too busy doing things to blog about them

Despite my best efforts (or maybe just my strong desire and a little bit of effort) to be a good blogger I realized that I have only one week left in Europe and haven't blogged in more than a month. So in the interest of ending on a strong note, here's what I've been up to...

I went to Dublin at the beginning of March and Brussels for day because there was a cheap flight. Although it wasn't the prettiest European city I've been to, Dublin had the kindest people. People would stop us on the street just to make sure we were enjoying our stay and knew where we were going. Once we ran into the same man three times in one day. I've decided Ireland is like Europe's version of the South. I loved the temple bar area and wandering around Trinity College, but my favorite part of the trip was meeting up with my friends from Athens who are studying at Oxford. We went to see the Avett Brothers in a tiny venue about the size of Athens' Caledonia Lounge.

View of Dublin from the top of the Guinness Factory

At the Avett Brothers with Tyler, Nathan and Doug!

Liza and I at Blarney Castle where we kissed the Blarney Stone

Brussels

Belgian Waffles stand

We returned from Brussels to churros stands, falleras (women and girls dressed in 15th century Spanish attire), and swarms of tourists from all over Europe. It was the climax of Las Fallas, a world renown annual festival in Valencia. The city had been preparing Fallas and light displays for the past few months in anticipation of the festival's final week. Fallas are huge floats throughout the city that represent aspects of Spanish culture that Valencians don't like. On the final night, fireworks ignite each of the Fallas which then go up in flames. But Valencians don't save fireworks for the grand finale - lest you should pause your celebrating to take a nap, fireworks went go pretty much non stop for 7 days.

A falla pre flames

Falleras right outside my dorm

A falla in flames

That was 3 stories high

I also went on a ten day trip to Italy last week, but that deserves it's own post and will have to wait til later.

je ne sais pas

Last weekend I went to Paris, and it was absolutely wonderful. I think it might be my favorite city in the entire world. I started thinking that maybe I should have been studying French all along instead of Spanish, because so many things that I love are French - ballet, Les Miserables, Madeline, Beauty & the Beast, my grandma. Although, in the interest of not eating my weight in food, Spain was probably a better choice. In Paris there is an adorable bakery on every corner and I feel like we stopped at almost every one to have crepes, tarts, chocolate croissants, etc.

We packed so much into three days that I don't have space to explain it all, but some of the highlights were Sacre Coeur, Montimartre, falafel in the Jewish District, running around the Louvre at night (little known fact: students get in free on friday nights!), and Shakespeare and Co. Shakespeare and Co. is a tiny, old, famous bookstore that I absolutely love. I went back two days in a row - once to look around and the second time just to sit and read.

My 3 greatest accomplishments while in Paris were...

1. Taking the metro EVERYWHERE (usually for free, because we took a hint from French kids and hopped the stalls)

2. Getting free margaritas, because we spoke Spanish

3. Meeting up with my friends Mary and Morgan from high school! I love them, and I love seeing familiar faces in a foreign country, and I love Mary's tiny Parisian apartment.

free margaritas with the owner

it's march already?

Although I can't believe that it is already March and that the first month and a half of my stay here has come and gone, I know that the next two months are about to go by even faster. Starting last weekend I have a trip just about every other week - - first stop, Barcelona.

We started our trip to Barcelona with a five hour bus ride which was one of my favorite parts. This doesn't say anything negative about Barcelona, just that I love driving, especially through the Spanish countryside. Once we got to Barcelona we had dinner at FresCo, a restaurant with the most amazing and extensive salad bar ever (especially compared to the ice berg lettuce and oddly squishy tomatoes in the dorm cafeteria.) That night we went out to a bar called Chupitos aka "Shots." My favorites were the Harry Potter shot which had sparklers coming out of it, the Boyscout shot where you roast a marshmellow on the bar and dip it in your drink, and the Finding Nemo shot where you find Nemo in whip cream before taking the shot.

The next day we went to the Picasso museum (it was in a series of old apartments and we learned that "as a child he painted like an adult and as an adult like a child") and walked around the streets crowded with people and colored with street performers and artists. The most impressive aspect of Barecelona, however, were the works of Gaudi. He was an artist/architect who's whimsical creations look like they're straight out of Candyland or Whoville. His most impressive designs were the Sagrada Familia (not your typical cathedral) and a park that could have come straight out of a little kid's imagination.

dear food why must you taste so good?

I went to Barcelona this weekend, which deserves to be blogged about, but I don't have the energy for that, so instead here is what Britt and I just did on a normal night in Spain ...

We have been wasting time for the past hour or so waiting until 10:30 when we planned a gelato "study" break. 10:30 just rolled around and we ran downstairs where we were met with freezing rain. We thought this might be a sign that we have already gained so much weight on this trip that we should not shove more desserts into out stomachs, but that didn't stop us. We ran in the rain without hoods and some how got mildly loss on the 7 min trek we now know so well (sign 2 that we should probably turn back). Finally we got to the gelato shop - it was closed, almost as though someone were telling us, "You're packin on the pounds, go back while you can." But no. We ran to McDonalds where they were out of Oreo McFlurrys, but that didn't stop us either. We got Kit-Kat flavored, because at this point nothing could keep us from late night binging.

After all was said and done we decided the freezing rain, loss of memory in the dark streets, a closed shop, and the wrong flavor were worth it. So worth it that we split a large fry too. We've realized that love handles are the price one has to pay for living in Europe for 3 months ... so maybe tomorrow we'll start eating healthy again?

dear blog, i'm sorry i forgot you for so long

I realized it has been way to long since my last post, and since I have been out enjoying Spain and forgetting to blog there is also far too much to recap here. In an effort to keep things short and sweet here are little notes that I wish I could have sent to people and places over past few weeks.

Dear lunch ladies, must you be so mean to me every time I come to the counter? I know you understand me even if my pronunciation isn't perfect. I was told that you hate how Americans say please and thank you all the time ... maybe if I was less polite you would be nice.

Dear man who owns the bakery near by, you are wonderful. I love your deep, rumbling laugh, and I love that you knew every customer who walked in the door. I love that you talked to me and Britt for so long and gave us free kiwi marmalade you made yourself ... We promise to come back every week!

Dear sunny days and gentle breeze, thank you for coming and please never go away. You make everyday feel like the beach at nighttime.

Dear Mercado Central, you have become my favorite spot in Spain. Your always busy and bustling with people and you sell fresh everything - from eels, to strawberries, to cheese wrapped in basil.

Dear Botega (Vineyard) in the tiny white-washed town of Requena, your ware houses smell incredible and your wine tastes delicious, especially compared to the 1 euro wine I've been drinking before going to discotecas.

futbol

Wow, it's been a week since my last post. In short the past seven days have included ... a Spanish film from the 1930's (I learned that understanding spanish people gets harder and harder the further you go back in time), shopping (where I learned that Zara to Spain is like Starbucks to America, except there might be more Zaras), having Paella Valenciana (the dish this city is most famous for) a lamb kabob, flan and a glass of wine for only 12 euro, my first real Discoteca experience and most importantly for my European education - a futbol game.

Yesterday we descended upon Valencia CF's home stadium along with thousands of diehard fans. This wasn't even an important game (Valencia C.F. vs. Real Valladolid), but the stadium was packed from top to bottom, and there were groups of people who sang the Valencia fight song non stop for the full 90 minute game. With the sunset in the distance, and a group of adorable 4 year old boys just in front of us who were giddy just to be there munching on sunflower seeds, this was one of my favorite experiences yet.

goal for valencia! (who won 2-0)

and we got excited, too

trabajamos para vivir, no vivimos para trabajar

"Trabajamos para vivir, no vivimos para trabajar," my language/composition teacher said today. In english this means, "We work to live, we don't live to work." This is one of the main differences Europeans see between themselves and Americans, and for the most part I agree with them. In spanish culture, everyone goes home for a siesta from 2 until 4 in the afternoon. Unlike what you think when you hear the word siesta, this time is actually set aside for eating lunch with one's family. This is part of working to live. For the spanish eating and drinking are social activities; no one ever eats alone or in a hurry. Also, everyone takes off of work here on Sundays for sure and a lot of Saturdays as well. Everything goes at a slower pace, but it's nicer that way. Another wise thing my teacher said in passing today was, "El tiempo es mas valiosos que el dinero." Translation: "Time is more valuable than money."

In true slow paced Spanish fashion we went to the beach all day yesterday and had tapas and wine at a little coastal cafe.