Bilingual Love

Marcha, Marcha Queremos!

2009-07-28T18:57:00.011+02:00

Last week, my Spanish dance class sadly came to end. I loved taking dance again (for the first time in twelve years) and found it to be a great workout. If anyone is up for taking a dance class with me when we return to the U.S., let me know!

My teacher was really amazing--as a teacher and as a performer. We had the pleasure of seeing her dance the Sevillana and Flamenco at a show on the eve of our last class. She was really impressive. If you watch So You Think You Can Dance or Dancing with the Stars, you have probably heard the judges (or "jidges," if Cat Deely is speaking!) talk about two things constantly: body extension and feeling the music. My teacher, Montse, is the embodiment of these two talents. I have never seen someone dance with every inch of her body, down to her fingertips like she does, and the joy that she has for dance is delightful to watch. The cantador and tocaor were also wonderful. I sat beside some of the ladies from my class, and we really enjoyed seeing the dancers do many of the moves that we learned in class.

My fellow classmates were all a lot of fun. One of them even took a video of us dancing the Sevillana and is supposed to e-mail it to me. If she follows through, I will post it, although you must be warned that it contains some embarassing footage of gringas dancing! One of my favorite classmates was a 75+ year-old Swiss woman who has such a zest for life that I can only hope to have an eighth of her happiness when I reach her age. If I can love life that much, then I will have truly lived a full life.

My teacher, Montse:

My class dancing (notice the Swiss lady in the aqua dress!):

As for the title of this post, it comes from the song that we always danced to at the end of class in a rumba circle. At the end of the last class, we all had to go to the middle of the circle and improvise while the class followed along; however, those pictures will never be seen...

La Mariseca

2009-07-26T22:40:00.011+02:00

A pleasant surprise in the Plaza Mayor:

J. Santiago and I had a pleasant surprise this weekend. As we were sitting in the Plaza Mayor, we noticed more people than usual gathering and a hugh crane with firemen in the middle of the square. When a band started playing, J. Santiago stated, "Maybe they are changing the flag?" To our delight, we just happend to catch one of the festivals in Salamanca known as La Mariseca--the announcement of the bullfights for the upcoming year. The festival normally takes place in the middle of August (I'm not really sure why it was early this year). Traditionally, members of the bullfighting community would scale the Plaza Mayor and place a small Spanish flag with the black silhouette of a bull above it at the highest point of the Plaza. On the back of the bull, all the dates of the upcoming major bull fights were posted. They played music, and they released fireworks in celebration. Today, much of the ceremony is the exact same except that local firemen use modern technology to help them reach the top of the Plaza.

NOW, for your viewing pleasure, I am attempting my first video posts! The first one shows the man lighting the fireworks (with his cigarette!). The second video shows the fireworks a little better. Enjoy a few seconds in the Plaza Mayor!

Victor's Visit and Scary Sardines!

2009-07-26T20:48:00.007+02:00

On Saturday, Victor came to visit us in Salamanca. We had a great time walking around with him, visiting our favorite park, and tasting the famous local cuisine on Calle Van Dyck. This post will go in reverse order from our adventures in order to let you savor the more palatable part of our day. So, for your very eyes, I present the story of "The Scary Sardines!"

During our visit to Calle Van Dyck, a street known for its excellent and cheap food that the locals eat and the tourists know little about, Victor asked if I liked sardines. Now, I had tasted some tiny fish earlier during my visit and thought that was what I would be sampling. Then Victor delivered this to our table (cue Jaws theme song):

I was a little freaked out at first by their full appearance (I'm not a big fan of eyes looking at me while I eat...), but Victor seemed to be enjoying them:

So, envisioning Jeff Probst saying, "Survivors, ready?!" I started out optimistically:

However, I struggled a little with tearing off the head (all the guts, etc. kept dripping down my hand):

Once the head was finally off, I decided to dig in:

Yet, this was all I could think about (cue Jaws theme song):

With a mouth full of bones and gut-covered hands, I decided that sardines were not for me:

Thankfully, Victor helped finish most of the meal:

Scary sardines aside, we had a great walk through Salamanca. Even though I've stated how much I hate grafitti, I was a fan of this work of art that reminded me of the excellent Mucha exhibit that we saw at Casa Lis.

J. Santiago loved this gas station in the middle of the city (a sight that you very rarely see):

I never get tired of laughing at the ridiculous way that people dress up for bachelor and bachelorette parties (the frog was perfect since it is the mascot of Salamanca!):

Well before the sardine incident, we took Victor to our favorite park in Salamanca. This park is adjacent to the hostel that houses pilgrims on the Santiago del Compostela pilgrimage. The park reminds me of the garden from The Secret Garden. It is full of little treats—blackberries, raspberries, grapes, tropical plants, fountains, an old well, and an excellent view of the city (it is flush with the old city wall). We saw some of the pilgrims while we were there, which was especially appropriate since Saturday was the Festival of Santiago. Some of the pilgrims were even traditionally adorned with the famous shell necklaces that indicate that they are pilgrims going to Santiago. Here are some wonderful views of the garden:

The statue at the entrance (translation: I am an old woman, which God made me no worse than all the others. If I live well or if I live poorly, God is the witness of my heart.):

Grape vines:

The old well:

The old city walls:

J. Santiago and Victor:

The view of the cathedral from the garden:

Enjoying the greenery and the fountain behind us:

It was nice to see Victor again, and we are looking forward to spending some more time with him in Toledo after our exams this week!

A Day in the Life...Spanish Edition

2009-07-23T21:57:00.015+02:00

SIEMPRE:

There are some things in life that are definite—they are always the same and will always be the same. Life in Spain is very much one of routine, for current Spaniards and now for both of us. As the dust settled on our first few weeks in Espana, we began a new life based on Spanish tiempo: time for meals, time for naps, time for class, time for socializing, time for bed, etc. As our third week in Salamanca comes to a close, I’ve been thinking about the things that are always (at least usually) the same. So, today I would like to present “A Day in the Life…Spanish Edition.”

Every morning, J. Santiago and I head to breakfast in the overcrowded cafeteria where the same options are available everyday: cookies, sobaos, pan tostada, cereal, orange juice, and instant coffee. After breakfast, we leave our residence hall to walk to class.

Notice the literary name of our residence hall!

On the way to class, we always walk past the newer buildings that are found in this part of Salamanca (next to the bus station). Personally, I find this part of Salamanca a little ugly.
We will always see graffiti somewhere on the way to class. It is very popular for teenagers in Spain to tag all buildings, old and new, with their names.

At the end of our street, we always start to see the old sandstone buildings for which Salamanca is known peeping over the horizon: We always walk past this park where I like to do my homework after class.
We say goodbye and J. Santiago always goes a different way to class.
As I walk to class, I always walk past el Palacio de Monterrey de la Duquesa Alba on my left and the church she had built on my right. This old man is always mopping the entrance to the church, and about three days during the week, another old man stands outside the gate and keeps him company while he cleans the entrance.
The architecture here is amazing, and I always discover something new when I’m not too preoccupied with trying to remember my Spanish verb conjugations! Today I discovered the nice sun and moon image under this window.
After I turn right, I always walk down this large pedestrian walkway where the birds are always flying overhead. I’m always a little afraid that they may poop on me…
This chain always appears one way in the morning and a completely different way when I walk home after class. As to who moves it, I can only speculate. One day I might wrap it around the pedestal…

Morning:
Afternoon: There are always busy cars and vans unloading supplies for the day at the local shops and restaurants. I always look up to admire the swirl accents on this building since I’ve always doodled swirls when I get bored in class or in meetings. My swirls usually become something else when I doodle, like snails or roses, but I’ve always liked plain swirls just as much.
I always take a right at a university building across from la Casa de las Conchas (remember that picture from before?) and admire this little plaza to my left.
I always walk down this little street lined with shops and restaurants on my way to the university. Valor will always have the best churros con chocolate ever—it is manna from Espana!
I always walk past the main entrance to the university and peek at the frog before heading to my class.

The view from my class: The door to my class: I am always the first one to arrive since J. Santiago’s class starts thirty minutes before mine, so I always sit in class and study. On really sleepy mornings, this coffee machine is always my friend. Yes, it is always a little disgusting and chemical-laden, but it will always be able to provide weary students with a much-needed jolt of caffeine! My grammar teacher, Manuela, always sings to help us remember our verbs.
My lexicon teacher, Clara, always makes jokes and runs around the classroom (sometimes jumping on top of things).
My activities teacher, Yolanda, always speaks so fast that the class only understands a portion of what she says; however, she also always makes us laugh—a lot. In this picture, she is pinching my side and saying, “Di patatas!” (the Spanish equivalent of “Say cheese!”).
When I head home, the streets are always full of tourists and vendors selling souvenirs. This man is always playing the accordion and smiling so much that he makes you believe that playing for change is the best job in the whole wide world. As I wearily walk home, I always know that I’m almost back when I see this church that chimes every hour (It is based on the twenty-four hour model, so 8:00 P.M. provides twenty chimes…which will always be a little annoying). After my daily trek, I always work on my homework, eat lunch, take a siesta, go to dance class, eat dinner, etc. J. Santiago's day is pretty much the same (minus the dance class, of course...).

Well, I hope you enjoyed a look into “A Day in the Life…Spanish Edition.” I’ll post more about our excursions and experiences soon! We miss everyone and hope that you are all doing well. We can’t wait to see everyone soon!

Salamanca: Segunda Semana

2009-07-09T19:24:00.007+02:00

The first week of classes for me has been full of experiences to say the least. On the first day, they issued a placement exam to see what level we needed to attend. With my previous (very dusty) knowledge of Latin and Portuguese, as well as numerous afternoons spent grading papers with J. Santiago at a coffee shop, I know what Spanish should look like, but that does not mean that I know what it means. Since the test was multiple choice, I did very well and placed into a relatively high intermediate level where the average number of Spanish classes completed by students in the class was four years.

The first day of class was OK. I understood about 80% of what was being said, but I could not speak in Spanish since I did not have the background of conjugating or knowledge of vocabulary. I was in two communication classes, so that was a huge struggle. On the second day, I decided to switch classes to the highest beginner level. I absolutely LOVE my new classes! The profesoras are more experienced and prepared than the college students who were teaching my intermediate classes, and they make the classes really fun. I've never laughed so much during a class, and their enthusiasm is contagious. We are learning so much so fast, but everyday I feel more confident with my language skills and am even starting to attempt conversations with people in public.

Tonight I attended my first Spanish dance class and really enjoyed that as well. We learned the basics of three types of dance--Sevillana, Flamenco, y Rumba--that we will be perfecting in the coming weeks. It was a good workout and everyone had a blast "trying" the new moves. Right now, flamenco is my favorite. If you let yourself go, your body naturally moves to the rhythm of the guitar the way it is supposed to (plus, I like to shake my hips!).

J. Santiago's classes continue to go well. He has excursions on the weekend, and I'm trying to convince him to make guest posts on this blog about his experiences (I even let him borrow my camera last weekend so he could take pictures for you guys!). Hopefully, he will post soon.

I am going on an excursion to Burgos on Sunday and am looking forward to getting out of Salamanca for a day. The tour will be conducted in Spanish, so it will also provide me an opportunity to continue improving my listening skills.

Well, that's pretty much it. I'm off to do my tarea before getting some sleep. Hasta luego!

Salamanca: Primera Semana

2009-07-05T11:59:00.017+02:00

Humbling. Frustrating. Isolating. Embarrassing. Lonely. These are just a few words to describe what it is like to go to a foreign country for an extended period of time with essentially no knowledge of the language. Never having taken a formal Spanish course, I went to Spain optimistic that the bits and pieces that I had picked up along the way would help me. They help me understand at times, but they certainly do not help me communicate. The basic communication skills I learned in my only Spanish class (the one for teachers offered through Guilford County Schools on a handful of weekends) really only taught me how to say a few things. I can ask for someone on the phone and tell them that their child is misbehaving or they need to sign a permission slip...but that's not really helpful here. I can also start a basic conversation with someone to find out their name, how they are doing, etc., but if they deviate from the path I've learned (which is more often than not), I'm lost. This week has been very difficult for me. I love communicating and language and am used to being an effective communicator, not someone who has to walk out of a store because I can't figure out how to purchase fruit! People talk about culture shock when they study abroad, and I experienced it living in Scotland for a year, but nothing is like moving to a place where you understand less than half of what is going on around you. That is not limited just to language but includes cultural norms as well. If I make the mistake of smiling at people while walking, they either stare at me like I'm crazy or think that gives them the freedom to comment on my appearance (as if my smile were a come on), so I now walk with my head down. When walking on the sidewalk, Spaniards do not make way (there is no right and left lane on the sidewalk). It is basically "My way is the right way, and I like the shade," so you have to maneuver like a snake as you weave through people. These experiences are frustrating, and I've had plenty of time on my own to experience them, but they are nothing compared to the limitations of not being able to speak the language.

The street of Silence (basically my experiences so far :) ):

During the first week in Salamanca, I've spent a lot of time updating my blog so people can share some of our experiences, going on little walks during the day to practice my Spanish, meeting people from J. Santiago's program, exercising, and reading. It probably doesn't sound that exciting, and, to be honest, there were times when it was really boring. I start my class tomorrow, and I cannot begin to express how excited I am to start learning more about my surroundings. However, I am nervous about the class because it starts with a placement exam (that includes an oral interview). I am a total beginner, so I have nightmares of walking into the exam room where they only speak Spanish and not even knowing how to start my exam. I guess I'll find out tomorrow...

My best Spanish conversation so far. He listened and did not correct me when I made mistakes; however, looking at his eyes, he seems to be a little bored...

On a positive note, we have had some really nice experiences in Salamanca this week. Here are some pictures from our experiences:

The Plaza Mayor at night is amazing. People congregate to watch them turn on the lights. When they suddenly illuminate the Plaza, you can't help but to exclaim, "Ah!":

We had a great dinner (in English!) with "BAMC" (Brad, Ami, Mike, and Christy Anne):

Walking around Salamanca:

Casa de las Conchas:

University facade (Can you find the frog? I did within about five minutes!):

Catedral Nueva y Catedral Vieja:

The astronaut that a mason "snuck in" while restoring the cathedral:

Yes, folks, that is a human arm on display (I still have nightmares after this...):

Casa Lis, the Art Deco Museum, which is currently housing an amazing collection of Alphonse Mucha:

A patio restaurant located in the ruins of an old church:

Going out for dinner on July 4 (our two-year anniversary):

After my multiple posts over the past week, you guys are now pretty much caught up on what life has been like in Spain for the first two and a half weeks. It has been a whirlwind full of highs and lows (for me, at least), but it has been a great experience so far. I'm looking forward to what is still to come...

On the Road: Dia Diez y Dia Once

2009-07-03T16:44:00.009+02:00

Dia Diez:
We luckily survived the cold weather, and got up early to go for a final walk through the Picos de Europa. On our walk, we hiked through part of a dried up lakebed (the lake is formed from the melting snow) to the edge of the gorgeous lake. The water was so blue! We also walked around the tiny town of Boca de Huergano and saw the Roman bridge.

After our morning hike and a light breakfast, we left the Picos to head back to Victor in Toledo. On the long journey back south, we hit a nail in the road and had a flat tire. As we worked to change the tire, a company that works for the government (part of their DOT) called Iberpista showed up to help us. They instructed us to find a garage as soon as possible since the spare tire could not go over 50 mph. This was the worst part of our trip. Since it was a Saturday, all the garages were closed and even the "24-hour" car service provided by Volvo, the manufacturer of Victor's car, said that no one would fix a tire on a Saturday. Everyone kept telling us we would have to wait until Monday. Since J. Santiago's program started on Monday and he had to be there for an introductory meeting on Sunday, waiting was not an option. Exhausted and stressed, we drove on the interstate well under the speed limit at 50 mph all the way to Toledo. We received a lot of car honks, rude gestures, and cars whizzing past us on the way!

We luckily made it back and went out for a very nice dinner with Victor before returning to his house to get ready for the trip to Salamanca the next day.

The view from Victor's house:

Dia Once:

In the morning, we took a little time to say "Hasta luego!" to Toledo before hopping in Victor's borrowed car (he still couldn't drive his car with the spare tire) as he drove us to Madrid's bus station. We took a bus to Salamanca on which J. Santiago saw several of his friends from his program the year before. It was really nice for him to be able to catch up with them. I enjoyed watching all of them comment on his short hair (it was really long last summer) and tell him that they hardly recognized him. Upon arrival in Salamanca, we all walked to the residence, checked in, and all the members from J. Santiago's program went to an introductory meeting. I was glad to have a chance to unpack my things and feel settled for the first time in twelve days.

We took an evening walk around Salamanca once J. Santiago got back in order to orient me so I could venture out on my own during the following week while he attended class. My first impressions of Salamanca were that it is very urban and industrial in some parts, yet it also has some lovely older sections that are incredibly gorgeous at night. It is a place full of life, especially around the vibrant Plaza Mayor, and offers a lot of opportunities for socializing...if you speak Spanish, of course. I was excited about my time in Salamanca, but also nervous about being without a translator for the first time in Spain.

On the Road: Dia Nueve

2009-07-03T16:09:00.010+02:00

"After Altamira, everything is decadence.” ~Pablo Picasso

We had a great breakfast at the hotel, and walked back to Santillana del Mar to do some final sightseeing at the city center and the Roman cloisters.

The Santiago del Compostela Pilgrimage Route:
At the church, we saw the reliquary for Santa Juliana and learned a little about her story. During the 300s, she secretly became a nun even though her father was a well-known persecutor of Christians. Not knowing about her conversion, he arranged for her to be married to a wealthy man. She refused and explained to the wealthy man that she could not marry him because of her faith. When her father found out about her newfound Christianity, he stated, “I would rather her be dead than a Christian!” He brutally tortured her, and when she refused to renounce her faith, he killed her.

The cloisters:

After our final walk around Santillana del Mar and a sampling of cider, we drove to the nearby Altamira Caves. Discovered in 1879, these cave paintings are the work of a single artist over 14,500 years ago. The paintings are of bison, deer, bulls, and boars (strangely enough, these are not the creatures that they normally ate) and a few human handprints. The artwork is simply amazing. The artist utilized the surroundings to create his paintings—curves in the cave wall provided movement and shape to his animals, holes provided eyes, and all materials came from dirt and plants. There are extremely modern forms of painting present, including an early form of airbrushing, but the subjects for the art are strikingly simple. The artwork portrays the bare essentials: man and beast with no need to paint the surroundings. The balance of traditionally masculine and feminine animals creates artwork that scholars believe relates to fertility and the balance of power in the world. It is amazing how much power is expressed with the simplicity of these forms. Even though we could not enter the actual cave (body temperature and carbon dioxide cause the paintings to fade), they have created an excellent neocave that is accurate down to the millimeter. In viewing these works of art, Picasso’s words rang very true to me: “…everything [else] is decadence.” These words stayed fresh in my mind as we left the cave and escaped from the world of man’s decadence into the simple wonders of the Picos de Europa. Navigating the mountains was very difficult, since the roads were extremely curvy and sometimes covered with cattle, but the natural beauty was worth the daunting drive.

Here are some of the sights:
Check out the snow that is still present in the peaks:

Our campsite was the most rugged yet, but we found a delicious restaurant for dinner nearby. It was extremely cold in the Picos, and we had to wear as many clothes as possible to survive camping in the cold (I had on a tank top, a t-shirt, a sweater, a t-shirt, a sweater, and a rain coat!). As the temperature dipped and dew fell on the tent, we fell asleep to the serenity of our surroundings.

On the Road: Dia Ocho

2009-07-03T15:48:00.008+02:00

We woke up to this lovely view and left our campsite for the industrial city of Bilbao and the famous Guggenheim Museum.

In order to avoid having to drive through such a large city, we took the excellent Metro from Sopelana to Bilbao, a ride of about forty minutes. Before catching the Metro, we ate breakfast at an awesome restaurant called La Kala. The coffee and tortillas were amazing and the atmosphere was colorful and vibrant. I accidentally left my camera in the car, so I don’t have any pictures of the Guggenheim Museum, but it is wonderfully done. They give every guest an audio guide in their native language that provides information on each work of art, as well as architectural information about the Guggenheim’s unique design. J. Santiago’s favorite exhibit was the collection of large Richard Serra sculptures that resemble the bat cave from Toronto International Airport (Serra designed that one as well). The Guggenheim has a massive room filled with these larger-than-life sculptures that encourage you to explore. Serra intentionally angles the sculptures and gives them a labyrinthine quality to create a feeling of claustrophobia and misdirection. My favorite exhibit was Jenny Holzer’s Installation for Bilbao. The piece has LED panels that tell a series of aphorisms detailing love, intimacy, and loss in Spanish and English in red on the front and Basque, a once forbidden language, in blue on the back. They read like a beautiful piece of modern poetry and are enhanced by the mirrored wall behind the piece that reflects the Basque text.

After a long tour of the Guggenheim, we went to the Casco Viejo for their nueva cocina and txakoli wine. We also visited the Basque Museum before taking the Metro back to Victor’s car and hitting the road to Santillana del Mar, a medieval town close to the famous Altamira Caves. They call it the town of three lies because it is not holy (santi), flat (llana), or on the sea (del mar), but it is a charming town and our favorite stop on the trip. Due to city ordinances dating back to 1575, citizens have never been able to bring a horse or car into the city unless they have a garage in which to keep it. The consequence is a pedestrian-friendly haven that looks like something straight out of a movie set!

Santillana del Mar:

When we finally made it to Santiallana del Mar after hours in traffic, we checked in at the only hotel we slept in during our week of travels. The hotel, Siglo XVIII, was absolutely lovely and the receptionist told us that we were there for the evening of the Festival of Santa Juliana and a celebration was going on in the city center.

The amazing hotel:

We headed for the plaza and enjoyed an evening of entertainment, free food, and wonderful sites.

The Festival:

Enjoying the free food (chorizo con pan y cerveza...YUM!):

The city at night:

We walked back to the hotel for a great night’s sleep.

On the Road: Dia Siete

2009-07-02T11:45:00.009+02:00

Around 4:00-5:00 AM, we were intermittently awakened by a local celebration in honor of San Juan. We heard a rooster call out, two blasts from a firecracker cannon, an accordion blare out, and people start singing in Basque. In case you are not familiar with Basque, it is an entirely different language than Spanish, and it was fascinating to see it written everywhere and hear people speaking it. They even have their own name and flag for their region of Spain, which they call Euskera. However, it was not very pleasant to hear Basque being sung bright and early in the morning.

The campsite (with the tent packed):
Once the celebration ended and we were able to get a little more sleep, we went to the Playa de Ondarreta for the morning. We had a delightful breakfast at a restaurant on the beach. There was a “cheeky” little bird trying to eat our croissants, so we had to be very careful not to turn our heads or he would land directly on the table to dive for our food!

Since it was still chilly, we decided to walk along the coast for a bit before attempting to get in the water. The walkway was actually a swimming access and abruptly ended in the water and along the rocks:

That did not deter one brave Spanish abuela (grandmother) from hiking up her skirt and wading along the rocks to her destination. This is right before her skirt went around her neck to facilitate travel:

We laid out on the beach for a little while, and I had to get used to the blatant nudity. It did not just consist of topless sunbathers, but of people completely changing clothes in front of you (men and women) with no fear of exposing ALL their “bits” to the world! Also, children under the age of six do not wear bathing suits. They just roll around in the sand with what God gave them! It was also too cold for us to get in the water with our swimsuits on, so I have no idea how they managed!

A nudist-free view of the beach (sorry for those of you who were hoping...):

After sunbathing, we took the bus back to our campsite, checked out, and drove to the top of Monte Igueldo. Commissioned in 1912 by Queen Maria Cristina, an amusement park that has changed very little since the 1950s stands at the top of the mountain. The mountain also offers some wonderful views of San Sebastian.

The amusement park:

Views from the top:

Once we soaked in the lovely vistas, we drove down the mountain and along a highway instead of the Interstate, as recommended by my AAA Driving Spain tour book. The trip to Bilbao took a little longer, but it was definitely worth it to see the alternating views of mountains and coast. We stopped in Orio for a delicious lunch. We ordered the menu del dia, a typical offering at Spanish restaurants and bars where you can select from a preset menu three courses and receive wine and bread from 9 euros to 16 euros on average. Most places will let you share the food, which really helps cut down on travel costs.

We ended our drive at Sopelana, a fairly new beach town, where we camped for the night. We watched the sunset on the beach while eating sandwichs and drinking kalimotxo.

J. Santiago and the beach:

Basque flag:

Surfers on the beach (and one of my favorite pictures!):

View of the sunset:

When we returned to the campsite, we caught the end of the United States’ surprising upset of Spain in the FIFA Confederations Cup. J. Santiago was very shocked and excited about this! After watching the game, we headed back for much-needed rest and J. Santiago had visions of futbol dancing in his head...

On the Road: Dia Seis

2009-07-02T11:29:00.007+02:00

After my interesting shower experience (my companions were scarab beetles and a trapped bird), we left the campsite and spent a little more time walking around the lovely Valdevellano de Tera. We ate tortilla espanola for breakfast and left en route to the famous resort city of San Sebastian.

On the way, we stopped in Logrono for tapas. The Lonely Planet tour book said that Logrono had the best tapas in Spain, but we both beg to differ. The food was pretty terrible. At one restaurant, the French fries were microwaved with sauce on top, creating a chewy, hot/cold mess. The Casco Viejo was a nice little area to walk around, but all in all, the city was not that interesting. We did see a thief run out of a bookstore while we were in the city, which prompted me to hold my purse as tightly as possible...

Navigating to the campsite in San Sebastian was a little difficult, but once we finally found the right part of town, we were impressed by the lovely views of the city. We stayed on the western side of the city, close to Monte Igueldo and the lovely Playa de Ondarreta, which we both thought was much more beautiful than the famous Playa de la Concha. Here is the opportunity to decide for yourself:

Playa de Ondarreta:

Playa de la Concha:

Which do you prefer?

When we got to campsite, it was more crowded than we expected since we had arrived in the middle of the Festival of San Juan. We took the bus to the city center to walk around the famous Playa de la Concha and the Parte Vieja (the old town). We ate pintxos (the Basque word for tapas) and drank rioja wine. On the bus, J. Santiago met a lovely old woman from Palencia who shared her life with him and wished me luck during my studies by instructing me to go to class and study hard and I would go far in life :).

San Sebastian is a beautiful place, but it is also very crowded and affluent, thus making it one of the more expensive stops on our trip. I can understand why it is loved by many people, but I prefer quieter, cleaner places to commercialized beaches (though its commercialization is nothing compared to Myrtle Beach!).

The statue of Christ at the top of Monte Urgull (close to the old town):

The carousel at Playa de la Concha:

Fishing boats in a harbor:

Overlooking the harbor and watching the waves crash:

Notice that the rocks are made up of old buildings that have been demolished. They use these rocks to provide a barrier between the ocean and the city:

On the Road: Dia Cinco

2009-07-02T11:10:00.007+02:00

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we got a later start on our travels than we had intended. We left Toledo around 4:30 to tour Northern Spain. With the delayed start, our itinerary changed, and we intended to drive halfway to Soria to rest for the night. We were both a little nervous about driving Victor’s car for fear that something could happen to it. Just as we were both settling into our roles as driver (J. Santiago) and navigator (me), the oil light came on. We were at a very small town (La Torresavinan) on the Route of Don Quixote where we spent about forty-five minutes locating the car manual, putting in oil, and making sure that everything was going to operate smoothly. The town was hardly a town at all. There were a few houses, but there were no businesses that we saw.

The "town":

The view:

The first of our car woes:
Once we got back on the road, everything went smoothly as we went to Soria. Perhaps Saint Christopher helped guide us along the way…

Since our plan was to conserve money and camp during our tour of Northern Spain, we had to drive several kilometers outside of Soria to a tiny village called Valdeavellano de Tera to camp. The village was simply charming and was like stepping back in time one hundred years. It was so tiny and peaceful, situated perfectly atop a mountain. Spain in this region and further north is known as Espana Verde (Green Spain) because it is strikingly different from the brown landscape seen further south around and below Toledo. When I retire, I can see myself living in a quaint town like this. Unfortunately, my batteries died on my camera while I was there, so I only have a few pictures of the campsite. The campsite was nice but very empty since the traditional holiday period for Spaniards is mid-July through August. We were there with about four other people. It got extremely cold at night, and our meager preparations for camping did not prepare us for the cold of Northern Spain’s evenings, especially on top of a mountain (where you could see snow further up the peaks!). We borrowed Victor’s tent, had seats used for bull fights as pillows, and blankets. Needless to say, without individual sleeping bags, it was very chilly!

The campsite (notice there were only two other cars):

The delicious restaurant at the campsite:

The campsite and J. Santiago with Victor's "totally awesome headlamp." (Seriously, I must get him one of these for Christmas...you should have seen him walking around with it! :) Actually, I was kind of jealous considering my only flashlight came from a compact that I brought with me...). By the way, notice all the empty camping sites:

Toledo: Dia Cuatro

2009-07-02T10:01:00.009+02:00

On our fourth day in Toledo and the eve before our departure to Northern Spain, we decided to take things a little slower. We went to Zocodover Square to wait for the Zocotren, which according to the advertisement is the “largest open-air museum in the world.” The train took us on an historic tour of Toledo full of great folk tales from the region.

Victor had never ridden the Zocotren and was very excited. This picture cracks me up because he looks like the Spanish Godzilla about to eat the little tourist!

Waiting for the Zocotren to leave and Victor practicing English (specifically trying to make the word “beach” not sound like the word for female dog :) ):

Bridges to the city:

Remnants of a Roman aqueduct:

Former home of the diamond cutter:

Legend has it that he was once asked to make a large order of diamonds for the monarchy, so the goblins came out of the river to help him. You can still hear the goblins singing today. Actually, it sounded more like stray cats, but it is a good story…

Monasterio San Juan de los Reyes:

There were other old stories, many of which included a woman either being killed or committing suicide because of a lover. There are many female ghosts that supposedly haunt Toledo...

After a delicious tapas tasting at a very old Spanish bar where they deep fry everything, Victor and I made a trip to the shrine of the Virgin of the Pins. Supposedly, if you put a pin (hair or straight pin) through the hole in her shrine, you will get married.

Victor put in five pins:

I tried my luck with one pin (that got stuck the first attempt…does that mean something? :) ):

Meanwhile, J. Santiago looked on with terror:

After casually strolling the city, we all took siestas. I had the opportunity to watch my first bull fight on TV. It was not a brutal as I expected, and I still think that I would like to attend a bull fight in person before I return home. Knowing that the bulls that are killed are still used for meat, etc., makes the brutality a little more palatable. I really want to experience as much of the culture as possible during my travels. J. Santiago and I went for a walk around the city at nighttime. We watched the sunset from one of the highest points in the city and ate a sampling of traditional Toledo cuisine before returning to Victor’s house to get ready for our big trip.

On a side note, traveling in Spain can often feel like a food and beverage tour. Food and drink is such an integral part of their culture because it facilitates socializing. Spaniards are extremely social people, and it was really fun trying different cuisine and meeting different people over tapas. Some of the things that I had consumed after four days included: squid; eel; mussels; deep fried egg with béchamel sauce; sardines; anchovies; jellyfish (not sure if this is what it really was, but that was how it was translated for me); veal (or was that rat/pigeon, Issac?); deep fried pork rinds (very different from the southern variety); ham; olives with pickled onions; cheese from goats, sheep, and cows; fish and meat pates; lots of fried potatoes; lots of olive oil; and lots of bread. Notice anything missing from this list? That’s right, folks, vegetarians are in for a very tough time in Spain. At this point, I’ve discovered my favorite way to get my vegetable intake—pisto (a stew of tomatoes, onions, and zucchini). It has also been very difficult getting used to dropping napkins on the floor of a bar. They sweep up the trash at the end of the night, but I just feel weird “littering.” After four days, it already felt like I had been in Spain for much longer, but the cultural differences were still striking. These differences would only continue as we began our trip to Northern Spain.

Toledo y Escalona: Dia Tres

2009-07-01T09:00:00.007+02:00

On our third day in Toledo, Victor, J. Santiago, and I went to the very impressive cathedral. It is simply stunning. As we walked inside the cathedral, I walked ahead of both Victor and J. Santiago, in need of some time alone where I could think (in English). Walking alone really gave me the opportunity to observe the power and sanctity of the cathedral. Everything was written in Spanish and everyone was speaking in Spanish around me, but instead of trying to translate like I had spent so much time doing, I simply enjoyed the beauty around me. While walking, I finally saw the true purpose of a cathedral that I had once read about—its purpose is to draw your gaze up to the heavens and leave you so impressed with the majesty and grandeur of the cathedral’s heights, and thus the heavens, that your thoughts turn towards what exists beyond the ceiling arches, the stained glass windows, the stages of the cross, the miracle relief around the pulpit, the gilded statues, etc. I think that I had never really experienced this because every time I’ve been in a cathedral, I’ve had a tour guide or been able to read the explanations. I typically spend so much time focusing on the facts that I have never been able simply to enjoy. Today I just soaked in everything around me. Regardless of how you may feel about the grandiosity and overabundance of wealth associated with Catholicism and its more ornate places of worship, if you enter a cathedral with an open mind, you cannot help being impressed with the ornate craftsmanship and incredible skill required to create such a lovely place. If you slow down enough, it might even make you think about the wonder beyond the man-made…

Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take pictures inside the cathedral, so I can only post pictures from the outside. I did get one picture from inside (my two Spanish translators, J. Santiago y Victor assured me that it was O.K. without a flash), but I was quickly greeted with, “No fotos!!!!!!” by the security guard. At least I was able to capture a picture of St. Christopher, the patron saint of travel. Perhaps he will continue to guide us on our many travels.

Saint Christopher:

The Cathedral:

We then walked to get tapas at a restaurant. On the way, J. Santiago and I chatted with Miguel Cervantes, author of Don Quixote:

I also had an unfortunate incident where I walked through dog urine in flip-flops. That is a huge downside to a city made of stone with no grass. The animals tend to do their business wherever they please!

After lunch, Victor went home for a siesta, and J. Santiago and I decided to walk around. Victor informed us, “You are crazy! Only tourists are out that late in the afternoon!” Being the tourist that I am, I jumped at the opportunity to see the streets of Toledo a little less crowded due to the heat (100 degrees). It was hot, but worth it. Then again, I don’t know if I would suffer the heat like that again…Maybe I am becoming a little more Spanish? :)

Our Afternoon Stroll:

J. Santiago explaining that these corner extensions were built hundreds of years ago to deter robbers from hiding in dark corners:

We returned to Victor’s and got ready to go to Escalona, Victor’s hometown, to see his parents and sister.

The famous castle in Escalona that is across from Victor’s sister’s pastry shop:

Nighttime view of the castle from Victor’s parents’ house:

Hanging out on the terrace:

Hanging out at the outdoor bar owned by Victor’s sister (notice the castle behind us):

While in Escalona, we met several very friendly people. At a small bar, we met a man who reminds you of someone from a movie. He was very jovial and always wanted to pay for drinks, food, etc. At the restaurant, our waiter surprised us by sitting down at our table and speaking in excellent English. He had lived in London for two years and worked as a waiter. He told us many funny stories about his travels through Scotland and the United States, including being robbed in New York City from West Side Story-like gang members in pink jackets! We had a great time in Escalona and really enjoyed meeting the friendly, welcoming people.

Toledo y Madrid: Dia Dos

2009-06-30T10:41:00.012+02:00

Our second day in Spain continued the frantic pace that started our journey. We left Victor’s house and went on a walking tour of the city. Here are some of Toledo’s famous sites:

Notice the holes at the top of tower, remnants from gunfire during the Spanish Civil War:

Decorations in front of the cathedral remaining from Corpus Cristi, a religious festival:

Overlook at the edge of the old city:

The View:

The New City:

We walked outside the city walls along the Route of Don Quixote. We also walked along the river.
The Route by the River:

The City Wall (Translation: On a dark night,/Kindled in love with yearnings/Oh, happy chance!/I went forth without being observed,/My house now being at rest.)

We walked back up the very steep hill to the city’s centre and were welcomed by Puerto de Sol (the port of the sun):

After our walk, Victor fed us a huge lunch that he cooked for us and his friend, Cristina, and it was time for a siesta.

A brief cultural lesson about food and sleeping schedules:
The meal schedule for Spaniards is very different from the schedule that Americans have. Breakfast in Spain consists of very little: toast or a small pastry and coffee. The coffee is also an espresso, so unless you request café Americano or café con leche, you are not going to have any coffee to sip on for a long period of time. You can also forget about something as heavenly as a Biscuitville Ultimate Ham ever being served here! Lunch is the biggest meal of the day and is served around 2:00 or 3:00. That doesn’t sound problematic until you eat one piece of toast in the morning at 8:00 and sightsee for six hours. Lunch seems very far away when you are a starving tourist! After such a big lunch, a siesta is required. It is also required due to the heat. It was in the mid-nineties to hundred degrees during our stay in Toledo, so after we ate lunch, there was little point in walking around in the heat. Furthermore, all shops close down for siesta and lunch from 2:00 to 4:30 (sometimes 5:00, depending on how long it takes the clerk to eat, nap, and smoke). After siesta, Spaniards spend their evenings socializing at bars where a tapa (small dish) is often served as an accompaniment to any alcoholic beverage. The idea of tapas originated hundreds of years ago in Spain when innkeepers did not want people “drinking and riding” (their horses :) ), so they put a small plate of food on the top of any glass in which ale, beer, wine, or cider was served. The tapas had the second function of keeping flies away. The tradition has continued today. Tapas can be as small as a couple of olives (which I still hate…) or as large as chicken wings, fries, and mini pizzas served on one plate. If you are still hungry after socializing and grazing on tapas, you can eat dinner around 9:00-10:30. If you want dinner prior to 9:00, you will have a very difficult time finding a place that will serve you. Spanish children are also up very late. Since dinner is so late, children are out at all hours. It is not uncommon to see kids playing soccer (futbol) in the plaza or eating ice cream while their parents sip wine at midnight or later. After such a full day, they go sleep, get up early, and start the cycle over again!

In the evening, we drove to Madrid to hang out with some of Victor’s friends from when he studied in London. They were two couples from Chile and Spain. Understanding them was very difficult for me. There were multiple conversations, multiple accents, and a lot of background noise. Unlike when I speak with someone one-on-one and can understand half of what they say, I could understand less than a fourth of what was being discussed. Victor and J. Santiago were very good about translating for me!

First, we went tapas hopping at a couple of different bars. Some of the tapas were very unusual—squid, eel, blood sausage. We finally ate dinner around 11:45. The dinner was delicious! We had jamon y manchego cheese, calamari, sardines, and clams. I also tried a drink that I really enjoy called a clara. It is a small glass of beer with soda. It sounds disgusting, but it is really light and refreshing. You should give it a try!

At the Restaurant in Madrid:

That's all for now. Time for another clara!

The Arrival

2009-06-30T08:29:00.009+02:00

Along with the computer issues and language barriers (for me, at least), our initial arrival was more hectic than expected. After we posted "The Wait" from the Toronto Airport, our flight was delayed adding an additional hour and a half to our already excessive layover time. Once we arrived in Madrid, we had to take the Metro to the bus stop. After walking to the opposite end of the airport, with both of us questioning why I had to bring so much luggage, we got on the Metro for a forty-five minute trip to the bus stop (that included changing trains three times). Once we got to the bus stop, we were informed that the bus to Toledo no longer leaves from that bus stop and now leaves from a bus stop on the opposite side of town. Refusing to navigate the crowded Metro again with three rolling suitcases and two backpacks, we took a taxi to the new bus stop. From that bus stop, we took an hour-long trip to Toledo, where J. Santiago's friend, Issac, picked us up.

At this point, we had been traveling for twenty-four hours. However, in true Spanish style, a celebration and tour of the beloved "terra madre" was due! First, we went with Issac for a drink overlooking the beautiful city of Toledo.

A View of Toledo:

Issac and J. Santiago:

After a drink and a snack (we had not eaten in eight hours), Issac took us on a tour of the city and the University of Castilla la Mancha, where J. Santiago had studied during his year abroad.

Walking through the City:

The university is a beautiful paradox of architecture. It combines modern, sleek lines with the original Spanish/Moorish architecture. It is not uncommon to turn one corner and walk over a glass bridge covering old stone inscribed with Latin, or see an archeological excavation site surrounded by the updated library and cafeteria.

One Example of the Modern and Ancient:

While at the university, we met one of Issac's friends and Victor joined us. We then headed out for my first taste of comida tipica: tapas y cervezas. The first restaurant was similar in architectural style to the university, a fusion of new and old. Multicolored mood lighting changed shades as it reflected off the ancient Moorish wall of the city that was excavated behind an old plaster wall as the bar was being renovated. It was surreal to see neon green, pink, red, yellow, and blue illuminate a thousand-year old remnant that is enclosed inside a very modern, chic restaurant.

The Spaniards at the Restaurant (Issac y Victor):

While there, we had sardines with tomatoes (I've already had my fair share of sardines and anchovies, and I'm surprised to say that they are quite tasty!) and jamon croquettes (Spaniards LOVE fried food!).

We then left to eat carcamusas, a traditional Toledo dish made up of veal, peas, and tomato sauce. At least, I hope that is what was in it! Issac joked with me that it consists of rat and/or pigeon...Well, it is one tasty rat/veal/pigeon/whatever dish!

Enjoying Carcamusas at an Outside Bar:

After all the food and socializing, we headed back to Victor's house for some much-needed rest. However, to our surprise, we were shortly greeted by two more of Victor's friends who wanted to welcome the Americans as well. Eventually, thirty-three hours after we first woke up in North Carolina to begin our travels, it was time to lay down our weary heads and get some rest...

Technology, We Have a Problem...

2009-06-30T08:22:00.005+02:00

Wow! This has been a whirlwind beginning to our trip. First of all, I want to apologize for not being able to update this blog sooner. I have had numerous technological issues. Initially, I lost my adapter to convert my computer plug from the three-pronged United States model to the two-pronged Spain model. When I finally found a new adapter (a United States adapter at a store owned by a Chinese family living in Spain…strange cultural mix, huh?), I discovered that Spain is not as “wired” as the United States. Finding Wi-Fi is very difficult, and where Wi-Fi is located, it is either blocked or has extremely low connectivity and cuts me off frequently. Then, once I got to the dorm, it took me two days to figure out why my Internet was not working! Since J. Santiago, my translator, was in class, it took a lot of smiling and hand signals to communicate with the man at the front desk, but now, ladies and gentlemen, we are off!

It is really nice to feel connected to the world again. After twelve days in Spain, I am already learning a lot, but there are many times when I am silent. I can understand at least half of what people are saying around me, but I still have no way to respond other than “Si,” “Bien,” “Hace calor/frio/etc.” and “Tengo hombre/sueno/etc.” When I have moments of confidence and I decide to order food or a beverage, the server typically looks at me and then starts responding in a long string of sentences—in Spanish. At this point, I simply turn to J. Santiago with a look of utmost helplessness, and he begins translating again. Therefore, I am really looking forward to starting my classes next week. Even a basic knowledge of Spanish would be better than feeling like a complete outcast! For now, my e-mails and blog entries give me a sense of belonging when I often feel like I’m drowning in a “sea of sis.”

In order to update everyone and not bore you with one excessively long post, I will be updating this blog in installments. My first week in Salamanca is basically one of settling in, so I will have time to explore the city (it is much bigger than I expected) and post messages periodically, probably one each morning and one each evening. Once my classes begin next week, I hope to have caught everyone up to speed with our adventures and misadventures during our first two weeks in Spain! Plus, if you get bored reading my wordy posts (I am a student of nineteenth century British literature after all), feel free just to skip ahead to the pictures.

The Wait...

2009-06-17T20:25:00.014+02:00

Buenas tardes!

We are in the middle of our marathon travel to Madrid, Espana (about 24 hours worth of travel), and we are currently "enjoying" a nine-hour layover in Toronto, Canada. As we pass the time, I've been taking pictures to chronicle the not-so-glamorous side of traveling! Es la vida.

The Travelers upon arrival in Toronto:

J. Santiago enjoying the free Wi-Fi at the airport:

The "bat cave" located in the entrance to the terminal. Can you find me?

I'm hidden on the right:

The Travelers several hours later:

During our wait, we have at least been able to work on finalizing some of our travel arrangements for our tour of Northern Spain. I am really looking forward to seeing "Espana Verde" and enjoying the natural beauty and cultural sights that are to be found along the northern Atlantic coast. It will be a welcome change from the industrial, air conditioned style of the Toronto Pearson Airport!

Espero un buen viaje:

Sincerely,
Karynosa y J. Santiago

The Plan

2009-06-13T14:49:00.004+02:00

In just a few days, J. Santiago and I will embark on a two-month "adventura" in Espana. At the request of several people, I am setting up this blog as a way to communicate our adventures (or misadventures) and fotografias. I will do my best to update it as we travel (and when we have Internet access). I look forward to sharing our travels with you!

Sincerely,

Karynosa