Paris! Part 1

Paris was wonderful. Everything about it was wonderful. From food to museums to people, I loved all of it. Before I had left some people told me that they were not too into Paris or that it wasn't impressive. They are gosh darn wrong. It was wonderful, but I think I may just be in la la land. But then - no I loved it and got to see everything that I wanted to see and more. 

Basic Overview of my trip to Paris with API 

Thursday

Left at some ungodly hour in the morning to ride the airport bus to get to the airport. 

Finally get to Paris and are bussed to the hotel. 

"Panoramic" Bus tour of Paris (quotes to be explained later) 

Quick Stops at Invalides, Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame 

Lunch before Notre Dame (it was an odd free time/Notre Dame time) 

Free time 

Friday 

Free time - day trip to Versailles

Louvre in the evening

Saturday 

Free Day 

Explored Paris 

Arch de Triumph

Champs Eylees 

Musee D'Orsay (Impressionist Muséums) 

Sunday 

Flea Markets 

Lover's Bridge 

Climbing the Eiffel Tower

Back to Sevilla 

Thursday:

Thursday (Nov. 8) may have been one of the longer days in my time in Europe. Went to bed at 12:30, woke up from my "sleep" (read nap, not sleep) at 3:45 and then proceeded to get dressed and walk to the airport bus station (thankfully only a two minute walk), get on the bus, and finally arrive at the airport with everyone else. Luckily the wait for the flight and the flight itself were short, or maybe I was just too excited. I also sat next to Luis, my cooking teacher and the old director of API, so I was really happy to be there. 

Once we finally got to Paris we hopped on a bus and it took us to the hotel where we dropped our things and then immediately got back on the (same) bus and took a "panoramic" tour. Now, when they said panoramic tour, I thought they meant that we would be on one of those tourist buses with the open top and I could take some decent quality pictures while driving around the majority of Paris. That was a small lie. We just sat on the bus and listened to a tour guide (who spoke like 8 languages) speak slow Spanish/Portuguese. We were all so used to the fast Andalusian accent that listening to her accent was almost painful. (It was painful, I was trying to be nice, but the truth is best) However, most of the bus was asleep because we hadn't eaten in several hours and a lot of the group didn't sleep the night before. We made 2 stops, one at les Invalides (an old military hospital and now museum) and then one stop at the Eiffel Tower. I liked both but didn't get a good explanation for les Invalides. 

The final stop was near Notre Dame and they told us that we could go with the group and tour Notre Dame or leave and go back to the hotel or do whatever we wanted. Friend and myself decided on lunch near the river and then go to the Notre Dame. The wait was worth it. I got a small ham and cheese sandwich and it was the best tasting sandwich because of my hunger strike from traveling. 

Then we got to the Notre Dame. It was wonderful and we got in for free, which was a big bonus. The best part was that I could take pictures everywhere, and oh did I.

Notre Dame in the flesh! So big and beautiful. 

The inside was huge, and the tall vaulted ceilings made me feel so tiny. 

They had a good replica of the entire building. It was nice to be able to see a bird's eye view of it. 

Of course, stained glass. I loved ever second of ever piece. 

Ronda

I loved Ronda. It has to be one of my favorite places so far. We went just for a day, and that was perfect. The bus ride was as usual, full of my sleepy self and waking up when we got there. Thank goodness, because sometimes I don't sleep well the night before. 

We got there and one of the girls had to buy her return ticket, so it was nice to sit down and try to locate a map. Unfortunately, I couldn't find one that I didn't have to pay for. Oh well, we left the building and made our way across the narrow street to a café that was selling churros. Oh churros. Let me explain. 

They are fried pieces of heavenly sweet dough, typically in a round shape - sweet and round like a funnel cake, but without everything added to it. Then, not only do you receive warm fried dough for breakfast, you also get chocolate to dip it in to. If anyone told you that it was chocolate syrup - they lied to you and you should question your friendship with them. It is more like a melted chocolate bar. Once you are finished drooling on your computer keyboard, check out the picture below to see what these babies look like. 

I know. You can't resist pawing at your screen. It's even better with smells and tastes. 

Once we filled our bellies with churros and coffee, we then wondered around the street going in and out to try to find the bridge. If we were to find the big bridge, we knew that we would be semi- in the center of town.  We found it and squealed with joy upon seeing it. Then everything became quiet. The views were breathtaking. Here we stood, in a tiny town in Spain, surrounded by rolling mountains that were covered in olive trees, forest, and some farmland. I couldn't stop taking pictures. Hence the almost 400 that were posted to Facebook the other day. Here are some of my favorites, just to brag a little: 

I couldn't get that grin off my face. 

I found where I want to live. Anyone else?

La Puenta Nueva. The "New" Bridge. 

But really, it's just bigger than the old one. 

Then we decided to try to fin our way down the gorge that divided the town and take pictures from there and just explore in general. I asked a British tour guide if he knew the best way to get down to the gorge, and he handed me a map (finally a free one!) and explained how to get down and where the best pictures would be. He then told us some other places to check out. Wonderful! Cheerio, tour guide! We made our way down the gorge with ease, laughs and tons of pictures. It is a miracle that I didn't fall off of the cliff. I had my camera up and down constantly. 

Also, Europe is funny in a way that they don't have as strict safety guidelines as we do in the states. So everything had few or no railing, and the paths weren't always smooth. Good thing I wore my sneakers and comfortable clothing.

Best Example: We walked across this while holding onto the side of the cliff. We were all the way down the gorge, but still... Europe where are your handrails?! 

 No tight spots, but it did make it better to climb back up once I started glistening. (Remember: women don't sweat - we glisten) The climb down was wonderful and I even found a friendly dog that needed to be loved on. (How I miss being able to do that) After getting as close to the river as we could we decided to head back up for our lunch. 

She kept looking up for her human, he was climbing on the cliff. (With ropes) 

But she was so sweet. (and therefore got lots of attention from me)

Lovely, uphill. You see the problem is that Sevilla is flat, and well… Ronda is not. Making my way uphill took a lot more effort that I thought and I believed that I was going to perspire on the mountainside. I made it back and we found a street that had all kinds of different foods for lunch and we settled on and Italian place. I love Italian food, I really do. If I spoke Italian, this blog would be about my adventures in Italy. (maybe in the future?) I got a fettucine with Mushrooms and a mushrooms sauce. Grab a napkin so that you don't start drooling again. 

Yummy!! 

After lunch we took to exploring more parts of the town, but by then we were a little limited on time so we headed back to the bus station to return home and get a well deserved nap on the bus. However, sadly, our bus was late. Not by a lot, but like 30 minutes. I was worried that they had gone on strike and that I was doomed to sleep outside in the bus station. Fear not, it came and got me safely home. And we even snuck our friend who bought the return ticket (for the later bus, because our bus was "full" - lies) 

Overall, wonderful trip and I would recommend it to anyone visiting the Andalusia area. 

Oh, here are some more pictures. 

Malaga

Malaga was a wonderful little city that is a little smaller than Sevilla. I loved going with the people that I did, actually I just loved everything about the trip. 

We left so early in the morning. But luckily, I got to sleep on the bus. Once we got there, it was a little bit of a treck to get to our hostel, but as soon as we walked in, I fell in love. 

First sight you see when you walk in. 

Beautiful. 

I will not get over tile in Spain. I love all of it. 

Stairway to our rooms. 

Toile Fabric!! I was in love. (And in blue too) 

There was a small collection of plates on the wall. I had a hard time not to want to take one home. 

And each one was different. 

We dropped our bags off, locked our doors (see - look how safe I am?!) and went out with maps to explore the city. It didn't take long to find a more central area of the city that we knew we wanted to see. First - Pablo Picasso's house. The house that he was born it. Pablo. Picasso. 

A quote from Pablo. Sadly, I couldn't take pictures. Of anything. But I snuck in this one on a stairway. I think they were ok with it. 

We also ventured out (not very far- thank goodness) to an older part of the city that held the Alcazaba (sound familiar? not the Alcazar, but also owned by the moorish kings when they occupied Spain) It was beautiful and filled with nooks and crannies, and of course, gardens. 

Look at me, hanging around the Moorish Palace. 

But once we got back to the hostel, we met our neighbors for the night - the germans. All were very nice, and some very very cute. And all spoke good English. We told them that we were going to the beach, and they warned us that it was dirty, and that the good one was about a 30 minute bus ride away. We went anyway, who knows what dirty means to anyone? They may had been beach snobs. 

Abigail, stepping carefully around the trash and into the Mediterranean. 

They were not beach snobs and were 100% correct. The beach was dirty. Nothing too gross or harmful, but just littered with trash, and that was even in the Mediterranean. But fear not, the water was still a beautiful blue color that I haven't seen rivaled. (with my own eyes - National Geographic does not count) 

We spent a little time at the beach and then made our way back to the hostel where we changed and then went out to dinner. Our new German friends invited us to go out with them to a bar that offered a liter sized mojito for 5 euros. 

Fairly good deal if you ask me. And it was pretttyyy tasty. We talked with the Germans for a long time at the bar and got to know them pretty well. I enjoyed comparing cultures and lives, because wonderfully we were all the same age. (ok +/- a few years 20-25) 

We then headed to a bar which was not what we thought it was (expensive) and then meandered back to the hostel where we opened a few bottles of wine and had another chat with the Germans. I love their accents, they are so funny. I found out that they are from a  region in Germany called Bavaria (I nodded, noting to myself to look it up later - southwestern Germany) and that they live in a tiny little "willage" (no V in German) They also invited us to visit their little "will age" if we ever found ourselves in the Munich area. I want to go visit now. They even showed us their Lerderhosen that they brought with them. I only thought little boys and old men wore them. I loved learning this though because I have family origins in Germany. 

Hello new friend. Too bad I never got a facebook request. 

Update: no friend request from the Germans. Oh well. 

Overall, I loved it. Everything about it. I had a wonderful time with wonderful people, new friends and a beautiful little coastal city. 

Classes - the reason I came to Spain?

Classes so far: 

I love going to these classes, and I chose them because I knew that I couldn't take them anywhere else, especially in dear 'ole Clemson. It seems odd to think about, because most of my pictures are adventures on the weekends, 

Spanish Painters 

Love it, and the old man professor and he can tell who is really iterated in the class. I raised my hand to answer a question (I was not being an overachiever… just getting the class to move along.. no one would answer what circa meant in spanish, but everyone knew) And he was like - Oh I can tell you really like art history and when people answer questions well I want to make sure that I write that down so that it can boost your grade at the very end of the semester. Yay! Now I will be sure to be even more interested in everything he says (like it's hard - I love all of it) And poo on everyone who thinks Art History is boring! (thanks Mom for showing me it's not) 

Cooking and Literature

Yep, I am taking a cooking and literature class. The literature is about cooking and the movies are about cooking and the cooking is about me eating whatever we are cooking, and I wish that I could just become a cook. Then I could feed everyone and no one would ever be hungry again. But, as of right now I can't, so this class will have to continue to ensile motivation in me to continue my love of cooking, and all things related to it. 

I love the professor, he's so wonderful and I can tell that he appreciates a good meal (little round around the tummy area - whatever he's happy) and he knows a lot about cooking and things related to cooking. We are supposed to read books about cooking and/or watch movies related to cooking (think Julie and Julia) and then write a paper about it explaining why we liked it and what we thought about the movie or book. (I know - it doesn't quite seem real - it is, I made sure to pinch myself a few times during the first class) 

Our first cooking day - Wednesday - we made something uniquely spanish and something that only Spaniards would really appreciate. Rabo de Toro. The tail of a bull. But not just any bull - one of the bulls that I saw die when I went to the bull fight. Odd how things come full circle. However, I was pleased to see that this is a delicacy and that the entirety of the bull is eaten or used. The bull's tail was surprisingly large and long, who would have thought? 

Flamenco: 

As soon as you read this you think - ohh, she's learning the Flamenco dance.. No, not really. This has been my most surprising class - it's not about the dance, it's not about the culture, it's about the music. I like music, but I have never studied it. My professor is going through the basics of the rhythm and everything. I am struggling, since I have never taken any sort of musical studies. Luckily, I have a friend (Carolyn) in the class who is a music major and she explains most things and helps me out with everything. That part makes the class significantly better, otherwise I think I would switch. 

History of Medieval Spain: 

I love this class. I never thought that medieval anything was going to be my favorite but I have been proved wrong. The professor is a tiny man with a large mustache and a quick manner of speaking. The only thing that I am having a little bit of trouble with are the notes on the power point (wonderful and they are the main point) and having to listen to him while taking notes, all in Spanish. I know he's really passionate about what he is teaching and what he wants us to learn, but I feel like some of the time I am missing out on what he has to say. I wish I could just record everything and that way I could remember everything. 

Image of Spain in Film:

I love my professor in this class, he makes it wonderful. He is funny and upfront about the films we watch and what he likes and thinks is "estupid".  He has a really wide range of movies that he wants to show to us, and I love that he is so enthusicatic about it. He also (wonderfully) started in the 1930s with a classic in Spain, "Carmen, de la Tirana" and I love it. 

Overall, I love all of my classes, and I am fortunate not to have any of them change or cancelled. 

A Bullfight

How a bullfight works: ** caution - it's not pretty, or good for anyone who has strong opinions about animals rights. *

Everyone who is going to be in the fighting area comes out - a few on horses as the people of introduction, a few torreros (not quite matadors, but a little above a stable boy) but men who were going to help the matador if he needed help and to also tease the bull, men on horse back that would pierce the bull with sharp stakes so that it would weaken it. However, the horses are completely covered in armor and padding so that they are not hurt by the bull when it gets upset that the person on the horse is hurting it. Just because the horses had armor though, did NOT mean that I didn't gasp every time the bull was angry and tried to gore the horse. The horses are also blind so they the do not become too spooked. (ha, like that was working that well, you are blind and all of a sudden - bull in your business poking you with it's horns - sounds like a great time.

The bull is let into the ring, and the torreros tease and play with it to wear it down and make it tired.
The padded horses and men come in and the bull sees a new target and wants to make friends, the men on the horses stab the bull twice and then a horn sounds so that the horses can leave. 

The torreros tease the bull again, and if he gets too close they have the chance of being gored (oh wait, we saw a torero get gored in the leg, but he was going to be ok. (just a little sore for a few days joked the men behind me) Once they get the bull's attention, they are able to stab him with two sharp stakes that are colorfully decorated. They do this 2 more times until the bull has 4-6 stakes in his shoulder area. But the stakes do not stay colorful for long, the blood from the bull quickly turns everything dark and red. 

Finally the matador enters and has his time with the bull. He gets it to come close to him and stains blood all over his little outfit (but still looks very good in those pants, tights and funny little slippers) Once he and the audience have deemed that the bull has put up a good fight (I still haven't figured this part out yet-good vs. bad etc) he takes a sword that was hidden in his red cloth, and stabs the bull in between the shoulder blades to sever his spinal cord (? I think) however (brace yourself) he pierces the lung of the bull and the bull dies by drowning in his own blood. (Gory and horrible, but not as bad when you are far away and try to make yourself numb against all of this) 

The bull dies and they pierce the neck to ensure it's death. Then donkeys and more men come out to cart the bull around the ring and then to take him away. The matador receives the ear of the bull for a good fight, and the tail for an ok fight, and nothing for a bad fight. 

Then we start again from the bull entering the area. (I did this. 4 times) 

Overall - interesting and I didn't hate it, but I don't know if I could go to another one just yet. I made it through 4 bulls, and I was fine, but more hungry than anything. An older man even asked when we left if we liked it or not and I stuttered through a response while a friend explained everything - we liked it, but we were hungry. He laughed and said - of course,  your first priority.
Also - the women in front of me were never going to shut up, they were the most talkative people in all of Sevilla. I had a harder time concentrating because of them, however nothing was going to divert my attention from the bright red blood seeping from the bull's shoulders. I felt so bad for it, and yet I know the owner of the bull, the rancher who raised it, is proud of the bull and it's seen as an honor to have his bull in the ring. However, I was most excited to see the handsome bullfighter. (I am going to need a fan again) But he did have some close calls and was even flipped over the bull, but got away without a scratch, just covered in blood. 

Yes, it was gory. Yes, it was violent. Yes, it's not a the best entertainment. But, it is and was a huge part of Spain's culture as well as a country pastime. Some people can watch it, others can't.

Also, I didn't take any pictures of the fight because I was worried about the gore factor, but I am going to "borrow" some from friends who did.

So far in Spain.

My opinions on a few things:

The People:
Everyone here is always dressed well, regardless of what they are going to go do. And even the little kids are dressed well, in their little school uniforms or something else. However, as they age I noticed (like an old woman) that the older they get, the less clothing they wear. When we went out over the weekend, I was worried (again like an old woman - see a pattern yet?) I saw nothing but legs and boobs, and some more legs. However, I noticed that the men were all dressed in nicer button downs and jeans, or some where even wearing slacks, and lemme tell you that made them a might more attractive in my eyes. (Amercian boys - write that down because I am expecting to see some well dressed guys when I get back!) (Although I know Europe and the US are nothing a like. Oh well. A girl can dream) Regardless of how they dressed we had a fabulous time out, and I can't wait to go out again!

I think my Spanish is ok, I need to look over some grammar because it has not been my best, and if I do so I think I will feel better talking to my family and the natives.

THE FOOD - I have never had anything bad here ever. Everything has been absolutely wonderful. And mi mama also made paella (spelling and pronunciation) and that was just wonderful within itself.

How beautiful. Rosa's paella had chicken and all kinds of seafood in it. 

It was wonderful. I had never had paella and I am in love.

She was also very happy for me to be taking pictures of her cooking. I know she's flattered when Camilla and I talk about it. It's hard not to - it's sooo good. 

Everything is beautiful and everyone is wonderful.
People in the group - how I feel about them and how everyone is and how I think they are handling everything.

I am never going to leave this place. Ever.
I need to find me a Spaniard to settle down with. The only problem is that all of them still live with their mothers. :/
ha ha ha

It's hard not to be a Tourist

We left Madrid tired and ready to see the small village of Toledo. Toledo is a town known for its religious tolerance. There are strong influences of each major religion is apparent. The restaurant in the hotel actually had Arabic painted onto the walls, and Moorish carvings on the walls leading down to the restaurant.

El Escorial de San Lorenzo

We got to Toledo after visiting El Escorial de San Lorenzo, which is a beautiful monastery that is actually still in use. We toured around the cathedral, private bedrooms of Phillip II (who commissioned the building) and a part of the monastery. Our tour guide was wonderful. She spoke English and Spanish and would switch off between the two. She was very enthusiastic about everything having to do with El Escorial, and I wanted her to take me on a tour of the rest of Spain. She also showed us the tombs of the past kings from Charles I (Charles V – Holy Roman Emperor) until the two reserved for Juan Carlos I and his wife. (The old king and queen – mother and father of the current king) However, there is a problem. Once Juan Carlos I and his wife reside in the tombs, there is not more room for the new kings once they pass on. Where are the going to be buried?! However, the kings and queens are buried in rotting chambers until they are nothing but bones and then they are put into their respective caskets, ornately decorated of course. The entire process takes about 30 years and was not that appealing to me. It gave me the willies. (Lots of bones and bodies… not my favorite) But everything was still very interesting to see and learn about.

Gardens outside of the Monastery 

Outside of the monastery

We left El Escorial for Toledo in the mid afternoon and got to eat lunch. A bowl of Gazpacho was on my mind, and having it deeply satisfied a need for it. It was wonderful.

Perfecto! 

Then we went on a guided tour of Toledo following a man who was a local who had become a tour guide. However, it wasn’t a regular tour.  We were each given a small earpiece and a walkie talkie looking object, and we could turn the thing on and we could hear what he was saying without having to crowd together to hear his every word.  I felt like such a tourist with my earpiece and my large camera. (I love my Canon – don’t get me wrong, it’s take great pictures but shouts YOU’RE A TOURIST to everyone else)

Alysha (left) and Holly (right) modeling with our touristy headsets. 

This is how most of us wore our earpieces and walkie talkie sets. Alysha pulled hers off the best. 

Besides that I took some great pictures, and some others took good ones too.

Synagogue in the Jewish District. This is one of the only ones that survived after The Catholic kings, Isabel and Ferdinand, created a solid Christian state. 

The main church in Toledo. 

Yep, more church pictures. 

Beautiful and ornate organ pipes. 

Everything in this entire church was orante and gold - including the place for the bishop to preach. 

This one too. 

They even had the sword of Franco, which had a gold glided handle.

The purpose of this entire structure is to hold the wafers. 

It's over 400 kilos of gold and gems. 

So ornate and beautiful. 

A fresco on the ceiling of one of chapels. 

The hat is from a cardinal who was from the Cathedral and under his hat, he is buried. But also notice the statues behind the hat. 

These are seats for the monks to sit when they vote for things. All of them were ornately hand carved. And each chair has a different carving on it. 

More of the organ. and more beauty. 

We went shopping after our trip and I got something for mom, which I think she will really like. But the best part – ice cream, but not just ice cream, Helado, gelato, whatever – it’s the best. Better than ice cream best, so much better that I don’t want to eat ice cream once I get back to the states better. After doing all of those things, we made our way to the top of the hotel, where there was a terrace and we could take pictures of the beautiful sunset over Toledo’s skyline. 

Me with the setting sun in Toledo. 

Those were the perfect way to capture Toledo. 

Toledo and the sunset. 

The following day we headed down to Sevilla, which is where I will be staying for the rest of my time. Ok, some trips here and there, but otherwise, Sevilla is it. It was a long 7 hour bus ride, but it was worth it. I have met my host family, and I am in love with them. Even their little dog - Nano. (he has a facebook, not even Mom has facebook, I think this should change) 

For dinner we had Tortilla Española, my favorite, with salad and coffee flavored flan for dinner. Everything was perfect. 

Tomorrow brings something new and exciting - a bike tour around the city.