesputably Velazquez´s most important work, and arguably one of the most important paintings in the history of art! It was pretty fantastic seeing it in person, I was so excited to get a look at it and listen to our program director explain a little bit about the symbolism. Its hard not to be interested in the painting...its pretty bangarang. After a 2 hour romp in the museum, we settled in to yet another SWEET hotel to eat the lunches our madres packed for us. JMU has been putting us up in some awesome hotels lately, I can´t complain one bit about the accomidations, haha.
Next we headed to Museo Thyssen, which I was unfamiliar with. It is a private collection owned by the Thyssen familly, and contains paintings from early Italian all the way to the contemporary art of Lucian Freud. I really loved this museum. It had work from all of my favorites: Mondrian, Derain, Matisse, Degas, Pollock, and more. Lots of impressionism, lots of modern art..and free time to roam around the entire museum. It was relaxing and really a pleasant surprise. If you´re ever in Madrid, I suggest a visit!
To round out our day, we all went back to the hotel to get snazzed up for a group dinner. We were served tomatoes with mozzarella and basil, duck (my first experience with it! EEP), and a delish tiramisu. Again, I can´t complain one bit about the accomidations...we´re pretty darn lucky! After stuffing ourselves indecorously with these treats, we all went to see Bella y Bestia la musical (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST!!!!!). Seeing a musical in another language was sort of surreal...and on top of that it was Beauty and The Beast, a very familiar, well-loved Disney classic in my book. It was fun keeping up with the music, noticing the differences, and guffawing at a Spanish attempt at Gaston. All in all, a great time.
Saturday
We started our day at Palacio Real (royal palace) which no longer serves as a home for the royal family, but still holds banquets and political events. It was huge with over 3,000 rooms! Each room was as decadent as the last, marble floors, silk walls, a gigante table with at least 70 chairs in the dining hall. Yeah, it sort of reminds me of my appartment back in Harrisonburg...haha.
Next was el Museo Reina Sofia, which is a collection of Modern and Contemporary art. Most notably it houses Guernica by Picasso, a muy grande canvas painted in his cubist style that documents the bombing of the small Spanish town Guernica during WWII (i think..) The scale of the canvas was mind-blowing it took up an entire wall! and seeing the work in person made me appreciate all of the symbols and significance much more. We basically went through a warp-speed tour of everything Picasso did during his career, and although I really really enjoy art (esp. of the modern persuasion), I was too exhausted and full of culture to even look at another work by the time we were done with our tour.
Afterwards, A group of us headed to a famous shopping area, Puerto del Sol. Going there made me realize (and appreciate) how small and comfortable Salamanca is. Or perhaps how accustomed to it I have become. Madrid was a bit overwhelming for me, with all of the great aspects of a big city (tons of museums, lots of shopping, big buildings, public transportation), yet lacking the sense of home a smaller city like Salamanca seems to have. Regardless, we had fun shopping, and no surprise, ate Gelado..a new weekly requisite for myself, haha.
Me and a few of my friends got a chance to experience a bit of Madrid nightlife as well, which was fun and interesting. I swear the men in Madrid are more attractive than the ones we meet in Salamanca...but hey, I think the most guapo guy of all lives in Harrisonburg, VA.
Sunday
After very few hours of sleep, we all peeled ourselves out of bed for yet another cultural force-feed.. El Escorial. It is a giant palace built for Felipe Segundo (Phillip the Second) and served as a royal home, monastery, semenary, and burial ground for the royal family. There is also a church. This place was unbelievably big. Yet it was decorated in a very simple, humble manner unlike the Palacio Real. Our program director told us this was the case because Phillip the Second was a very devout, religious man. The most highly decorated area is the Church for this very same reason. It was a miserably cold and rainy day, so none of us were too keen on exploring the outdoors of the Escorial, but the gardens were extensive and beautiful. All in all, we were tired and ready to return to our Spanish home away from home.
As March rolls around I have tons of exciting things to look forward to that I can´t wait to tell you all about: This week Alex is visiting from Los Estados Unidos, the next weekend we spend in Barcelona and then Spring Break in Valencia and Málaga!
Cariño a todos,
Lindsay
I haven´t updated in a while, but I was mainly waiting until after this weekend, which was devoted to an excursion to Madrid, Spain´s capital. We didn´t have class on Friday, so we spent the entirety of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday traipsing around the lovely city.
Might as well do this in a day by day fashion, so here goes:
Friday
We started off the day by heading straight to El Prado museum, which is famous for its extensive collection of El Greco, Goya and Velazquez paintings. Namely, El Prado houses Las Meninas, indesputably Velazquez´s most important work, and arguably one of the most important paintings in the history of art! It was pretty fantastic seeing it in person, I was so excited to get a look at it and listen to our program director explain a little bit about the symbolism. Its hard not to be interested in the painting...its pretty bangarang. After a 2 hour romp in the museum, we settled in to yet another SWEET hotel to eat the lunches our madres packed for us. JMU has been putting us up in some awesome hotels lately, I can´t complain one bit about the accomidations, haha.
Next we headed to Museo Thyssen, which I was unfamiliar with. It is a private collection owned by the Thyssen familly, and contains paintings from early Italian all the way to the contemporary art of Lucian Freud. I really loved this museum. It had work from all of my favorites: Mondrian, Derain, Matisse, Degas, Pollock, and more. Lots of impressionism, lots of modern art..and free time to roam around the entire museum. It was relaxing and really a pleasant surprise. If you´re ever in Madrid, I suggest a visit!
To round out our day, we all went back to the hotel to get snazzed up for a group dinner. We were served tomatoes with mozzarella and basil, duck (my first experience with it! EEP), and a delish tiramisu. Again, I can´t complain one bit about the accomidations...we´re pretty darn lucky! After stuffing ourselves indecorously with these treats, we all went to see Bella y Bestia la musical (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST!!!!!). Seeing a musical in another language was sort of surreal...and on top of that it was Beauty and The Beast, a very familiar, well-loved Disney classic in my book. It was fun keeping up with the music, noticing the differences, and guffawing at a Spanish attempt at Gaston. All in all, a great time.
Saturday
We started our day at Palacio Real (royal palace) which no longer serves as a home for the royal family, but still holds banquets and political events. It was huge with over 3,000 rooms! Each room was as decadent as the last, marble floors, silk walls, a gigante table with at least 70 chairs in the dining hall. Yeah, it sort of reminds me of my appartment back in Harrisonburg...haha.
Next was el Museo Reina Sofia, which is a collection of Modern and Contemporary art. Most notably it houses Guernica by Picasso, a muy grande canvas painted in his cubist style that documents the bombing of the small Spanish town Guernica during WWII (i think..) The scale of the canvas was mind-blowing it took up an entire wall! and seeing the work in person made me appreciate all of the symbols and significance much more. We basically went through a warp-speed tour of everything Picasso did during his career, and although I really really enjoy art (esp. of the modern persuasion), I was too exhausted and full of culture to even look at another work by the time we were done with our tour.
Afterwards, A group of us headed to a famous shopping area, Puerto del Sol. Going there made me realize (and appreciate) how small and comfortable Salamanca is. Or perhaps how accustomed to it I have become. Madrid was a bit overwhelming for me, with all of the great aspects of a big city (tons of museums, lots of shopping, big buildings, public transportation), yet lacking the sense of home a smaller city like Salamanca seems to have. Regardless, we had fun shopping, and no surprise, ate Gelado..a new weekly requisite for myself, haha.
Me and a few of my friends got a chance to experience a bit of Madrid nightlife as well, which was fun and interesting. I swear the men in Madrid are more attractive than the ones we meet in Salamanca...but hey, I think the most guapo guy of all lives in Harrisonburg, VA.
Sunday
After very few hours of sleep, we all peeled ourselves out of bed for yet another cultural force-feed.. El Escorial. It is a giant palace built for Felipe Segundo (Phillip the Second) and served as a royal home, monastery, semenary, and burial ground for the royal family. There is also a church. This place was unbelievably big. Yet it was decorated in a very simple, humble manner unlike the Palacio Real. Our program director told us this was the case because Phillip the Second was a very devout, religious man. The most highly decorated area is the Church for this very same reason. It was a miserably cold and rainy day, so none of us were too keen on exploring the outdoors of the Escorial, but the gardens were extensive and beautiful. All in all, we were tired and ready to return to our Spanish home away from home.
As March rolls around I have tons of exciting things to look forward to that I can´t wait to tell you all about: This week Alex is visiting from Los Estados Unidos, the next weekend we spend in Barcelona and then Spring Break in Valencia and Málaga!
Cariño a todos,
Lindsay
Monday, February 11, 2008
Classes and Spanish Bowling
Buenas Dias!
I hope this post finds you all well. As a new week begins I feel its appropriate to recap the events of our first week in class and our first "free" weekend in Salamanca.
Our classes here are limited to JMU students only, which is both comforting and slightly disappointing. It is nice to see friendly, familiar faces each day, but I would love to have the social, cultural experience of getting to know some more college-age Spaniards. I am taking 5 classes here: phonetics, introduction to spanish literature, the latin american short story, latin american civilization, and Spanish Art. So far our professors are friendly and helpful, using simple vocabulary and speaking relatively slowly. My phonetics and literature professors are total babes, I have girl crushes on both of them! haha. All in all, I am glad to have a schedule that gives me things to do during the day, and I think that all of these classes will be very interesting and hopefully help me improve my comprehension of the Spanish language!
Our first free weekend here was a new experience, and a chance to get to know Salamanca a little better. The last two weekends we have been out sight-seeing other places, so this was our first chance to sleep in and relax.
The Plaza Mayor is really a sight to see on a weekend afternoon. Every cafe surrounding the area puts out tables and chairs, and people flock to whatever cafe is getting the most sun. Everyone else sprawls out on the ground in the middle of the plaza, in big and small groups. Most people grab a gelato from a nearby stand (my newest indulgence) and sit and chat until the sun moves, at which point they get up, move locations, and start all over again.
Although Salamanca has given us mostly cold weather, I realized that when sitting in the plaza on a sunny afternoon, its practically too hot for a sweater and jeans.
Saturday night, about 6 friends and I decided to head over to a mall close to my appartment, where there is a giant bowling alley/pool hall/bar. After slightly struggling through instructions, we all grabbed bowling shoes in our tw0-digit European sizes to knock down some pins. It was a lot of fun! We were probably a sight to see, clapping and cheering eachother on in Spanglish, but we had a great time- especially seeing that an activity which seems so American can cross cultures so fluidly.
I was surprised by the fact that at midnight we were joined by a gaggle of small children, plus an infant in a stroller who seemed amped and ready to go despite the late hour. I am continually impressed by this nocturnal culture...we were all asleep by 2AM...but thats really when things get started around here! Now I think I understand what these siestas in the middle of the day are for....
Well, its time to start another round of classes.
Adios!
Besos y Abrazos,
Lindsay
I hope this post finds you all well. As a new week begins I feel its appropriate to recap the events of our first week in class and our first "free" weekend in Salamanca.
Our classes here are limited to JMU students only, which is both comforting and slightly disappointing. It is nice to see friendly, familiar faces each day, but I would love to have the social, cultural experience of getting to know some more college-age Spaniards. I am taking 5 classes here: phonetics, introduction to spanish literature, the latin american short story, latin american civilization, and Spanish Art. So far our professors are friendly and helpful, using simple vocabulary and speaking relatively slowly. My phonetics and literature professors are total babes, I have girl crushes on both of them! haha. All in all, I am glad to have a schedule that gives me things to do during the day, and I think that all of these classes will be very interesting and hopefully help me improve my comprehension of the Spanish language!
Our first free weekend here was a new experience, and a chance to get to know Salamanca a little better. The last two weekends we have been out sight-seeing other places, so this was our first chance to sleep in and relax.
The Plaza Mayor is really a sight to see on a weekend afternoon. Every cafe surrounding the area puts out tables and chairs, and people flock to whatever cafe is getting the most sun. Everyone else sprawls out on the ground in the middle of the plaza, in big and small groups. Most people grab a gelato from a nearby stand (my newest indulgence) and sit and chat until the sun moves, at which point they get up, move locations, and start all over again.
Although Salamanca has given us mostly cold weather, I realized that when sitting in the plaza on a sunny afternoon, its practically too hot for a sweater and jeans.
Saturday night, about 6 friends and I decided to head over to a mall close to my appartment, where there is a giant bowling alley/pool hall/bar. After slightly struggling through instructions, we all grabbed bowling shoes in our tw0-digit European sizes to knock down some pins. It was a lot of fun! We were probably a sight to see, clapping and cheering eachother on in Spanglish, but we had a great time- especially seeing that an activity which seems so American can cross cultures so fluidly.
I was surprised by the fact that at midnight we were joined by a gaggle of small children, plus an infant in a stroller who seemed amped and ready to go despite the late hour. I am continually impressed by this nocturnal culture...we were all asleep by 2AM...but thats really when things get started around here! Now I think I understand what these siestas in the middle of the day are for....
Well, its time to start another round of classes.
Adios!
Besos y Abrazos,
Lindsay
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Toledo Y Segovia
Sadly, I have lost internet at my house, after stealing it for about 2 weeks. Its amazing how much we rely on such luxuries as instant communication! Regardless, I feel that it is time to post about what has been going on these last few days, even if it is from the computer lab at the university.
Last weekend our group took a trip to Toledo and Segovia...two very historic, beautiful places in Spain. Toledo was El Greco´s stomping ground, so naturally I was quite excited to see what was in store.
The trip was a whirlwind, a veritable exhaustive tour in two short days! After arriving in Toledo on Saturday after a 7am beginning on the bus, we promptly began our tour with a stop at The Cathedral in Toledo. Jesus, our program director and fearless leader, had much to tell us about this extremely old, sacred place. Toledo used to be the capital of Spain, so the Cathedral holds much importance and esteem in Spain. It was very large and extremely cold, and smelled like incense throughout. The Cathedral exhibits a few different architectural styles, mostly gothic, but some islamic persuasion, noticeable in the "arcos herraduras" throughout the cathedral.
My favorite part of the cathedral was an entire room dedicated to art. Jesus told us that many cathedrals had/have such rooms..put there in order to demonstrate the financial status of the cathedral. Some of the art didn´t even have a religious theme..such as two Titian still-lifes. We saw "El Expolio" by El Greco, and a Caravaggio portrait, which I was verrrryy excited about.
After the Cathedral, we went to another church which housed El Greco´s most significant work, "El entierro de Señor de Orgaz" it is HUGE...and very beautiful. There is a lot of interesting history to the work...but this post is already too long so i won´t bore you.
After some more sight-seeing, we headed to our GORGEOUS hotel with hot hot showers and comfy pillows. We all got dressed up for a dinner that was served to us buffet style...an unfortunate mass of pseudo-american food. The hamburgers and fried chicken were just...weird.
Early the next morning we filled our bellies with delicious pastries and fruit and then jumped on the bus to Segovia. We stopped off at a Summer house called La Granja..built in the style of Versailles. We romped around the gardens, and even though it was quite blustery and a bit barren, it was beautiful.
We then took in the sight of the Roman Aqueducts..the only standing aqueducts in Europe. The utility and size of it were really incredible. Those Romans were way smart. We also got to see a "mezquita" or mosque...a symbol of the many many different persuasions that have touched Spain throughout the years.
Last on the list was the Palacio of Ferdinand and Isabel..The Disney castle was modeled after it! It was beautiful and very interesting..though not as heavily ornamented as I expected it to be. The inside of the palace was large but mostly modest..except for the gorgeous guilded ceilings. Again, the arquitectural persuasion of many cultures was apparent.
Alas..it is time for fonetica española. More on classes later.
Hasta Luego!
Besos y Abrazos,
Lindsay
Last weekend our group took a trip to Toledo and Segovia...two very historic, beautiful places in Spain. Toledo was El Greco´s stomping ground, so naturally I was quite excited to see what was in store.
The trip was a whirlwind, a veritable exhaustive tour in two short days! After arriving in Toledo on Saturday after a 7am beginning on the bus, we promptly began our tour with a stop at The Cathedral in Toledo. Jesus, our program director and fearless leader, had much to tell us about this extremely old, sacred place. Toledo used to be the capital of Spain, so the Cathedral holds much importance and esteem in Spain. It was very large and extremely cold, and smelled like incense throughout. The Cathedral exhibits a few different architectural styles, mostly gothic, but some islamic persuasion, noticeable in the "arcos herraduras" throughout the cathedral.
My favorite part of the cathedral was an entire room dedicated to art. Jesus told us that many cathedrals had/have such rooms..put there in order to demonstrate the financial status of the cathedral. Some of the art didn´t even have a religious theme..such as two Titian still-lifes. We saw "El Expolio" by El Greco, and a Caravaggio portrait, which I was verrrryy excited about.
After the Cathedral, we went to another church which housed El Greco´s most significant work, "El entierro de Señor de Orgaz" it is HUGE...and very beautiful. There is a lot of interesting history to the work...but this post is already too long so i won´t bore you.
After some more sight-seeing, we headed to our GORGEOUS hotel with hot hot showers and comfy pillows. We all got dressed up for a dinner that was served to us buffet style...an unfortunate mass of pseudo-american food. The hamburgers and fried chicken were just...weird.
Early the next morning we filled our bellies with delicious pastries and fruit and then jumped on the bus to Segovia. We stopped off at a Summer house called La Granja..built in the style of Versailles. We romped around the gardens, and even though it was quite blustery and a bit barren, it was beautiful.
We then took in the sight of the Roman Aqueducts..the only standing aqueducts in Europe. The utility and size of it were really incredible. Those Romans were way smart. We also got to see a "mezquita" or mosque...a symbol of the many many different persuasions that have touched Spain throughout the years.
Last on the list was the Palacio of Ferdinand and Isabel..The Disney castle was modeled after it! It was beautiful and very interesting..though not as heavily ornamented as I expected it to be. The inside of the palace was large but mostly modest..except for the gorgeous guilded ceilings. Again, the arquitectural persuasion of many cultures was apparent.
Alas..it is time for fonetica española. More on classes later.
Hasta Luego!
Besos y Abrazos,
Lindsay
Thursday, January 31, 2008
y tal...
"y tal" is a new favorite Spanish expression of mine, which means "etc." it is very useful, just like all of the other great expressions and words I have been learning in my intensivo. As of tomorrow, our intensivo is over. Monday starts a fresh batch of classes, the classes we will be taking for the rest of the semester. I suppose in a way its the "real" beginning of this semester. I have to say that 2 weeks of intensive went by much quicker than I imagined it would.
This weekend we are headed to Toledo y Segovia, the home of El Greco and many beautiful mosques and cathedrals. I am excited to explore and tell you all everything I discover!
I still find the culture of food and eating to be the most interesting part of living in Spain. Every meal is like a surprise! Even if the food we eat is familiar, there is always something slightly different, like french fries cooked in olive oil or shepherd's pie with green and red peppers...all fantastic, I think. The only food I haven't quite liked was rice with tomato sauce topped with an over-easy egg. Yet I tried it, and ate most of it...so there you go.
I find myself adjusting to siesta schedule fairly well, although I rarely sleep during siesta time. I am even getting over the fact that I don't eat my beloved Oh's or Cracklin' Oat Bran every morning...and am becoming quite enamored of galletas con marmalade de fresas y cafe con leche. Caroline and I absolutely love the galletas (small, flat cookies) our madre puts out for us, and we each usually smuggle about two each afternoon for a quick snack before "comida" (lunch)
The language barrier still exists, but I find myself able to convey what it is that I want to say...and I am quite anxious to work on my accent and pronunciation.
I also look forward to having visitors in the coming months! Mom, Dad, and Marc in February and Alex in March before Spring break. This semester is sure to fly by too quickly.
This weekend we are headed to Toledo y Segovia, the home of El Greco and many beautiful mosques and cathedrals. I am excited to explore and tell you all everything I discover!
I still find the culture of food and eating to be the most interesting part of living in Spain. Every meal is like a surprise! Even if the food we eat is familiar, there is always something slightly different, like french fries cooked in olive oil or shepherd's pie with green and red peppers...all fantastic, I think. The only food I haven't quite liked was rice with tomato sauce topped with an over-easy egg. Yet I tried it, and ate most of it...so there you go.
I find myself adjusting to siesta schedule fairly well, although I rarely sleep during siesta time. I am even getting over the fact that I don't eat my beloved Oh's or Cracklin' Oat Bran every morning...and am becoming quite enamored of galletas con marmalade de fresas y cafe con leche. Caroline and I absolutely love the galletas (small, flat cookies) our madre puts out for us, and we each usually smuggle about two each afternoon for a quick snack before "comida" (lunch)
The language barrier still exists, but I find myself able to convey what it is that I want to say...and I am quite anxious to work on my accent and pronunciation.
I also look forward to having visitors in the coming months! Mom, Dad, and Marc in February and Alex in March before Spring break. This semester is sure to fly by too quickly.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Portugal
I have literally just arrived home from Portugal, but for fear of forgetting anything, or worse, losing my internet connection ( a new development) I think I'll go ahead and recount this amazing weekend right now:
We stayed in the capital, Lisboa, for our first two days. At first glimpse, Lisboa seemed slightly unfriendly and daunting, but a few amigas and I decided to counter the general unfriendliness of the city by being extremely touristy: and heading to McDonald's for a quick snack. It actually proved to be quite funny and an interesting albeit small-minded cultural experience.
On Saturday most of the group who went to Lisboa (about 25 of us) decided to yet again be unabashed tourists and take a open-top tour bus around the city. I don't think we could have made a better choice. The bus went to all the important and beautiful areas of Lisboa, and gave you the opportunity to stop at a site you were interested in, and then pick the bus up later. Some chicas and I decided to stop on the shore, where we walked, took pictures, and grabbed a lunch of bocadillos con jamon y queso. It was brilliant.
The amount of beautiful, old buildings in Portugal is staggering. Decorative tiles are very popular in all of Portugal, so many of the facades of old buildings were adorned with intricate tiles, sometimes in a repeating pattern, other times in a picture. (Once I figure out how to put pictures on here, I can show examples). Even some buildings in total disrepair were more beautiful than anything i've seen in America!
Although Saturday was so fantastic, Sunday was by far my favorite part of the trip. We took an excursion to two areas, Estoril and Sintra. Estoril is on the coast, and we stopped at a gorgeous beach on an even more gorgeous day. It was warm enough for us to take our shoes off, and we galavanted and relaxed in the sand for about an hour. Apparently kite-flying is popular in Porugal, as one man proved by literally chasing us with his.
Sintra was ineffably fantastic. I'm running out of adjective and adverbs here, but It deserves a more eloquent description than I can give. Its a small, tourist town that seems rich with history and very tranquil. The buildings are incredible there. All slightly worn, crowded along hand laid cobblestone streets. It must be built into a mountain, because almost every road we turned on was an extremely steep hill. Just getting around the small town was quite a workout. Just walking around was enough for me, We even got to see two old women chatting, one from a second story window and one from the street, which seemed like the perfect thing to do in a quaint town like this. I can't wait to put up pictures of Sintra, it was magical. I can see this being the type of place you'd sell all of your posessions to live in. A simple, decadent, relaxed lifestyle.
Regardless of the amazing time we had in Porugal, it is nice to be back in Salamanca, Caroline and I missed Capilla and her ninja like speed when she cooks up delicious meals (We swear she's magic...we can never find any remnants of cooking, and yet she always has something fresh on the table), and I have to say, it is nice to hear people speak spanish again. (maybe i'm finally getting better...!)
besos, besos, besos, and mucho amor!
Lindsay
We stayed in the capital, Lisboa, for our first two days. At first glimpse, Lisboa seemed slightly unfriendly and daunting, but a few amigas and I decided to counter the general unfriendliness of the city by being extremely touristy: and heading to McDonald's for a quick snack. It actually proved to be quite funny and an interesting albeit small-minded cultural experience.
On Saturday most of the group who went to Lisboa (about 25 of us) decided to yet again be unabashed tourists and take a open-top tour bus around the city. I don't think we could have made a better choice. The bus went to all the important and beautiful areas of Lisboa, and gave you the opportunity to stop at a site you were interested in, and then pick the bus up later. Some chicas and I decided to stop on the shore, where we walked, took pictures, and grabbed a lunch of bocadillos con jamon y queso. It was brilliant.
The amount of beautiful, old buildings in Portugal is staggering. Decorative tiles are very popular in all of Portugal, so many of the facades of old buildings were adorned with intricate tiles, sometimes in a repeating pattern, other times in a picture. (Once I figure out how to put pictures on here, I can show examples). Even some buildings in total disrepair were more beautiful than anything i've seen in America!
Although Saturday was so fantastic, Sunday was by far my favorite part of the trip. We took an excursion to two areas, Estoril and Sintra. Estoril is on the coast, and we stopped at a gorgeous beach on an even more gorgeous day. It was warm enough for us to take our shoes off, and we galavanted and relaxed in the sand for about an hour. Apparently kite-flying is popular in Porugal, as one man proved by literally chasing us with his.
Sintra was ineffably fantastic. I'm running out of adjective and adverbs here, but It deserves a more eloquent description than I can give. Its a small, tourist town that seems rich with history and very tranquil. The buildings are incredible there. All slightly worn, crowded along hand laid cobblestone streets. It must be built into a mountain, because almost every road we turned on was an extremely steep hill. Just getting around the small town was quite a workout. Just walking around was enough for me, We even got to see two old women chatting, one from a second story window and one from the street, which seemed like the perfect thing to do in a quaint town like this. I can't wait to put up pictures of Sintra, it was magical. I can see this being the type of place you'd sell all of your posessions to live in. A simple, decadent, relaxed lifestyle.
Regardless of the amazing time we had in Porugal, it is nice to be back in Salamanca, Caroline and I missed Capilla and her ninja like speed when she cooks up delicious meals (We swear she's magic...we can never find any remnants of cooking, and yet she always has something fresh on the table), and I have to say, it is nice to hear people speak spanish again. (maybe i'm finally getting better...!)
besos, besos, besos, and mucho amor!
Lindsay
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Intensivo, Intensivo
Buenos Tardes from Salamanca!
As the week begins here, I feel like I am starting to adapt to the interesting Spanish schedule, and am in the process of creating a schedule of my own. On Monday the JMU group went to La Universidad de Salamanca to take placement tests for our 2 week "intensivo". For the next two weeks, we will only have one class, four hours a day (with a small break in the middle), in order to heighten our conversation skills. After we took the test we were seperated into two groups of equal size, and began class immediately! I already feel a bit more confident about speaking, and really enjoy my classmates and my ruggedly dashing professor, Javier. Our class focuses on understanding cultural and colloquial terms for the most part, so we spent the entire day today comparing insults and curse words...as well as some rather useful conversation fillers. We had a fun class full of laughter and not a little immaturity.
Yesterday, 3 girls from my group and I attempted taking a jog around Salamanca. It was an extremely interesting experience. Running through a crowded street in the middle of "tapas" hours is the perfect way to proclaim that you are American...no one runs for exercise here. I had to run by myself for a few blocks to meet up with the other chicas, and I think I was probably quite a sight to see... Una alta rubia (tall blonde) darting through old men with canes and fast-paced madres with strollers. We had a good time and got a chance to discover a park that is really quite beautiful, so even though it was a little bit embarassing, I think we are planning on making a routine of it. I am excited to have some regularity and familiarity in my schedule.
Things are very different here and it is still a little bit hard to adjust. The eating schedule is what is most strikingly different, and it is extremely pervasive, as most activities during the day depend upon when you eat and when you will next eat..etc. Our madre, Capilla, proves to be a pretty good cook and we've had a pleasant amount of variety. We have fruit at lunch and dinner, which is lucky for us because we have heard that not everyone here has been able to get fresh fruits and vegetables.
This weekend we have Monday off, so about 20 of us have decided to go to Lisboa, Portugal. I am very excited because this will be an entirely new experience for me (as if living in Spain isn't new enough!) We will have a relaxing time and hopefully get to know each other better. Maybe pictures soon!
I miss you all very much!
Besos,
Lindsay
As the week begins here, I feel like I am starting to adapt to the interesting Spanish schedule, and am in the process of creating a schedule of my own. On Monday the JMU group went to La Universidad de Salamanca to take placement tests for our 2 week "intensivo". For the next two weeks, we will only have one class, four hours a day (with a small break in the middle), in order to heighten our conversation skills. After we took the test we were seperated into two groups of equal size, and began class immediately! I already feel a bit more confident about speaking, and really enjoy my classmates and my ruggedly dashing professor, Javier. Our class focuses on understanding cultural and colloquial terms for the most part, so we spent the entire day today comparing insults and curse words...as well as some rather useful conversation fillers. We had a fun class full of laughter and not a little immaturity.
Yesterday, 3 girls from my group and I attempted taking a jog around Salamanca. It was an extremely interesting experience. Running through a crowded street in the middle of "tapas" hours is the perfect way to proclaim that you are American...no one runs for exercise here. I had to run by myself for a few blocks to meet up with the other chicas, and I think I was probably quite a sight to see... Una alta rubia (tall blonde) darting through old men with canes and fast-paced madres with strollers. We had a good time and got a chance to discover a park that is really quite beautiful, so even though it was a little bit embarassing, I think we are planning on making a routine of it. I am excited to have some regularity and familiarity in my schedule.
Things are very different here and it is still a little bit hard to adjust. The eating schedule is what is most strikingly different, and it is extremely pervasive, as most activities during the day depend upon when you eat and when you will next eat..etc. Our madre, Capilla, proves to be a pretty good cook and we've had a pleasant amount of variety. We have fruit at lunch and dinner, which is lucky for us because we have heard that not everyone here has been able to get fresh fruits and vegetables.
This weekend we have Monday off, so about 20 of us have decided to go to Lisboa, Portugal. I am very excited because this will be an entirely new experience for me (as if living in Spain isn't new enough!) We will have a relaxing time and hopefully get to know each other better. Maybe pictures soon!
I miss you all very much!
Besos,
Lindsay
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Estoy aqui!
Buenos Tardes!
its about 4:30 here in Salamanca, and my roommate Caroline and I have just finished eating Almuerzo (lunch) with members of our host family. The eating schedule is a bit different in Spain, but so far I feel no major inconveniences. Lunch is a bit larger, breakfast is quite small, and dinner is pretty late in the evening (anywhere from 9:30 to 11ish.) The appartment I am living in is tiny, but very fashionable and clean. There are 3 bedrooms, a bathroom, a small kitchen and a quaint living area. All of the bedrooms are off of the main hallway, so basically immediately inside the front door, you encounter my madre Capilla's room. My roommate and I have had sort of an interesting experience so far with our host family. We were picked up in Salamanca by a youngish woman who we assumed was our "madre". She told us on the walk to the appartment that she in fact was not, but was her sister. She offered no explanation for this. When we came home we assumed we'd meet our madre there, but she was nowhere to be found. Her sister proved accomidating and quite nice. Later in the day we met yet ANOTHER member of our Madre's family...her rather old but very sweet mother, Manuela. We ate dinner without having met Capilla once, and both being quite exhausted, went to bed.
It was only this morning (Saturday) that we finally met our elusive hostess. Bearing a striking resemblance to her sister (at least initially), I didn't question her presence and she offered no introduction until a bit later. She is in her forties or fifties, pleasant but not necessarily nice, and very active. As she was not there for our arrival, she was not given maps to give us (although every other host family seemed to have them) and she offered to walk with us to the plaza this morning, but only if we hurried. For the entirety of breakfast she paced up and down the small living room, claiming "estoy nervioso" After a brisk walk to the Plaza, and a hurried goodbye, Caroline and I were still a little perplexed. We have not seen our hostess since, and are assured that she will be back in the evening, though she is supposed to be in the house today to meet our program director, but we were told that she is in class today. I feel very out of the loop in a time when I was hoping to feel slightly more encouraged. This is all very confusing, and would be much clearer if we could speak just a littttle ingles!
Regardless of this strange turn of events, I've had a really lovely time thus far (2 days!) Today we all met at the Plaza Mayor, which is beautiful and quite old. There is a street called La Calle Toro that is strictly for pedestrians, and its littered with great stores. Some I've never seen before and am excited to poke around in, but there are also familiar names such as Sephora, The Body Shop, H&M, and of course, Mcdonald's. I'll have to post pictures of the Plaza, it truly is beautiful. It is a giant square surrounded by large buildings with the busts of famous Spaniards on the walls. There is a giant reloj (clock) with a big bell that rings every 15 minutes and on the hour, of course. The entire group walked over to the Universidad de Salamanca (10 minutes or less from La Plaza) and although I didn't get to see the Universidad in its full, it seems quite beautiful. The buildings are very old, and there is very intricate, almost caligraphic writing on most of the buildings that lets you know what they are. We met with our program director (Jesus) who explained to us how classes will be held during the semester. Tomorrow is our tour of the edificios importantes de la Ciudad (the important buildings in the city!!!) I'm very excited for that.
So far, I am pleased to say my group members seem really friendly and I really like our program director. I was also very excited to discover that we can connect to free wireless internet from our house, which is QUITE a hot commodity among our peers. Caroline and I are trying not to gloat, but it makes things much more convenient. We start our intensive spanish communication class on Monday, and it goes for two weeks. After that I hope to be speaking spanish much more coherently (though I'm doing ok so far) Sometimes I have trouble understanding my madre's sister and her mother...but they have been extremely patient with me.
There are more anecdotes and I'm sure there will be even more soon, but I think I'll save them for next post.
Besos!
Lindsay
its about 4:30 here in Salamanca, and my roommate Caroline and I have just finished eating Almuerzo (lunch) with members of our host family. The eating schedule is a bit different in Spain, but so far I feel no major inconveniences. Lunch is a bit larger, breakfast is quite small, and dinner is pretty late in the evening (anywhere from 9:30 to 11ish.) The appartment I am living in is tiny, but very fashionable and clean. There are 3 bedrooms, a bathroom, a small kitchen and a quaint living area. All of the bedrooms are off of the main hallway, so basically immediately inside the front door, you encounter my madre Capilla's room. My roommate and I have had sort of an interesting experience so far with our host family. We were picked up in Salamanca by a youngish woman who we assumed was our "madre". She told us on the walk to the appartment that she in fact was not, but was her sister. She offered no explanation for this. When we came home we assumed we'd meet our madre there, but she was nowhere to be found. Her sister proved accomidating and quite nice. Later in the day we met yet ANOTHER member of our Madre's family...her rather old but very sweet mother, Manuela. We ate dinner without having met Capilla once, and both being quite exhausted, went to bed.
It was only this morning (Saturday) that we finally met our elusive hostess. Bearing a striking resemblance to her sister (at least initially), I didn't question her presence and she offered no introduction until a bit later. She is in her forties or fifties, pleasant but not necessarily nice, and very active. As she was not there for our arrival, she was not given maps to give us (although every other host family seemed to have them) and she offered to walk with us to the plaza this morning, but only if we hurried. For the entirety of breakfast she paced up and down the small living room, claiming "estoy nervioso" After a brisk walk to the Plaza, and a hurried goodbye, Caroline and I were still a little perplexed. We have not seen our hostess since, and are assured that she will be back in the evening, though she is supposed to be in the house today to meet our program director, but we were told that she is in class today. I feel very out of the loop in a time when I was hoping to feel slightly more encouraged. This is all very confusing, and would be much clearer if we could speak just a littttle ingles!
Regardless of this strange turn of events, I've had a really lovely time thus far (2 days!) Today we all met at the Plaza Mayor, which is beautiful and quite old. There is a street called La Calle Toro that is strictly for pedestrians, and its littered with great stores. Some I've never seen before and am excited to poke around in, but there are also familiar names such as Sephora, The Body Shop, H&M, and of course, Mcdonald's. I'll have to post pictures of the Plaza, it truly is beautiful. It is a giant square surrounded by large buildings with the busts of famous Spaniards on the walls. There is a giant reloj (clock) with a big bell that rings every 15 minutes and on the hour, of course. The entire group walked over to the Universidad de Salamanca (10 minutes or less from La Plaza) and although I didn't get to see the Universidad in its full, it seems quite beautiful. The buildings are very old, and there is very intricate, almost caligraphic writing on most of the buildings that lets you know what they are. We met with our program director (Jesus) who explained to us how classes will be held during the semester. Tomorrow is our tour of the edificios importantes de la Ciudad (the important buildings in the city!!!) I'm very excited for that.
So far, I am pleased to say my group members seem really friendly and I really like our program director. I was also very excited to discover that we can connect to free wireless internet from our house, which is QUITE a hot commodity among our peers. Caroline and I are trying not to gloat, but it makes things much more convenient. We start our intensive spanish communication class on Monday, and it goes for two weeks. After that I hope to be speaking spanish much more coherently (though I'm doing ok so far) Sometimes I have trouble understanding my madre's sister and her mother...but they have been extremely patient with me.
There are more anecdotes and I'm sure there will be even more soon, but I think I'll save them for next post.
Besos!
Lindsay
Monday, January 14, 2008
Packing Therapy
Well, I'm officially off on Wednesday! Flying out of Dulles on Thursday in the evening and then arriving at The Madrid Aeropuerto at 7:20 AM...leaving me 7 hours to spare before my meeting time with the other JMU students in my program. I am slightly unsettled by this delay, and am not sure exactly what I will do to make the time fly. My one hope is that there is a sweet Spanish version of People or some other trashy magazine...so that I can update myself on the Spanish celebrities I should know all about in order to make conversation with my madre.
My madre appears to be fairly normal from the description provided.. she is a woman who lives alone and has two older kids who "viven independientes" in the city. I am excited to learn more about her and her family.
I think this will be my last post before I am actually in another country! After many days of preparation, I am down to my last day in Chapel Hill...one last day to make sure everything is packed and accounted for. I strangely find packing very therapeutic and have oddly been enjoying packing and making packing lists. At least I can relish in simple pleasures in the face of being uprooted and plopped in a foreign land, yes? I have also been feverishly applying for summer internships, whihc has been another layer of stress...I can only hope that my hard work pays off and that I will be getting art merch at a discount from the MoMA design store this summer!
adios, mis amigos, mi familia.
hasta pronto!
linds
My madre appears to be fairly normal from the description provided.. she is a woman who lives alone and has two older kids who "viven independientes" in the city. I am excited to learn more about her and her family.
I think this will be my last post before I am actually in another country! After many days of preparation, I am down to my last day in Chapel Hill...one last day to make sure everything is packed and accounted for. I strangely find packing very therapeutic and have oddly been enjoying packing and making packing lists. At least I can relish in simple pleasures in the face of being uprooted and plopped in a foreign land, yes? I have also been feverishly applying for summer internships, whihc has been another layer of stress...I can only hope that my hard work pays off and that I will be getting art merch at a discount from the MoMA design store this summer!
adios, mis amigos, mi familia.
hasta pronto!
linds
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
This is my blog
I am taking a page out of many travelers' books and trying this blog thing out. Clearly I am not out of the country yet, but I'm hoping to post regularly so that anyone who wants to can keep updated about the aventuras I'll (hopefully) be having in beautiful Spain!
Adios!
Lindsay
Adios!
Lindsay
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