At nearly 73 years old Rafaela is quick, motivated and feisty. And I love it.
It's only been ten hours since I left her humble abode and I miss her already. To quote Rafaela in a few words, "Que Pena."
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Rafaela
I miss Rafaela already. I miss the corrections she made on my Spanish grammar, the animated noises she made in place of vocabulary, her dinners, her racist jokes, her lessons on slaughtering, and even the bedroom we slept in for 6 weeks (although not too much, for the next ten days I will be spoiled with air conditioning.)
At nearly 73 years old Rafaela is quick, motivated and feisty. And I love it.
It's only been ten hours since I left her humble abode and I miss her already. To quote Rafaela in a few words, "Que Pena."
At nearly 73 years old Rafaela is quick, motivated and feisty. And I love it.
It's only been ten hours since I left her humble abode and I miss her already. To quote Rafaela in a few words, "Que Pena."
Hasta Luego
Estoy Cansada.
Last night we went out with other sad-to-leave-Barcelona ISA students to say our goodbyes, and celebrate, for one last time, our stay in Barcelona. We shared one last order of Patatas Bravas and each ordered a snack-bar sized cocktail of our choice. Cocotitto was mine - an oversized pina colada of sorts.
The tapas and drinks were very enjoyable, but what I think I will remember the most are the stories we shared, the reflections we reminisced upon, the games we played, and the laughter that encompassed it all.
We ended up bidding our final adieus amongst the irksome vendors and drunken party-ers outside between to night clubs at the beach. Morgan and Mallory promised to come up north to visit, affirming that "you don't just click like this with anyone." Teary eyed, I agreed.
While six weeks may not seem like a sufficient amount of time to build strong friendships, and while I wish I had an entire semester to spend with the friends I've made, I am amazed by the bond formed not only between me and this fantastic city, but also between new friends.
Here I was about to type "Adios," but I think "Hasta luego" is more fitting. I will definitely find my way back to this city.
-----------------
Hola, Alicante!!
After struggling terribly trying to board my 60+ lb. maleta (suitcase), I slouched into my assigned seat with a sigh of relief - ah, finally a moment to relax after being up since 7 AM.
Just as the train began to move, two girls approached me and asked in perfect Spanish if I wouldn't mind changing with one of them so they could sit together. Of course I didn't mind. But now I do. Now that I am sitting in one of only two booth-like rows on the train, bent knees practically kissing those of the elderly Spanish man facing me, adjacent to his equally elderly and snoring wife, yes, I mind.
However, I sought out the bright side as I am constantly forcing myself to do; the ride was only 5 and a half hours long and once I lug my belongings to Carmen's (a family friend of Lauren's with whom we are staying for the remainder of our trip) I will have ten days of beautiful beaching in the South of Spain until I have to travel again.
Last night we went out with other sad-to-leave-Barcelona ISA students to say our goodbyes, and celebrate, for one last time, our stay in Barcelona. We shared one last order of Patatas Bravas and each ordered a snack-bar sized cocktail of our choice. Cocotitto was mine - an oversized pina colada of sorts.
The tapas and drinks were very enjoyable, but what I think I will remember the most are the stories we shared, the reflections we reminisced upon, the games we played, and the laughter that encompassed it all.
We ended up bidding our final adieus amongst the irksome vendors and drunken party-ers outside between to night clubs at the beach. Morgan and Mallory promised to come up north to visit, affirming that "you don't just click like this with anyone." Teary eyed, I agreed.
While six weeks may not seem like a sufficient amount of time to build strong friendships, and while I wish I had an entire semester to spend with the friends I've made, I am amazed by the bond formed not only between me and this fantastic city, but also between new friends.
Here I was about to type "Adios," but I think "Hasta luego" is more fitting. I will definitely find my way back to this city.
-----------------
Hola, Alicante!!
After struggling terribly trying to board my 60+ lb. maleta (suitcase), I slouched into my assigned seat with a sigh of relief - ah, finally a moment to relax after being up since 7 AM.
Just as the train began to move, two girls approached me and asked in perfect Spanish if I wouldn't mind changing with one of them so they could sit together. Of course I didn't mind. But now I do. Now that I am sitting in one of only two booth-like rows on the train, bent knees practically kissing those of the elderly Spanish man facing me, adjacent to his equally elderly and snoring wife, yes, I mind.
However, I sought out the bright side as I am constantly forcing myself to do; the ride was only 5 and a half hours long and once I lug my belongings to Carmen's (a family friend of Lauren's with whom we are staying for the remainder of our trip) I will have ten days of beautiful beaching in the South of Spain until I have to travel again.
Friday, July 30, 2010
lluvia
It actually rained for the first time here in Barcelona since June. Today was the first day I have ever walked to class without a crystal clear blue sky over my head. Today was also my final exam, marking the end of my studies in Barcelona. Coincidental or Foreboding?
Luckily, I think the exam went pretty well! Now, if only the sun would come back out permanently, I plan on spending the day bronzing one last time upon the Barcelona sand.
A las 11 in the morning I will be en route to Alicante for the remainder of my European adventure!
The end is in sight...
XOXO
Luckily, I think the exam went pretty well! Now, if only the sun would come back out permanently, I plan on spending the day bronzing one last time upon the Barcelona sand.
A las 11 in the morning I will be en route to Alicante for the remainder of my European adventure!
The end is in sight...
XOXO
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
When in Rome...
I’m not sure that if, for the three days I was in Rome, I “did as the Romans do,” but I am sure that I had an unbelievably incredible time nonetheless.
Day one:
We woke up to a knock on our door from the Hotel Touring doorman/receptionist/room service attendant/maid bringing us our breakfast a half hour earlier than we requested. Our two star breakfast of champions: two questionable croissants, one water with a hint of OJ, two extra strong cappuccinos and one most probably lethal coffee. Thankfully we chose Hotel Touring for it’s college friendly price and proximity to the train station, not it’s accommodations :)
We bought a “Roma Pass” that gave us line-cutting privileges and free entrance to two museums. First stop via Roma Pass: The Coliseum and Forum. I won’t bore you with details but I will say that I was overwhelmed by the beauty, the views and the history our first two visits.
We spent a good portion of our morning touring the Coliseum, and the rest of the afternoon hunting for other well known tourist spots and the best photo opts:
Spanish Steps
I was really excited to visit the Spanish Steps (I get excited about most things “Spanish”)
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain was PACKED with tourists taking pictures, throwing coins, making wishes and taking pictures of others throwing coins while making wishes. It was beautiful!! I threw three monedas over my shoulder, and made three different wishes.
Pantheon
I heard the Pantheon was a must-see attraction, so I dragged everyone across town (after our first pizza experience in Rome) to see the city’s oldest church. It is amazing to me how so many years BC such a magnificent building could be constructed. While the famous open dome meant as the Gods’ exit at night is the Pantheon’s claim to fame, I couldn’t help but remain awestricken by the floor; tiny holes in the tile drilled precisely to form one of the world’s most impressive irrigation systems. I would think a huge non-retractable sun roof atop any building would be asking for a flood, let alone atop one constructed in ancient times.
Day two:
Sunday we woke up and dressed in our Sunday’s best and headed to St. Clemente’s Basilica to experience an Italian mass. I only caught about every 60th word, but I enjoyed admiring the beautiful church while listening to the Italian service. Photography was prohibited, otherwise I would have taken a ton of pictures - this church is definitely one of Rome’s hidden gems. The church itself is built on top of two other ancient churches discovered during relatively recent excavations. The first pagan church is two floors underground, built in the 1st century BC. The second, a Catholic church, was constructed on top of the pagan church in the 4th century AD. It was amazing to walk through the old churches’ ruins and admire the remnants of altars, artworks, and even running spring water!
The rest of Sunday was spent leisurely walking around, simply getting lost in the city. I can’t find another word to describe how I felt about Sunday other than “perfect.” Mallory was on a mission to find two restaurants: Monte Carlo for their famous pizza and Giolitti for their renown gelati. We walked forever trying to find these restaurants, but the fact that I would walk ten times as much to have it again is an understatement! The atmosphere in Monte Carlo’s was friendly and familiar; eating amongst the locals made the pizza even tastier. Giolitti was packed with tourists and locals alike, as I imagine it must always be; it was love at first bite with my hazelnut and baccio cone. Mmmmm <3
All of us girls walked endlessly through cute local squares, finding random cafes and shops in which to visit. My favorite square was Navona; I felt like I was actually in the scene of one of the pictures being painted by one of the dozens of artists working in the square. These pictures speak a thousand words:
For dinner we got dressed up and found a Trattoria in Trastavere for pizza, pasta, bruschetta, and to top it all of, a Bellini. Perfecto!
Day Three:
On our final day in Roma we scheduled a tour through the Vatican. Being a huge “DaVinci Code” and “Angels and Demons” fan, I was anticipating an interesting tour filled with history and ancient symbology, something I was truly looking forward to. However, the tour was nothing like what I was expecting - It was way, way more. Although, I couldn’t help but wish Robert Langdon was by my side the whole time...
A slight sense of gloom accompanied me on my trudge to class this morning; according to Lauren I was fighting a “Rome Hangover.” Apparently when I left the Rome airport I brought back souvenirs, a couple extra pizza pounds, and a mini form of Roman-sentimentality-induced depression. Luckily a day swimming and sunning at Barcelona’s Olympic pool and a delicious dinner alla Rafaela brought me out of my misery and I’m ready to enjoy the last few days I have left in Barca!
Day one:
We woke up to a knock on our door from the Hotel Touring doorman/receptionist/room service attendant/maid bringing us our breakfast a half hour earlier than we requested. Our two star breakfast of champions: two questionable croissants, one water with a hint of OJ, two extra strong cappuccinos and one most probably lethal coffee. Thankfully we chose Hotel Touring for it’s college friendly price and proximity to the train station, not it’s accommodations :)
We bought a “Roma Pass” that gave us line-cutting privileges and free entrance to two museums. First stop via Roma Pass: The Coliseum and Forum. I won’t bore you with details but I will say that I was overwhelmed by the beauty, the views and the history our first two visits.
We spent a good portion of our morning touring the Coliseum, and the rest of the afternoon hunting for other well known tourist spots and the best photo opts:
Spanish Steps
I was really excited to visit the Spanish Steps (I get excited about most things “Spanish”)
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain was PACKED with tourists taking pictures, throwing coins, making wishes and taking pictures of others throwing coins while making wishes. It was beautiful!! I threw three monedas over my shoulder, and made three different wishes.
Pantheon
I heard the Pantheon was a must-see attraction, so I dragged everyone across town (after our first pizza experience in Rome) to see the city’s oldest church. It is amazing to me how so many years BC such a magnificent building could be constructed. While the famous open dome meant as the Gods’ exit at night is the Pantheon’s claim to fame, I couldn’t help but remain awestricken by the floor; tiny holes in the tile drilled precisely to form one of the world’s most impressive irrigation systems. I would think a huge non-retractable sun roof atop any building would be asking for a flood, let alone atop one constructed in ancient times.
Day two:
Sunday we woke up and dressed in our Sunday’s best and headed to St. Clemente’s Basilica to experience an Italian mass. I only caught about every 60th word, but I enjoyed admiring the beautiful church while listening to the Italian service. Photography was prohibited, otherwise I would have taken a ton of pictures - this church is definitely one of Rome’s hidden gems. The church itself is built on top of two other ancient churches discovered during relatively recent excavations. The first pagan church is two floors underground, built in the 1st century BC. The second, a Catholic church, was constructed on top of the pagan church in the 4th century AD. It was amazing to walk through the old churches’ ruins and admire the remnants of altars, artworks, and even running spring water!
The rest of Sunday was spent leisurely walking around, simply getting lost in the city. I can’t find another word to describe how I felt about Sunday other than “perfect.” Mallory was on a mission to find two restaurants: Monte Carlo for their famous pizza and Giolitti for their renown gelati. We walked forever trying to find these restaurants, but the fact that I would walk ten times as much to have it again is an understatement! The atmosphere in Monte Carlo’s was friendly and familiar; eating amongst the locals made the pizza even tastier. Giolitti was packed with tourists and locals alike, as I imagine it must always be; it was love at first bite with my hazelnut and baccio cone. Mmmmm <3
All of us girls walked endlessly through cute local squares, finding random cafes and shops in which to visit. My favorite square was Navona; I felt like I was actually in the scene of one of the pictures being painted by one of the dozens of artists working in the square. These pictures speak a thousand words:
For dinner we got dressed up and found a Trattoria in Trastavere for pizza, pasta, bruschetta, and to top it all of, a Bellini. Perfecto!
Day Three:
On our final day in Roma we scheduled a tour through the Vatican. Being a huge “DaVinci Code” and “Angels and Demons” fan, I was anticipating an interesting tour filled with history and ancient symbology, something I was truly looking forward to. However, the tour was nothing like what I was expecting - It was way, way more. Although, I couldn’t help but wish Robert Langdon was by my side the whole time...
A slight sense of gloom accompanied me on my trudge to class this morning; according to Lauren I was fighting a “Rome Hangover.” Apparently when I left the Rome airport I brought back souvenirs, a couple extra pizza pounds, and a mini form of Roman-sentimentality-induced depression. Luckily a day swimming and sunning at Barcelona’s Olympic pool and a delicious dinner alla Rafaela brought me out of my misery and I’m ready to enjoy the last few days I have left in Barca!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Roma, tomorrow!
I like beginnings, I don't like endings. I like that my planner starts off with a lot of space to write at the beginning of the week and not nearly as much for the weekend. I like the first page of a book because there are so many directions it could take. I like the first few bites of cake because you don't yet feel guilty, and I like the first day of school because the only source of stress comes from choosing the best outfit to wear. I'm an early riser by definition, but "morning person" by choice. I love the beginning of the day because I have so much to look forward to. Similarly, I love the beginning of a trip because the opportunities seem endless.
This weekend marks the beginning of my Roman adventures, but marks the end of my trip in Barcelona. Only five more days in Barcelona! On the bright side, I have 3 days in Italia ahead of me that I am looking forward to immensely. And, on July 31st I have 10 more days in the South of Spain!
The optimist in me is trying hard to concentrate on the fact that I have almost a full week left of exploring, partying, and absorbing Barcelona.
I won´t be able to blog until after I return from Roma, but hopefully I will come back with plenty to share!
Adios hasta martes xxoo
This weekend marks the beginning of my Roman adventures, but marks the end of my trip in Barcelona. Only five more days in Barcelona! On the bright side, I have 3 days in Italia ahead of me that I am looking forward to immensely. And, on July 31st I have 10 more days in the South of Spain!
The optimist in me is trying hard to concentrate on the fact that I have almost a full week left of exploring, partying, and absorbing Barcelona.
I won´t be able to blog until after I return from Roma, but hopefully I will come back with plenty to share!
Adios hasta martes xxoo
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Hola, ya'll.
By now I've introduced our new Texan friends, Morgan and Mallory, enough that I think it's time to eliminate the prefix and simply refer to them by first names. However, it is worth noting that they, like many other ISA students, are from Texas. We have other friends from South Carolina and the Midwest and I can't help but acknowledge their accents. "Ya'll" is as common here in the every day dialogue as is "Hola." I'm beginning to think it's part of the Spanish vernacular.
Jessica and Diana admitted they have fear that I will only speak in Spanish when I get back to the states; I have fear that I will catch the "ya'll" bug. It's frighteningly contagious and I find myself deliberately and consciously avoiding the southern colloquial fusion of "you" and "all." In a way it makes sense, making "you" plural, in fact, in Spain they have dedicated a complete verb tense to the plural form of "you:" vosotros. Not that I'm suggesting it for the North.
Sorry that my inner English Teacher is coming out, but I can't help my nerdy tendencies to evaluate grammar.
Anyway, Morgan, Mallory, Lauren and I leave for Rome tomorrow night! I can barely contain my excitement for pizza, pasta, and gelato!!! :) - Although, today was a particularly good day for Spanish food - Rafaela made Paella again! (Dinner conversation was also muy bien, Lauren and I have reached a level in our Spanish speaking skills where we can more or less gossip. Rafaela loves getting the scoop on the other home stays. Quite comical, I really need to video tape our conversations one of these days!!)
Ciao, Ya'll ;)
Jessica and Diana admitted they have fear that I will only speak in Spanish when I get back to the states; I have fear that I will catch the "ya'll" bug. It's frighteningly contagious and I find myself deliberately and consciously avoiding the southern colloquial fusion of "you" and "all." In a way it makes sense, making "you" plural, in fact, in Spain they have dedicated a complete verb tense to the plural form of "you:" vosotros. Not that I'm suggesting it for the North.
Sorry that my inner English Teacher is coming out, but I can't help my nerdy tendencies to evaluate grammar.
Anyway, Morgan, Mallory, Lauren and I leave for Rome tomorrow night! I can barely contain my excitement for pizza, pasta, and gelato!!! :) - Although, today was a particularly good day for Spanish food - Rafaela made Paella again! (Dinner conversation was also muy bien, Lauren and I have reached a level in our Spanish speaking skills where we can more or less gossip. Rafaela loves getting the scoop on the other home stays. Quite comical, I really need to video tape our conversations one of these days!!)
Ciao, Ya'll ;)
Buenas Vistas
On Tuesday, I had leisurely day filled with beautiful views of the city. In the morning, Lauren and I visited the famous Ciutadella Park to admire the landscape and to escape the hustle and bustle of construction and traffic that we wake to every morning. Despite the heat, it was relaxing to walk through the park, enjoy the gardens and people watch.
Later in the day, we met up with Morgan and Mallory and journeyed to Mount Tibidabo; the highest peak in Barcelona at an altitude of 512 meters. Tibidabo is famous for it's amusement park, complete with rides from it's original opening at the turn of the 20th century. Unfortunately for us (or maybe fortunately) the park was closed so we couldn't ride any attractions, we simply took pictures. What is even more unfortunate, however, is that it was closed because a fifteen year old girl died on one of the rides Saturday afternoon. I don't know many details because I only heard via word of mouth - I'm surprised there wasn't more news on the issue.
On a lighter note, however, what is even more notable on the mountain is the Temple de Sagrat Cor, the famous church that is visible from most points in the city and is the focal point of the view from our bedroom! Every night it glows and lights up the mountain; it is a truly magical view and I couldn't wait to visit it during the day! It was even more beautiful in person. We paid 2 Euro to take an elevator the top for an absolutely spectacular view of the city.
Later in the day, we met up with Morgan and Mallory and journeyed to Mount Tibidabo; the highest peak in Barcelona at an altitude of 512 meters. Tibidabo is famous for it's amusement park, complete with rides from it's original opening at the turn of the 20th century. Unfortunately for us (or maybe fortunately) the park was closed so we couldn't ride any attractions, we simply took pictures. What is even more unfortunate, however, is that it was closed because a fifteen year old girl died on one of the rides Saturday afternoon. I don't know many details because I only heard via word of mouth - I'm surprised there wasn't more news on the issue.
On a lighter note, however, what is even more notable on the mountain is the Temple de Sagrat Cor, the famous church that is visible from most points in the city and is the focal point of the view from our bedroom! Every night it glows and lights up the mountain; it is a truly magical view and I couldn't wait to visit it during the day! It was even more beautiful in person. We paid 2 Euro to take an elevator the top for an absolutely spectacular view of the city.
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