February 27th

Today I went to the Alhambra for the second time but with my Art History class. It was sunnier and warmer this time which was really nice. I will never get tired of going to the Alhambra it is so beautiful and there is so much to see so it doesn't feel like you are seeing the same things every time. This time we got to take more time and really admire all of the details. More flowers were sprouting up in the Generalife gardens but definitely not to the full capacity. I can't wait to go back at the end of the semester to see it one last time and with all the flowers in full bloom. Then we got delicious and I mean DELICIOUS ice cream in Plaza Nueva and strolled around there for a while. Then we just explored random streets around Granada. We left @ 10:30 am and got back @ 7 pm. 8 1/2 hours??!!! of walking all over the city and the only time we sat down was for lunch for only about 20 minutes. If I were to do that in the U.S. I would be dead but today I thought nothing of it. What a Spaniard I've become!  :)

February 24th

Today is my birthday!!! Its been a great day so far. Tammy surprised me with flowers, my fav candy, and 3 books! All my favorite things. :) Then Julia made a special lunch that she has been planning for a couple weeks. She ordered a cute birthday cake from the pasteleria by our house and set the table with special dishes and table cloth. It was so cute how excited she was to do this for me. 

I haven't written for a while, busy with going to classes during the week and this past weekend went to Carnival in Cadiz. Carnival is a huge thing in Spain; people come from all over just to go. There was music, singing groups, parades, people dressed up in costumes, and good food EVERYWHERE! I could not believe how many people were actually there. And of course being in Spain people stayed out until 6 or 7 in the morning partying in the streets. Absolutely crazy! We tried to fit in with what we thought were extravagant, colorful masks but of course people out did us with their crazy costumes. It was fun and definitely an experience. 

***Went shopping on Wednesday the 25th for my birthday presents with my birthday money!!! I got 3 tops, 3 tank tops, a jacket, and a dress. SO CUTE!

Pictures!

Finally! and more to come...

http://photobucket.com/taylorspain 

Sierra Nevada

Today we went up to the Sierra Nevada, about a 20 minute drive outside of Granada, and hiked. It was absolutely spectacular! The view was not only panoramic but a complete 360 view of the Sierra Nevada and Granada off in the distance. The sun was warm, the skies were clear, and there was absolute silence in the mountains. As we were walking back we even saw a mountain goat which is really rare at this time in the season. Our hike was a nice break from the city and the clean fresh air was refreshing to breathe in. On our drive back we stopped in a small town called Monachil. Monachil was more of a town where people lived in houses instead of apartments with narrow streets and chimneys in every house that filled the air with a smoky BBQ smell. All in all the day was relaxing and fantastic and I'm definitely going back.

Knitting my own tapestry with strands of different cultures...

Becoming somewhat accustomed to Granada I thought that would desensitize me for seeing great things and great places. But when I first arrived in Madrid I thought that it would kind of be like Granada and I wasnt that excited about it because I had France to look forward to. I was wrong. I am definitely not desensitized and Madrid is not like Granada. I dont think anyone cannot be amazed by beautiful things no matter how many places they have been to and how many things they have seen. I was reading through my Spain guide book and found a couple of quotes that I really liked,
¨Globe-trotting destroys ethnocentricity. It helps you understand and appreciate different cultures. Regrettably, there are forces in our society that want you dumbed down for their conveniences.¨
¨Travel changes people. It broadens perspectives and teaches new ways to measure quality of life. Rather than fear diversity on this planet, travelers celebrate it. Many travelers toss aside their hometown blinders. Their prized souvenirs are the strands of different cultures they decide to knit into their own character. The world is a cultural yarn shop, and back door travelers are weaving the ultimate tapestry!¨

Back to Paris (Feb. 8th)

Right now I´m sitting in a cute little sandwich shop in Paris, it is 5 degrees celcius which is a little chilly but a lot better than what it was when we were here earlier this week. This morning we made our way to the train station. It was so amazing to see the weather change as we glided through the French countryside on the train. First, it was sunny and blue skies. Then it was cloudy, then rainy, then lightly dusted with snow, then A LOT of snow, then back to clouds with some sun. When we were going through the snow I think there was ice under the tracks because every now and then we´d hear these big cracking/thumping sounds; a little concerning at first but with how big and fast the train was I knew nothing would go wrong. That´s all for now we´ll see what else we do in Paris.

(Later on...)
We checked into our hostel, there was a private double room so we snached that up because it was only 2 € more for it to be just Tammy and I. Dropped off our stuff and then headed to Musee d´Órsay on our way walking along the Seine river we stopped at a little souvenir/painter´s stand and I bought some old fashion Paris advertisements that I plan to frame and hang in my future apartment! Then we made it to the museum which had more modern, impressions, and landscape art. Some of my favorites were Monet, Van Gogh, Henri Edmond Cross, and Seurat. Then we went to the grocery store to buy baguettes and cheese for dinner since we ate out for lunch. Haha that´s what we do, eat our for either lunch or dinner and make our own meal from the grocery store for the other. We were so proud because on our little outing we didnt even need our map...we felt so proud walking around Paris not even needing a map. What travelers we are!

more from Nice...

This morning we got up early and went to the bigger market on Saturday mornings in Nice before we caught the bus to Monaco. Monaco is not part of France so it is its own country in a way but it is only the size of a city. It is actually considered a principality. It was about a 45 minute bus ride, gorgeous because its on a road that winds along the coast. We got to Monaco and did not know what to do. It´s a VERY wealthy city; shopping at Gucci, Prada, etc, the beach, yachts, and eating expensive food sums up Monaco. We walked around for a bit and climbed up steep stairs to see a palace that the royal family resides in during the summer months. Then we caught the bus back to Nice and when we arrived the sun was shining and there were blue skies! It was picturesque, we bought authentic pizza made on foccacia bread, sat on the promenade and ate our lunch in the sun. We looked at a few more shops, bought souvenirs for family members then got ice cream/gelato on a waffle type pastry, went down to the beach, sat in the sand and enjoyed our food once again. lol. The sun on the ocean, waves crashing, and sailboats off in the distance made me want to sit there forever. I really want to come back to Nice in the summer! Now just packing up, making some dinner in the kitchen of our hostel and getting ready for our early early train back to Paris tomorrow.

NICE, FRANCE

I LOVE Nice!!! This city is pretty much my Mom and I in a nutshell. haha. Bright colored buildings with antique shutters and quaint balconies with curling rod iron railings over looking the aqua blue Meditteranean. Today we walked up castle hill (chateau) up to what they say is the best and most beautiful panoramic view in the world...and it was! Walking up was almost like walking through a jungle with little pathways leading off to sights or pieces of history. It was spectacular, the only thing is that is started sprinkling and then pouring down rain when we were going back down. It was like a waterfall down the steps. Even all the rain didnt stop me from enjoying it. We also walked through the cutest (I am probably going to over use the word cute because everything is literally that cute in Nice) open air market with fruits, vegetables, different varieties of olives, spices, and flowers. It was so CUTE (haha)!
Tonight, we walked around for a bit, of course it was raining but I think tomorrow is supposed to be better, still cloudy but no rain hopefully. A surprising thing was that all the shops were closed by 7:30 pm on a Friday night so we ended up stopping at a little ourdoor restaurant and had some pasta for dinner. We didnt have the room in the hostel to ourselves anymore a lady from London came today. She is very nice and knows Nice quite well because her mom lived here for a bit. Her mom and sister are both supposed to be coming but are stuck in London because it snowed 10 inches. We are getting lucky with the people we share rooms with...which is great and hopefully it stays that way. An interesting thing is that McDonalds is more chic and modern here, it even has a McCafe that people get espressos and sit and drink their coffee. Interesting...I got to talk to my family today which was exciting because I havent talked to them in about a week or so. I missed them so talking with them was nice. More to come...

February 5th

This morning @ 7am we made our way to the train station to catch our early train to Nice. It was a 5 hour ride, wasnt too bad because I slept for about 2 hours on and off with Mr. Phsyco across from us. haha this guy would check his phone every 15 minutes and let out a big irratated sigh, he got up and down in his seat a thousand times and looked so impatient. Tammy and I were wondering what the heck was wrong or what his problem was. As we got a few cities away from Nice the ocean came into view out the wondow. The water was so blue and pretty with rocks and houses along the sides. We got into Nice and it was so nice because it was much warmer than Paris. It wasnt t-shirt weather but it was definitley warmer. When we started walking to find our hostel it started pouring down rain so we decided to stop in a little restaurant to have lunch. By the time we were done it had stopped raining, checked into our hostel, and then went back our to explore Nice. Nice is pretty mucha coastal town (bigger than most), cute, relaxed, and perfect. If I were to own a beach house anywhere and choose what city to be near by it would be Nice. We are just missing the carnival of Nice just by a few days which is too bad because it looks really fun but at least we get to see them setting up for it. I guess its a huge deal, I would compare it to New Orleans and Mardi Gras but just a little smaller. Our hostel is close to the beach so we´re hoping the sun is going to peak out while we´re sight seeing tomorrow. More to come from the cutest city, Nice! :)

Paris

Cold...Cold...COLD! It is freezing here and actually today a few flakes fell today in Paris...so pretty! Well we got aan early start and our first stop was Notre Dame. It was absolutely breathtaking, the gothic architecture and stained glass windows that tell the stories of the bible. Then across the Pont Neuf (one of the oldest bridges) and walked along the Seine. We saw the Hotel de Ville off in the distance. Then we took the Metro to the Eiffel Tower and of course it was amazing as it is Paris´ main attraction. We climbed the stairs to the middle level. Climbing the stairs was definitely worth it for 3 euro and it helped us get a little warmer. Next, was the Arc de Triomphe which was amazing as well, then down the Champs-Elysees street with all the shops and trees lining the street. The Champs-Elysees ledto the Louvre. HUGE! We just admired the outside and tonight (when its cheaper) we are going in to see all of the paintings. We have an early morning tomorrow because our train to Nice departs around 7am. I´m excited to see a whole different part of France and Nice is the furthest you can go! :)
Tonight we took a nap after our long day 9am to 5pm (of walking and sight seeing) and then prepared ourselves to go to the Louvre. On our way we stopped to grab a crepe with chocolate :), while we were waiting in line to buy tickets for the Louvre a lady came up to us speaking in French (of course I had no idea what she was saying, Tammy had a little idea) she heanded us 2 tickets and said that 2 people in her group didnt show. I was skeptical that she was trying to rip us off or the tickets werent valid but they worked! So we got into the Louvre for free!

February 3rd

Alright where do I start? Well first of all i am typing on a french keyboard and all the letters are mixed up so this is going to take me longer than I thought. In the Madrid we had the most awkward breakfast of my life. Haha Tammy and I were in this tiny TINY kitchen where ¨breakfast¨ was served  at our hostel. When we first went in two Asian girls were eating there quietly with the selection of croissants, muffins, cereal with warm milk, and left over jam flavors that nobody likes fro, a hotel. Then a french guy comes in and says ¨good morning, buenos dias, bon soir (doesnt that mean goodnight?), or whatever.¨Now its already pretty tight in there. Then an old spainsh guy comes in with his greased back hair and his bathrobe on and ,ight I add he took up half the kitchen so now that tiny kitchen is packed with everyone weaving around eachother to get what they want, eating in awkward crowded silence. (hilarious I had to keep myself from bursting out laughing) After our awkward breakfast we made our way to the grocery store stocked up on bread, cheese and mini olive oils. We decided to just start going to the airport because we had to figure out the metro and how to get there. Good thing we went pretty early because it took quite a long time but we made it. Flight from madrid to parid was fine but we soon found out that we flew into the outside of paris so we ended up taking about an hour bus ride into the actual city then had to figure out the metro again to get to our hostel. We found our hostel went up to our room and there were 2 people already there. By their stuff we thought it was two guys. I started laughing out loud out of sheer uncomfortanleness (probably not a word...lol) just by the thought of us and two other guys in this tiny room. But it ended up being a guy and a girl from australia . Very nice people... so thats good! The room was a little sketchy but good roomates so thats an okay second experience with hostels. 2 down 1 to go! 

February 2nd

Today we saw the Royal Palace in Madrid, it was absolutely crazy how detailed every aspect of every room was. There are seven floors and 2,800 rooms! I would run out of uses for every room. In the dining room there was a table that stretched the whole length of the room (this room was once three different rooms for each important royal family member but King Charles 3rd made into one room), the table sat 145 people. After seeing the palace we walked back to the hotel grabbed our stuff and went on a search to find a hostel. We found one called Miguel Angel it is really nice, bright colors in the rooms, and a clean private bathroom. There are six beds in the room and we are hoping that no one else comes for the night so we can have it all to ourselves. lol. This is the start to adventures in France and hopefully good experiences with hostels.

February?!

Wow its already February?! It seems like it was just Christmas...time flys. So today we were supposed to go to the Escorial (a palace an hour outside of Madrid) bit it started SNOWING and the roads were closed.(More about it: built 400 years ago to serve as a grand mausoleum for Spain´s royal family, a monastery, and school to ¨embrace humanism in a way that promotes the Catholic faith¨) So instead we took the Metro to the Natural Science Museum. It was like OMSI but OMSI is better but it was still fun and free! Then took the Metro back to the hotel and relexed for a while because it was so cold and wet outside. Plans for the rest of the day: little bit of shopping, the theater to see a play with the whole group, and a wonderful Spanish dinner.

Madrid

We left Satuday morning and boarded a really nice charter bus that we would be riding for 5 hours. The first hour and a half of the ride was really long because i couldn´t sleep and people were talking too loud. But then after we stopped at a cafeteria to take a break fomr riding in the bus, the ride went faster and soon we were in Madrid. I thought it was going to be like Granada and not amaze me but I was wrong. Madrid is totally different...grand, tall, and busy. I was just as amazed with Madrid as when I came to Spain.
We first came to the hotel after getting off the bus and was even more amazed at how nice our hotel was (Hotel Moderna). Modern, clean lines, rich colors, and right in Puerta del Sol (one of the livliest, busiest plazas). Then on our way to El Museo del Prado (one of the world´s greatest museums loaded with masterpieces by Diego Velaquez, Francisco de Goya, El Greco, Hieronymus Bosch, and Albrecht Durer). Walking to the Prado and seeing Madrid´s wide open streets with grand towering buildings on the sides is really what amazed me and made me realize that Madrid is not the same. The museum itself was awesome with so much history and so many paintings. Then we walked through Retiro Park with statues, a big pond/small lake, and pretty lanscaping. It was cold but really fun. Then luckily the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia was free on Saturday nights so we walked through a floor or two. The Reina Sofia is a modern are museum that featured Picasso´s epic masterpiece Guernica. It was huge! After the museums we walked around the city and explored a little bit, came back and hung out with some friends in the lounge, laughed and went to bed with the long pillows that cover the width of the bed (best invention that Spain has! lol :) )

On my way to Madrid, Paris, and Nice

We are just finishing up orientation classes and taking our final test today to confirm what level of classes we will be in for the rest of the semester. Then tomorrow we go to Madrid with the whole program group until Monday and then on Tuesday to next Tuesday we are free to travel wherever. Tammy and I are going to Paris and Nice, France. I´m so excited to see different parts of Europe! We are staying in hostels and roughing it with food to save money. :) We´re going to go to the grocery store and buy bread, cheese, and olive oil to make sandwiches (our favorite kind that Julia makes). We´ll stash some in our backpacks and make due with what we have! (just like the typical poor students traveling Europe right?!) The days are going so fast, I can´t believe orientation is already over. Soon I will be writing that the program is starting to end and I will be coming home soon. CRAZY! But now I have to fill in exciting adventures in between. More to come from Paris and Nice! :)