Buenos Días Todos
Today is another gorgeous day in Alicante, España. Both Friday and Saturday I was at the beach, although yesterday was clearly a far more superior beach day (I even got a little "tan" or in my case slightly red/brown). It has been so relaxing this week. Going to the beach, cooking with Feli, eating tapas with friends, and just hanging out. Since the weather is so amazing and the beach so tempting, it will be very hard to concentrate on the last few weeks of school. Pues... no pasa nada. :)
As many of you know, I am very conflicted about leaving Alicante. I am super-excited to see my friends and family and this summer will be beyond INCREDIBLE! However, I have fallen in love with everything here (minus being clicked at by strange Spanish men). I have grown so much in Spain, learned so much about myself, and met some wonderful people. I think I would be more at peace with leaving if I knew for sure that I was coming back - especially WHEN. The thought of never seeing my host family again (or for a very very long time) is very triste (Spanish word for sad). As I am going through the ups and downs of wanting to go home and then not wanting to etc. I thought I would share with you the things I am excited about in the States (Pros) and the things I will miss here in Spain (Cons).
Pros
1. Friends and Family, por supuesto (of course)
2. Ocean City, New Jersey!!!!!!!!
3. Target (and other shopping stores but mostly Target)
4. Sushi (yes, they have sushi in Spain but it just doesn't feel right eating sushi in Spain when there is tapas)
5. Chipotle (aka good Mexican food - the Spanish idea of Mexican food is wayyy off)
6. My closet (I am very excited about having CHOICES for my wardrobe once again)
7. Straightening my hair (I can straighten my hair in Spain but its not worth it here and I just want to see what it looks like again)
8. Chicago (I LOVE Chicago)
9. Loyola (surprisingly I am very excited about all my poli sci and international studies classes this Fall)
The list is tentative and will be further updated when I think of more things.
Cons
1. My host family (Feli and Alba have been such a blessing from the Lord and I adore them in every way - This is definitely the biggest Con of them all)
2. Friends (Although we will still be somewhat close in the States, we probably won't go on anymore amazing backpacking trips and be getting coffee on a regular base together...)
3. The food (tortilla española, cocido, tapas, and all the other wonderful food Feli makes. Also, I will miss how cheap all the food is here. The fruits and veggies (and brie cheese) are so cheap here it almost feels like you're stealing.)
4. The blinds on my windows (perfect for taking naps and sleeping in because they block out absolutely ALL sunlight. I am investing in some when I get back to the States)
5. Coffee (The coffee here is amazing.)
6. The culture, in general (Very laid back, much more focused on family and friends... Living in the Spanish culture has made me more relaxed, less worrisome, and less anxious. Hopefully these are things I can keep incorporated in my life back in the States.)
7. The language (I will miss speaking Spanish all the time in my classes and then coming home and speaking Spanish. When I get back to the States I will be on the hunt for a Spanish-speaking partner.)
This semester abroad has been so rewarding. In more ways than one. It is sad that it is coming to an end. Life moves too quickly and time goes too fast. The rapid passing of life reinforces how important it is to live in the present and enjoy each day as if it were your last. I know that there is a time for everything ("a time to plant and a time to uproot" Ecclesiastes 3:2b) However, it still hurts having to "uproot" even though I know I am going on to something else wonderful and that the Lord will grow me in that place like He has grown me here in Spain.
I'll continue to keep the lists updated. Until then... Hasta luego.
Un beso
Sarah
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Pues.... Spring Break 2010
Awhhh finally... back in Alicante, España and it feels amazing. I never thought I would be this happy to be returning to Alicante and to my wonderful host family in a very clean home. First thing I did when I got home (after hugging Feli (Alba is away for the weekend), talking about spring break, and eating dinner... real food) was to SHOWER! Best shower of my life. I have never felt more disgusting before and more clean after. It was much needed after the hostel we stayed at in Venice but I don't want to get ahead of myself here. So the story of spring break begins.... You all have already heard about Barcelona, Roma, and Florence. Now you will read about the adventures had in Cinque Terre and Venice. Get ready. Brace yourselves. And pues... ENJOY!!
Florence was amazing (like I previously posted) but we (Morgen, Sara and I) were very excited to get to the Cinque Terre in Northwest Italia. Cinque Terre is a national park that holds five beautiful quaint and charming little towns by the names of Monterrosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. All of which you are able to hike between for a total of about 9km. Anyways... we were actually staying in La Spezia but that's besides the fact. We were supposed to call the hostel an hour before we arrived so they would make sure everything was ready, open etc. However when attempting to call the number we had, it came up incorrect or invalid. We tried numerous times but each time, failure. Of course, we remained calm. When we got to La Spezia, we found the hostel.... but no one was around... Uh oh. Panic set in. What are we going to do??? The number is invalid... Panic. Then Sara, being friends with Italians, remembered that you must dial + before the number. Hallelujah! It worked and we got ahold of Antonio who was the owner of the apartment in which we stayed. Best hostel stay of our trip because it ended up being an empty apartment that Antonio rented out the rooms to travelers so we had our own kitchen, bathroom, living room etc. Amazing! Although there was one room that had a lock on it that was questionable... we tried not to think about it, hoping nothing scary would pop out of it in the middle of the night.
Since we arrived in La Spezia on Sunday, there were no stores open for food except a cute little pizza place called Bella Napoli. We went in and ordered a pizza and gnocchi... no wait... we ordered three pizzas and three gnocchi! The Italian guys running the place (who we could not communicate with besides pointing to the menu and holding up fingers) thought we were crazy - "How could three little American girls eat THAT much food???" Believe me, its possible :) Oh, did I mention that later that night we went back for a Nutella pizza? They definitely thought we were insane. The more ironic part took place the next morning as we are heading to the grocery story before we left for Cinque Terre and I am eating left-over cold pizza for breakfast (as we are walking) and we run into the pizza guy from last night. He recognizes us (me eating his pizza) and smiles. Our response: "Buongiorno!" Story #2 - While in the grocery store (in the bottled water and pop aisle) we see a piece of meat setting out on a shelf unrefrigerated. Thinking that someone was lazy and after deciding they didn't need the meat just left it in the soda aisle, I picked up the meat (and was going to take it back to the correct section so it didnt spoil) and started to tell Morgen and Sara how rude I thought this was... when an Italian man comes towards me saying "es mio, es mio, es mio" (meaning it's mine, it's mine, it's mine). Embarassed but laughing to hard to care, I hand the meat back to the nice Italian man....
Cinque Terre.... absolutely the most beautiful place in the entire world. Period. If you ever have the chance to go, GO! Although there isn't much to do IN the towns, the most beautiful part is hiking between them. Some parts of the hike were harder than others, especially after going up a million steps up a mountain, but the view made our jaws drop open. Breath-taking. While on the hike, we befriended two cats by feeding them Sara's leftover tuna. Sara, if you are reading this, you are a champ! Way to save the kitties.
During this trip, we laughed so much it was ridiculous. We also laughed so much our stomaches hurt, we couldn't breathe, and there were tears rolling down our faces. Not only the cheese in Florence made us laugh so hard we cried but in Cinque Terre, there was a malfunction with the toliet seat... Speaking of toliets and toliet seats for that matter... Italians do NOT believe in toliet seats. Rarely will you find a seat attached to the toliet. It makes you want to BYOTS - Bring Your Own Toliet Seat. However, at times, there is not even a toliet. Yes, I know, it's unbelievable. Unimaginable. Absurd. But sometimes, there is a hole in the ground and places marked for your feet (with any squatting position, a good stance is necessary of course). Each of us will admit it, we were desperate and used the hole in the ground. Awful but we try not to remember those moments. Or the moments when they make you PAY to use the restroom. Pues... no pasa nada. :) We survived.
As for survival... the three of us know how to navigate Italy's train system to our benefit. From La Spezia to Venice (our next and final stop) we had to take three trains, meaning we had two transfers. The first train - everything went well and we were on time. However the second train was going to be 40 minutes late meaning we would miss train number three. That was NOT going to happen! Not when we only had 24 hours in Venice - we needed all the time we could get. So making an executive decision we validated our ticket and hopped on the incorrect train - but a train going to the place our train number two would have gone as well. What was our plan when the conductor came around to check tickets? A) Pretend to be asleep. If A failed, B) burst into tears, act innocent, act stupid and naive. What really happened? The guy took pity on us and did not say a word. I kid you not. He did a double-take at the ticket (obviously recognizing that it was wrong) and he stamped it, gave us a look, and went on his way. We all breathed a sigh of relief... Close call. Oh but we were not out of trouble quite yet. The wrong train number two to Bologna ended up being kinda slow and we missed train number three to Venice after all. We were about to try our luck and hop on another wrong train to Venice, when a strange Italian man came up to me (because I was holding the ticket) and started speaking in Italian and motioning to come with him. It seemed as if he was going to help us. He helped us get our reservation change for a train that would leave only a little bit after the one we missed. However after the man left and I was still getting our new tickets, the ticket lady told me (in English), "That man is a *insert Italian word here that I do not remember or know*". When I asked her what that meant in English, she told me she didn't know but that "it isn't good for you". What???? Weird. Pues... only in Italia....
Finally, we were in Venice - after eating pasta and cheese with our hands. (Side note: We were notorious on this trip for eating strange things - like scrambled (long story) tortilla española out of tupperware on rocks in the Cinque Terre. Also for utilizing every gadget on my Swiss Army knife.) Venice would be our breakpoint. In a way we will be able to laugh about later. Right now, TOO SOON. What am I talking about? Our hostel. The Venice Fish. How can I even begin to describe it? Awful. Horrible. Filthy. Repulsive. Disease-Infested. And I am being nice... I don't even want to think about describing the kitchen or the lack of bed sheets. Pues... we survived. Although just barely without losing our sanity. Sara still thinks she has bed bugs but we told her that was all in her head... or so we hope... Never again will I stay at the Venice Fish. After updating the blog, I am going to go give it a horrible rating on HostelWorld.com Everyone else needs a warning. Since our hostel was sooo awful, it kinda put a damper on Venice. Don't get me wrong, Venice is beautiful!!! So interesting and intriguing. But we were all glad to get out of there.... hence, why I was so excited, thrilled actually, to get home to Alicante, where I have a CLEAN house, could take a long, hot shower with soap, and have a nice, clean, cozy bed to sleep in... with sheets.
El Fin.
Furthermore, the photos are coming. Again, they don't do Italia justice but they are the best I can do. Also, people are not lying when they tell you the pizza in Italy is the BEST in the world. We each ate a wonderful slice in Venice - probably the highlight of our trip. Oh, and the gelato. Do I need to actually tell you that it was out of this world or is that just understood? :D Well, I have about a million things to do, to unpack, emails to send, homework to do (possible). I hope everyone enjoys this post and gets a little laugh out of it because we sure had some laughs on this spring break adventure. Also, I pray that this post finds everyone healthy and happy (and with clean sheets on their beds and a kitchen that doesn't reek of filth - just kidding... well sorta).
Un beso
Sarah
Florence was amazing (like I previously posted) but we (Morgen, Sara and I) were very excited to get to the Cinque Terre in Northwest Italia. Cinque Terre is a national park that holds five beautiful quaint and charming little towns by the names of Monterrosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. All of which you are able to hike between for a total of about 9km. Anyways... we were actually staying in La Spezia but that's besides the fact. We were supposed to call the hostel an hour before we arrived so they would make sure everything was ready, open etc. However when attempting to call the number we had, it came up incorrect or invalid. We tried numerous times but each time, failure. Of course, we remained calm. When we got to La Spezia, we found the hostel.... but no one was around... Uh oh. Panic set in. What are we going to do??? The number is invalid... Panic. Then Sara, being friends with Italians, remembered that you must dial + before the number. Hallelujah! It worked and we got ahold of Antonio who was the owner of the apartment in which we stayed. Best hostel stay of our trip because it ended up being an empty apartment that Antonio rented out the rooms to travelers so we had our own kitchen, bathroom, living room etc. Amazing! Although there was one room that had a lock on it that was questionable... we tried not to think about it, hoping nothing scary would pop out of it in the middle of the night.
Since we arrived in La Spezia on Sunday, there were no stores open for food except a cute little pizza place called Bella Napoli. We went in and ordered a pizza and gnocchi... no wait... we ordered three pizzas and three gnocchi! The Italian guys running the place (who we could not communicate with besides pointing to the menu and holding up fingers) thought we were crazy - "How could three little American girls eat THAT much food???" Believe me, its possible :) Oh, did I mention that later that night we went back for a Nutella pizza? They definitely thought we were insane. The more ironic part took place the next morning as we are heading to the grocery story before we left for Cinque Terre and I am eating left-over cold pizza for breakfast (as we are walking) and we run into the pizza guy from last night. He recognizes us (me eating his pizza) and smiles. Our response: "Buongiorno!" Story #2 - While in the grocery store (in the bottled water and pop aisle) we see a piece of meat setting out on a shelf unrefrigerated. Thinking that someone was lazy and after deciding they didn't need the meat just left it in the soda aisle, I picked up the meat (and was going to take it back to the correct section so it didnt spoil) and started to tell Morgen and Sara how rude I thought this was... when an Italian man comes towards me saying "es mio, es mio, es mio" (meaning it's mine, it's mine, it's mine). Embarassed but laughing to hard to care, I hand the meat back to the nice Italian man....
Cinque Terre.... absolutely the most beautiful place in the entire world. Period. If you ever have the chance to go, GO! Although there isn't much to do IN the towns, the most beautiful part is hiking between them. Some parts of the hike were harder than others, especially after going up a million steps up a mountain, but the view made our jaws drop open. Breath-taking. While on the hike, we befriended two cats by feeding them Sara's leftover tuna. Sara, if you are reading this, you are a champ! Way to save the kitties.
During this trip, we laughed so much it was ridiculous. We also laughed so much our stomaches hurt, we couldn't breathe, and there were tears rolling down our faces. Not only the cheese in Florence made us laugh so hard we cried but in Cinque Terre, there was a malfunction with the toliet seat... Speaking of toliets and toliet seats for that matter... Italians do NOT believe in toliet seats. Rarely will you find a seat attached to the toliet. It makes you want to BYOTS - Bring Your Own Toliet Seat. However, at times, there is not even a toliet. Yes, I know, it's unbelievable. Unimaginable. Absurd. But sometimes, there is a hole in the ground and places marked for your feet (with any squatting position, a good stance is necessary of course). Each of us will admit it, we were desperate and used the hole in the ground. Awful but we try not to remember those moments. Or the moments when they make you PAY to use the restroom. Pues... no pasa nada. :) We survived.
As for survival... the three of us know how to navigate Italy's train system to our benefit. From La Spezia to Venice (our next and final stop) we had to take three trains, meaning we had two transfers. The first train - everything went well and we were on time. However the second train was going to be 40 minutes late meaning we would miss train number three. That was NOT going to happen! Not when we only had 24 hours in Venice - we needed all the time we could get. So making an executive decision we validated our ticket and hopped on the incorrect train - but a train going to the place our train number two would have gone as well. What was our plan when the conductor came around to check tickets? A) Pretend to be asleep. If A failed, B) burst into tears, act innocent, act stupid and naive. What really happened? The guy took pity on us and did not say a word. I kid you not. He did a double-take at the ticket (obviously recognizing that it was wrong) and he stamped it, gave us a look, and went on his way. We all breathed a sigh of relief... Close call. Oh but we were not out of trouble quite yet. The wrong train number two to Bologna ended up being kinda slow and we missed train number three to Venice after all. We were about to try our luck and hop on another wrong train to Venice, when a strange Italian man came up to me (because I was holding the ticket) and started speaking in Italian and motioning to come with him. It seemed as if he was going to help us. He helped us get our reservation change for a train that would leave only a little bit after the one we missed. However after the man left and I was still getting our new tickets, the ticket lady told me (in English), "That man is a *insert Italian word here that I do not remember or know*". When I asked her what that meant in English, she told me she didn't know but that "it isn't good for you". What???? Weird. Pues... only in Italia....
Finally, we were in Venice - after eating pasta and cheese with our hands. (Side note: We were notorious on this trip for eating strange things - like scrambled (long story) tortilla española out of tupperware on rocks in the Cinque Terre. Also for utilizing every gadget on my Swiss Army knife.) Venice would be our breakpoint. In a way we will be able to laugh about later. Right now, TOO SOON. What am I talking about? Our hostel. The Venice Fish. How can I even begin to describe it? Awful. Horrible. Filthy. Repulsive. Disease-Infested. And I am being nice... I don't even want to think about describing the kitchen or the lack of bed sheets. Pues... we survived. Although just barely without losing our sanity. Sara still thinks she has bed bugs but we told her that was all in her head... or so we hope... Never again will I stay at the Venice Fish. After updating the blog, I am going to go give it a horrible rating on HostelWorld.com Everyone else needs a warning. Since our hostel was sooo awful, it kinda put a damper on Venice. Don't get me wrong, Venice is beautiful!!! So interesting and intriguing. But we were all glad to get out of there.... hence, why I was so excited, thrilled actually, to get home to Alicante, where I have a CLEAN house, could take a long, hot shower with soap, and have a nice, clean, cozy bed to sleep in... with sheets.
El Fin.
Furthermore, the photos are coming. Again, they don't do Italia justice but they are the best I can do. Also, people are not lying when they tell you the pizza in Italy is the BEST in the world. We each ate a wonderful slice in Venice - probably the highlight of our trip. Oh, and the gelato. Do I need to actually tell you that it was out of this world or is that just understood? :D Well, I have about a million things to do, to unpack, emails to send, homework to do (possible). I hope everyone enjoys this post and gets a little laugh out of it because we sure had some laughs on this spring break adventure. Also, I pray that this post finds everyone healthy and happy (and with clean sheets on their beds and a kitchen that doesn't reek of filth - just kidding... well sorta).
Un beso
Sarah
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Firenze has stolen my Heart
I love Florence, Italy. Period. End of story.
Okay so Florence is really amazing. I am now travelling with Morgen and Sara - both from Iowa! (YAY for Midwestern girls!!) We have already had so much fun! We took the train Thursday morning from Rome to Florence and checked into a wonderful hostel. The only downside is the lack of kitchen.... So we have been making it work with sandwiches and veggies from the local market. The first thing we did was go to the Market when we got to Florence. Florence is know for its leather (purses!) and for its pashmina scarves (beautiful). So needless to say, I bought some amazing gifts :) and a few things for myself. I bought a beautiful leather bound journal for when I am finished with my Target journal! (Wow, I miss Target! a lot!)
Florence not only has good shopping but is beautiful! Breath-taking actually. We climed Piazzale Michelangelo in the afternoon on Friday for a gorgeous view of Firenze. It was stunning and we all fell in love with the city. We also saw the Ponte Vecchio, which is the bridge with houses attached to it over the river that runs through Firenze. In addition we walked through the Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio, and the Church of Santa Croce. All the buildings are beautiful and the streets are so quaint. It is definitely a romantic city. I like the fact that it was not HUGE like Rome, although there are quite a few tourists. Some of the most stunning buildings was the Duomo, the Cathedral of S. Maria del Fiore and Giottos Bell Tower along with the Baptistery of San Giovanni. They were very different from what I have seen because they were made of multiple colors of marable with designs and statues surrounding them.
Then of course, we saw David. David was magnificent. The most stunning piece of art I have ever seen. Absolutely breath-taking. Standing 15 feet tall, completely sculpted from snow white marble. Michelangelo was a genius. To sculpt something so perfect. He looked so lifelike. Flawless. I have never seen anything that wonderful and grand. Indescribeable. After David, we spent the day in the park, relaxing, reading, listening to msuic and just enjoying Florence. We also went to taste some of the finest gelado in Firenze. Yummmmy. Later, we picked up a few more things at the market for dinner tonight. Tomorrow we go to the Cinque Terre and are thankful that the place we are staying has a kitchen!! Pasta and tortilla and pizza :D
I am having a wonderful time and of course am so thankful for these opportunities. It is so surreal to be here. To have these opportunities. The Lord is so good. I wouldnt change a thing right now. Contentment. I did however change the end of my spring break plans. I was going to stay until the 18th but decided I would like to come home early to Alicante and be able to relax, go to the beach, catch up on things, and hang out with my friends and especially my host family! I am going to miss them so much when I leave in May. A part of me is excited to go back to the States - for my sweatshirt, Chipotle, sushi, corn on the cob and mirad of other things like Target. But Spain (and Europe) has had such an impact on me. I will never be the same. My daily meal times will never be the same also. I dont think I can go back to eating dinner at 6pm... 9pm is better! Haha. I am excited to see my friends and family. And am sooo stoked for Summer Project!!
Anyways i better get going because I only have 50 seconds left on my computer time.
Love you all!!
Un beso
Sarah
Okay so Florence is really amazing. I am now travelling with Morgen and Sara - both from Iowa! (YAY for Midwestern girls!!) We have already had so much fun! We took the train Thursday morning from Rome to Florence and checked into a wonderful hostel. The only downside is the lack of kitchen.... So we have been making it work with sandwiches and veggies from the local market. The first thing we did was go to the Market when we got to Florence. Florence is know for its leather (purses!) and for its pashmina scarves (beautiful). So needless to say, I bought some amazing gifts :) and a few things for myself. I bought a beautiful leather bound journal for when I am finished with my Target journal! (Wow, I miss Target! a lot!)
Florence not only has good shopping but is beautiful! Breath-taking actually. We climed Piazzale Michelangelo in the afternoon on Friday for a gorgeous view of Firenze. It was stunning and we all fell in love with the city. We also saw the Ponte Vecchio, which is the bridge with houses attached to it over the river that runs through Firenze. In addition we walked through the Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio, and the Church of Santa Croce. All the buildings are beautiful and the streets are so quaint. It is definitely a romantic city. I like the fact that it was not HUGE like Rome, although there are quite a few tourists. Some of the most stunning buildings was the Duomo, the Cathedral of S. Maria del Fiore and Giottos Bell Tower along with the Baptistery of San Giovanni. They were very different from what I have seen because they were made of multiple colors of marable with designs and statues surrounding them.
Then of course, we saw David. David was magnificent. The most stunning piece of art I have ever seen. Absolutely breath-taking. Standing 15 feet tall, completely sculpted from snow white marble. Michelangelo was a genius. To sculpt something so perfect. He looked so lifelike. Flawless. I have never seen anything that wonderful and grand. Indescribeable. After David, we spent the day in the park, relaxing, reading, listening to msuic and just enjoying Florence. We also went to taste some of the finest gelado in Firenze. Yummmmy. Later, we picked up a few more things at the market for dinner tonight. Tomorrow we go to the Cinque Terre and are thankful that the place we are staying has a kitchen!! Pasta and tortilla and pizza :D
I am having a wonderful time and of course am so thankful for these opportunities. It is so surreal to be here. To have these opportunities. The Lord is so good. I wouldnt change a thing right now. Contentment. I did however change the end of my spring break plans. I was going to stay until the 18th but decided I would like to come home early to Alicante and be able to relax, go to the beach, catch up on things, and hang out with my friends and especially my host family! I am going to miss them so much when I leave in May. A part of me is excited to go back to the States - for my sweatshirt, Chipotle, sushi, corn on the cob and mirad of other things like Target. But Spain (and Europe) has had such an impact on me. I will never be the same. My daily meal times will never be the same also. I dont think I can go back to eating dinner at 6pm... 9pm is better! Haha. I am excited to see my friends and family. And am sooo stoked for Summer Project!!
Anyways i better get going because I only have 50 seconds left on my computer time.
Love you all!!
Un beso
Sarah
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
When in Rome...
Buongiorno from Roma!
First thing I want to say about Roma - craziest drivers in Europe yet! Madre mia! My mom was afraid for her life while my dad and I were just along for the ride! haha. I will say that Roma is not my favorite place I have been so far. Maybe it is because it is about Easter time and the amount of tourists here is incredible. And the lines! We waited for 2 hours in line to see the Sistine Chapel. Then when inside, there is like a planned route that you have to take. It is so crowded and there is so much to see. By the time we got to Michelagelos work, we were too exhausted to truly enjoy it. Honestly, I was not too impressed with the Vatican. Yes, it is the Vatican - world famous. And yes, it is truly beautiful and ornate. However, I felt empty when visiting it. I dont know why. Maybe I felt like the emphasis was too much on man and on the Pope rather than on Jesus Christ and the Lord. Im not sure... But either way I am so lucky and was so excited to see St. Peters Basilica and the Vatican Museum where Michelangelo painted the ceiling :)
Other high points of Roma... definitely the Colosseum! To see where the gladiators faught for their lives! Barbaric - yes but amazing none the less! Then we toured around the Roman Forum and Palatine. The fact that it is so old and historic is the most interesting part. We also were able to see the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, Castle of St. Angelo and the Pantheon. There is so much to see in Rome! Not only are there a ton of historic sites and ruins but every building looks so important!
When in Rome... try the food! We ate so well on this trip. Most importantly, the GELATO! We ate some each day we were here. But today was the best - Nutella and Hazelnut gelato. Yummmmy :) It hit the spot! The day we went to the Vatican we ate at a wonderful little hole-in-the-wall place that was delicious. The people were so nice and even gave us some free bruschetta and wine. Best service in all of Roma.
Although I am excited to get out of Rome and go to Florence with Sara and Morgen from my study abroad program, my parents are leaving as well. I am so blessed to have parents to come all the way to Europe to visit me. (Like they wouldnt have wanted to anyways - I mean, its EUROPE!) I just want to reiterate how blessed I am to have wonderful parents - and wonderful family and friends for that matter. I miss you all!
Un beso,
Sarah
PS pictures will come as soon as I find a computer with the proper capabilities!
First thing I want to say about Roma - craziest drivers in Europe yet! Madre mia! My mom was afraid for her life while my dad and I were just along for the ride! haha. I will say that Roma is not my favorite place I have been so far. Maybe it is because it is about Easter time and the amount of tourists here is incredible. And the lines! We waited for 2 hours in line to see the Sistine Chapel. Then when inside, there is like a planned route that you have to take. It is so crowded and there is so much to see. By the time we got to Michelagelos work, we were too exhausted to truly enjoy it. Honestly, I was not too impressed with the Vatican. Yes, it is the Vatican - world famous. And yes, it is truly beautiful and ornate. However, I felt empty when visiting it. I dont know why. Maybe I felt like the emphasis was too much on man and on the Pope rather than on Jesus Christ and the Lord. Im not sure... But either way I am so lucky and was so excited to see St. Peters Basilica and the Vatican Museum where Michelangelo painted the ceiling :)
Other high points of Roma... definitely the Colosseum! To see where the gladiators faught for their lives! Barbaric - yes but amazing none the less! Then we toured around the Roman Forum and Palatine. The fact that it is so old and historic is the most interesting part. We also were able to see the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, Castle of St. Angelo and the Pantheon. There is so much to see in Rome! Not only are there a ton of historic sites and ruins but every building looks so important!
When in Rome... try the food! We ate so well on this trip. Most importantly, the GELATO! We ate some each day we were here. But today was the best - Nutella and Hazelnut gelato. Yummmmy :) It hit the spot! The day we went to the Vatican we ate at a wonderful little hole-in-the-wall place that was delicious. The people were so nice and even gave us some free bruschetta and wine. Best service in all of Roma.
Although I am excited to get out of Rome and go to Florence with Sara and Morgen from my study abroad program, my parents are leaving as well. I am so blessed to have parents to come all the way to Europe to visit me. (Like they wouldnt have wanted to anyways - I mean, its EUROPE!) I just want to reiterate how blessed I am to have wonderful parents - and wonderful family and friends for that matter. I miss you all!
Un beso,
Sarah
PS pictures will come as soon as I find a computer with the proper capabilities!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
¿Dónde está el baño?
¡Barcelona, Barcelona, Barcelona!
I absolutely LOVE Barcelona. It is my favorite Spanish city yet. I can´t even describe why I love it so much. I think it is because of the feel it has. Barcelona is a city with a mix of everything. It has the Mediterranean Sea; it is a bigger city; and is just amazing! You will shortly see its beauty after I post my pictures, but right now this computer is not allowing me too. ¡Qué pena! But don´t worry, the next computer I get to I will upload all 163 Barcelona pics for your enjoyment! For now, you will have to rely on my descriptive writing ability. Haha.
My parents and I first arrived in Barcelona on the train, which was a wonderful experience, Thursday afternoon. The first surprise was our ¨hotel¨ or should I say upscale hostel?? Seeing my parents reaction to the three tiny beds, tiny bathroom and shower, and everything else that comes with a hostel was quite amusing. Hotel Fina, however, is in a prime location about 4 doors down from Las Ramblas, the main stretch of Barcelona. Las Ramblas is a happening place at any time of the day, especially Easter weekend! There are gypsies about and crazy creatures dressed up on the sides of the streets trying to earn a few euros or two. Vendors line the streets selling everything from flowers to postcards to chickens, bunnies, and even pigeons. Yes, that´s right, you could be the owner of your very own pigeon - crazy, right? I even got my picture taken with one of these creatures which will soon become my new facebook profile picture! After walking around Thursday afternoon we were ready to take the bus tour on Friday and Saturday. This bus tour was the official bus tour of Barcelona and was a double-decker which made it all the better!
Day 1 of the bus tour: First stop, of course, was the Sagrada Familia. The Sagrada Familia was designed by Antoni Gaudi, a famous artist and architect of Spain. Its construction began in 1882 and is not done yet. But it is magnificent! The choir section alone has room for 1200 singers. The most magnificent and breathtaking part of the church, besides its enormous spires, is definitely the architecture on the outside depicting the death of Christ on one side and His birth on the other. I have never seen anything like it. Gaudi has fantastic taste and a style that is unmatched by anything or anyone. His style is not traditional at all. Throughout the bus tour we were able to see other museums and architectural structures by Gaudi all throughout Barcelona and they were amazing and unique. After the Sagrada Familia, we went to Parc Gruell also designed by Gaudi. This huge park was once an unsuccessful housing development for the rich which was eventually turned into a public park. Gaudi´s architectural design and taste is reflected throughout.
My parents and I also enjoyed eating breakfast at La Boqueria, a fresh market with meats, lentils, vegetables, fruits, pasteries, tapas bars... practically anything you want in a market, La Boqueria has. It is muy muy grande! And delicious! One fruit vendor sold fresh fruit smoothies! Yummmmmmm. Speaking of food, my parents and I were able to try some amazing food and drinks here including Cava, which is sort of like champagne but is unique to Barcelona. Twice we went to this same tapas bar outside of this large Cathedral that we went to a Catholic mass for Easter at. I think tapas are my favorite over paella. I love my jámon cerrano!
Day 2 of our bus tour we went to something called Poble Espanyol, which is like a outdoors museum on steroids! It was amazing. We spent all day there walking the streets and going into craft and artisan stores. Everything was structured after real places in all over the autonomous regions of Spain. There was also a few indoors museums, one of which held a few Picasso works. My mom ended up buying a few gifts for people back in the states there. Very unique!
Since I am running out of minutes at the computer place, I need to sum this up! Overall, Barcelona stole my heart - just like Spain, in general, has. I don´t know how I am going to depart from Spain. My host mother Feli tells me that I am the most Spanish student they have hosted at their home. She tells me I am Spanish and that this is definitely home for me. Feli is so adamant on that that she is searching for a cute Spanish boy for me to marry! Good luck Feli!! I would be all for that ;) although I think my dad might not be. haha.
Anyways next time I post, I will be in Roma, Italia! I hope everyone is enjoying their Easter where they are at in this world. The Lord is so good! His resurrection gives us all the possibility of a life with Him! How amazing that the God of the universe would give His only Son to save all of us sinners. Wow! What love. I pray that we can all know a love like that!
Well that´s all for now.
Hasta luego, un beso,
Sarah
I absolutely LOVE Barcelona. It is my favorite Spanish city yet. I can´t even describe why I love it so much. I think it is because of the feel it has. Barcelona is a city with a mix of everything. It has the Mediterranean Sea; it is a bigger city; and is just amazing! You will shortly see its beauty after I post my pictures, but right now this computer is not allowing me too. ¡Qué pena! But don´t worry, the next computer I get to I will upload all 163 Barcelona pics for your enjoyment! For now, you will have to rely on my descriptive writing ability. Haha.
My parents and I first arrived in Barcelona on the train, which was a wonderful experience, Thursday afternoon. The first surprise was our ¨hotel¨ or should I say upscale hostel?? Seeing my parents reaction to the three tiny beds, tiny bathroom and shower, and everything else that comes with a hostel was quite amusing. Hotel Fina, however, is in a prime location about 4 doors down from Las Ramblas, the main stretch of Barcelona. Las Ramblas is a happening place at any time of the day, especially Easter weekend! There are gypsies about and crazy creatures dressed up on the sides of the streets trying to earn a few euros or two. Vendors line the streets selling everything from flowers to postcards to chickens, bunnies, and even pigeons. Yes, that´s right, you could be the owner of your very own pigeon - crazy, right? I even got my picture taken with one of these creatures which will soon become my new facebook profile picture! After walking around Thursday afternoon we were ready to take the bus tour on Friday and Saturday. This bus tour was the official bus tour of Barcelona and was a double-decker which made it all the better!
Day 1 of the bus tour: First stop, of course, was the Sagrada Familia. The Sagrada Familia was designed by Antoni Gaudi, a famous artist and architect of Spain. Its construction began in 1882 and is not done yet. But it is magnificent! The choir section alone has room for 1200 singers. The most magnificent and breathtaking part of the church, besides its enormous spires, is definitely the architecture on the outside depicting the death of Christ on one side and His birth on the other. I have never seen anything like it. Gaudi has fantastic taste and a style that is unmatched by anything or anyone. His style is not traditional at all. Throughout the bus tour we were able to see other museums and architectural structures by Gaudi all throughout Barcelona and they were amazing and unique. After the Sagrada Familia, we went to Parc Gruell also designed by Gaudi. This huge park was once an unsuccessful housing development for the rich which was eventually turned into a public park. Gaudi´s architectural design and taste is reflected throughout.
My parents and I also enjoyed eating breakfast at La Boqueria, a fresh market with meats, lentils, vegetables, fruits, pasteries, tapas bars... practically anything you want in a market, La Boqueria has. It is muy muy grande! And delicious! One fruit vendor sold fresh fruit smoothies! Yummmmmmm. Speaking of food, my parents and I were able to try some amazing food and drinks here including Cava, which is sort of like champagne but is unique to Barcelona. Twice we went to this same tapas bar outside of this large Cathedral that we went to a Catholic mass for Easter at. I think tapas are my favorite over paella. I love my jámon cerrano!
Day 2 of our bus tour we went to something called Poble Espanyol, which is like a outdoors museum on steroids! It was amazing. We spent all day there walking the streets and going into craft and artisan stores. Everything was structured after real places in all over the autonomous regions of Spain. There was also a few indoors museums, one of which held a few Picasso works. My mom ended up buying a few gifts for people back in the states there. Very unique!
Since I am running out of minutes at the computer place, I need to sum this up! Overall, Barcelona stole my heart - just like Spain, in general, has. I don´t know how I am going to depart from Spain. My host mother Feli tells me that I am the most Spanish student they have hosted at their home. She tells me I am Spanish and that this is definitely home for me. Feli is so adamant on that that she is searching for a cute Spanish boy for me to marry! Good luck Feli!! I would be all for that ;) although I think my dad might not be. haha.
Anyways next time I post, I will be in Roma, Italia! I hope everyone is enjoying their Easter where they are at in this world. The Lord is so good! His resurrection gives us all the possibility of a life with Him! How amazing that the God of the universe would give His only Son to save all of us sinners. Wow! What love. I pray that we can all know a love like that!
Well that´s all for now.
Hasta luego, un beso,
Sarah
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)