September 17, 2013
Anoche fue muy extraño....I met up with Ali in Chueca, the gay district in Madrid, for a drink. First of all, literally everyone in that neighborhood is gay. We walked around and saw a bar with a big fat bouncer outside and blacked out windows that had signs for a show starting in 15 minutes. Drag show? Sex show? We didn't know, but we wanted to go!
So we walk in and sit at the bar and order 2 drinks. The bar is completely silent, only about 5 gay guys in there and no one is talking except for us. We soon realize every person in there is staring directly at us.
We play it cool, just keep talking, and then a guy taps me on the shoulder and asks if "tienes coca?" and wipes his nose.
Play it cool for about 5 more minutes, but these guys' stares are so unwavering we just decide to bolt out of there.
We pick a place that looks a little more packed, with a few more women, and go in. We order 2 mojitos, talk for a bit, and then get bought 2 more mojitos by these two English guys who are in Madrid "on holiday."
They want to take us to Mercado de San Antonio after, but it's closed. Me and Ali both decide we're bored of making small talk with these two guys, so we decide to go into a drag show in hopes they'll leave. They don't.
We go in, get 2 drinks, go to the bathroom and when we come back don't stand anywhere near them. Ali and I are the only two girls in this jam packed bar, with 2 drag queens lip syncing on the little stage. We befriend Dalton, a British gay guy on holiday, who translates for us when the drag queen talks and makes fun of us (which is easy because we're 2 little white girls in a Spanish gay bar on a Monday night).
The 2 British guys find us again, tell us they get the hint and are leaving, kiss us on the cheek and tell us to "not me so mean." Whatever boys, you follow 2 girls into a drag club, clearly we aren't looking to get any tonight.
We decide it's time to go eventually, and want one more bar and one more drink for the night. We find this really cool old Vermouth bar that's empty, but has all these old bottles around it and paintings and tiles, so we befriend the bartender and sit down in the empty place.
I get red, Ali gets white, they put it in little water cups, and the bartender sits with us as we pick his brain as to where we should travel to Halloween weekend (since that's open for us right now). He suggests Budapest actually, which is convenient because Nicole is going that weekend to stay with her family and really wants people to go with her.
We take a cab back to our places, I eat a couple digestive cookies and steal a pear from my host family's kitchen, and then I get my best surprise of the night! Dylan booked his plane tickets to come in LESS THAN TWO WEEKS from now! He's arriving Monday September 30 and staying until Sunday October 6!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Monday, September 16, 2013
Being my own tour guide this weekend
September 16, 2013
I don't like to waste time. So with this being one of the few weekends I'll actually be IN Madrid this semester, it was time to be my own tour guide.
Saturday I met Ali, Kayla and Maggie at Mercado de San Miguel for tapas and Sangria. It's an indoor food market with tapas, wine, helado, etc. stands, and you walk through and get food and drinks! It's so fun and overwhelming and one of those places you just want to try EVERYTHING.
We had fresh Sangria, and Ali and I split tostadas and SEA URCHIN
After, we tour Palacio Real, where the royal family lives. The old rooms are so freaking ornate, and when you walk into the dining room its like you can just IMAGINE being at a ball there 200 years ago.
Siesta time, and then después I go to a hookah bar with Tara and Judy's promoter, get free alcohol, and then go to some lounge with him. Here's a new vow from now on: NO MORE AMERICAN PLACES!!!!!
Sunday was one of the best! I get everyone up and force them to go to the Rastro with me, which is a flea market only on Sundays 9-3. My mother would have been in Heaven. This place is HUGE and so crowded with jewelry, rugs, clothing, antique, book and anything else you would need, stops. You're supposed to haggle with them, but I'm not very good at it. I got 2 rings, a shirt for Dylan, and a bullfight poster with BAUMAN printed on it!
Later that day we go to the Corrida del Toros. We arrive at the plaza, which is HUGE, and looks like the Colossium, except better kept. Outside there are stands selling souvenirs, nuts and candy. Our host father said May is when the Spaniards go, and this time of year is when the tourists go, so the stadium was only about half full. The bullfight is insane, offputting and horrid, but I'm so glad I went. There are 3 matadors, all around my age, in beautiful clothing, and they kill a total of 6 bulls. It's insane to watch them stab the animals repeatedly, while people in the stands cheer and wave white flags, finally to watch the poor bull stumble to the ground, collapse, and then get dragged off by three horses.
Now that I've been in Spain for a month officially, I think the biggest culture shock and adjustment I've had to make is the time schedule. Things are just so laid back, and later. No one's in a rush and everyone takes their time with everything, so days go on for so long. This is the longest I've gone in my life with the least amount of sleep. Lunch at 3, dinner at 9:30 and pregaming at 12 is the norm. But with classes and touring, I wake up early because I don't want to miss out on anything, and continue to go on week by week with barely any sleep.
Last week I went to the Prado museum with my Arts of Spain class for the first time. We go about once a week. It was amazing being able to tour through with an art expert and recognize styles and time periods just based off of lectures and classes! Like I can tell you what the Pontacrator is, and when and where he was probably painted. It's a man, sitting on the universe, holding up three fingers in one hand to symbolize being the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in one, and the Bible in the other! We learned art of the Middle Ages is characterized by 2D styles and thick black outlines because the point was not for beauty, but to teach and tell a story...like a comic book!
I don't like to waste time. So with this being one of the few weekends I'll actually be IN Madrid this semester, it was time to be my own tour guide.
Saturday I met Ali, Kayla and Maggie at Mercado de San Miguel for tapas and Sangria. It's an indoor food market with tapas, wine, helado, etc. stands, and you walk through and get food and drinks! It's so fun and overwhelming and one of those places you just want to try EVERYTHING.
We had fresh Sangria, and Ali and I split tostadas and SEA URCHIN
After, we tour Palacio Real, where the royal family lives. The old rooms are so freaking ornate, and when you walk into the dining room its like you can just IMAGINE being at a ball there 200 years ago.
Siesta time, and then después I go to a hookah bar with Tara and Judy's promoter, get free alcohol, and then go to some lounge with him. Here's a new vow from now on: NO MORE AMERICAN PLACES!!!!!
Sunday was one of the best! I get everyone up and force them to go to the Rastro with me, which is a flea market only on Sundays 9-3. My mother would have been in Heaven. This place is HUGE and so crowded with jewelry, rugs, clothing, antique, book and anything else you would need, stops. You're supposed to haggle with them, but I'm not very good at it. I got 2 rings, a shirt for Dylan, and a bullfight poster with BAUMAN printed on it!
Later that day we go to the Corrida del Toros. We arrive at the plaza, which is HUGE, and looks like the Colossium, except better kept. Outside there are stands selling souvenirs, nuts and candy. Our host father said May is when the Spaniards go, and this time of year is when the tourists go, so the stadium was only about half full. The bullfight is insane, offputting and horrid, but I'm so glad I went. There are 3 matadors, all around my age, in beautiful clothing, and they kill a total of 6 bulls. It's insane to watch them stab the animals repeatedly, while people in the stands cheer and wave white flags, finally to watch the poor bull stumble to the ground, collapse, and then get dragged off by three horses.
Now that I've been in Spain for a month officially, I think the biggest culture shock and adjustment I've had to make is the time schedule. Things are just so laid back, and later. No one's in a rush and everyone takes their time with everything, so days go on for so long. This is the longest I've gone in my life with the least amount of sleep. Lunch at 3, dinner at 9:30 and pregaming at 12 is the norm. But with classes and touring, I wake up early because I don't want to miss out on anything, and continue to go on week by week with barely any sleep.
Last week I went to the Prado museum with my Arts of Spain class for the first time. We go about once a week. It was amazing being able to tour through with an art expert and recognize styles and time periods just based off of lectures and classes! Like I can tell you what the Pontacrator is, and when and where he was probably painted. It's a man, sitting on the universe, holding up three fingers in one hand to symbolize being the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in one, and the Bible in the other! We learned art of the Middle Ages is characterized by 2D styles and thick black outlines because the point was not for beauty, but to teach and tell a story...like a comic book!
Barcelona...
...killed me. Literally if Ali vs. Barcelona was a battle, FCB won.
I got off the plane Friday morning and immediately went straight to the beach. It was absolute Heaven, ALL of Barca is absolute Heaven. Me, Nicole, Tara, Judy, Kayla, Natalia and Lauren got drinks, lay outside and got DARK.
There were men walking around selling pre-made mojitos in cardboard boxes. Needless to say, we didn't buy.
Then once we were all dead from the heat, we went right to Las Ramblas! We lazily and crankily walked in and out of stores, and I of course did damage at Zara. They have a big plaza with pigeons like in Italy, and just like Erica, Henry was terrified so we poured bird seed on him!!
Me and Nicole head back to Hostel Generator which is GORGEOUS and looks like Urban Outfitters jizzed in a hotel. We have our own room for the night, and Maceo, Aaron and CJ are staying in a communal room.
That night we go meet Tara, Judy, Natalia, Kayla and Judy's friend who's studying abroad at Chupitos, which is a shot bar with 100 different shots. The place is TINY and packed, but shots are 2 euros so we do it. Afterwards is the famous club in Barca, Opium. Honestly...I like clubs in Madrid better. I mean, 8 stories of Kapital...you can't really compare.
The clubs are all on a row on the beach which is pretty cool for after you can go and there are Rastafarians selling weed right on the shore.
The next day, Nicole and I get up, still drunk, and decide to meet everyone else at Sagrada Familia to tour. They're running late so we decide to walk around the Parc Ciutadella. We threw up twice on the walk over. Once we get there, Nicole decides she needs to nap in the park, so I venture off alone. I walked into a church, a restaurant, a fountain, and even lit a candle in the church because I had hangover guilt.
We then meet them at Sagrada Familia. There are no words to describe how you feel when you first walk in. The rainbow lights shining in through the tinted windows in incomparable. Lauren even started to cry when she walked in. My photos just don't do it justice.
After that, we book it to the Picasso museum in the rain. I stole a coaster from the gift store because I didn't want to buy the full pack, and I have to add it to my collection!
Nicole and I go back, change, and then go out to dinner at this crazy meat place! We decide to walk in because the butch guys inside were calling at us, and hey, it looked fun. We started out with anchovies and tomato tostada, then I had ox, and Nicole and I split a pitcher of Sangria.
We rush and meet everyone else at Dow Jones, a bar where the prices go up and down depending on how much of the alcohol people are buying. A bit too American for me, WHERE ARE ALL THE SPANIARDS?!?
We walk the like freaking mile afterwards to a bar someone told us about with 4 euro all you can drink glasses. Sounds good, no?
It's this little hole in the wall owned by a family where the bartenders are an old Spanish couple and their thirty year old son. You order a drink, and they give you an empty glass, the handle of alcohol and the chaser and for 4 euros you can pour as much as you want. I had been planning on making it an early night, but YOBO, so Nicole and I decided to go with the boys to Razzmatazz, some random club.
The next day, we get up and Nicole and I go to Judy's friend, Johnny's, apartment. For breakfast we go to this tiny little bodega and get fresh bread and croissants. The bread was so fresh it literally melted in your mouth. We then go to the zoo in Parc Ciutadella! Elephants, zebras, tigers, oh my!
I then force everyone to go back to the amazing fountain I found when wandering solo in the park.
For lunch we find this little place that make you fresh paninis! And after, we go to the famous Parc Guell. There are African men selling souvenirs all around, Spaniards playing guitar and violin, and hippies hiking to the top.
All in all, Barca was gorgeous. When I left, I sort of regretted choosing Madrid over it. But I think it's a little to stuck up, a little too touristy, and a little too rural to spend the semester. I'm glad to be back in Madrid where I can be in a very old Spanish area, and then a very new-age metropolitan area in the same day. Besides, if I had access to a beach every day I probably wouldn't go to class!
I got off the plane Friday morning and immediately went straight to the beach. It was absolute Heaven, ALL of Barca is absolute Heaven. Me, Nicole, Tara, Judy, Kayla, Natalia and Lauren got drinks, lay outside and got DARK.
Then once we were all dead from the heat, we went right to Las Ramblas! We lazily and crankily walked in and out of stores, and I of course did damage at Zara. They have a big plaza with pigeons like in Italy, and just like Erica, Henry was terrified so we poured bird seed on him!!
Me and Nicole head back to Hostel Generator which is GORGEOUS and looks like Urban Outfitters jizzed in a hotel. We have our own room for the night, and Maceo, Aaron and CJ are staying in a communal room.
That night we go meet Tara, Judy, Natalia, Kayla and Judy's friend who's studying abroad at Chupitos, which is a shot bar with 100 different shots. The place is TINY and packed, but shots are 2 euros so we do it. Afterwards is the famous club in Barca, Opium. Honestly...I like clubs in Madrid better. I mean, 8 stories of Kapital...you can't really compare.
The clubs are all on a row on the beach which is pretty cool for after you can go and there are Rastafarians selling weed right on the shore.
The next day, Nicole and I get up, still drunk, and decide to meet everyone else at Sagrada Familia to tour. They're running late so we decide to walk around the Parc Ciutadella. We threw up twice on the walk over. Once we get there, Nicole decides she needs to nap in the park, so I venture off alone. I walked into a church, a restaurant, a fountain, and even lit a candle in the church because I had hangover guilt.
We then meet them at Sagrada Familia. There are no words to describe how you feel when you first walk in. The rainbow lights shining in through the tinted windows in incomparable. Lauren even started to cry when she walked in. My photos just don't do it justice.
After that, we book it to the Picasso museum in the rain. I stole a coaster from the gift store because I didn't want to buy the full pack, and I have to add it to my collection!
Nicole and I go back, change, and then go out to dinner at this crazy meat place! We decide to walk in because the butch guys inside were calling at us, and hey, it looked fun. We started out with anchovies and tomato tostada, then I had ox, and Nicole and I split a pitcher of Sangria.
We walk the like freaking mile afterwards to a bar someone told us about with 4 euro all you can drink glasses. Sounds good, no?
It's this little hole in the wall owned by a family where the bartenders are an old Spanish couple and their thirty year old son. You order a drink, and they give you an empty glass, the handle of alcohol and the chaser and for 4 euros you can pour as much as you want. I had been planning on making it an early night, but YOBO, so Nicole and I decided to go with the boys to Razzmatazz, some random club.
The next day, we get up and Nicole and I go to Judy's friend, Johnny's, apartment. For breakfast we go to this tiny little bodega and get fresh bread and croissants. The bread was so fresh it literally melted in your mouth. We then go to the zoo in Parc Ciutadella! Elephants, zebras, tigers, oh my!
I then force everyone to go back to the amazing fountain I found when wandering solo in the park.
For lunch we find this little place that make you fresh paninis! And after, we go to the famous Parc Guell. There are African men selling souvenirs all around, Spaniards playing guitar and violin, and hippies hiking to the top.
All in all, Barca was gorgeous. When I left, I sort of regretted choosing Madrid over it. But I think it's a little to stuck up, a little too touristy, and a little too rural to spend the semester. I'm glad to be back in Madrid where I can be in a very old Spanish area, and then a very new-age metropolitan area in the same day. Besides, if I had access to a beach every day I probably wouldn't go to class!
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Casual Day at the Club
September 5, 2013
It's Thursday and I leave for Barcelona tomorrow morning!!!
Believe it or not I didn't go out Tuesday night, so one would think I was refreshed for school on Wednesday. But apparently when you've gotten 4 hours of sleep every single night for the past 2 weeks, one night of eight hours doesn't exactly cut it.
Anyways, while in class Nicole texts me "we're picking you up after school to go to the country club."
Ok, I think, I'll work on my tan and nap! So when I hop in the car and they tell me they've brought tennis racquets the only word in my head is...fuck.
We drive the thirty minute ride to the country club, where Andres and his friend have their first day of fútbol practice at 6pm (18:00 here). You seriously cannot call this place a country club...it's a friggin state. Golf course, tennis courts, 2 swimming pool areas, a go-cart track, horse barn, soccer field, basketball court, and a giant gym/fitness center!
So me and Nicole play tennis for about an hour in the sweltering heat (get yelled at by Spaniards to keep our voices down) and then go inside for a workout in the gym. Best thing about living with Nicole? How healthy she is with exercise and food.
Jose Antonio gives us a tour of the place after we shower, while the boys are playing tennis. Our host father is great, I'm pretty sure he's shadily very wealthy, and since he studied abroad in America when he was 20, he's like determined to teach us everything we need to culturally know about Madrid. Plus, I think he likes walking around with two pretty American girls everywhere!
Oh, and Jose Antonio casually dropped that the king of Spain is a member of the club....
Anyways, on the drive back we stop at the Spanish equivalent of Sports Authority because they need a surf board for their summer home in Galicia (what...), and at this point it's 9:45, Nicole and I haven't eaten since lunch and played tennis and are literally about to scarf down whatever egg dish Marta puts in front of us.
Night #6: some kind of bolognase sauce with mashed potatoes.
Afterwards, Nicole and I get ready and go to a bar nearby and sit to talk and have a drink before meeting up with everyone else. Older Spanish men must really like us because the drinks they poured us were about 80% alcohol, 20% mixer. Side note: for a city so notorious for pick-pocketing, I'm surprised by how casual paying is at restaurants. They kinda just forget about you...
We go to Dubliners (surprise! Seriously I'm over this American bar) but I have to admit it's very fun going out with the American students here...
Anyways after a couple of free drinks from the bartender who has a crush on me (last time I went he gave me 5 free shots...for myself...they just kept coming), I was convinced into trying Absinth. As the bartender poured the shot and said "be careful" I had that feeling like "fuck this is going to be a good semester."
Honestly, nothing really happened. I only had one shot of it so I was pretty fine and even made it a relatively early night (aka got home by 4)
Well this morning Nicole and I slept through my alarm and we had to SPRINT to class. Thank God we're in running distance because I actually hauled ass, still drunk, to 9am Spanish.
So here's a mental image for you: first day of my advanced 9am Spanish class, I come in 2 minutes late, sweating, no makeup, holding an agua grande, and a little twitchy because my BAC is probably still too high to operate a vehicle.
My professor is really cool and even said in class like "you aren't in Madrid for the classroom, you're here to go to a bar and talk with Spaniards." Alright.
Tonight was my first night going to a Spanish restaurant (I went with Ali!) We had gazpacho and tuna tartar. I'm seriously eating gazpacho like it's my job here.
Going to sleep now to wake up early for BARCELONA!!! Nos vemos
It's Thursday and I leave for Barcelona tomorrow morning!!!
Believe it or not I didn't go out Tuesday night, so one would think I was refreshed for school on Wednesday. But apparently when you've gotten 4 hours of sleep every single night for the past 2 weeks, one night of eight hours doesn't exactly cut it.
Anyways, while in class Nicole texts me "we're picking you up after school to go to the country club."
Ok, I think, I'll work on my tan and nap! So when I hop in the car and they tell me they've brought tennis racquets the only word in my head is...fuck.
We drive the thirty minute ride to the country club, where Andres and his friend have their first day of fútbol practice at 6pm (18:00 here). You seriously cannot call this place a country club...it's a friggin state. Golf course, tennis courts, 2 swimming pool areas, a go-cart track, horse barn, soccer field, basketball court, and a giant gym/fitness center!
So me and Nicole play tennis for about an hour in the sweltering heat (get yelled at by Spaniards to keep our voices down) and then go inside for a workout in the gym. Best thing about living with Nicole? How healthy she is with exercise and food.
Jose Antonio gives us a tour of the place after we shower, while the boys are playing tennis. Our host father is great, I'm pretty sure he's shadily very wealthy, and since he studied abroad in America when he was 20, he's like determined to teach us everything we need to culturally know about Madrid. Plus, I think he likes walking around with two pretty American girls everywhere!
Oh, and Jose Antonio casually dropped that the king of Spain is a member of the club....
Anyways, on the drive back we stop at the Spanish equivalent of Sports Authority because they need a surf board for their summer home in Galicia (what...), and at this point it's 9:45, Nicole and I haven't eaten since lunch and played tennis and are literally about to scarf down whatever egg dish Marta puts in front of us.
Night #6: some kind of bolognase sauce with mashed potatoes.
Afterwards, Nicole and I get ready and go to a bar nearby and sit to talk and have a drink before meeting up with everyone else. Older Spanish men must really like us because the drinks they poured us were about 80% alcohol, 20% mixer. Side note: for a city so notorious for pick-pocketing, I'm surprised by how casual paying is at restaurants. They kinda just forget about you...
We go to Dubliners (surprise! Seriously I'm over this American bar) but I have to admit it's very fun going out with the American students here...
Anyways after a couple of free drinks from the bartender who has a crush on me (last time I went he gave me 5 free shots...for myself...they just kept coming), I was convinced into trying Absinth. As the bartender poured the shot and said "be careful" I had that feeling like "fuck this is going to be a good semester."
Honestly, nothing really happened. I only had one shot of it so I was pretty fine and even made it a relatively early night (aka got home by 4)
Well this morning Nicole and I slept through my alarm and we had to SPRINT to class. Thank God we're in running distance because I actually hauled ass, still drunk, to 9am Spanish.
So here's a mental image for you: first day of my advanced 9am Spanish class, I come in 2 minutes late, sweating, no makeup, holding an agua grande, and a little twitchy because my BAC is probably still too high to operate a vehicle.
My professor is really cool and even said in class like "you aren't in Madrid for the classroom, you're here to go to a bar and talk with Spaniards." Alright.
Tonight was my first night going to a Spanish restaurant (I went with Ali!) We had gazpacho and tuna tartar. I'm seriously eating gazpacho like it's my job here.
Going to sleep now to wake up early for BARCELONA!!! Nos vemos
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
iBenvenido a Madrid!
September 3, 2013
Well I'm starting this a little later than I intended! I arrived in Madrid August 18 and immediately drove the 6 hours to Córdoba with my Imperium seminar for a ten day class/excursion! We went to Córdoba, Granada, Sevilla and Lisbon. I'll write another post on that later. We were doing SO MUCH in only 10 days it's overwhelming!
One thing that definitely surprised me in the beginning of Imperium was the food...and not in a good way. All they eat are eggs! Tortillas, which is like fried egg with potatoes, hard boiled eggs on sandwiches, salads, toast, deviled eggs. JUEVOS JUEVOS JUEVOS...
But honestly I thought the food would be better. Breakfast is pretty much toast and coffee, I haven't been having great lunches (bocadillas, aka sandwiches, are literally meat and bread...you have to ask for lettuce and stuff if you want it) and dinner is a little odd with a lot of carbs. I don't really dig ham that much and guess what...it's everywhere. They also don't de-shell shrimp here. Ew.
That's really the worst of it though!!! Seriously I'm obsessed with this city. Every day so far I've walked around and looked at the streets in awe that I GET TO LIVE HERE and at night I walk around and see the people and all the nightlife in awe that I GET TO LIVE HERE!!
We arrived Thursday EXHAUSTED after an 8 hour bus ride from Portugal. Nicole and I met our host family: Marta, Jose Antonio, Andres and Iria Blanco
They live on Calle de Principe de Vergara, 77. AKA the Madrid equivalent of the upper east side!!! He's an engineer and a college professor, and she is a hat designer for weddings and other formal events. Andres is 12 and likes soccer and Iria is 9 and likes to sing! The two of them are too cute I can't get over it. Night #1: Tortilla and gazpacho
The next day we woke up to a LOVELY breakfast of toast and coffee! -_-
But actually they were very nice and after breakfast we went to our orientation at school. The school is like a 20 minute walk from the apartment. We definitely lucked out; we don't have to take the metro to school, our host family is nice and cooks well, and even though the apartment is small we have enough room to move around, unlike some of the other people on the trip.
Lucky for my inner-JAP we found a salad place across the street from school with 5euro salads!
When Nicole and I came back home, the family took us on a walk to El Retiro, the giant park (very similar to Central Park) within walking distance of their house. We also walked through the high-end shopping district which is, oh, right next to us.
El Retiro is GORGEOUS. Street vendors, cafes, a giant lake with row-boating, the Glass Castle, and lots and lots of bikers and roller bladers!
After a 2 hour walk, Nicole and I engaged in a Spanish tradition: siesta.
Can I also say I don't know how the Spaniards survive without sleep? They go out until 6am, go to work, take a little nap and do it all over again!??! I've slept like 4 hours every night since I've been here!!!
Night #2: Osso bucco yumyumyum
Friday night Nicole and I met up with all of our friends at the bar El Tigre in El Sol (like Times Square) at around 12:30 (yup that's what time Spaniards GO OUT). It's kind of an American bar, but the drinks are cheap and they give you free GIANT plates of tapas!
After we went to a bar, Dubliners, which unfortunately, was VERY American. Literally. I saw all of Syracuse Madrid. But it was nice seeing everyone on our first night out. At around 2 we went to la discoteca, Joy Eslava. IT. WAS. SO. FUN. So much bigger than any club I've been to in New York, my friends had tables, I was dancing on stage it was unreal.
The next morning Marta and Jose suggested on weekends they won't wait for us to eat breakfast. Whoops....guess that happens when you're out until 6am.
We went on a walking tour with our class, back to El Retiro
Saturday night Marta and Jose told us they had a wedding to go to at around 7pm and would be back at 5am. Think my parents could keep up?
Night #3: deviled eggs
Afterwards Nicole and I met our friends at the biggest discoteca in Europe: Kapital. It was huge, 8 stories high! The bottom few floors were dance floors, then balconies, and then has you got higher up there were like rooftop bars. It's amazing how I kept finding everyone even with it being ginormous!
Sunday Ali flew in and we met up with everyone at El Retiro, walked around in a hungover state for a while and then napped. Everyone was still in Kapital daze.
Night #4: pasta with stir fry shrimp and vegetables
Monday was first day of classes! It's weird going to school with kids I'd actually go to school with...but in Spain. I think we're all kind of like, what the fuck why aren't you at Syracuse?
I have an awkwardly long gap in between my classes on Mondays and Wednesdays so CJ and I literally picked a subway line, got off and walked around. That's exactly what I want to be doing with my days, it was so much fun, so beautiful and I got to see a random area! We walked near la Universidad de la Ciudad, very west on the map, past the Museo de America and found this gorgeous park!
After class, Nicole, Ali and I got mojito happy hour! Gotta love going to school...
Night #5: pork and potatoes
That night we went back to the bars in El Sol with other American students. I'm ready to explore the Spanish bar, I didn't come here to hang out with US kids!!! I even asked the bartender to suggest places and he said its more fun to go to bars where your friends are so we should stick to these. Not exactly what I was looking for.
El Sol at night is packed with promoters throwing tickets in your face offering you a free drink with entry and trying to get girls in. Literally so overwhelming you can't walk a foot without someone shoving an ad in your face.
Tuesday morning even though class was cancelled, Nicole and I went fabric shopping with Marta in El Sol. She showed us around the area IN THE DAYTIME, the market place there, La Plaza Mayor, it's so so beautiful!!!! How do I get so lucky to live here.
Night #6: salmon and gazpacho
I stayed in last night, skyped with Dylan and looked into booking hostels for my upcoming trips. It's hard being away from home, my boyfriend, my friends at school and my parents. Dylan is trying to visit the beginning of October, but honestly it's weird not seeing him for so long. I know I've only been here about 3 weeks but shit this has been the longest 3 weeks of my life. Not even in a bad way, I just feel like SO MUCH has happened in such a short amount of time, I already feel like a Spaniard!!! (but not actually because I don't dress well enough). I'm confident we'll be okay, and Skype definitely makes it easier, I'm just terrified of so much happening in both of our lives that we change too much and no longer feel like we know each other.
I am extremely happy here though, and I can't wait to keep exploring. We may go to Barcelona this weekend, Oktoberfest is already booked in September, I'm going to Valencia, Amsterdam and (maybe with my parents) Paris in October, and Dublin in November. Still need to plan London and Prague FOR SURE. Maybe that'll be in November!!!
Just livin the jet-setting life, YA FEEL?
Well I'm starting this a little later than I intended! I arrived in Madrid August 18 and immediately drove the 6 hours to Córdoba with my Imperium seminar for a ten day class/excursion! We went to Córdoba, Granada, Sevilla and Lisbon. I'll write another post on that later. We were doing SO MUCH in only 10 days it's overwhelming!
But honestly I thought the food would be better. Breakfast is pretty much toast and coffee, I haven't been having great lunches (bocadillas, aka sandwiches, are literally meat and bread...you have to ask for lettuce and stuff if you want it) and dinner is a little odd with a lot of carbs. I don't really dig ham that much and guess what...it's everywhere. They also don't de-shell shrimp here. Ew.
That's really the worst of it though!!! Seriously I'm obsessed with this city. Every day so far I've walked around and looked at the streets in awe that I GET TO LIVE HERE and at night I walk around and see the people and all the nightlife in awe that I GET TO LIVE HERE!!
We arrived Thursday EXHAUSTED after an 8 hour bus ride from Portugal. Nicole and I met our host family: Marta, Jose Antonio, Andres and Iria Blanco
The next day we woke up to a LOVELY breakfast of toast and coffee! -_-
But actually they were very nice and after breakfast we went to our orientation at school. The school is like a 20 minute walk from the apartment. We definitely lucked out; we don't have to take the metro to school, our host family is nice and cooks well, and even though the apartment is small we have enough room to move around, unlike some of the other people on the trip.
Lucky for my inner-JAP we found a salad place across the street from school with 5euro salads!
When Nicole and I came back home, the family took us on a walk to El Retiro, the giant park (very similar to Central Park) within walking distance of their house. We also walked through the high-end shopping district which is, oh, right next to us.
El Retiro is GORGEOUS. Street vendors, cafes, a giant lake with row-boating, the Glass Castle, and lots and lots of bikers and roller bladers!
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| Andres caught a turtle! |
After a 2 hour walk, Nicole and I engaged in a Spanish tradition: siesta.
Can I also say I don't know how the Spaniards survive without sleep? They go out until 6am, go to work, take a little nap and do it all over again!??! I've slept like 4 hours every night since I've been here!!!
Night #2: Osso bucco yumyumyum
Friday night Nicole and I met up with all of our friends at the bar El Tigre in El Sol (like Times Square) at around 12:30 (yup that's what time Spaniards GO OUT). It's kind of an American bar, but the drinks are cheap and they give you free GIANT plates of tapas!
After we went to a bar, Dubliners, which unfortunately, was VERY American. Literally. I saw all of Syracuse Madrid. But it was nice seeing everyone on our first night out. At around 2 we went to la discoteca, Joy Eslava. IT. WAS. SO. FUN. So much bigger than any club I've been to in New York, my friends had tables, I was dancing on stage it was unreal.
The next morning Marta and Jose suggested on weekends they won't wait for us to eat breakfast. Whoops....guess that happens when you're out until 6am.
We went on a walking tour with our class, back to El Retiro
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| Alfonso, on of our teachers |
Night #3: deviled eggs
Afterwards Nicole and I met our friends at the biggest discoteca in Europe: Kapital. It was huge, 8 stories high! The bottom few floors were dance floors, then balconies, and then has you got higher up there were like rooftop bars. It's amazing how I kept finding everyone even with it being ginormous!
Sunday Ali flew in and we met up with everyone at El Retiro, walked around in a hungover state for a while and then napped. Everyone was still in Kapital daze.
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| Ali and I at El Retiro |
Night #4: pasta with stir fry shrimp and vegetables
Monday was first day of classes! It's weird going to school with kids I'd actually go to school with...but in Spain. I think we're all kind of like, what the fuck why aren't you at Syracuse?
I have an awkwardly long gap in between my classes on Mondays and Wednesdays so CJ and I literally picked a subway line, got off and walked around. That's exactly what I want to be doing with my days, it was so much fun, so beautiful and I got to see a random area! We walked near la Universidad de la Ciudad, very west on the map, past the Museo de America and found this gorgeous park!
After class, Nicole, Ali and I got mojito happy hour! Gotta love going to school...
Night #5: pork and potatoes
That night we went back to the bars in El Sol with other American students. I'm ready to explore the Spanish bar, I didn't come here to hang out with US kids!!! I even asked the bartender to suggest places and he said its more fun to go to bars where your friends are so we should stick to these. Not exactly what I was looking for.
El Sol at night is packed with promoters throwing tickets in your face offering you a free drink with entry and trying to get girls in. Literally so overwhelming you can't walk a foot without someone shoving an ad in your face.
Tuesday morning even though class was cancelled, Nicole and I went fabric shopping with Marta in El Sol. She showed us around the area IN THE DAYTIME, the market place there, La Plaza Mayor, it's so so beautiful!!!! How do I get so lucky to live here.
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| Plaza Mayor |
I stayed in last night, skyped with Dylan and looked into booking hostels for my upcoming trips. It's hard being away from home, my boyfriend, my friends at school and my parents. Dylan is trying to visit the beginning of October, but honestly it's weird not seeing him for so long. I know I've only been here about 3 weeks but shit this has been the longest 3 weeks of my life. Not even in a bad way, I just feel like SO MUCH has happened in such a short amount of time, I already feel like a Spaniard!!! (but not actually because I don't dress well enough). I'm confident we'll be okay, and Skype definitely makes it easier, I'm just terrified of so much happening in both of our lives that we change too much and no longer feel like we know each other.
I am extremely happy here though, and I can't wait to keep exploring. We may go to Barcelona this weekend, Oktoberfest is already booked in September, I'm going to Valencia, Amsterdam and (maybe with my parents) Paris in October, and Dublin in November. Still need to plan London and Prague FOR SURE. Maybe that'll be in November!!!
Just livin the jet-setting life, YA FEEL?
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