Longest day of my life.

Today has possibly been the longest day of my life. It started yesterday (saturday) around 8 am, (waking up) and won't stop until I close my eyes at the end of this post.
From Airports, to autobuses, I am finally in Spain, and it feels like coming home. The accent feels comfortable, the city smells like I remember it, and everything is wonderful.

Arriving:
Getting into Spain was not difficult at all and the customs agent didn't even look at my visa (that I had worked so hard to get) when he stamped my passport for entry into Spain.
After getting through customs and happily obtaining my bag from the luggage carousel, I found other API students and we went to the meeting place at a caféteria, where we met Juan who works for API and who was in charge of coming to get us. The hotel was wonderful, and walking around was even better, but a nap was desperately needed.

Fear not as soon as we go to the hotel, we saw that a Fiat commercial was being filmed.

There were a few things of high priority. Like, FOOD. I felt like I had been through a desert from the plane, and all I wanted was a glass of wine and some tortilla española. And a nap. 

It even came in its own little pan! I need one of these! Tortillas all the time! 

I got the nap. But there are no pictures of it. 

Sorry. 

The roommate:
I love her already. She's traveled everywhere and has done everything. She's wonderful. I know she reads this. I can't wait to get down to Sevilla with her and hang out with our host familia. I think it's going to be a great time.


Dinner:
I wish I had brought my camera to dinner, because it was everything picture worthy. Varied green salad with a thick slice of warm brie on the top an topped with walnuts. I almost licked the plate. Then came dinner - simple fish - that had been filleted and still had a head, tail and eyes. Side was a small serving of yellow mashed potatoes. The fish was wonderful and cooked to perfection. The only bad part about eating real fish is picking out the tiny bones from each bite. But all was well worth the work.

Then: dessert. We had been discussing gelato and other favorite dishes, and the direct smiled at me (ate with the director and a coordinator because we were running late, and gosh darn, they left without us.) and the chef brought out raspberry gelato and a fried pastry dish filled with a delicate cream and topped with toasted almonds. Then the plate was sprinkled with cinnamon. I was in heaven.

Stupidly  however - I went out.

I wanted to sleep. I should have, could have, would have slept. 

But I didn't.

Everyone wanted to go out and we tried to split up and go to different places, but we only found side streets that were not what we were looking for. Also, I was not looking for any man to come up to my person and begin talking to me about going to his club and getting free drinks. Nope. Not in the least. We also had no idea where we were going, nor where we wanted to go.

That was the whole night. At least until we found an Irish pub, and I split a Guinness with a friend.

I was so excited to go to bed, but I had no trouble falling asleep. Or dreaming, or staying asleep.