Que un Fin de Semana! What a weekend!

Que un fin de semana! 

Oh, how sore I am from such an active weekend! Soccer, volleyball, tennis, and hiking--Whew!

Went hiking in mountains down justa town south or central Murcia. It was an 10 minute bus ride, 15 minute hike to the base and 3 hours hike to the view of the whole region. Loved it! 

Sunday, my friends and saw La bella y la beastia (the beauty and the beast) the muscial! It was marvelous! :) and in Spanish! The glitter, coreography, lights, and dazzle added by the stage performance was magical. I couldn't understand everything, but of course I knew the plot. :) Hearing everything in a different language added an extra flare of intregue to the performance (while in my head I was singing along in English haha)  

Afterwards we of course went out for tapas! :) 

Chorizo, green beans cooked with eggs and baby shrimp, potatoes with spicy salsa, and another tapa delicousy that's hard to discribe without a photo.

The weather is getting chillier as well. Down to about 60 degrees F. Good thing I brought at least some warm clothes, though I may have to buy more if it continues to drop. 

Manana I'm off to the region of Andalucia. We'll visit Sevilla, Cordova, and a few other cities over the extended weekend. 

Halloween isn't celebrated like it is in the states, and I likely won't do much for it since I'll be travelling. Thursday however is Día de Todos los Santos en España and the reason for the extended weekend. It's a day where families visit the graves of their ancestors and pay hamage. Floriests everywhere have stocked up for the occasion and signs remind passer-bys to pay their respects.

I recently watch a play called Don Juan Tenorio that is famous for it's interpretation on Thursday's festival. You can read about the plot by following the linkl. In a way it reminds me of the Christmas Carol in how remorse is realized and the protagonist changes his ways. The story has more Spanish flare and influences though and was an interesting play to watch. 

We'll that's a quick write up about things here. Next week, I hope to post pictures from Andalucia. 

Happy Halloween everyone! 

TAPAS

Que son Tapas? 

empanadillas 

Now what are tapas? Tapas are a variety of dishes but in small portions. Eaten as a appetizer, a snack, or many as a meal. Similar to orderves but paid by the plate. At many restaurants you order a beer and get a free or cheap tapa (maybe a 1.5 to 2 Euros).

It's more considered a way of eating. You go out for tapas--meaning you go out to socialize over a nibble of food. What you receive can range. You might get a choice or have to settle for what comes with the beer. It's usually really simple.

In Granada, the tapas we had weren't traditional Espana comida. Middle Eastern tapas, bagel sandwiches with pasta and fries, grilled cheese, mini hamburgers... ha not typical, but still considered tapas.

Typical tapas you'll get are ensalada roja (similar to tuna salad), toasted bread with tomato spread and fresh mozzarella cheese, olives, patatas con salsa and small sized dishes of main entrees.  (FYI “salsa” is the term used for any type of dressing—salad dressing, spicy sauce, dipping sauce, aioli (like garlic mayonnaise), etc.)

Typically stroll into the night around 8:30 or 9. You can stay at one restaurant and order several tapas or take your time then leisurely move onto the next for a change of atmosphere. Be prepared for small quarters, shoulder to shoulder seating/ordering, and slow service. It’s part of the culture and part of the experience. J   

You can even get tapas in the day, which I highly recommend. Hay son muchos gentes! It’s fun to grab a seat a local restaurant and watch the many people bustle in and out. Each with their own character, own personality, own stories, own drama. It's like wathcing a forgien film. You can't distinguish what they're saying, but you can read their body language and comprehend. Whenever you have tapas, give yourself time. Eat leisurely, enjoy the food, the company you’re with, and the atmosphere you’re in. There’s nothing better. 

Ensalada Roja con Sardines

Calamari

A Special Thanks

Un Especial Gracias A...

I want to thank all my family members for their letters and cards. Tryed to send an email to some but it bounce back so, in the hope that you're reading this now, I want to give my response:

Aunt Lyle and Uncle Alice: Thanks for the six pack ;) 

Mis padres: Love you both! Love the card. lol it was cute and so true with all the seistas taken here. ;) and the snacks, they were perfect! I was running out of gum to feed my habitual addiction, and Jiffy is too rare of commoditiy here to be purchased. Their subsitute doesn't quite compare. Ah, I was so content!

"On your birthday, remember--
the early bird gets the worm" 

"...Of course, the early worm gets eatten
so it's kind of a mixed message"

Gram Kientiz: Thanks for the pictures and card you sent for my bday. The DC photos look amazing. I really want to visit it myself. :D I miss the vivid colors of fall, but Spain is showing methe lovelliness of it's seasons. It's slowly chilling down here. Rain for the last three days and I've been loving it! (Murcia really needs the water too).

photos of gram's trip to DC and family

Gram Farnell: Thanks for the birthday card. Your birthday present contributed to my France trip a few weeks back. :) I hope I sent you photos. Email me if I didn't! And if there is anything you're curious about of Spain leave me a comment and I'll try to write a post on it, just for you ;).

Sweet wishes for my birthday

Tanya & Mike: THANKS FOR THE BIRTHDAY WISH! I got your email but couldn't reply, it bounced back. Do you have a different email? Can you send that to me?

Thanks for messaging me

Carmen: stoked to have gotten your letter. In the process of writing my reply. :) Wait a month for the snail mail system, and give me a few extra weeks to scribble out my life in the last four years in a few pages. lol Deffinitely loved hearing from you. :)

Loving the hand-written note from
my highschool friend

Thanks to everyong else for reading my blog. Let me know if there is anything your curious about knowing. I'll make a post.

Till my next post. Vive la Vida.

Besos-
Lyndsay

Granada

GRANADA

A city of beauty and mystic!

A fun mix of International tourists mixed with native Spainards, wedding processions, street entertainers, moorish tiendas, tea shops, tapas,  hills that will tighten those gluts right. As fate would have it, my batteries died three photos into the trip...so to thanks to Google Images and my friends photos I'm able to illustrate our adventure. 

Lets begin. :) 

Alhambra

One of the main attractions in Granada. It's a sight to behold. It's size, grandeur, and beauty cannot justly be described in words. It's so immense and incredibly impressive. It was a Palace built during the Moorish reign, until 1492 when Spain re-conquered it. 

 It covers a large part of land and sits at the top of a hill overly looking the city. Tickets were too expensive to enter but we were able to walking though the gardens and around the palace. Every part of the experience was pleasant, even the hike up the hill. Water rushed down both sides of the large path, slightly shaded by trees. The Alhambra was always in sight and easy on always captivating, no matter the time of day. Many times we just climbed to a different vista point to gaze at the majestic palace.

The City

The city itself is so gorgeous and fun, with all the narrow paths, cobbled walkways, and maze of a layout. My favorite part was the hillside painted in conjoining white habitations. Our hostel was one of them and the view! (I feel I'm repeating myself :) The views are amazing!!) 

  

Heavy Moorish influences

You can see the Moorish influence all over the city. In the designs, architecture, and more. The biggest sign is the shops and restaurants. We wondered through the hundreds of Moroccan tiendas. Each one packed with carious items, all bursting with color. Later we cozied up in a Te shop where I had a chocolate mint tea that could have double for the liquid version of a girl scout cookie. Delicious! 

 

Tapas

Granada is well known for its free tapas as well. Buy a beer receive a tapa for free. Usually about 1.5 to 2 Euros. Some were better than others, but the experience is what it's all about. We would wonder around till someone stopped us and prugenta whether we were hungry for a bite to eat. They're given us the deal of the day and the walk back to the restaurant. The photos don't do it justice but these tapas were absolutely delicious! After eating at one we'd move to the next. We'd spend about 2 hours walking, eating, chatting, and trying different places and different things. The constant change in scenery made it exciting and adventurous. :) 

In the night, we did the same with bars. There were always people trying to bring you in with a free shot or cheap drink. It worked for us! We could hit 5 bars and get about 7 shots/drinks for 7 Euros. 

Flamenco

Regrettable we didn't get to see a flamenco show, but it's still on my list of things to do. If you ever end up in Granada, check one out! 

Hostel

Our hostel was very chills. Tucked away in the cranny of the hillside of white buildings was the Makuto Hostel. It had a Hippie vibe, but everything was clean, the people were extremely friendly, and the layout was sic. Tree house, hammocks, and beds in the attic space! Ha my friend Judith and I slept in the two beds in the top nook of the photo below. I could see into the hallway and all of room below me. :) It was sic.  

All in all it was a blast. Three hours by bus, a we were back in Murcia. Had a couple presentations to give and homework to do so that delayed this post. 

More to come soon. Spain never fails to have something going on. 

Besos! 

Lyndsay

OFF TO GRANADA!!

Off to granada this weekend with friends to see the 8th wonder of the world Alhambra! 

I'll have picutres up ASAP when I return. Need to catch some sleep before I leave though! There'll be a post here soon! 

More on Granada
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granada

Mi Primera Fútbol Partido y Fiesta de mi cumpleaños

Since I was in France for my real birthday, we had a celebration back in Murcia this weekend. What a blast! We made it an American Party, with games, traditions, snacks, etc that we typically have here. (It's more difficult to do then I imagined! They don't even have red solo cups) Everyone was to dress as some sort of American stereotype as well. We had cowboys/cowgirls, nerds, Goths, white-trash, hipsters, and more. It was a packed house!  The girls surprised me too with a pretty tiara, sash, and wand to wear the whole night. Ha soon after they ambushed me with cake and smothered it on my face. At least it tasted good lol. 

The next day, I went to my first Real Murcia futbol game. With the cheapest tickets, we were 5th row from the field. It was a good match but the second-hand smoke was too much. It's so widely accepted here that nearly 50% of people smoke (or so it feels). Couldn't let it ruin the game for me though. With a winner score of 2-1, it was a great experience. . 

The weekend was actually full of soccer. Sunday I went to a city league game (similar to the level of the Volcanoes Baseball stadium I would say). They had legitimate jerseys, referees, coaches, concessions, ....everything. A what a fan base! The stadium so was small that you were right in the heart of the energy. I love it!!! I need to get jersey to represent and not feel so out of place! In the night, it was the face-off between Barcelona and Madrid; best two team in the league. Everyone was walking the city in their jerseys and flags heading to a bar with their friends to watch the partido. For me, I headed north to a place called Zig Zag--A big open eatery and plaza. The good company, warm night, crowded plaza, excitement, and a good match, all made for a great evening. 

 Trying to arrange a trip to see a real match in person too. That would complete life. :) 

Till my next post. 

Lyndsay

A Visit to France 

Un viajar a Francia

As a birthday gift and before the school year got hectic, I planned a weekend trip to France to visit a friend who was studying abroad. Just got back, yesterday, and it was an amazing journey! It started with a long bus ride to Lyon. It was a great way to see Spain and France! Spain has a mountainous terrain, with groves and groves of orange trees and a glistening ocean view. Outside of the country, France had a rustic country-side. Gentle rolling hills, lush with small leaf trees, grazing cattle, and recently plowed fields.

Immediately off the bus, Glen (my friend in France) and I hit the ground running. We grabbed breakfast at a little bakery where little birds flew in, nonchalantly searching for a crumb or two to eat. It was picture-isc part of town. Un-even cobble stone roads. Elegant restaurants and cafes. the smell of fresh bake goods in the air. Ah, it was to die for. Lyon is a metropolitan city, but France tries to maintain its culture and that can be seen in many parts of the city. 

After breakfast we strolled through town. Glen showed me all the prominent buildings and sculptures. It's really impressive. The European look is timeless and the architecture is so well maintained! We strolled through the Parc de la Tete d'Or 290 acres of pure beauty! It features a large lake, zoo, botanical gardens, statues, and more. Hundreds of joggers can be seen running through the park. It wasn't a good day for boating, but I hear when the whether is nice, the lake is sprinkled with boaters. With a chocolate crepe in our belly, we headed to the Fourvi (Basilica of Norte-Dame de Fourvi). They have a stunning light show a few times out of the year, but we were there for it. It's a grand church that sits at the top of Lyon and holds the best view of the city. Inside is an magnificent show of marble architecture and mosaics that a only can be appreciated truly in person. On our visit, everything was supported by scaffolding, which was a surprised to see. I'm still not sure it was for renovations or to maintain the structural integrity.  

Next we rode the tram up to the Ruins of the Roman Amphitheatre, where they still hold plays! It would have been great to see, but I'll have to save that for my next visit back ;) By this time we had walked all over town and were hungry for dinner. We passed through the bustling downtown and the largest Plaza of the city. There's always something going on there. That day it was a handicap awareness event supporting troops and natives injured by war. When we got back, Glen's host family prepared a delicious dinner of the simplest things. We had two types of cheese, thinly sliced meats, oranges, grapefruit, potatoes, wine, and pineapple for dessert. It was nice to eat like a family and converse for a few hours, eating a little bit here and there. I had never use a fondue grill (I invented the name porque no sé lo que es se llamaba), but it was a neat experience. You place the cheese on the triangular tool, stick it under the griller, wait a few minutes till it's nice a gooey, then put it on the meat and potatoes you plated earlier. Simple, but delicious. 

 

Some of the stranger things was my natural reaction to speak Spanish. I've become accustom to speaking in Spanish to be understood in Murcia, and just naturally started speaking some pharses in Spanish. Only simple things like "Donde vamos?" "Si" "Como se dice...?" "Quieres ir a ..." "Vale" ...Basic stuff. Glen would just look at me and say, "You know you can speak to me in English, right?" "Ah, right. Sorry." I hope to get to a point where I can be more fluent. 

The next day we were off to Paris. By train we got there in two hours and immediately headed to the Eiffel Tower. She's much grander in person. Paris as a whole is filled with such grandeur. Beautiful sculptures, architecture, and more. It was packed full of people too. Mainly tourists. Everyone jumping on buses, riding bicycles all to get to the same spots. It was a site to see. We made a route to see the main vista points. Walking 660+ steps of the Eiffel Tower, we saw a magnificent view of the city. :) We didn't make it to the top, but it gave us extra time to see Norte-Dame, the Louvre, the Arc, and so much more. 

Paris truly is the city of love too. There were so many couples cuddling, hugging, and walking hand-in hand with each-other. It was so cute. And with so many people there were bound to be some oddities. For example, a grand fashion show in the middle or a park, the 35th anniversary run of Paris to Versailles, publicly peeing in the middle of the day (I'm sure that wasn't normal even for Paris's standards), and a farmers market of pets--just to name a few. I wrapped the day up with a night's stroll through town. The landmarks have a different air about them at night. :) On the hour, the Eiffel would sparkle in the night. I'd stare, awe stuck, and get giddy like it was the Fourth of July. I loved it.

I wrapped my finally day at the Louvre and it was my favorite part. I can't express how much I love love love art and the expressionism it's able to capture...if done well. And the art here was just stunning! So magnificent. And to make my dreams come true, I was able to see the Mona Lisa in Person. (It's always been on my bucket list, but my idealization of it could not compare). I got up close and stood there forever appreciating the beauty and the man behind the masterpiece. 

I have to thank my wonderful family members for their birthday gifts. They helped pay the way to France and enabled be to see all things. I'm truly blessed :) Muchos gracias, many kisses and hugs! 

Classes have started and my schedule has gotten a little busier, but I'll try to maintain the blog. Till the next entry--Live, love, and let be life! 

Besos! 

Lyndsay

Zoo in the middle of the park in Lyon, France

Streets of Lyon, France

Lyon, France

Lyon, France

Roman Ampeitheatre Ruins, Lyon

Paris, France

Paris, France

Love-birds in Paris, France

Notre-Dame in Paris, France

Crepes with Nutella! => My life is complete

The Arc, Paris, France

The Louvre, Paris, France

Paris, rance

The Effiel Tower, Paris France