This week has been/will be relatively uneventful.... so I thought I'd entertain you regulars with things I've come to learn and accept about the Barcelona culture and its people.
Good:
- Everyone has amazing fashion sense. Well, almost everyone. Men wear scarves and sweaters, and the occasional fitted suits to work. Women always wear heels, even to the grocery store. Obviously there are sub-cultures, but even those adorable little bohemian Spanish girls look better rolling out of bed than I could with years of fashion school under my belt (which I don't have).
- All of the streets have big recycling bins that look like Disney's "Wall-E", with separate ones for paper, glass, plastic, and even compost! Tourists, however, throw their giant hangover sized water bottles in the trash can like they get paid for it. Rude.
- They nap. EVERY DAY. Stores close down a few hours every day so people can go home to eat lunch with their family... AKA nap. I've taken to this custom, even though I technically don't need it because I don't get lunch at Feli's, but sleeping is one of my favorite past-times.
- Dogs are so well trained half of them don't need leashes on the streets. They just follow their owners like, well, puppies. Tory and Ginger would be long long gone if we ever tried this (bless their little wandering hearts).
- Food here. Tapas, perfect. Cafe con leche, perfect. Pan con tomate, perfect. Sangria, perfect. Beer and wine is cheaper than water... are you seeing a trend? They're going to have to roll me onto my plane home.
The Bad..
- I think it's a law that as you get older, you have to be more of an asshole on the street. Teenagers dodge around the crowds like bullets, middle aged people will stop in their tracks and at least wait for YOU to move out of their way, and the older citizens tend to just walk right through you if you don't move. Some sort of self righteousness these Barcelonians have. No matter how determined I look, how loud my boots are stomping on the pavement, a Spanish woman waddling down the street people watching will still see herself as more important than me, the American listening to her ipod and hauling it to class. I've even seen them do this for cars. CARS, that have a green light and the right of way. They don't stop for anyone. Oh well. At least they respect themselves.
- They really really don't like Americans. No matter how hard I try to speak Spanish, they will always just roll their eyes (something I still find the most condescending move ever) and speak in English. My Spanish is not that bad. If anything it's proper. Sorry I don't speak a mile a minute, but I know I'm saying it correctly. Let me try to get better by responding to me in Spanish!
- Everyone is also really skinny. Like stick skinny. I don't understand it, with all this delicious food here, and they eat like 7 meals a day. And I never see people running on the streets, unless its Katherine (or just Americans). Maybe it's because they all go to the gym? Or smoke cigarettes. I vote the latter, because everyone and their mother has a cig in their hand at all times.
- Public displays of affection. Couples in this city are not afraid to show they are in love, which is fine... but at least keep it above the belt on the metro, eh? It's hilarious, heart wrenching, and mildly disgusting at times. I'm over it.
The Ugly
- The city itself is very safe, but pickpocketing is a big issue. Of course, you just can't be stupid about it and you'll be fine, but the fact that you have to hug your purse in the center of town makes me sad. They're good too. They'll brush past you and bam, your wallet's gone.
- The Spanish economy is failing miserably. Probably because of all the napping and partying they do. Beggars on the street break my heart. There's one guy outside of my apartment who is so adorable I just want to give him everything I own. The one's that come up to you while your eating outside or waiting to cross the street are pretty bad too... I wish I could help them all but I just cant. Spain needs jobs!
- Spanish men have this idea that every American girl in a bar immediately will go home with them. I don't know who's giving them this idea, but they should probably go back to the states, because I'm trying to enjoy myself without getting mauled. Poor blondes too... they LOVE blondes. They've never seen them. Poor Katherine gets told at least twice a day that someone loves her. Actually I guess that's not so bad, but in the context they mean it, it is.
I'm sure I have more. Maybe some time I'll add them.
Peace out America! (And Spain! And London! And Germany? And Russia? I figured out I can see when people from different countries read my blog... people in Russia are into it I guess? Awkward.)
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Love in Spain is wild
So yes, I do have a story to elaborate on the title of this entry. But let's backtrack a bit to tell some tales of the weekend. First of all I had the worst week, two exams in my two hardest classes as well as a presentation of War Correspondents in my journalism class. Yikes. The presentation actually opened my eyes to a whole new view of the world though... those guys that go to foreign countries and give news reports on the war, ones that actually travel with soldiers and witness it first hand... they're nuts. I really want to read the book The Bang Bang Club, its about a group of war correspondents, mostly photo journalists, that have seen the worst of the worst. It just tells the stories of their lives, how they deal with the stress, etc. It seems really interesting. I learned about it while researching for my presentation.
Anyways, with all that junk out of the way, I went to Seville with the parentals and Emily this weekend. Apart from the stress of traveling by my lonesome, it was a really great weekend. Seville is such a quaint little city, very relaxing. We did a tour of the cathedral, wandered over to Plaza Espana, which was beautiful, and even went to an international festival with little trinkets, food, and beer from all over the world. I got a beer called Judas (haha) from Belgium which was like 9% alcohol. It was delicious! If you all can find it in the states I recommend it! All in all it was a great weekend. Last night we all came home on the same flight, and the Gabrees spent their last night in Barcelona. We went out for dinner down by the water, and our waiter kept a constant supply of sangria coming all night, including one made with champagne. Delicious.
Today might have been the oddest day ever for me in Barcelona. For starters, it has been raining all day... something that was not conducive to my outfit of a light t-shirt and leather boots (nice try Weather.com), but has pretty much not happened since we got here. It was cloudy one day last month, and apparently it rained one night of Merce (something I missed somehow)... but it really just hasn't rained here in months. Maybe its the start of the wet season? I almost forgot what it was like. It still sucks, that's for sure. I mean I love rain for playing in when I have the right clothes for it, and I love nothing more than cuddling in bed when its raining outside... but I think it just made everyone crazy today. This leads me to my story...
So I'm standing waiting for the metro, soaking wet after running from my class to the station... and its packed. Everyone is riding the metro today because no one wants to be outside. Anyway, this guy comes running up behind me and ducks around my shoulder, slamming me into the guy behind me, grabs a woman in front of me by the shoulders (which I at first though was a cute boyfriend/girlfriend interaction until he does what comes next), rips her from the crowd and slams her into the wall behind everyone. You could hear her head crack against the cement. She obviously crumples to the ground crying, all while he starts screaming obscenities at her about being a whore. The guy who I slammed into during the process grabs him by the back of his shirt trying to catch him but he wriggled free and took off down the corridor. Some rando who must have seen the whole thing happen came bolting out of no where and caught him, dragging him back to the scene of the crime. I tried to stay and see what was going to happen, but the guy who I fell into previously told me I should probably just get on the train. Turns out hes an American student studying in Barca too, he was just trying to be a hero by stopping the guy. I told him it was probably good he didn't get too involved, but I thanked him for letting me use him as an airbag, haha. We figure the guy was mad at an ex-girlfriend for cheating on him and/or just moving on, but YIKES. He could've handled that wayyyy differently. Spaniards are crazy.
Anyways, with all that junk out of the way, I went to Seville with the parentals and Emily this weekend. Apart from the stress of traveling by my lonesome, it was a really great weekend. Seville is such a quaint little city, very relaxing. We did a tour of the cathedral, wandered over to Plaza Espana, which was beautiful, and even went to an international festival with little trinkets, food, and beer from all over the world. I got a beer called Judas (haha) from Belgium which was like 9% alcohol. It was delicious! If you all can find it in the states I recommend it! All in all it was a great weekend. Last night we all came home on the same flight, and the Gabrees spent their last night in Barcelona. We went out for dinner down by the water, and our waiter kept a constant supply of sangria coming all night, including one made with champagne. Delicious.
Today might have been the oddest day ever for me in Barcelona. For starters, it has been raining all day... something that was not conducive to my outfit of a light t-shirt and leather boots (nice try Weather.com), but has pretty much not happened since we got here. It was cloudy one day last month, and apparently it rained one night of Merce (something I missed somehow)... but it really just hasn't rained here in months. Maybe its the start of the wet season? I almost forgot what it was like. It still sucks, that's for sure. I mean I love rain for playing in when I have the right clothes for it, and I love nothing more than cuddling in bed when its raining outside... but I think it just made everyone crazy today. This leads me to my story...
So I'm standing waiting for the metro, soaking wet after running from my class to the station... and its packed. Everyone is riding the metro today because no one wants to be outside. Anyway, this guy comes running up behind me and ducks around my shoulder, slamming me into the guy behind me, grabs a woman in front of me by the shoulders (which I at first though was a cute boyfriend/girlfriend interaction until he does what comes next), rips her from the crowd and slams her into the wall behind everyone. You could hear her head crack against the cement. She obviously crumples to the ground crying, all while he starts screaming obscenities at her about being a whore. The guy who I slammed into during the process grabs him by the back of his shirt trying to catch him but he wriggled free and took off down the corridor. Some rando who must have seen the whole thing happen came bolting out of no where and caught him, dragging him back to the scene of the crime. I tried to stay and see what was going to happen, but the guy who I fell into previously told me I should probably just get on the train. Turns out hes an American student studying in Barca too, he was just trying to be a hero by stopping the guy. I told him it was probably good he didn't get too involved, but I thanked him for letting me use him as an airbag, haha. We figure the guy was mad at an ex-girlfriend for cheating on him and/or just moving on, but YIKES. He could've handled that wayyyy differently. Spaniards are crazy.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Spain steals the Gabree family
As I've mentioned a thousand times previously, the Gabrees are in town! Dave and Sandy came in friday morning, with Emily following soon after. When I got out of class I anxiously waited to get a call from the hotel (I must love them) telling me they had arrived. When the time finally came, I went to go see the parentals for the first time since August. Of course by the time I get to the hotel, they're already down the street, buying candied almonds from a street vendor (Dad.). I tried to show them around their part of town, stopping in at a cafe to get "clara"s... a combination of beer and lemon fanta (and or lemonade depending). When Emily called from the hotel, we went back to greet her as well and give her a big "Bienvenidos a Espana!". I made them truck some goods over from the states for me, including my favorite organic body wash, some make-up, and a few long sleeve shirts, but Papa Bear and Emily went over the top by going halvsies on a new camera for me!! Its just a little digital camera, perfect for fitting into my purse and whatnot. Apparently I made it obvious I wanted a camera over here via my blog haha. I intend on buying myself one of those nice Nikon ones once I can actually get a job and afford things. Not to try to pretend I'm a photographer, but simply because I like taking a picture of something and having it actually look like what it was of, without red eye and weird lighting (aka the camera I used to have from sophomore year of highschool haha).
Casa Batllo
Sangria and Tapas!
Anyways. We took to the streets, new camera in hand! I walked them down Psg. de Gracia, where all the rich people used to live in the 20th century / still do now. The architecture is really amazing because everyone wanted to show off how rich they were, so a lot of people hired Antoni Gaudi to design their homes. We then stopped for some tapas and sangria at a place where all the tapas on the menu have corresponding pictures. I thought it might be easier for them to understand what they were ordering, because half the time even I will just blindly order something I think sounds good. It ended up being delicious, typical of anything in Barcelona. After our bellies were full, and our heads a little cloudy from overly strong sangria, I took the fam up to Plaza Espana, where the big castle on the mountain is, and took them to the top of the old bull fighting arena. Its now a heinously overdone mall on the inside, but the view of Barcelona from the top is pretty gorgeous. We took a break for naps and showers, and then met up later for dinner with miss Katherine Davis at a restaurant the hotel recommended. Like I said before, I don't know where the nice places are to eat. I don't eat out unless it costs me under 6 euros. Bargain dinners! Dinner was fantastic, as was the wine. Two of the Gabrees' favorite things, me included in that stereotype.
After dinner we all had intentions of going out on the town. I wanted my friends to meet my parents, and vice versa, but the place my friends decided to go to was wayyyy to packed for Mama and Papa. They politely declined the offer and headed to an outdoor bar to sip some wine before jet-lag crashing. Emily on the other hand, stayed out all night with me! The bar that was incredibly packed was a place where you literally pay 3 euros for a glass of ice, a bottle of soda, and they put a big bottle of alcohol on the bar for you. You are free to pour at your leisure. Now... if they did this in the states, that place would get shut down in seconds. People would be in the streets vomiting and or dead. Spaniards though, can handle their alcohol. The American tourists... not so much. Thankfully we were not those people. Well... maybe Drew. Emily got to meet all my friends and some! Then we took her to La Fira, that circus themed bar with the big tent over the dance floor, got some free drinks from the bartenders (how nice), and danced to the American songs all Barcelona bars/clubs play. Apparently the Spanish entertainment industry just isn't up to par with Beyonce and Kid Kudi.
The next morning everyone slept in. Mama and Papa bear didn't even wake up until 12:30! When we were all finally out of bed, we rambled on down to Plaza Catalunya to get coffee and see some sights. Katherine and I's friend Erin joined us for some play time on las Ramblas. We stopped at La Boquerria, the huge market tucked away in the side streets of La Rambla. Its apparently the oldest market in Europe, and the coolest. There's just so much fresh food, fruits, veggies, chocolates, break, meat, fish, candy, smoothies, wine... you name it, they have 30 different kinds of it. Of course the parentals loved it. Dave especially. We lost him about 8 times because of his famous move of disappearing into a side alley to look at something and not telling anyone. But he always came back wielding something yummy he shared with the group, chorizo, cod fritters... oh yes. We then did a short tour of the Gothic area, saw some cool art, bought a few gifts for people who will remain nameless seeing as I don't know who reads this thing (god love ya for doing it). Then I took them to Sagrada Familia, the giant cathedral designed by Gaudi. It really takes your breath away. I hope they liked it.
This day was the longest... after Sagrada, we walked down towards the water in hopes of finding an art fest/market, and ended up stumbling upon the Occupy Wallstreet protests going on in Barcelona. Of course it was called something else... but they had the same concerns. Jobs were a big part of it. Whats funny (or maybe not so funny) about Spain, is it looked like a parade. People were dancing and playing music... something you wouldn't see on the US. We ended up finding the art fest, which was incredibly cool and had lots of handmade crafts (and a techno DJ, which was weird), and then had dinner at an Argentinian style restaurant. Not too shabby. Afterwards, Papa Bear dragged us into a jazz club for a beer and a listen... we only heard about 2/3 of one song before the band packed up, but it was still pretty fun.
That night we took Emily to the bar Chupitos, the bar that only does shots. Glamorous, wild, shots. We made her take one where you roast a marshmallow on an open flame from liquor being lit right on the bar surface. We were all so exhausted we decided to have a relaxing night at a casual bar, where there were no places to sit so we awkwardly stood at the bar until three Spanish boys invited us to sit with them. The language barrier was pretty rough but they loved Katherine for throwing out a few phrases Santos taught us in Mallorca... mean, crude phrases. Also hilarious. They loved it that we knew slang bad words in Spanish.
The next day we were up at dawn for a tour to Montserrat with Mama and Papa Bear. We had to ride in a van with a few other random tourists and a driver that must have been on cocaine... but it was worth it because Monserrat was beautiful. We took a tram up to the top of the mountain and hiked around, saw the cathedral, got lunch, and bought some fresh local cheese at the mini farmers market. Spain is so cute. I'm so glad I live here sometimes. Then we got to go on a wine tour at a vineyard that is completely organic. It ended with a tasting, of course, and it was so interesting to hear about how different soils/climates/fertilizers create different wines. Also fun... free wine. Lots of it. not only the tasting, but somehow due to confusion at the end of the tour, we got two free bottles of Cava (Spanish champagne)... Not mad. I also got a bottle of wine! My first bottle bought solely for me. Nice wine, that is. Wine to enjoy with friends. Not 1 euro wine to drink straight from the bottle while I'm doing my make-up with Katherine before we go out. Ohhh my life. Of course we ended the night by going to dinner on the Rambla and getting gelato! Yay! Emily almost got mugged by a crazy person, but homegirl knew to grab her bag as he threw himself into her. He definitely tried to steal something from her but she's a champ and wouldn't allow it. Sucks to suck, crazy robber.
Yesterday was the last full day the Gabrees spent in Barcelona. While I was in class they went to the beach, shopped around, ate tapas... then we all met and did a tour of Casa Batllo, which was just as absolutely gorgeous on the inside as it is on the outside. That night, we made the hasty decision to eat at a random restaurant Emily found on her iPhone... turned out to be the best restaurant in Barcelona. No, really. Bill Clinton eats there when he's in Barca. As does Eva Longoria. We ate like movie stars, basically. And... presidents? The waiter was adorably funny, and we even got a live acoustic guitar show during dessert. Oh Spain, you really know how to treat a lady and her family. Today the Gabree family minus me are all going to Valencia, and I will meet them in Seville on Friday.
More to come on the fabulous adventures of Dave, Sandy, Emily, and Grace Gabree... oh and Katherine, because she's the third child now.
WOOOOOOOOOOOF! I keep saying I won't ever write such long blogs but so much happened in one weekend. It's like the first week I was here... all over again. Sorry America! If you read this far I'm proud of you <3
Anyways. We took to the streets, new camera in hand! I walked them down Psg. de Gracia, where all the rich people used to live in the 20th century / still do now. The architecture is really amazing because everyone wanted to show off how rich they were, so a lot of people hired Antoni Gaudi to design their homes. We then stopped for some tapas and sangria at a place where all the tapas on the menu have corresponding pictures. I thought it might be easier for them to understand what they were ordering, because half the time even I will just blindly order something I think sounds good. It ended up being delicious, typical of anything in Barcelona. After our bellies were full, and our heads a little cloudy from overly strong sangria, I took the fam up to Plaza Espana, where the big castle on the mountain is, and took them to the top of the old bull fighting arena. Its now a heinously overdone mall on the inside, but the view of Barcelona from the top is pretty gorgeous. We took a break for naps and showers, and then met up later for dinner with miss Katherine Davis at a restaurant the hotel recommended. Like I said before, I don't know where the nice places are to eat. I don't eat out unless it costs me under 6 euros. Bargain dinners! Dinner was fantastic, as was the wine. Two of the Gabrees' favorite things, me included in that stereotype.
After dinner we all had intentions of going out on the town. I wanted my friends to meet my parents, and vice versa, but the place my friends decided to go to was wayyyy to packed for Mama and Papa. They politely declined the offer and headed to an outdoor bar to sip some wine before jet-lag crashing. Emily on the other hand, stayed out all night with me! The bar that was incredibly packed was a place where you literally pay 3 euros for a glass of ice, a bottle of soda, and they put a big bottle of alcohol on the bar for you. You are free to pour at your leisure. Now... if they did this in the states, that place would get shut down in seconds. People would be in the streets vomiting and or dead. Spaniards though, can handle their alcohol. The American tourists... not so much. Thankfully we were not those people. Well... maybe Drew. Emily got to meet all my friends and some! Then we took her to La Fira, that circus themed bar with the big tent over the dance floor, got some free drinks from the bartenders (how nice), and danced to the American songs all Barcelona bars/clubs play. Apparently the Spanish entertainment industry just isn't up to par with Beyonce and Kid Kudi.
The next morning everyone slept in. Mama and Papa bear didn't even wake up until 12:30! When we were all finally out of bed, we rambled on down to Plaza Catalunya to get coffee and see some sights. Katherine and I's friend Erin joined us for some play time on las Ramblas. We stopped at La Boquerria, the huge market tucked away in the side streets of La Rambla. Its apparently the oldest market in Europe, and the coolest. There's just so much fresh food, fruits, veggies, chocolates, break, meat, fish, candy, smoothies, wine... you name it, they have 30 different kinds of it. Of course the parentals loved it. Dave especially. We lost him about 8 times because of his famous move of disappearing into a side alley to look at something and not telling anyone. But he always came back wielding something yummy he shared with the group, chorizo, cod fritters... oh yes. We then did a short tour of the Gothic area, saw some cool art, bought a few gifts for people who will remain nameless seeing as I don't know who reads this thing (god love ya for doing it). Then I took them to Sagrada Familia, the giant cathedral designed by Gaudi. It really takes your breath away. I hope they liked it.
This day was the longest... after Sagrada, we walked down towards the water in hopes of finding an art fest/market, and ended up stumbling upon the Occupy Wallstreet protests going on in Barcelona. Of course it was called something else... but they had the same concerns. Jobs were a big part of it. Whats funny (or maybe not so funny) about Spain, is it looked like a parade. People were dancing and playing music... something you wouldn't see on the US. We ended up finding the art fest, which was incredibly cool and had lots of handmade crafts (and a techno DJ, which was weird), and then had dinner at an Argentinian style restaurant. Not too shabby. Afterwards, Papa Bear dragged us into a jazz club for a beer and a listen... we only heard about 2/3 of one song before the band packed up, but it was still pretty fun. That night we took Emily to the bar Chupitos, the bar that only does shots. Glamorous, wild, shots. We made her take one where you roast a marshmallow on an open flame from liquor being lit right on the bar surface. We were all so exhausted we decided to have a relaxing night at a casual bar, where there were no places to sit so we awkwardly stood at the bar until three Spanish boys invited us to sit with them. The language barrier was pretty rough but they loved Katherine for throwing out a few phrases Santos taught us in Mallorca... mean, crude phrases. Also hilarious. They loved it that we knew slang bad words in Spanish.
 |
| Añadir leyenda |
The next day we were up at dawn for a tour to Montserrat with Mama and Papa Bear. We had to ride in a van with a few other random tourists and a driver that must have been on cocaine... but it was worth it because Monserrat was beautiful. We took a tram up to the top of the mountain and hiked around, saw the cathedral, got lunch, and bought some fresh local cheese at the mini farmers market. Spain is so cute. I'm so glad I live here sometimes. Then we got to go on a wine tour at a vineyard that is completely organic. It ended with a tasting, of course, and it was so interesting to hear about how different soils/climates/fertilizers create different wines. Also fun... free wine. Lots of it. not only the tasting, but somehow due to confusion at the end of the tour, we got two free bottles of Cava (Spanish champagne)... Not mad. I also got a bottle of wine! My first bottle bought solely for me. Nice wine, that is. Wine to enjoy with friends. Not 1 euro wine to drink straight from the bottle while I'm doing my make-up with Katherine before we go out. Ohhh my life. Of course we ended the night by going to dinner on the Rambla and getting gelato! Yay! Emily almost got mugged by a crazy person, but homegirl knew to grab her bag as he threw himself into her. He definitely tried to steal something from her but she's a champ and wouldn't allow it. Sucks to suck, crazy robber.
Yesterday was the last full day the Gabrees spent in Barcelona. While I was in class they went to the beach, shopped around, ate tapas... then we all met and did a tour of Casa Batllo, which was just as absolutely gorgeous on the inside as it is on the outside. That night, we made the hasty decision to eat at a random restaurant Emily found on her iPhone... turned out to be the best restaurant in Barcelona. No, really. Bill Clinton eats there when he's in Barca. As does Eva Longoria. We ate like movie stars, basically. And... presidents? The waiter was adorably funny, and we even got a live acoustic guitar show during dessert. Oh Spain, you really know how to treat a lady and her family. Today the Gabree family minus me are all going to Valencia, and I will meet them in Seville on Friday.
More to come on the fabulous adventures of Dave, Sandy, Emily, and Grace Gabree... oh and Katherine, because she's the third child now.
WOOOOOOOOOOOF! I keep saying I won't ever write such long blogs but so much happened in one weekend. It's like the first week I was here... all over again. Sorry America! If you read this far I'm proud of you <3
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Calm.
The Gabrees leave for Barcelona today!!! The whole bunch, Emily, Sandy, Dave... not Tory and Ginger, although I did try for them. I am so excited to show them around my city, take them to see the sights, everything. I'm a little apprehensive though, because for as long as I've lived here, I don't know all that much about the city. I can show them the beach, and La Rambla, Sagrada Familia, the Catedral... But I don't know much of the history behind these things. I also don't know where any good places to eat are. Gabrees are big food people. And wine. We know how to indulge, I suppose haha. Unfortunately, I'm on a budget here, so I don't know where the nice restaurants are, or where to get classy wine. I can find a 3 euro falafel and a 1 euro bottle of wine with my eyes closed... but this is going to be a bit of a vacation for me as well. I'll actually be able to experience fine dining. That's rare for me here, ha.
What I am not too excited about is the amount of work I have here. It was a horrible, horrible idea to take four of my five classes at Spanish Universities. Unlike IES, the study abroad program that knows we're all deadbeats and just want to play in Barcelona, these schools assume I came to Spain to have no life and work my ass off. I have more work here than I would in Vermont. Three ten page papers are due in a month. Plus midterms the next two weeks, presentations in every class, and 400 page "readers" that must be completed by the final. WOOOOOF. Looks like I'll have no life in Spain anymore. Hopefully I learn something from all of this. That is the point, yes? I just hate the stress... I buckle under stress. Hard. And I complain. Obviously. Look at what I'm doing right now. I need to remind myself to be calm, and remove all other unnecessary evils from my life so I can focus on the here and now. I have to do whats right for me right now.
Last night Jane invited Katherine, Jess, Erin, and I to meet her parents, who are here for the week. They are the most adorable people ever, and it explains so much why Jane is well, Jane. They were so welcoming and open, not to mention hilarious. We ended up going to dinner with them at a nice seafood restaurant by the beach, where we dined with family friends of the Siegels. It was delicious. Spanish food is so perfect. No additives or preservatives. Everything tastes so real. Its fantastic. I can't thank the Siegels enough for being so kind as to take us to dinner. It was so nice to meet them, and also have a night away from awkward dinners with Feli speaking Spanish to us, ha.
Oh, we also ran into these guys the other night. Apparently Barca was playing Scotland, so a bunch of Scots were out on the town getting their drink on. Clearly this was the outfit to wear to show respect for the Spanish team. Some were in kilts, some in flamenco. This guy though... damn.
What I am not too excited about is the amount of work I have here. It was a horrible, horrible idea to take four of my five classes at Spanish Universities. Unlike IES, the study abroad program that knows we're all deadbeats and just want to play in Barcelona, these schools assume I came to Spain to have no life and work my ass off. I have more work here than I would in Vermont. Three ten page papers are due in a month. Plus midterms the next two weeks, presentations in every class, and 400 page "readers" that must be completed by the final. WOOOOOF. Looks like I'll have no life in Spain anymore. Hopefully I learn something from all of this. That is the point, yes? I just hate the stress... I buckle under stress. Hard. And I complain. Obviously. Look at what I'm doing right now. I need to remind myself to be calm, and remove all other unnecessary evils from my life so I can focus on the here and now. I have to do whats right for me right now.
Last night Jane invited Katherine, Jess, Erin, and I to meet her parents, who are here for the week. They are the most adorable people ever, and it explains so much why Jane is well, Jane. They were so welcoming and open, not to mention hilarious. We ended up going to dinner with them at a nice seafood restaurant by the beach, where we dined with family friends of the Siegels. It was delicious. Spanish food is so perfect. No additives or preservatives. Everything tastes so real. Its fantastic. I can't thank the Siegels enough for being so kind as to take us to dinner. It was so nice to meet them, and also have a night away from awkward dinners with Feli speaking Spanish to us, ha.
Oh, we also ran into these guys the other night. Apparently Barca was playing Scotland, so a bunch of Scots were out on the town getting their drink on. Clearly this was the outfit to wear to show respect for the Spanish team. Some were in kilts, some in flamenco. This guy though... damn.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Karma?
I think I'm suffering enough for things I've done already... I would like to know why karma has a vengeance for me. From the series of minor misfortunes yesterday (I won't explain and complain) to today I would have to guess this is karma for something really really stupid, perhaps? Today was just the icing on the cake. I had bought a cute and cheap floral pattern shirt from a store called "Lefties" a few days ago, something I was pretty excited about because it only cost 4 euros and it was adorable... and as I proudly showcased it today with white shorts, I started to realize something horrible had happened. I noticed during class that I had blue all over my hands. I asked my friend Kim if it meant I was sick (I was guessing gangrene), and she told me to try washing it off. When I got to the bathroom, I realized the blue dye from my cheap crap shirt was rubbing off all over my favorite shorts and all over my skin... I looked like a smurf. By the time I got home to change it has progressed to ruin part of my school bag, my bra, and my belt. I hate you, blue floral shirt. It is currently hanging out to dry on the bars outside my window (we live in a prison), along with my shorts, that I handwashed with body wash because I didn't know how to explain to Feli in Spanish what was going on / why I needed detergent.
#WhiteGirlProblems.
We don't have school tomorrow though! Yay! I may or may not go to a film festival outside of the city... maybe hit up the beach... work on my multiple ten page papers piling up... the possibilities are endless.
Oh and even better news! Flights to both Dublin, Ireland and Florence, Italy have been booked! We intend on going to Galway once we get to Ireland, see a bit of the country instead of just going to clubs in the city. I am so excited! It's going to completely screw me over as far as school work goes... but when else will I be in Europe? (That's a lie, I plan on moving back here at some point in my life.)
Sorry my life isn't more interesting America.
#WhiteGirlProblems.
We don't have school tomorrow though! Yay! I may or may not go to a film festival outside of the city... maybe hit up the beach... work on my multiple ten page papers piling up... the possibilities are endless.
Oh and even better news! Flights to both Dublin, Ireland and Florence, Italy have been booked! We intend on going to Galway once we get to Ireland, see a bit of the country instead of just going to clubs in the city. I am so excited! It's going to completely screw me over as far as school work goes... but when else will I be in Europe? (That's a lie, I plan on moving back here at some point in my life.)
Sorry my life isn't more interesting America.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Sensation
Sensation has finally come and gone, but not without thoroughly taking everyone for a ride. I had to steal some pictures from random people on Facebook, because unfortunately, the fact that I have no camera wins again..
There are a few simple rules to getting into Sensation, they will search your bag and you must be wearing white. If you are not wearing white, you will be told to please go purchase a white Sensation shirt for 60 Euros in order to see the show. They were strict. I kept seeing kids wearing the same "This is a white t-shirt" shirt all over the place. Also, they make you exchange your money into "Senses"... for what reason? To confuse the drunks and make everyone's lives harder.
My friends and I all bought cheap white dresses for the show. The one I got I will probably never wear again. It's cute but only to a certain point... in the words of Casey, its the two things you never want out of your clothing... tight, and white. Woof. I should have just gone naked. I'm pale enough.
The show was unreal though, to say the least. It was at the Olympic stadium in Barcelona, a huge indoor arena big enough to hold 40,000 people (it was packed full). The same stadium in fact, that held the 1992 Olympics which gave Barcelona the economic boost it needed to become a fully metropolitan city. If I had chosen to study abroad 20 years ago, at the ripe age on one, Barcelona would not have even been an option. It apparently was a completely different city, sadly with no money. Thanks Olympics!
I digress. The show was unbelievable. Forty thousand people, three gigantic flowers in the middle of the floor that spouted water/colors/lights, the middle and largest of the three held the performers DJ stations, as well as the multiple stages for dancers and acrobats (yikes!). From the ceiling there were about 100 giant color changing orbs that floated up and down with the music, along with a light show of lasers and colors that made you feel like you were dreaming. Of course the music was just techno dance house music performed by DJs I had never heard of, but they did an incredible job making me want to dance until 5am. Literally. It went from 10pm to 5am. This explains why I slept until 4 today.
But that's just the show. When it got out, it was of course, 5am. And the Olympic stadium is about a 20 minute drive from the center of the city, where we live. These two circumstances made finding a cab nearly impossible. Also the fact that everyone and their mother was trying to get a cab ride home from Sensation as well. We walked. We made it to a hotel close to the harbor who refused to call us a cab because there simply were none, gave us a map, and told us where we could walk to the metro. Of course though, in a sleepless delirium, we managed to get lost even with a map. We hiked around the port area for an hour in tiny little dresses in the freezing cold. Eventually we made it to civilization and hailed a cab to warmth and safety. I had never been so happy to be in a cab.
Today, obviously, should have been a day for rest. BUT Feli woke us up earlier telling us the cleaning lady would be here today instead of her usual monday because she was going on vacation, so we were being kicked out of our room. We had to first clean our room and remove everything off the desk, the nightstand, and the shelves so she could clean. Excuse me?
This is a weekly thing. We literally have to pack up everything we own like we're moving out so the cleaning lady can DUST. It makes it feel like we don't even live here. The worst part is, if you leave anything out in the open, she hurls it into the closet or shoves it in a random drawer so it's impossible to find later on. We moved into the living room, where after 4 minutes my computer died so I resorted to sitting and staring at a wall. Then, because of course our room was not first to be cleaned, we were kicked out of the living room too so she could mop. We moved to the kitchen, because Feli was taking the sheets off of our beds and we felt unwelcome in our room. We sat there silently, while Feli came in to make remarks about how dirty our room is, god forbid we left a coffee cup on the nightstand and there was a pen mark on one of the sheets. Really welcoming. Cleaning day makes me realize just how awkward being in a home stay is...
There are a few simple rules to getting into Sensation, they will search your bag and you must be wearing white. If you are not wearing white, you will be told to please go purchase a white Sensation shirt for 60 Euros in order to see the show. They were strict. I kept seeing kids wearing the same "This is a white t-shirt" shirt all over the place. Also, they make you exchange your money into "Senses"... for what reason? To confuse the drunks and make everyone's lives harder.
My friends and I all bought cheap white dresses for the show. The one I got I will probably never wear again. It's cute but only to a certain point... in the words of Casey, its the two things you never want out of your clothing... tight, and white. Woof. I should have just gone naked. I'm pale enough.
The show was unreal though, to say the least. It was at the Olympic stadium in Barcelona, a huge indoor arena big enough to hold 40,000 people (it was packed full). The same stadium in fact, that held the 1992 Olympics which gave Barcelona the economic boost it needed to become a fully metropolitan city. If I had chosen to study abroad 20 years ago, at the ripe age on one, Barcelona would not have even been an option. It apparently was a completely different city, sadly with no money. Thanks Olympics!
I digress. The show was unbelievable. Forty thousand people, three gigantic flowers in the middle of the floor that spouted water/colors/lights, the middle and largest of the three held the performers DJ stations, as well as the multiple stages for dancers and acrobats (yikes!). From the ceiling there were about 100 giant color changing orbs that floated up and down with the music, along with a light show of lasers and colors that made you feel like you were dreaming. Of course the music was just techno dance house music performed by DJs I had never heard of, but they did an incredible job making me want to dance until 5am. Literally. It went from 10pm to 5am. This explains why I slept until 4 today.
But that's just the show. When it got out, it was of course, 5am. And the Olympic stadium is about a 20 minute drive from the center of the city, where we live. These two circumstances made finding a cab nearly impossible. Also the fact that everyone and their mother was trying to get a cab ride home from Sensation as well. We walked. We made it to a hotel close to the harbor who refused to call us a cab because there simply were none, gave us a map, and told us where we could walk to the metro. Of course though, in a sleepless delirium, we managed to get lost even with a map. We hiked around the port area for an hour in tiny little dresses in the freezing cold. Eventually we made it to civilization and hailed a cab to warmth and safety. I had never been so happy to be in a cab.
Today, obviously, should have been a day for rest. BUT Feli woke us up earlier telling us the cleaning lady would be here today instead of her usual monday because she was going on vacation, so we were being kicked out of our room. We had to first clean our room and remove everything off the desk, the nightstand, and the shelves so she could clean. Excuse me?
This is a weekly thing. We literally have to pack up everything we own like we're moving out so the cleaning lady can DUST. It makes it feel like we don't even live here. The worst part is, if you leave anything out in the open, she hurls it into the closet or shoves it in a random drawer so it's impossible to find later on. We moved into the living room, where after 4 minutes my computer died so I resorted to sitting and staring at a wall. Then, because of course our room was not first to be cleaned, we were kicked out of the living room too so she could mop. We moved to the kitchen, because Feli was taking the sheets off of our beds and we felt unwelcome in our room. We sat there silently, while Feli came in to make remarks about how dirty our room is, god forbid we left a coffee cup on the nightstand and there was a pen mark on one of the sheets. Really welcoming. Cleaning day makes me realize just how awkward being in a home stay is...
Friday, October 7, 2011
Where is winter??
It has been record high temperatures here for this particular time of the year. It hasn't dropped below 65 degrees since probably last year. Most days its about 75-80, and it dips back down to around 70 at night. I know I shouldn't be complaining, because I'm going to hate going home to 6 feet of snow and a wind chill of -15, hiking to class in my parka and boots, but really Barcelona? I'm running out of summer clothes. I wear the same outfit twice a week (haha gross). Not to mention it's as humid as a jungle in the city.
All I'm asking for is weather in the 50s. I want to be able to wear pants, and walk to class without sweating to death before I even get there.
Clearly I have nothing to write about, seeing as I'm complaining about the weather.
The other night we went to see our beautiful friend Anna at the Smoking Dog. For those of you just tuning in, Anna is the bartender Katherine and I met the first night we were here. She's such a doll. We dropped in to say hi and bring her bar some business with the mob of girls we travel with (love them to bits). We then somehow got suckered into going to some club that had been promoted all week as free entry if you said a certain promoters name. Apparently when Paris Hilton is in Barcelona she goes to this club. Thanks for the trivia Sam! It was a nice place but it was PACKED with American students who wanted to get in for free and be drunk fools. This is why Spaniards hate Americans. They were all so drunk and obnoxious, breaking glasses on the floor. We obviously didn't stay long. Well, long enough for Katherine to slither into one of the empty go-go dancer cages ad dance around wearing her romper and boat shoes. God love her.
Lila, Jane and I at the Dog :)
This weekend is the big Sensation show! We tried to go shopping to buy something white (its mandatory to wear white or you don't get in) but we ended up just playing around in the shops close to our casa and not finding anything white. I did however buy the best scarf ever, which is why I want it to be cold... so I can wear it. We had to stay close because Erin had a doctors appointment, poor thing has been sick for a while. So Katherine and I went along with her and sat in the waiting room while she went it. When I say "sat in the waiting room" I mean we laid on the couches, played with everything in our purses, tried on everything we bought previously, played word games. Erin is ok though, thank goodness!
Alright, sorry my life is boring. Maybe I'll have something to write about after Sensation. Im so exciteddddd!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiJ507zCVG8 <<<<< Sensation Trailer
All I'm asking for is weather in the 50s. I want to be able to wear pants, and walk to class without sweating to death before I even get there.
Clearly I have nothing to write about, seeing as I'm complaining about the weather.
The other night we went to see our beautiful friend Anna at the Smoking Dog. For those of you just tuning in, Anna is the bartender Katherine and I met the first night we were here. She's such a doll. We dropped in to say hi and bring her bar some business with the mob of girls we travel with (love them to bits). We then somehow got suckered into going to some club that had been promoted all week as free entry if you said a certain promoters name. Apparently when Paris Hilton is in Barcelona she goes to this club. Thanks for the trivia Sam! It was a nice place but it was PACKED with American students who wanted to get in for free and be drunk fools. This is why Spaniards hate Americans. They were all so drunk and obnoxious, breaking glasses on the floor. We obviously didn't stay long. Well, long enough for Katherine to slither into one of the empty go-go dancer cages ad dance around wearing her romper and boat shoes. God love her.
This weekend is the big Sensation show! We tried to go shopping to buy something white (its mandatory to wear white or you don't get in) but we ended up just playing around in the shops close to our casa and not finding anything white. I did however buy the best scarf ever, which is why I want it to be cold... so I can wear it. We had to stay close because Erin had a doctors appointment, poor thing has been sick for a while. So Katherine and I went along with her and sat in the waiting room while she went it. When I say "sat in the waiting room" I mean we laid on the couches, played with everything in our purses, tried on everything we bought previously, played word games. Erin is ok though, thank goodness!
Alright, sorry my life is boring. Maybe I'll have something to write about after Sensation. Im so exciteddddd!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiJ507zCVG8 <<<<< Sensation Trailer
Monday, October 3, 2011
New perspective.
I took this down because I was getting responses about how poorly it was received. Allow me to clarify. This entry is in no way, shape, or form, an attack on any individual. It actually has absolutely nothing to do with any of you. It is not disguising a secret message. It's not a cry for help. It's not a mission of self destruction. This blog, though I welcome any and all readers, when it comes right down to it, is about me. This entry... is about me. Though the information provided in this entry can be applied to anyone, it is solely a reflection on my own inner being. Please do not take offense. Thank you. Cheers.
They tell you you'll "find yourself" in Europe... when you [find yourself] out of your comfort zone. Now... I don't know if its all true, and I definitely don't think I've "found" anything, but I have come to the realization that I have been living my life all wrong. This is not to say I regret anything I've done (well, maybe a few things), but as I look back on how I've been doing things, I can't say that I completely agree with all of my choices.
I thought about this the other day: I will only be in Barcelona, under these incredible conditions, once. Sure I have a lot of work to do here, school is going to be very challenging, but I'm living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world with amazing friends and all I have to worry about is some homework and papers to do (and maybe my bank account running dry).
From this point on, I have decided to go about things differently. I'm sick of being cautious. If I want to do something, I'm going to do it. I'm going to think it, say it, buy it, wear it, touch it, take it, love it. This is not meant to be self-destructive. I trust myself to make decisions that are right, for me and for others (please acknowledge this). I'm just sick of doing things I don't want to do, of course apart from things that NEED to be done. I'm sick of being mad about things I think I can't change. I'm sick of longing for a comfort zone I'm not even sure exists anymore. I love my friends and family, and I always will, but this marks a new era of not needing anyone to make myself happy. Wise words from Mr. Prats-Mendez. You need to make yourself happy before you go looking for someone else to do it for you. If you find someone that enhances your previously existing happiness, well... then you've found someone really special.
They tell you you'll "find yourself" in Europe... when you [find yourself] out of your comfort zone. Now... I don't know if its all true, and I definitely don't think I've "found" anything, but I have come to the realization that I have been living my life all wrong. This is not to say I regret anything I've done (well, maybe a few things), but as I look back on how I've been doing things, I can't say that I completely agree with all of my choices.
I thought about this the other day: I will only be in Barcelona, under these incredible conditions, once. Sure I have a lot of work to do here, school is going to be very challenging, but I'm living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world with amazing friends and all I have to worry about is some homework and papers to do (and maybe my bank account running dry).
From this point on, I have decided to go about things differently. I'm sick of being cautious. If I want to do something, I'm going to do it. I'm going to think it, say it, buy it, wear it, touch it, take it, love it. This is not meant to be self-destructive. I trust myself to make decisions that are right, for me and for others (please acknowledge this). I'm just sick of doing things I don't want to do, of course apart from things that NEED to be done. I'm sick of being mad about things I think I can't change. I'm sick of longing for a comfort zone I'm not even sure exists anymore. I love my friends and family, and I always will, but this marks a new era of not needing anyone to make myself happy. Wise words from Mr. Prats-Mendez. You need to make yourself happy before you go looking for someone else to do it for you. If you find someone that enhances your previously existing happiness, well... then you've found someone really special.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Uncle Carlos! (MORE pictures coming soon)
Its 8pm here... I woke up two hours ago after going to bed for the first time all weekend at 9 am. Welcome to Mallorca-life. (By the way, Carlos and Santos, if you're reading this... prepare to hate me because I am going to love all over you both via this internet blog). I also apologize to anyone who reads this... it is the longest blog you'll ever read by me. This weekend was just perfect, so I want to write it all down for my own sake. It was just so nice to go somewhere and have locals be your own personal tour guides. Especiallyboys as amazing and hilarious and fun as Santos and Carlos (what did I tell you).
Katherine made travel arrangements with her friend Carlos who would be putting us up for the weekend. A week and a half ago he moved into his first apartment with two friends from highschool, Santos and Mireia, both of whom are the nicest people you will ever meet. Thursday night we got about two hours of sleep and woke up at 3am to catch our cheap, dirty, and much too early plane flight out of BCN. We met with our friends Jess, Erin, and Kristine at the airport and popped on over to the best island in Spain.
Carlos met us at the airport in the only matter that is suited for him... by barreling out of the parking garage and heaving Katherine over his shoulder. He then gave us the keys to his apartment, gave us directions home, and told us he'd see us at 2 when he got off work (unfortunately real life doesn't stop because your friends are on vacation). When we got to his apartment, we barely had the keys in the door before his roommate Santos swung it open with a big "HELLO!" and welcomed us in. He was on his way out to work too, but made sure to try out his English speaking skills and suggest a great coffee place down the street where we could get breakfast. There was some confusion as to whether his job was as a "dentist" or an "artist"... and he later admitted to only saying yes to painting the picture above Carlos's bed because he didn't understand what we were asking, hahaha. In case you're wondering, he's a dentist (que intelligente!). We also got to meet Carlos's two turtles, named after his favorite women in his life: his sister Sylvia and his mom Margherita. Apparently they were not pleased by their names going to turtles. I can't imagine why they wouldn't be!
Because we had only slept two hours the night before, us girls did the only thing we were physically capable of and took a nice nap. Thorndyke is crazy and didn't want to sleep, so she sat around the apartment reading Spanish newspapers and doing the sudokus in them. We all woke up eventually and groggily wandered around the streets to find coffee and lunch (at this point it was lunch time). We spent a few hours getting cheap sandwiches, shopping in all the shoe stores (an unbelievable amount in Mallorca) and being tourists. Then we headed back to Carlos's to meet him post-work. We spent about two hours in his apartment eating a deliciously prepared lunch (the boy can cook) and searching for a hostel for the other girls.We didn't want to impose with three more girls sleeping at his apartment. Katherine was the mom and did all the work, so we decided to call her Mom and Carlos Uncle Carlos because they were "brothers". We called him this the entire weekend. After this though, Carlos then took us out on the town to see some sights.
Unfortunately... typical of tropical weather (god love it) it started to pour while we were checking Erin and Kristine into their hostel (they had plans to sneak Jess in late at night before bed which later failed), so we ran through the hurricane downpour to a cafe and waited out the storm with coffee. Once it finally let up, Carlos took us to a thrift store his friend owned. It was called Seattle, and had some of the coolest old clothes I'd seen yet in Spain. We spent a long time in there, trying on everything we could and picking out clothes for Carlos to wear/buy. Then he took us to the most romantic place in Palma, Mallorca. He brought us to an old army fortress that stood in front of the most beautiful cathedral. Everything was lit up with street lamps and glistening in the afterglow of rain, not to mention there was a jazz sax player serenading us and a pond with swans where Carlos said his grandfather used to take him to feed the swans. It was so beautiful. We took about a million pictures, then headed home to make dinner.
On the menu? Spanish potato omlette, a la floor. In the process of flipping it over in the pan, Carlos and Katherine managed to drop the entire thing on the floor. There was no question of whether or not it was going to be eaten... so we popped it back in the pan and continued to cook it. No harm no foul. We also used the leftover potatoes to cook up with some spices and oil. The entire dinner was cooked to a soundtrack of Bob Dylan and Deer Tick (boy also has good taste in music). It was a meal of starch and made everyone lie around dead and full for hours. Eventually we all got ourselves together and went out to meet Carlos's friends though, where we classily had some drinks in a park. Carlos and Jess played a game of rock paper scissors forever... which Carlos first named "Stone, scissors, paper"? Hahaha. We then went to a bar that local Mallorcans frequent. Unfortunately all of us were so delirious and tired from sleeping a grand total of three hours since wednesday night, so after playing a very tricky "yes/no" game with some drunk Irishmen outside of the bar, we took a cab home and riffled through the kitchen/fridge. Carlos and Santos wanted to stay up because they were so used to staying up all night, so I tried to keep awake and listen to music with them in Santos's big beautiful suite-like room. He clearly got the best room in the apartment. But I was exhausted, so I found my way back to Carlos's room where Jess, Katherine, and I were supposed to share his bed. Of course though, they looked so comfortable all snuggled in, and I was not trying to wake up drenched in body-heat sweat, so I made Carlos share the couch in the living room. Of course we couldn't sleep without first him beating me and me smothering him with a couch cushion. Children.
The next morning, Jess met up with Thorndyke and Erin to go shopping, while Katherine, Carlos, and I slept in as long as possible. We waited for Santos to wake up so we could all fit in their two cars and go to the beach. The girls came home, and after spending another hour waiting for Santos, Carlos finally went in and jumped on his bed to wake him up. We then took their cars to a small little part of Mallorca on the coast. The drive was beautiful. We drove through huge groves of almond trees, a town that only lasted 10 seconds (we counted), and once we got closer to the beach it was just a constant beautiful view of mountains and cliffs. Then we took a winding road down the side of a cliff to a tiny little tourist town. The boys stopped at a little restaurant that was "gypsie-like but delicious" where they just ordered a bunch of tapas for us that were typical Mallorcan cuisine. It was so good we even stole the paper placemats to remember our adorable lunch. Then they took us to the beach. YES. It was mainly just rocks, but it was so beautiful all enclosed in a cove of tall cliffs. We climbed up on to a big rock over-looking the water to take in the full view, then watched Erin and Carlos swim around in the treacherous waves. Carlos brought goggles and swam out about 100 meters where he claimed he almost got "bitten" by a jellyfish, haha, but Erin just struggled in the waves and acted like a mermaid on the rocks, hahaha. Too funny.
We spent the rest of the beach portion of our day curled up on towels learning funny phrases in Spanish from Santos. Examples? "You're uglier than the back of a fridge" hahaha. They actually use this. We taught him what "tangle" means... which was our only contribution to the educational session. Then, because the boys are perfect little angels, they took us to get Mallorcan almond smoothies and delicious Mallorcan cakes at a little cafe. SOOO GOOOOD. The smoothies tasted literally like almonds and cream pureed together. Fantastic. We were all so full from treats we just went home to start the night of drinking. Our dinner was just bread, tomatoes, and cheese from Menorca (smaller island).. It was still fantastic.
That night we went to a discoteca that Carlos and his friends go to all the time. To be honest we spent so much time in the apartment, we didn't even get to the discotec until 3am. We were there for only a few hours until we had to go home and pack for our 7am flight. When Carlos said we would just stay up and night and leave for the airport from the club he was not kidding. We went to the airport, drunk. Went through security, less drunk. Took the plane, hungover. And came home and slept until 6pm. Woof.
I just want Carlos, Santos, and Mereia to know just how thankful we all are for allowing us to stay with them all weekend, for feeding us, taking us out to see the sights, showing us a great time. You all are unbelievably kind and generous. I am so happy I got to meet you all, especially Carlos and Santos, who we really spent the most time with. You guys are fantastic, and if you're ever in the states, you better be giving me a call. This weekend was amazing, and definitely made my entire study abroad experience. It was exactly what I needed.
Katherine made travel arrangements with her friend Carlos who would be putting us up for the weekend. A week and a half ago he moved into his first apartment with two friends from highschool, Santos and Mireia, both of whom are the nicest people you will ever meet. Thursday night we got about two hours of sleep and woke up at 3am to catch our cheap, dirty, and much too early plane flight out of BCN. We met with our friends Jess, Erin, and Kristine at the airport and popped on over to the best island in Spain.
Carlos met us at the airport in the only matter that is suited for him... by barreling out of the parking garage and heaving Katherine over his shoulder. He then gave us the keys to his apartment, gave us directions home, and told us he'd see us at 2 when he got off work (unfortunately real life doesn't stop because your friends are on vacation). When we got to his apartment, we barely had the keys in the door before his roommate Santos swung it open with a big "HELLO!" and welcomed us in. He was on his way out to work too, but made sure to try out his English speaking skills and suggest a great coffee place down the street where we could get breakfast. There was some confusion as to whether his job was as a "dentist" or an "artist"... and he later admitted to only saying yes to painting the picture above Carlos's bed because he didn't understand what we were asking, hahaha. In case you're wondering, he's a dentist (que intelligente!). We also got to meet Carlos's two turtles, named after his favorite women in his life: his sister Sylvia and his mom Margherita. Apparently they were not pleased by their names going to turtles. I can't imagine why they wouldn't be!
Unfortunately... typical of tropical weather (god love it) it started to pour while we were checking Erin and Kristine into their hostel (they had plans to sneak Jess in late at night before bed which later failed), so we ran through the hurricane downpour to a cafe and waited out the storm with coffee. Once it finally let up, Carlos took us to a thrift store his friend owned. It was called Seattle, and had some of the coolest old clothes I'd seen yet in Spain. We spent a long time in there, trying on everything we could and picking out clothes for Carlos to wear/buy. Then he took us to the most romantic place in Palma, Mallorca. He brought us to an old army fortress that stood in front of the most beautiful cathedral. Everything was lit up with street lamps and glistening in the afterglow of rain, not to mention there was a jazz sax player serenading us and a pond with swans where Carlos said his grandfather used to take him to feed the swans. It was so beautiful. We took about a million pictures, then headed home to make dinner. On the menu? Spanish potato omlette, a la floor. In the process of flipping it over in the pan, Carlos and Katherine managed to drop the entire thing on the floor. There was no question of whether or not it was going to be eaten... so we popped it back in the pan and continued to cook it. No harm no foul. We also used the leftover potatoes to cook up with some spices and oil. The entire dinner was cooked to a soundtrack of Bob Dylan and Deer Tick (boy also has good taste in music). It was a meal of starch and made everyone lie around dead and full for hours. Eventually we all got ourselves together and went out to meet Carlos's friends though, where we classily had some drinks in a park. Carlos and Jess played a game of rock paper scissors forever... which Carlos first named "Stone, scissors, paper"? Hahaha. We then went to a bar that local Mallorcans frequent. Unfortunately all of us were so delirious and tired from sleeping a grand total of three hours since wednesday night, so after playing a very tricky "yes/no" game with some drunk Irishmen outside of the bar, we took a cab home and riffled through the kitchen/fridge. Carlos and Santos wanted to stay up because they were so used to staying up all night, so I tried to keep awake and listen to music with them in Santos's big beautiful suite-like room. He clearly got the best room in the apartment. But I was exhausted, so I found my way back to Carlos's room where Jess, Katherine, and I were supposed to share his bed. Of course though, they looked so comfortable all snuggled in, and I was not trying to wake up drenched in body-heat sweat, so I made Carlos share the couch in the living room. Of course we couldn't sleep without first him beating me and me smothering him with a couch cushion. Children.
We spent the rest of the beach portion of our day curled up on towels learning funny phrases in Spanish from Santos. Examples? "You're uglier than the back of a fridge" hahaha. They actually use this. We taught him what "tangle" means... which was our only contribution to the educational session. Then, because the boys are perfect little angels, they took us to get Mallorcan almond smoothies and delicious Mallorcan cakes at a little cafe. SOOO GOOOOD. The smoothies tasted literally like almonds and cream pureed together. Fantastic. We were all so full from treats we just went home to start the night of drinking. Our dinner was just bread, tomatoes, and cheese from Menorca (smaller island).. It was still fantastic.
That night we went to a discoteca that Carlos and his friends go to all the time. To be honest we spent so much time in the apartment, we didn't even get to the discotec until 3am. We were there for only a few hours until we had to go home and pack for our 7am flight. When Carlos said we would just stay up and night and leave for the airport from the club he was not kidding. We went to the airport, drunk. Went through security, less drunk. Took the plane, hungover. And came home and slept until 6pm. Woof.
I just want Carlos, Santos, and Mereia to know just how thankful we all are for allowing us to stay with them all weekend, for feeding us, taking us out to see the sights, showing us a great time. You all are unbelievably kind and generous. I am so happy I got to meet you all, especially Carlos and Santos, who we really spent the most time with. You guys are fantastic, and if you're ever in the states, you better be giving me a call. This weekend was amazing, and definitely made my entire study abroad experience. It was exactly what I needed.
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