Friday, August 5, 2011
Pictures from my Last Day in Salamanca
Salzburg
We spent another long day traveling to get to Salzburg. Again the scenery was beautiful but it was a long day of sitting on the train. We finally arrived in Salzburg, the home of Mozart, Red Bull, and the Sound of Music, around 4:30 in the afternoon. We went to our hotel, Hotel Mozart, and dropped off our bags before heading out to see the city. We walked around Salzburg for a little bit and then headed to the oldest restaurant in all of Europe. Unfortunately none of us brought our cameras, but it was the coolest restaurant! It obviously had some very ancient elements but it was mixed with modern and contemporary lighting and furniture, the mixture of the old with the new was very appealing! It was fun to people watch and the restaurant ending up getting very busy towards the end of our meal. Many of the people came in traditional Austrian outfits, and I particularly love the darling outfits the women wear. It was fun to see how important their culture still is in their everyday life. It seemed to be popular to wear traditional dress for both young and old alike. After dinner we walked around a little more and headed back to the hotel to get some rest.
In the morning we woke up to go on the Sound of Music Tour! Obviously I was looking forward to this tour, as it is one of my favorite movies of all time. Dave wasn't feeling his best, but he sucked it up and came along. We got to see some really cool sight from the movie, including the Von Trapp house featured in the movie, the actual Von Trapp house, the gazebo, the gardens where the family sings do rae me, the mountain featured in the beginning and end of the film, the cemetery they hid in, the church from the movie, and many more. It was really cool to actually see all of these places and remember each part of the movie. I think we all really enjoyed the tour and learning fun facts about the film.
On the tour we also got to drive past the Red Bull headquarters, which was really interesting. There is also a Red Bull restaurant and Red Bull clothing store in Salzburg! Apparently Red Bull is coming out with another cranberry energy drink here pretty soon, so be on the look out. Something I was surprised to hear was that the "founder" of Red Bull actually discovered the drink in Thailand and merely added carbonation to the energy drink. Now he is the one of the richest men in the world and by far the richest man in Salzburg! All for adding carbonation to a drink that had already been invented!
After the tour Dave went back to the hotel to rest and Lee Anne and headed to a traditional beer garden. It was really fun and really beautiful on the patio outside. You stand in line to pay, get on of those hilarious mugs, and then take it to the tap to get filled up. Lots of the locals even brought their own mugs, which I thought was great. There are also various food stands in the building so Lee got a brat and I had a pretzel to have with our beers. We both loved people watching and were shocked at how packed it was on a Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. The best part of this beer garden is that it is attached to a church! Who would have thought?! We walked around the city a little more and headed back to the hotel to check on Dave. He still wasn't feeling to hot so Lee Anne and I went to dinner by ourselves. I took her to her very first Indiana restaurant and she actually said she loved it! The food was great and it was a nice, quiet little restaurant nearby our hotel, which was good because at this point it had started raining.
We made it back to the hotel after stopping for some chocolate (Milka bars, duh). We packed up our bags for the morning and went to bed to get a good night sleep before another day of travel to our last stop, Munich.
View of Salzburg from the river
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Lucerne
After leaving Salamanca we headed to Madrid to spend the evening there before heading to Lucerne. We had an early morning the next day…5 a.m. to catch a 7:15 flight to Milan. Once we made it to Milan we caught a train to Lucerne. We had an interesting experience with the train situation, we had to switch trains twice…luckily we had met a man from Netherlands who helped us out; otherwise we never would have known what to do. It was a long day of travel; we ended up literally spending all day on the trains (until about 5 pm). The scenery was absolutely beautiful, the most crystal clear water I have ever seen, mountains, and the most beautiful greenery. We finally made it to Lucerne and checked into our hotel.
After we re-grouped we walked around the city for a little bit and then ended up stopping for dinner at a cute little restaurant by their famous wooden bridge. Lucerne is absolutely beautiful. It is situated on a lake with mountains surrounding the little city. The water is the cleanest water I have ever seen and has the most beautiful color. This city literally looks like it was taken out of a storybook. I cannot express in words the beauty and charm of Lucerne.
The next day was Switzerland's independence day! It was fun to get a taste of their culture and see how they celebrate their independence. (They have fireworks, but not as cool as ours!) In the morning we did a guided walk of the city and were greeted with free sweet bread to celebrate the July 4th of Switzerland. Our tour guide was wonderful and extremely kind. We learned about all of the main monuments in the city, including the different plazas, the wooden bridge, the train station, post office, and various churches. In Lucerne they have fountains all over the city with drinking water. They pride themselves on having the purest and coldest water "in the world". I can't tell the difference between many waters, but it was nice to be able to safely refill our water bottles all over the city, and it was always cold and crisp! In the afternoon we took a boat tour of the lake. It was only an hour but it was nice to be able to get a different view of the city and see different areas close by. There were tons of sailboats with beautiful sails and tons of people enjoying the nice weather.
After the boat tour we walked to a very famous monument in Lucerne, the Lion. It is a sculpture carved into a rock to pay tribute to the many men who had died fighting to protect their country. The lion sculpture depicts a lion that is dying, giving off a very sad and melancholic vibe. After visiting the lion we went to a hotel that has a rooftop terrace for drinks. We had drinks and appetizers with the most phenomenal view of Lucerne. I still cannot get over how beautiful Lucerne is with the lake, mountains, flowers, and charming city… I have never seen anything like it before.
We went back to the hotel to regroup and pack up before dinner. Then we went to a nice place along the lake for dinner and headed home to get a good night sleep before another long day of travel.
Tourist Dave...ready for anything!
Last Day in Salamanca
Lee Anne and Davey came to pick me up from Salamanca and meet Marianna and David. Marianna, David, and I walked to pick them up from the bus station at 11:30. I was so happy to finally see familiar faces and forgot how much I actually miss everyone at home. Marianna kept asking me on the way there if I was "nervous" to see my family…she let me know she was both excited and nervous to meet her heartthrob, Dave. (She even picked out a special outfit for the occasion…) After we met Lee Anne and Dave we walked around the city. Marianna and David left us so I could show them the Cathedral, Plaza Mayor, and the University. It seriously was REALLY WEIRD hearing English at first and it took me a while to get used to speaking in English again. I found I would look at Dave and start speaking in Spanish, half way through my sentence I would realize it and switch over to English…never thought that would happen!
We all met up at 1:30 to go to a nice final lunch. Louisa met up with us and joined us for lunch too. Marianna had a wardrobe change; obviously a she needed a new outfit for lunch. We went to a really nice restaurant in Salamanca and shared a traditional Spanish comida. Marianna and David practiced speaking English, and Lee Anne practiced her Spanish, Davey, well he tried to speak Spanish ;) After lunch Louisa left to catch her flight to London and we all went to get coffee on a terrace in the Plaza Mayor. It was really nice to spend time all together and be able to share part of my life for the past 2 months with my dad and sister. I also was really excited for Marianna and David to meet them in person, because of course we always talked about my family and friends back at home and I constantly would show them pictures. Dave brought water bottles for Marianna and David as a little gift for taking such good care of me. They both were really excited about their Camelbak water bottles just like mine, a very "American" gift.
After coffee Dad, Lee, and I visited one of my favorite spots in Salamanca, the gardens featured in the book La Celestina. It is a beautiful garden that overlooks the city and lovers come and leave a lock on the well to represent their unbreakable love for one another. We visited a few other sights in Salamanca and then returned back to my house to grab my bags and head for the train station. I enjoyed showing Lee Anne and Dad my room and house. We sat for a little bit and had water and visited with Marianna before leaving. Marianna gave all 3 of us gifts too! Lee Anne and I both got earrings and Dave got Jamon Iberico, the best ham in all of Spain! Marianna called us a cab and waited with us until the cab came. It was a tearful goodbye, for all of us, even Lee and Davey, imagine that! Marianna reminded me I needed to think of my mom, stepdad Snoopy (or Charlie Brown, she forgets a lot), my abuelo (grandpa), Terri (with the "r's" rolling off her tongue) and all of my other friends and family I have waiting for me back at home. We said our final goodbyes and headed on our way. Of course I miss you all but I never wanted to leave Salamanca, my little family, my little house, and my simple life in the best city in the world. I know I will go back to Spain as soon as I can and Marianna promised me a traditional Spanish meal and a bed whenever I need one.
I can't believe how fast 2 months went by, I feel like I had just got to Salamanca and before I knew it I was heading home. I learned so much from spending a summer in Salamanca and it truly was the experience of a lifetime. I know I will miss my little family, my friends, my siestas, the coffee, the chocolate, the tranquility (or maybe laziness) of Spanish life, and how everyone seems to truly enjoy and appreciate the beauty of every moment. It definitely was the best summer of my life and I will always remember the good times I shared with friends and family in sunny Salamanca.
Friday, July 22, 2011
My Favorite Picture
I know I haven't blogged in a while! Eek, the internet in our house has been down so it's been difficult to get online. I will work on updating you all on the past week or so, my trip to Santander, etc but today I wanted to share this picture with you. It is by far my favorite picture I have taken on this trip.
There are a couple things in Spain that are just cuter than they are in America…puppies, babies, and old people (with the exception of Queistie, Carolyn, Nanny, Popo, and Grammery...obviously no one can top them!). This picture was taken in the middle of the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca during the afternoon. The Plaza is always crowded in the afternoon, filled with the hustle and bustle of children, students, businessmen, best friends, lovers, families, and my personal favorite, the old people. The man in this picture has a little scooter-walker (you know the ones that double as a walker and a wheel chair) and he was just putsing around the Plaza taking it all in.
I watched him as he slowly crept forward, stopped, and would look right and left, smile and continue moving slower than a tortoise. Then after he moved about 20 feet, he just stopped right in the middle of the street and sat down on his little scooter. I wish I could have captured the moment better but there was so much life going on around him and he sat down right in the middle of it just to observe. This picture is very descriptive of the old people here. Everyday they go out for a walk and then will sit on benches all over the city to take life in. This little guy sat on his scooter for probably a half an hour, resting and enjoying the life all around him. Afterwards he stood up and continued forward, inch-by-inch, stopping every few seconds to appreciate all that surrounded him.
I think one of the best parts of traveling and living somewhere different is the novelty of everyday life experiences. I am sure there are plenty of darling old people in Indianapolis breathing in every second of life with gratitude and appreciation. But at home I am sure I rush by, not noticing the simplistic beauty around me, just as many Spaniards rushed past this old man, some even annoyed that he had hunkered down right in the middle of the street. Traveling and being somewhere new where everything is different allows us the opportunity to experience boring, everyday things for the first time. To be in a position where nothing is familiar is one of the greatest gifts of travel. You are able to truly appreciate the charm, beauty, and life that exists all over the world.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Start of Session II
Today I started my second session of classes. The good news is I have improved SIX levels! Louisa has improved EIGHT levels (thanks to a new romantic interest who can't speak English). The new kids arrived on Saturday and Louisa and I met them Sunday. They all seem pretty nice but unfortunately not as interesting as our last group. Luckily there is a group from IU that arrived last weekend as well and in general there are so many new students! Literally Salamanca is flooded with new students from all over the world, it's really cool. I ran into some friends form IU yesterday, which was so bizarre to finally see familiar faces half way across the world.
I actually think I will enjoy this month even more than last month, which I never thought could be possible. In my grammar class there are a couple professors from Africa, Chinese students, French students, students from all over the world. There is only one other American that is my age in my class! I really enjoyed talking to the people in my class this morning and it was so interesting. The best part is we all speak different first languages so we can only speak to each other in Spanish. Looks like I will be practicing speaking even more so than last month because I can no longer resort to English!
My elective class is a business class and also has an extremely diverse group of students. Like my grammar class, most of the students are older and were sent here by their company for a month to improve their Spanish. The class seems like it will be really interesting and I know I will learn so much about the Spanish business world but also a lot about global markets and economies due to the diversity in the class. It is funny to be in a classroom with older students who have families and have worked 20 or 30 years, but I think it will be a wonderful experience.
Today in my business class we talked about how Spain has such weird schedules for work. Many people work 9:00-2:30 and then go home for the day or occasionally 10:00-2:00 and 5:00-8:00. It is funny how different things are here in Spain, even from other European countries. We read an interesting article about the importance of human contact and relationships in Spain and how it affects the business world. They would never dream of having a business lunch or dinner, because la comida is such a sacred time and it is so important to go home and eat with your family. People also don't really work from home here or utilize email, Skype, and other technologies like we do in the workplace. Obivously my first reaction is that it is often easier to send an e-mail or multitask and have a business lunch, but part of what I love about being here is a break in the middle of the day to forget about school, work, whatever, and have a relaxing lunch with Marianna and David, talking about anything and everything BUT school and work!
Yesterday there were restaurants and bars that flew the American flag for 4th of July! Louisa and I went out to celebrate the day of our country and it was hilarious how many Spaniards were running around with the American flag tied around their neck. We never expected them to know it was the 4th of July, let alone celebrate it! The Spanish people will have a fiesta for anything though. Either way Louisa and I enjoyed it and it made us feel more at home here in Salamanca!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Madrid
All in all, Madrid was a great trip. I wish I could have spent more time there. It truly is beautiful and there is so much to see! My friend Elena booked our hotel, which turned out to be apartments, which turned out to be a 40-minute metro ride to Madrid. Needless to say it was an adventure getting to and from our hotel. The bathroom also didn't have a handle and yes, I locked myself in the bathroom for the worst 5 minutes of my life and Louisa unfortunately locked herself in the bathroom for 20 minutes and we had to get someone to come open the door. After we both discovered our extreme fear of confined spaces (who knew!?) we were given free breakfast J I can't say the free breakfast was worth it, but I am happy to be home to Marianna with my bathroom door that has a handle AND my fixed toilet!
Wednesday afternoon we got into Madrid and took a siesta before heading out to dinner. It was a low-key night and then Thursday we were ready to explore the city. We didn't make any plans because we all needed a little breather from every moment being scheduled. Luckily we picked a great metro stop to get off at, walked around and did some shopping, visited the Palacio Royal, walked through the Botanical Gardens and El Retiro, and went to El Prado. For not having plans or any idea of where we were going (we truly didn't have a map!) we did pretty well! Thursday night we experienced Madrid nightlife, which we discovered is much more expensive than Salamanca.
On Friday we met up with one of Elena's friends, Natia, who lives in Madrid. She is 32 and working as a policewoman in Madrid, but had originally studied to be a veterinarian in the States and lived with Elena's family. Natia showed us around Madrid and took us to all of her favorite places. It was really fun to talk to her and see different parts of the city. She took us to the gay neighborhood, Chueca, and it was absolutely beautiful. It was also Gay Pride Weekend so there were lots of fun events going on and tons of fabulous people watching. Chueca used to be a very poor and rough neighborhood but the gay community has completely revamped the neighborhood and now it couldn't be more charming.
Getting back to Salamanca was…well interesting. We had to call a taxi that never came, and then called another that took 20 minutes to get to our hotel. Got stuck in traffic, arrived late to the bus station. After what ended up being a 30-euro cab ride we literally watched our bus pull away. Then we had to re-buy bus tickets. After all was said and done it was funny, there was nothing we could do to control the way the morning unfolded. While it was quite an expensive morning the bus station luckily had chocolate and coffee (and "viejos verdes" or gross old men that wanted to buy our coffees and chocolates) to help ease the pain.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
FELIZ CUMPELANOS AL MEJOR ABUELO DEL MUNDO!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTzryno9B24&feature=youtu.be
OJO ROJO
Today Louisa and I went to the hospital (medical clinic in the hospital really) because we both were having problems with our eyes. A girl in our group got pink eye and then still came to class, so long story short we all have pink eye! Here it is called ojo rojo, or what I think is conjunctivitis in English.
Going to the medical clinic was much easier than expected. An advisor from IES came with us just in case we were confused or needed help with the translations. It was super fast and easy and the doctor couldn't have been nicer. We went to the pharamacy to pick up our eye drops and they were equally as kind. They wrote out directions for Louisa and I and went over the eye drops, how and when to use them.
What's even better is that when I came home and told Marianna she made a calendar for me with boxes to check off each time "we" do my eye drops. She has insisted on putting the eye drops in my eyes for me. Louisa and I cannot stop laughing because we feel like we are two years old but we are so grateful that things went so smoothly when honestly it could have been a nightmare!
Going to the medical clinic was much easier than expected. An advisor from IES came with us just in case we were confused or needed help with the translations. It was super fast and easy and the doctor couldn't have been nicer. We went to the pharamacy to pick up our eye drops and they were equally as kind. They wrote out directions for Louisa and I and went over the eye drops, how and when to use them.
What's even better is that when I came home and told Marianna she made a calendar for me with boxes to check off each time "we" do my eye drops. She has insisted on putting the eye drops in my eyes for me. Louisa and I cannot stop laughing because we feel like we are two years old but we are so grateful that things went so smoothly when honestly it could have been a nightmare!
Finishing Session 1
I have really enjoyed the last week here in Salamanca. I feel like I finally know my way around and am able to really appreciate the city. We stayed in Salamanca over the weekend because everyone leaves on Wednesday except for Louisa and I. I am so happy Louisa decided to stay, it will be so nice having her around. My friends from IU arrive next weekend and I am really looking forward to seeing some familiar faces!
Nothing too epic has happened in the past week. My toilet broke, but it wasn't my fault! One of David's friends broke it when I was in Palma. It just won't flush but naturally Marianna doesn't know how to re-hook the chain so I have literally been pouring a bowl of water down the toilet to flush it for the past week. It's more hilarious than anything and after fake flushing the toilet for the past week I have come to the conclusion that she has no intention of fixing it either!
Marianna is also pre-diabetic and can no longer eat sweets or carbs. I wish you all knew Marianna because this has been quite an uphill battle for her. She eats at least one full white bread baguette with lunch and dinner and I have never met anyone that likes sweets as much as she does. I thought I had a sweet tooth, Marianna has definitely one-upped me. She has switched over to multi-grain bread, which she can barley swallow, and everyday she looks at David and I with these sad puppy eyes as we eat white bread or dessert. We have been eating "healthier" and finally for the first time we had salad! I never though I'd miss salad but it was so nice to have something that wasn't carbs, cream, or chocolate. Marianna is sticking to her diet, mainly because she is looking forward to meeting my dad. She thinks he is "MUY GUAPO" (so handsome). She tells me everyday that she wants to cry because she can't drink her hot chocolate and eat pan with Nutella every morning and honestly I bet some tears have been shed in the privacy of her own room.
Other than that I am learning to survive the heat here. It was 105 yesterday and 100 today! It isn't as awful as it sounds because it is not humid at all, but it does get pretty unbearable around 4:00. I think when I get home I will finally be able to really appreciate air conditioning and fans. Yesterday Heather, Louisa, and I literally went to the library because it is one of the only air conditioned buildings in Salamanca. (Not even the movie theatre is air conditioned!)
Today was my last day of class for the session. Tomorrow we are all heading to the pool to enjoy our last day together. Wednesday everyone leaves and Louisa and I are headed to Madrid until Saturday. I am looking forward to another vacation from vacation, hopefully a long shower, and I'm praying for air conditioning!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Palma de Mallorca
I know it has been a long time since I have updated you all…sorry! I just finished my final exams on Friday and they all went very well. Palma de Mallorca was absolutely amazing and beautiful, I couldn’t have asked for a better vacation from my vacation.
Friday Heather and I arrive in Palma and went to our hostel, which was located right in the center of Palma on the main square. Heather's friend, Allison, is studying abroad in Palma so we met up with Allison and her roommate who is also named Katie. They showed us around downtown and then we walked to their house to meet their host family. Their home was absolutely beautiful and was an actual home. Heather and I love living in downtown Salamanca, but we both have tiny rooms in tiny apartments with lots of shared space. The home Katie and Allison are staying in looks just like a house from the United States, it was beautiful and had tons of terraces and outdoor living space. We met their parents and hung out at their house until dinner.
We went to dinner at a couples' house in a small town nearby. The couple is good friends with Allison and Katie's host parents. (Sorry, it is hard to explain who everyone is!) This town was equally as charming, as was their home, as are the people. We literally had the most amazing dinner in the world, wheat bread, mac and cheese, green beans, ham, Spanish tortilla, and great wine. These parents could not have been more welcoming. They showed us around the town, fed us, and were able to get us a private tour of a local winery! Needless to say Heather and I were thrilled to be in such good company, with such good food, and free food at that! We had planned to buy our own meals for the weekend!
These couples spent the next 2 days INSISTING on including Heather and I on fun excursions, showing us around, feeding us, sharing their stories and culture with us, and paying for everything. I literally have never in my life met more gracious or kind people. I wish I could express how much I enjoyed their company and how overly accommodating they were, for no particular reason. They drove us everywhere, took care of us, and were our private tour guides for the weekend.
We took a cute little trolley to a town called Soller, where we walked around and explored before heading to the beach, where we were greeted with a picnic lunch. The next day we drove through the mountains to other beautiful locations and beaches, and another gourmet picnic lunch. I can't wait to share more details and pictures with you all when I get home, but here are some of my favorites from the weekend!
It was so weird to say goodbye to these people we spent the entire weekend with. Obviously it is highly unlikely we will ever cross paths with them again, but I truly feel lucky to have met them and am so grateful for our weekend in Palma.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Feliz Dia del Padre!
An early Happy Father's Day to my wonderful father, step daddy, Quiestie, and Gramps! Miss you all very much and wish I was there to celebrate Father's Day with you! You are THE BEST fathers and grandfathers in the world and I am so thankful for all that you do for me. Lots of love from Spain! xox
Feliz (Happy)
Dia del Padre (Father's Day)
Te echo de menos! Te quiero! (I miss you and love you!)
Perfect Afternoon in the Spanish Countryside
I had my "midterms" yesterday and today. I got an A on my grammar test and Marianna hung it up on the refrigerator just like I'm in 1st grade! I had a presentation in my culture class on the Castilla y Leon region, which is region Salamanca is located in. It went well and it was actually pretty interesting to research all of the festivals, music, food, monuments, and important people.
Yesterday we went to a little town called Ledesma. My friend Will had an intercambio with a boy Pablo Ledesma who is from Ledesma (and the family the town is named after!). He, his brother, and his friend picked us all up from Salamanca and drove us to their town to show us around. It was just about a half hour outside of Salamanca but it was beautiful. The countryside in Spain is gorgeous. There was a cool little castle and the town itself was so beautiful. The people were all so welcoming and nice, as were Pablo, his brother, and his friend. They took us to their grandparent's land and old home. It was really cool to see an old Spanish country home and see all of the animals, huge bulls, cows, and horses just roaming around. Afterwards we all came back to Salamanca and had tapas. I couldn't have asked for a better day. It was very last minute but it was such a beautiful afternoon and evening and it was so fun to explore a new town and learn about life in the Spanish countryside.
VIVA ESPANA!
Tomorrow Heather and I are leaving at 6 am for Palma de Mallorca! I can't wait, with the exception of the early wake up call. My friend Mali who is studying in London is going to be visiting Palma this weekend too, such a small world! Heather's friend is studying with a family in Palma and they have invited us to come to a party at their home and show us around Palma. It should be a fun and relaxing weekend on the beach. Pictures and updates when I return!
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